The Event: opening of Florentia Ristorante, 579 Mt. Pleasant. Toronto, July 27/09

 The Time and Date: Monday, July 27, 2009  6Pm to 8PM
The Event: opening of Florentia Ristorante, 579 Mt. Pleasant.
The Venue: Florentia Ristorante (www.florentia.ca)
The Target Audience: media, friends, investors.
The Quote/Background: This is a Tuscan cuisine restaurant, owned and
operated by Milan Chef Bruno Soleri and Tuscan artist Marco Sassone
(www.marcosassone.com). Soleri has worked in Italy, at Chez Panisse,
and at Canoe. Sassone has exhibited widely, once lived for a long
period in San Francisco, and currently lives and works in Toronto and
Florence. He has a huge bibliography and catalogue of published
reproductions of his paintings. Some of his expensive and extensive
artwork hangs in the new restaurant, including a 17 foot mural titled
"Florentia" (1998) which portrays major Florentine figures of the
Renaissance. The restaurant is normally open Tuesday through Saturday,
but the launch party was held on a Monday. In fact, it was Sassone's
birthday today, so we all had the congratulatory raspberry and cream
millefeuille plus a chocolate cake at the end of the launch.
The Wines: The restaurant was pouring MezzoMondo Pinot Gris Chardonnay
2008 from Sicily, and MezzoMondo Sangiovese Merlot 2008 from Sicily.
Both wines were off their wine list, selling for $25. They also older
Tuscan wines such as Sassicaia 1994 and Tiganello 1997, both selling
for about $200 (there are four wines in this price category, some from
1988). The Frescobaldi Remole is attractive at $30. Corkage is $15, and
there are non-Italian wines on the list.
The Food: The normal menu features a fair bit of diary foods, with
fresh cheeses being a highlight. There is a formaggi freschi plate of
water buffalo mozzarella, bocconcini, fior di latte, and ricotta. There
is a burrata of fior di latte with cream. Chef has Tuscan lamb chops
with Swiss chard and cannellini beans. As well, there are smaller
pizzas, soups, other entrees, fish, chicken, and so forth. Tonight, we
had focaccia and bread with chard, anchovies and green onions. There
was cold rigatoni with fresh cheese, cherry tomatoes, and black olives.
There was potato focaccia. And there were three heavy-ish frittatas
with onion, tomato and pepper, and zucchini. Plus, thin crust pizza
with red pepper puree and mozzarella.
The Downside: but it was, as these openings go, lightly attended.
Usually they are packed.
The Upside: Tony Aspler and his wife Deborah Benoit were there. As if
to remind me, right in front of my vision there was an excellent
painting by Sassone of three pigs staring at me.
The Contact Person: karin@amazonpr.com
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 90.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

 

Trade Tasting Event: APVSA tasting (Association pour la promotion des vins etc) July 2/09

 The Time and Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009   10 AM to 6 PM
The Event: APVSA tasting (Association pour la promotion des vins et
spiritueux en Amerique du Nord).
The Venue: Delta Chelsea Inn
The Target Audience: wine agents.
The Availability/Catalogue: no wines are currently available in
Ontario. The group is here to try to get some agents to agree to rep
the principal. Some of the wines are available in Quebec and Alberta.
Most of the wines were French, and there were sales staff available to
comment on the prices and production.
The Wines: The problem I had with the wines, and one that must be
acknowledged, is that they were no better than the wines that we
already have here in Ontario. There really did not seem to be any price
advantages, either. These 40 or so wines could be made available
through Vintages or Consignment. Here were my faves, regardless of
price (Bordeaux dominated):

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Chateau Moulin de Sales 2000 Lalande de Pomerol
-Dom. Des Planes La Cuvee Reservee 2006 Cotes de Provence, organic
cabernet sauvignon and mourvedre blend.

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Chateau Moulin de Sales 2002 Lalande de Pomerol
-Chateau de L'Eveche 2000 Lalande de Pomerol
-Chateau de L'Eveche 2003 Lalande de Pomerol
-Chateau La Haye 2004 St. Estephe
-Teresa Raiz Decano Rosso 2006 Friuli, 13.5% ABV
-Teresa Raiz Sovrej 2007 Venezia Giulia
-Chateau Du Grand Janisson 2004 Premiere Cotes du Bordeaux
-Chateau Janisson 2003 Cadillac Bordeaux, botrytisized sweetie
-Chateau Haut-Terre-Fort 2008 Entre-Deux-Mers
-Dom. Des Planes Flamant Rose Cotes de Provence 2008, organic.
-L'Or des Schistes 2003 St. Chinian, organic

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Chateau Moulin de Sales 2003 Lalande de Pomerol
-Chateau Moulin de Sales 2005 Lalande de Pomerol
-Chateau Touteau 2007 Montaigne St. Emilion
-Chateau de L'Eveche 2005 Lalande de Pomerol
-Teresa Raiz Vigneti Le Marsure Merlot 2007
-Chateau Puy Bardens 2004 Premiere Cotes de Bordeaux
-Chateau La Bergere 2007 Montaigne St. Emilion
-Chateau Moulin La Bergere 2006 St. Georges St. Emilion

 

The Food: none.
The Downside: usually there is not enough space to sprawl out and write
notes. No paper was furnished, so I used some 3 by 5 cards.
The Upside: a chance to taste some engaging wines not available here.
There is a listing of wines with prices, but it is complicated.
The next show will be in October, 2009.
The Contact Person: for prices, etc., check with Pascal
p.fernand@apvsa.ca
The Effectiveness (numerical grade): 85.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

 

Good Food and Wine Books

 

THE FLEXITARIAN DIET; the mostly vegetarian way to lose weight, be
healthier, prevent disease, and add years to your life (McGraw Hill,
2009, 285 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-154957-8, $24.95 US hard covers)is by
Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LDN (licensed dietician). She's heavily
involved in the online and TV nutrition world, as well as print and
cooking schools. Her main thrust here is simply to cut down on red
meat. "Flexitarian" means the same as omnivore: you'll eat everything.
But in moderation and balance. There are a range of options here, such
as flexible meal plans, meat-substitute recipes, and time of day. No
need to completely give up meat, dairy or fat. Typical one day programs
include vanilla spice French toast with berry syrup, arugula salad with
figs and goat cheese, grilled primavera on rigatoni, and peach
raspberry crepe. The trick is not to overdo it.
Audience and level of use: men, those trying to lose weight the easy
way.
Some interesting or unusual facts: studies show that flexitarians
weight 15 percent less, have a lower rate of heart disease, diabetes
and cancer, and live about four nears longer than carnivores.
The downside to this book: just another diet book but more acceptable
to men.
The upside to this book: good layout of meal programs.
Quality/Price Rating: 84.

 

4. LAST CANADIAN BEER; the Moosehead story (Nimbus Publishing, 2008,
178 pages, ISBN N978-1-55109-691-9, $29.95 Canadian hard covers) is by
Harvey Sawler, a Maritime writer who has often written about New
Brunswick businesses. Here he has conducted interviews with family
members and the company's communications area, and he was given access
to the corporate archives. His book is a straightforward business
history, and like all private family ownerships, there are the
inevitable disputes over money and direction. The current leader of the
firm is sixth generation Andrew Oland, born in 1967, one hundred years
after the firm was founded. He currently makes 13 different beers, some
for different markets. While other beer labels have been sold to
American and European interests, Moosehead remains independent. Sawler
has come up with lots of historical or archival photos, mostly black
and white. He has colour plates of labels and their changes over the
years.
Audience and level of use:  beer lovers, history buffs, culinary
historians.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: The appendices list and
identify the names of the family members through six generations. There
is also a list of awards since 1950 (were there no records before 1950?
Or no awards given?), a list of their markets for beers, and some
advertising slogans.
The downside to this book: NO INDEX, which is a shame.
The upside to this book: good contribution to Canadian corporate
business history, and to beer marketing.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.

 

 

 

5. 200 BEST PANINI RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2008, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-
7788-0201-3, $27.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Tiffany Collins, who
currently serves as culinary spokesperson for the Texas Beef Council.
35 panini here are made from beef; this represents one-sixth of the
book. Panini, for the uninitiated cook, are pressed and grilled
sandwiches. You can take almost any sandwich and make it into a panini:
just keep the ooze factor to a minimum. This book has several hundred
recipes, if you count all the variations, and it is a good place to
begin. The arrangement is by format or content, such as breakfast and
brunch panini, vegetarian, seafood (smoked salmon, red onion, cream
cheese and caper panini), poultry, meat (beef, caramelized onions and
blue cheese panini), deli, leftover, panini for kids, and desserts
(chocolate, hazelnut and strawberry panini). She has riffs such as
classic Reuben panini, Montecristo panini, Philly chicken panini,
chicken Caesar, lobster fontina, even pizza panini. Some of the preps
are glamorous such as the sardine and balsamic tomato panini. Others
are upscale. The type of bread is up to you, she says, but ciabatta and
focaccia are best according to the author. The book shows the standard
Robert Rose approach: larger typeface and additional leading,
avoirdupois and metric measurements, colour plates with page
references, cooks notes, and index.
Audience and level of use: basic sandwich primer.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: see above.
The downside to this book: this is a sandwich book, and you can easily
"panini" any sandwich.
The upside to this book: there is a chapter on condiments.
Quality/Price Rating: 83.

 

 

 

6. COOKING UP A STORM; recipes lost and found from the Times-Picayune
of New Orleans (Chronicle Books, 2008; distr. Raincoast, 368 pages,
ISBN 978-0-8118-6577-7, $24.95 US paper covers) is edited by Marcelle
Bienvenu and Judy Walker. All the preps come out of the Times-Picayune
newspaper. It is interesting that the newspaper became a post-hurricane
swapping place for old recipes that were washed away by Katrina. There
are about 225 recipes here, along with the stories of how they came to
be. They have been collated from the newspaper archives, local readers
and chefs, and local restaurants. Both classic and contemporary are
repped here, so you'll get a dose of beignets, chicken with okra, red
beans and rice, grits, and local drink recipes. It is wide-ranging, and
not all recipes are Creole or Cajun – it is more like a community
cookbook from New Orleans and the parishes. And it means that there are
many non-Creole dishes such as "Mexican lasagna" or "liver with onions"
or "beef kababs".  Arrangement is by course, from apps to desserts,
with, of course, a lagniappe chapter. The book concludes with a guide
to local descriptions of food, such as po-boy or gumbo. Recipes use
avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents at
the far back. Anecdotes and pictures of a lost New Orleans complete the
package.
Audience and level of use: Creole food lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pain perdu, seafood gumbo,
fresh corn and shrimp chowder, banana bread, anise cookies, praline
cookies, and muffuletta.
The downside to this book: typeface is a bit light, especially since
the ink used is beige or green. It can be hard to read at time.
The upside to this book: a good project, to keep recipes in print.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

7. 300 SENSATIONAL SOUPS (Robert Rose, 2008, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0-
7788-0196-2, $27.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Carla Snyder and
Meredith Deeds, both food writers living in the US Midwest. This is a
nice database of classics and contemporary soups, along with
international preps such as pho, harira, minestrone, or African peanut
soup. It is arranged by major ingredient. There are separate chapters
for meat, veggies, beans, cheese, poultry, fish, and styles such as
chowders, cold soups, and dessert soups. At the beginning there are
notes on soup stocks, and at the end, there are notes on garnishes and
toppings. As is standard with any Rose cookbook, the ingredients are
expressed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, the typeface is
clean and lean and large, and there is plenty of white space for adding
your own notes.
Audience and level of use: basic soup primer.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: veal burgoo, chilled curried
pear soup, chicken-squash-sausage soup, lasagna soup, arugula soup with
salmon and roasted grape tomatoes, guacamole soup.
The downside to this book: there are some colour pix of the soups, but
really, you cannot see much, just the garnish and the top layer. This
is true of all soups, so why bother? It just adds to the expense of the
book.
The upside to this book: nifty collection.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.

 

 

 

8. A YEAR OF WINE; perfect pairings , great buys, and what to sip for
each season (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2008, 250 pages, ISBN 978-
1-4169-4815-5, $24 US hard covers) is by Tyler Colman, aka Dr. Vino,
author of the award-winning wine blog drvino.com. He encourages wine
lovers to "drink different". This is a book about a year of wine
enjoyment and "pairing wine with food". Thus, it is arranged by season,
and then by month. He begins with January in winter. Staples here
include champagne, sweet and/or older rieslings, BA whites, burgundy,
barolo, N Rhone, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and zinfandel. Other sweet
wines are included. The heavy and fruity wines would get you through
the cold winter months (if you live in Canada or the northern part of
the USD: what about Southern USA?). In summer, it is lots of Prosecco,
vinho verde, unoaked whites, Malbec, lambrusco, roses, Beaujolais, and
moscato. He has recommendations for every season, mood, budget, event,
and suggestions for gifts. A highlight for me was the timeline for what
goes on in a winery and vineyard over a twelve month period.
Audience and level of use: basic primer, with a twist.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: He has a "sommelier survey"
in which he asks wine professionals queries such as: how does context
matter? Your fave pairings? Fave wines by season? Best season for
drinking wine? Your best food and wine occasion?
The downside to this book: there's a lot of entry level and wine primer
stuff here, Also, the index does not list all holidays or events, such
as Christmas, and so you'll have to go to the appropriate month.
The upside to this book: some producers are recommended, but in
different price ranges.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.

 

9. BAKING FOR ALL OCCASIONS; a treasury of recipes for everyday
celebrations (Chronicle Books, 2008, 396 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-4547-2,
$35 US hard covers) is by Flo Braker, baking cookbook author and food
writer and educator. Log rolling is by Chuck Williams, Nigella Lawson,
and Alice Medrich. "Occasions" here really means mostly for
entertaining, for a group of people. It is organized with these
occasions in mind. There's a section on makeaheads which can stashed
and finished off later. Another is on fresh fruit. The compendium of
200 preps covers most events. The first 50 pages is a baking primer.
Her baking is a very exact science. Ingredient listings have volume and
weights in both metric and avoirdupois. Even so, there are conversion
charts for US/UK/Metric forms. A good reference book, but you must
follow the rules first, as they are explained in the primer and cook's
notes.
Audience and level of use: cooks who want to become bakers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate chip cookie logs;
trufflewiches; Neapolitan bars; yogurt pound cake; pumpkin ice cream
profiteroles; almond apricot berry buckle.
The downside to this book: typeface is too light, being sans serif and
narrow in the ingredient listing.
The upside to this book: separate indexes by recipe categories, such as
tarts, turnovers, pies, cupcakes, pastries, and the like.
Quality/Price Rating:

 

10. CHOOSING THE RIGHT WINE (Teach Yourself, 2008; distr. McGraw-Hill,
36 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-162102-1, $14.95 US soft covers) is by Beverley
Blanning, a freelance writer and Master of Wine. This book is one of
500 in the Teach Yourself series (the original self-help series). The
emphasis in all the books is on "shelf help" – read notes and form
observations and opinions. This is the latest wine primer, and it is
pretty basic: you won't find any extraneous material here. The book is
ideal for any wine classes, and it is certainly cheap enough. No
pictures, which is a good thing. Blanning's role is "to provide the
tools to make choosing wine stress-free" and "to give an overview of
the most interesting wines". You can learn a lot about wines without
actually doing much tasting. That was the premise of the bluffer's
guides. Major topics here: how to taste, grape varieties, terroir,
winemakers, regions, and buying-storing-serving. She has a Q & A,
glossary, references, bibliography, list of websites, and an index. She
also has material on how to be a green wine shopper, with material on
organic wines, biodynamic wine, and recycling. In every section, there
are blocked off passages labeled "try these", which are the structured
wine tastings to have on your own. You are supposed to compare your
notes to hers. No brands are mentioned.
Audience and level of use: standard primer.
Some interesting or unusual facts: In the UK, the excise duty on a
bottle of wine is 1.46 pounds (1.87 on any sparkling wine). VAT is
additional. This is a flat rate, not a markup. Thus, the more you pay
for wine in the UK, the more value you get for the liquid contents.
The downside to this book: slightly British orientation, which is
unavoidable.
The upside to this book: no pictures of wine bottles or other twee
stuff. And thus, no specific wine producers are mentioned.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

 

TASTING: LCBO Vintages Aug 15 Release: some notes...

WORLD WINE WATCH (VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR AUGUST 15, 2009
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing <deantudor@deantudor.com>
Always at www.deantudor.com since 1995. Also visit my "Wines, Beers and
Spirits of the Net Compendium", a guide to thousands of news items and
RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits.
My tastings are based on MVC (Modal Varietal Character); ratings are
QPR (Quality-to-Price Ratio). Prices are LCBO retail. Only my top rated
wines are here. NOTE: The LCBO does NOT put out all of the wines of the
release for wine writers or product consultants. Also, some defective
or corked wines are not available for re-tasting.

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Creekside Estate Laura White 2007 Niagara: very aromatic blend of
sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot gris, viognier and riesling. Sipper.
+121764, 17.95, QPR: 90.
2. Stratus Wildass White 2006 Niagara: another very aromatic blend but
with semillon and gewürztraminer replacing Laura's pinot gris. A bit
spicier with more depth, but also an earlier vintage at a higher price.
More a first course wine than a sipper. +85100, $19.95, QPR: 90.
3. Stonechurch Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007 Niagara-on-the-Lake:
nicely integrated wood tones, but not buttery or creamy, good value.
+121772, $16.95, QPR: 90.
4. Liberty School Chardonnay 2006 Central Coast California: a
restaurant wine, very engaging, useful forwardness. Spot on. +960120,
$15.95, QPR: 90.
5. Lapostolle Casa Chardonnay 2008 Casablanca: balanced and integrated,
a bit of everything here, apples, limes, melons, oak. 14% ABV. Good
price for a mid-weight. +396986, $14.95, QPR: 90
6. Zilzie Chardonnay 2007 Victoria: nothing is better than a Gold Medal
heavily-oaked wine, but done in a Euro style. 14.5% ABV. +108027,
$17.95, QPR: 94.
7. Domaine Francis Fichet Macon-Villages 2007: pretty decent mid-weight
wine with a chardonnay hit on the long finish. +127399, $16.95, QPR: 90

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Finca Flichman Reserva Malbec 2007 Mendoza: soft vanilla tones
despite the 14% ABV, oak aged of course. +746727, $12.95, QPR: 91.
2. Emiliana Natura Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Chile: juicy organic wine,
touches of oak and butter. +61069, $15.95, QPR: 90.
3. Montgras Reserva Carmenere 2008 Colchagua: 14.5% ABV, but not a hot
finish. Dark fruit and mocha tones. Excellent value. +960542, $12.95,
QPR: 91.
4. Barossa Valley Estate E Minor Shiraz 2007: black fruit and depth,
good zest and Euro style +71043, $17.95, QPR: 90.
5. Chateau Courriere-Rongieras 2005 Lussac Saint-Emilion: great
mouthfeel, North American merlot softness appeal. +125492, $18.95, QPR:
91.
6. Chateau Haut-Canteloup 2003 Medoc: black fruit merlot dominates in
this over-the-top ripe wine. +125534, $17.95, QPR: 90.
7. Coppi Peucetico Primitivo 2001 Puglia: a nicely aged wine, dry
bouquet, subtle finish. Great price. +724674, $13.95, QPR: 90.
8. Finca Sobreno Crianza 2005 Toro: almost ready to drink, dense
development of flavours. Woodsy. +40360, $18.95, QPR: 90.

 

VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are ready to enjoy right now. Consumers
could buy and bring to those restaurants with corkage programs.
1.Nicolas Potel Montagny Blanc 1er Cru 2007, +127431, $24.95 retail
2. Chateau de Sancerre Sancerre 2007, +340893, $25.95 retail.
3. Domaine Carneros Estate Pinot Noir 2006, +101816, $34.95 retail.
4. Montes Alpha Syrah 2007 Colchagua Chile, +612, $22.95 retail.
5. Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Shiraz 2004, +971705, $39.95.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

 

Lunch Event: a working lunch with Santa Rita winemaker Carlos Gatica , July 23/09

3. The Time and Date: Thursday, July 23, 2009   Noon to 2PM
The Event: a working lunch with Santa Rita winemaker Carlos Gatica
Dlopp.
The Venue: Sharkey's Village Café, Bloor West Village.
The Target Audience: wine writers
The Availability/Catalogue: all nine wines tasted are available, three
by current private order.
The Quote/Background: Carlos is one of a dozen winemakers at Santa
Rita. He is responsible for the 120 series, an entry level wine selling
for about ten dollars. There are around 9 of these 120 wines, but only
two are in the Ontario marketplace.
The Wines:

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Santa Rita Triple C 2005, $49.95 private order (20th anniversary wine,
with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and carmenere as the high "C"s.
-Santa Rita Pehuen Carmenere 2005, $54.95 private order, 85% carmenere
and 15% cabernet sauvignon.
-Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Maipo, $59.95 private
order, top of the line.

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Casablanca, +275677, $13.95,
13.8% ABV.
-Santa Rita Floresta Leyda Sauvignon Blanc 2007, +680959 Vintages,
$19.95, one of a terroir series from three different clones, 13.5% ABV.
-Santa Rita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, +253872, $13.95, 13.9%
ABV.

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc 2008, +23606, $10.45: twist top, 14%
ABV
-Santa Rita 120 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, +218644, $10.45: twist top,
13.9% ABV.
-Santa Rita Reserva Chardonnay 2007 Casablanca, +348359, $13.95, 14%
ABV.

 

The Food: we ordered off the menu, and had a collection of wraps,
pastas, wings, salads, ribs – typical people food for summer enjoyment.
The Downside: it rained a lot that day.
The Upside: a chance to taste some really good wines with useful food.
The Contact Person: cpitkin@markanthony.com
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 88.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

 

Hesitating at the Gate (shameless plug)

Hesitating at the Gate
Reflections on Aging
by Ann Tudor
Toronto: Molten Gold (a division of Gothic Epicures), 2009. 96p. pa. illus.
ISBN 13-978-0-92000307-7.
PRICE: $15.00 plus $3.00 shipping & handling
ORDERING INFORMATION: Order through www.anntudor.ca (using PayPal) or email
the author at atudor@pathcom.com.

This collection of wry, dry essays and poems is an answer to the heartfelt
plea: "Help! I'm entering the Land of Old!" Ann Tudor says things about
aging that no one else is saying, in a unique voice. She offers insights
but no solutions. This is not inspirational writing on the topic of growing
old; the word "subversive" comes to mind. Or the phrase "a breath of fresh
air." You might laugh. You might cry. But you will surely have a different
view of aging after reading this book.

The Land of Old isn't nearly as lonely and frightening when you go there in
the company of this unorthodox author, whose frank response to the aging
process will make you grimace with recognition.

Anyone who has ever grown old, who is currently growing older, or who
suspects that growing older is in his/her future will want to read this
book. It is also an ideal gift for friends and relatives who have grown
old, are currently growing older . . . and so forth.

Ann Tudor uses the events and emotions of her life in all her writings. She
is the author and narrator of three spoken-word CDs: Tales from My Table:
Food for Thought; Rosie & the Angels: Scenes from the Journey; and I Love
Pie: An Opinionated Hands-on How-to for Making Pie Crust, Biscuit Dough,
and More. In her lifetime she has been and done many things, either full-
or part-time: copy editor, managing editor, church organist,
artist/craftsperson (altered and handmade books, fiber arts), pianist,
cellist, hands-on healer, and avid reader. At various times she has taught
breadmaking, French, and overtone singing and has read her work to
enthusiastic audiences. Visit www.anntudor.ca for more information.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

LCBO Vintages Release of August 1, 2009: reviews

WORLD WINE WATCH (VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR AUGUST 1, 2009
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing <deantudor@deantudor.com>
Always at www.deantudor.com since 1995. Also visit my "Wines, Beers and
Spirits of the Net Compendium", a guide to thousands of news items and
RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits.
My tastings are based on MVC (Modal Varietal Character); ratings are
QPR (Quality-to-Price Ratio). Prices are LCBO retail. Only my top rated
wines are here. NOTE: The LCBO does NOT put out all of the wines of the
release for wine writers or product consultants. Also, some defective
or corked wines are not available for re-tasting.

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Angels Gate Mountainview Chardonnay 2007 Niagara: wooded, 8 months
in toasted French oak, 13.5%. +116384, $18.95, QPR: 90
2. Coyote's Run Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Gris 2007 VQA Four Mile Creek:
body and soul, slightly off-dry, summer sipper or first course wine
accompaniment. +116582, $17.95, QPR: 90
3. Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench: floral
entry, dry complexity on finish. +80234, $16.95, QPR: 90.
4. Flagstone Free Run Sauvignon Blanc 2008 WO Elim South Africa:
delicious, good off-dry in mid-palate, not as nervy as other New World
sauvignon blanc. +96537, $15.95, QPR: 90.
5. E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2007: great viognier nose (50% of
total), good floral complexity, long enjoyable finish, first course
food wine or summer sipper. +290296, $17.95, QPR: 90.
6. Hans Lang Riesling Spatlese 1992 QmP Hattenheimer Hassel: 10.5% ABV,
17 years old and never been kissed, still fresh. Buy a lot of it at
this price. Very off-dry and intense. +127100, $18.95, QPR: 92.
7. Miguel Torres Vina Esmeralda 2008 DO Catalunya: this wine has always
been one of my fave quaffers for summer, 11.5% ABV, 85% muscatel and
15% Gewurz, and 100% aromatic floral complexities. Perfect for summer
sipping, absolutely fresh from 2008 vintage. +113696, $12.95, QPR: 90.

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot 2005 Columbia Valley: wall-aged,
13.5% ABV, big Merlot, restaurant ready. +263418, $19.95, QPR: 90.
2. Aresti Reserva Merlot 2006 Curico Valley: juicy and herby, long
length, better next year but good price to retain in your cellar.
+726760, $12.95, QPR: 90.
3. Deep Woods Estate Block 7 Shiraz 2007 Margaret River: good Euro
style syrah, twist top, 13.5% ABV. +109355, $16.95, QPR: 90.
4. Robertson Winery Prospect Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 South Africa:
juicy, mocha tones, some smoke on the finish. +687814, $17.95, QPR: 90.
5. Robertson Winery Wolfkloof Shiraz 2006 South Africa: good syrah
component, mostly Euro style but with US oak coconut flavours. +626341,
$17.95, QPR: 90.
6. Domaine le Grand Retour Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007:
off-dry fruit on mid-palate, a grenache-syrah-mourvedre (GSM) blend,
14.5% ABV, true to Euro style. +127167, $11.95, QPR: 90.
7. Tsantali Reserve Nemea 2003 Greece: well-balanced, good aging, taut
enough for BBQ and lamb. +13524, $14.95, QPR: 91.
8. Terra D'Aligi Tatone Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2005: fat, New World
style appreciation, juicy. +994616, $15.95, QPR: 90.
9. Cantina Parroco Nebbiolo Langhe 2007: faster maturing nebbiolo, a
thinner Barolo at a great price, and ready sooner. +117192, $18.95,
QPR: 90.
10. Castellani Chianti Riserva 2004: very Italianate, and strong cherry
flavours. +970707, $14.95, QPR: 90.
11. Bod. Olarra Cerro Anon Reserva 2004 Rioja: needs two more years,
but it is a dramatic wine, complex Rioja, worth the wait. +114306,
$18.95, QPR: 90.

 

VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are ready to enjoy right now. Consumers
could buy and bring to those restaurants with corkage programs.
1. Angels Gate Old Vine Chardonnay 2005 VQA Beamsville Bench, +116350,
$23.95 retail.
2. Robert Hall Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Paso Robles, +25205, $29.95.
3. Mr. Riggs Cabernet 2007 Coonawarra, +126896, $23.95.
4. Chateau Cherchy-Desqueyroux 2005 Graves, +125518, $23.95.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com

BOOK REVIEWS: THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS...

THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS...

 

...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback
reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher
a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will
reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will
rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text
while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent "re-editions"...

 

11. GUIDE TO HEALTHY RESTAURANT EATING. 4th edition (American Diabetes
Association, 2009; distr. McGraw Hill, 830 pages, ISBN 978-1-58-040315-
3, $17.95US paper covers) has been put together by Hope S. Warshaw, RD,
MMSc, CDE – a nationally recognized expert on healthy eating and
diabetes. This is a hard to beat book if you eat out a lot and are
diabetic or just want to cut back on superfluous calories, sugars and
fats. The coverage is for American chain restaurants, and (for the most
part) these same chains also exist in Canada. Six meals a week are
eaten out in restaurants, mostly at chains where you just walk in and
go up to the front. 61 chains are covered (although Tim Horton's is
listed as only available online at the website below), and almost 7,000
items are analyzed. The arrangement is by loose type of diner:
breakfasts, snacks, chicken, seafood, burgers, family fare, soups and
sandwiches, pizza, tacos, Asiatic, and frozen desserts. Nutritional
analyses for each item include calories, fat content, saturated fats,
cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fibre and protein. Choices and
Exchanges are also listed. So you can go through all the burger and
pizza joints to find the "best" possible foods. She has sample meals
that show readers how to make healthy meals from the menu of each
resto, and related to this she also indicates "Healthiest Bet" choices
from every establishment. I wish she had also done highly refined corn
fructose (HRCF) as well. This is a survival kit; it has been published
since 1999. More can be found at www.diabetes.org/healthyrestaurant,
especially searching for key terms. Quality/price rating: 95.

 

 

 

 

 

12. CRUSH ON NIAGARA; the definitive wine tour guide for Niagara, Lake
Erie North Shore, Pelee Island and Prince Edward County (Whitecap,
2009,
240 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-980-3, $19.95 paper covers) is by Andrew
Brooks, a sommelier who not only owns a Niagara vineyard but also a
wine tour company (Crush on Niagara Wine Tours. It was originally
written in 2004 and published as 160 pages. It is now five years later,
and there are 50% more pages. The industry has grown dramatically. The
original coverage was just Niagara (56 wineries). But now he has 98.
in the Niagara Peninsula, from the smallest (Domaine Vagners, 1000
cases) to the largest. And, of course, the industry continues to shake
out, with a handful of wineries disappearing or merging. The directory
data includes winery hours, contact information, annual production,
acreage (not hectares), and where to purchase the wine. Other basic
contents include wine serving and wine pairing suggestions, glassware
tips, accommodation, shopping, and eating places. The book is very
useful for information about the smaller and newer wineries, such as
Caroline Cellars, Palatine Hills, and the organic Frogpond Farm. Each
Niagara profile gets two pages, accompanied by photos. There are no
pictures for the other regions' wineries. Chase gives an assessment of
the better wines and his recommendations ("Sommelier's picks"). But the
photos are often small and dark, and there are no real Tasting Notes.
The front and back French covers have page references to wineries,
listed in alphabetical order. There is a good chapter on tips on buying
Ontario wines. But there are no fruit wineries except for Sunnybrook
Farms. Quality/Price Ratio: 90.

 

 

 

13. FLAVORS OF PROVENCE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2007, 2009; distr.
T.Allen,
160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-854-9, $21.95US paper covers) is by Clare
Ferguson, a British food and travel writer who also lives in Greece,
North America, and other parts of the world. It's a very appealing
book, good for armchair travelers, and one of a regional series, which
began with Tuscany. Here, there are 90 recipes. There is a discussion
on ingredients but these are scattered through the book (olives,
walnuts and their oils; herbs and garlic; fish and poultry; sweets;
sheep and goat cheese; wines). The recipes are arranged by course from
apps to desserts to beverages. Websites are noted. Recipes are the
classics of salade nicoise; pan bagna; ratatouille; pistou;
tians; tapenade; and fougasse. The pissaladiere uses 80 – 100 black
olives for 8 people. And there are some obscure regional dishes as
well. But there are too many locational pictures at the expense of demo
pix. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there are metric conversion
charts. Quality/price rating: 85.

 

14. SEASONAL FOOD; a guide to what's in season, when and why (Eden
Project Books, 2009; distr. Random House, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-905-
81136-6, $21.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Paul Waddington. It was
originally published in 2004; this is the paperback reissue. Waddington
is an environmental writer. This is a guidebook to seasonal food "in
Britain, so that locals can eat produce at its best, contribute to a
renaissance in local production, and simple revel in the variety of the
seasons." There are charts and chapters starting with January through
December, listing what's available and when. There are also some common
but useful recipes (morels on fried bread, ratatouille, et al), all
indexed. Both avoirdupois and metric forms of weights and measures are
listed with the ingredients. BUT – the scope is British, and the book
appears not to have been updated since 2004 (certainly, the former
bibliography is listed as it was). Quality/Price rating: 82.

 

15. EASY MEDITERRANEAN; simple recipes from sunny shores (Ryland Peters
& Small, 2007, 2009; dist. Thomas Allen, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-
814-3, $16.95 US soft covers) is a collection of about 100 recipes from
11 authors who have written books for this publisher. Most of the preps
are from Maxine Clark and Clare Ferguson. So it is an omnium gatherum
in the truest anthological sense. Ryland has a whole series of "Easy"
books, all at the same price, and all in this same format. All courses
are covered here, from apps to sweets, mainly from Southern France,
Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Morocco. The major classics are here,
with well-framed photos: fish baked with lemon, oregano, and potatoes;
Sicilian green vegetables; soupe au pistou; Spanish fish cakes; okra
with dried limes; and Turkish pizza turnover. Avoirdupois measurements
are used, but there are metric conversion charts. Quality/Price Rating:
83.

 

 

 

16. THE ACCIDENTAL VEGAN (Celestial Arts, 2009, 228 pages, ISBN 978-1-
58761-338-8, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Devra Gartenstein, chef-
owner of the Patty Pan Grill in Seattle; it is a vegetarian-vegan
resto. More than 25 percent of North Americans have some form of
lactose-intolerance, making dairy-free cooking increasingly popular.
Vegan cookbooks are selling briskly. Gartenstein has revised her 2000
book, and added 20 new recipes. Instructions have been simplified, and
the emphasis is now on local and fresh foods. The full range of
appetizers to desserts has been maintained, and there is a strong
Asiatic influence plus popular Italian and Mexican dishes. Good leading
in the recipes. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no
metric table of equivalents. Try tamari-roasted sunflower seeds, Thai
noodle salad, Lebanese white been salad, Spanish veggie stew, or barley
with almonds. Quality/Price rating: 87.

 

17. TABLE INSPIRATIONS; original ideas for stylish entertaining (Ryland
Peters & Small, 2001, 2005, 2009; distr. by T. Allen, 143 pages, ISBN
1-84172-823-5, $19.95 paper covers) is by Emily Chalmers, a freelance
stylist and writer. She firmly believes that a decorative table (at
home or in a restaurant) gives a sense of occasion and heightens
anticipation. Even simple meals can be made memorable this way. She
gives 20 themed occasions or festive meals: a brunch, alfresco, Asian-
style elegance, Christening tea and other events, children's party,
surprise birthday buffet. At the end, for reference, there is a visual
directory of seven international place settings, both formal and
informal. The source lists cover both UK and US stores. Settings are
easy to create for busy people. Food does taste better when it is
beautifully presented. Everything here is both interesting and doable.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.

 

18. D.K.'s SUSHI CHRONICLES FROM HAWAII; recipes from Sansei Seafood
Restaurant & Sushi Bar (Ten Speed Press, 2009,244 pages, ISBN 978-1-
58008-963-0, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Dave Kodama, now an
executive chef/owner of four Sansei restos and other dining
establishments in Hawaii. He is assisted by Bonnie Friedman who does
the PR for Kodama's companies. The book was originally published in
2003; this is the paperback reissue of favourite dishes from his
restaurants. For the most part, it is Pan Asiatic fusion cuisine, with
bits of Hawaiian, American and European ingredients and techniques.
Arrangement is for sushi and sashimi, shikomi and sauces, "small
plates" and "big plates" and "sweet plates". Avoirdupois measurements
are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Try foie gras
nigiri, unagi and avocado nigiri with raspberry coulis, sweet miso
scallops, Pacific Rim salmon, or seared buffalo strip loin sashimi.
Quality/Price rating: 88.

 

19. BAKING & PASTRY; mastering the art and craft. Second edition (John
Wiley & Sons, 2009, 932 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-05591-5, $70 US hard
covers) is from the Culinary Institute of America. It was originally
published in 2004. It's one of those books which can serve as a text at
a hospitality school and/or as a useful reference book for home cooks.
There are 625 recipes, covering the entire range, from primer
(ingredients, baking formulas, percentages, techniques) to yeast-raised
breads, pastry dough, batters, cakes, custards, creams, icings, frozen
desserts, pies, etc. etc. 244 of the 461 photos and illustrations are
new to this edition. Newer material covers vegan items, kosher, frozen
desserts, breakfast pastries, savoury braking, healthy nutrition,
design and display, plus wedding cake décor. Recipes are scaled to home
cooking, and measurements are in both metric and avoirdupois, and
sometimes with percentages. The book weighs six and a quarter pounds.
Quality/Price rating: 87.

 

 

 

20. PURE SIMPLE COOKING; effortless meals every day (Ten Speed Press,
2009, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-948-7, $21.95 US paper covers) is by
Diana Henry, a prominent British cookbook author, award winner, TV
host, and food columnist for the Sunday Telegraph. It was originally
published in Britain as "Cook Simple" in 2007. The publisher says that
it is an everyday cookbook with 150 recipes that feature simple food
enhanced with fresh ingredients. Still, log rolling must have been
needed since both Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall ("The River Cottage Meat
Book") and Deborah Madison (multiple cookbooks) lend their
endorsements. Classic recipes dominate, but each has been gussied up
with additional taste points and variations. For example, for desserts,
try peaches with gorgonzola and mascarpone, peaches in moscato,
Prosecco with sorbet and summer berries, figs and raspberries with
mascarpone, drained yoghurt with honey and pistachios and berries,
strawberries in Beaujolais, cherries on ice, boozy raisins and about a
dozen more. Arrangement is by major ingredient – chicken, chops,
sausages, leg of lamb, fish, pasta, veggies, fruits, and desserts.
Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of
equivalents. The picture of a lamb stuffed with goat cheese, tomatoes
and basil is dynamite. Mediterranean recipes predominate, mainly
Provence, Italy, North Africa and Greece. Quality/Price rating: 90.

 

21. MAXINE CLARK'S ITALIAN KITCHEN; simple steps to great tasting
Italian food (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 192
pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-829-7, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Maxine
Clark. Some of this book comes from her previous Italian cookbooks (Al
Forno, Bruschetta, Flavors of Tuscany, Italian Salads, Italian
Vegetables, Pizza, Risotto, and Trattoria). These 75 recipes make a
good all-round collection, with great photography. These are all the
fave dishes of everyday food of pasta, gnocchi, risotto, and polenta.
Lots of detail on prep work. Chapters are arranged by course beginning
with antipasti and moving to dessert. The weights and measures are in
avoirdupois, but there are tables of metric conversions. Most of the
book is primer-type and the recipes are basic classics, but that's
needed for beginners. Try zucchini and mint fritters, spinach and
ricotta timbales, fennel and leeks braised in cream and lemon, warm
lentil salad, creamy tomato and bread soup, pizza Bianca. Quality/price
rating: 84.

 

22. THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN KITCHEN; traditional recipes contemporary
flavours (Tuttle Publishing, 2006, 176 pages, ISBN 978-0-8048-3836-8,
$24.95 US hard covers) is by Jennifer M. Aranas, formerly chef-owner of
Rambutan Restaurant in Chicago. Now she teaches and writes about
Filipino foods. This is both a basic book and a fusion book, with over
100 recipes. There's not a lot about Filipino cuisine and culture, but
enough to get you started. The Philippines were a crossroads culture,
with influences from China, Spain, US and Mexico. I read somewhere that
Mexico was most highly influential. The book is arranged by course,
from apps to desserts. But there are only three adobo recipes in all,
which is a bit strange since adobo is the national dish. You'll have to
read the recipe for duck adobo in order to find out what adobo is (and,
or course, it can be used with any meat or vegetable). Both avoirdupois
and metric measurements are used. Unfortunately, while all the preps
are listed with page references in the table of contents, there is no
index. Quality/Price rating: 82.

 

 

 

23. THE CALIFORNIA DIRECTORY OF FINE WINERIES; fourth edition (Wine
House
Press, 2006, 160 pages, $19.95 US hardbound) is a book package, with
Marty Olmstead a travel writer, and Robert Holmes a photographer (there
are over 200 photos here), plus a slew of designers and copyeditors.
Sixty-nine wineries are covered, in Napa (31), Sonoma (32) and
Mendocino (6). Each is profiled and is physically described (layout of
winery operations, buildings, gardens), along with reproductions of
labels. Various sidebars list directions, vineyard tours, wine
tastings, culinary events, and nearby attractions. Maps show these
wineries plus about 100 others within the counties. For example, in
Napa, there are Beringer, Clos du Val, and Silver Oak. In Sonoma, there
are Arrowood, Benziger, and Chateau St.Jean. There are also no tasting
notes, nor any recipes, but the book is very useful for trips and
tastings. Quality/price rating: 84.

 

 

 

24. A RETURN TO COOKING (Artisan, 2009; distr. by T. Allen, 330 pages,
ISBN 978-1-57965-393-4, $25.95 US soft covers) is by Eric Ripert, chef
and part owner of Le Bernardin. He also is associated with restos in
Grand Cayman, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. Sharing the writing
credits is Michael Ruhlman, cookbook author and memoirist. Here are 150
recipes dedicated to the carefully slow approach to cooking. It was
originally published in 2002; this is the paperback reissue. Advanced
log rolling comes from Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain, and Suzanne
Goin. The book is also part memoir and part picture-book. His
influences in life came from Sag Harbor, Puerto Rico, Napa Valley, and
Vermont. Thus, he divides the book up that way, with recipes and
thoughts from each place. Try venison loin with parsnip-celeriac puree
and cranberries, shellfish ragout, halibut with grapes and wine sauce,
rice pudding with sautéed bananas and chocolate sauce, Portobello and
eggplant tart, and roasted whole turbot with spring veggies.
Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of
equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 88.

 

25. REMARKABLE SERVICE; a guide to winning and keeping customers for
servers, managers, and restaurant owners. Second edition (John Wiley &
Sons, 2009, 294 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-19740-0, $29.95 US paper covers)
is from the Culinary Institute of America. The premise here is that
competitive restaurants must have consistent, high-quality service –
and this is hard to do with minimum wages and lowered tips (due to the
economy). While chapters cover every angle such as table service, prep
work, money handling, reservations, seating, wine service, special
functions, safety, customer relations and the like, it falls short on
"motivation" (there is no entry in the index). There is nothing extra
given for great service since all tips are now normally shared, and in
some restos, management/owners also take a portion of the tips. The
best waiter subsidizes the worst waiter. Nevertheless, there is expert
advice here on how to do it all properly and with élan. The first
edition was back in 2001. Newer material concentrates non safety and
customer relations, plus special function events. Quality/price rating:
87.

 

 

 

26. THE END OF FOOD (Mariner Books, 2009, 400 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-
08597-5, $14.95 US soft covers) is by Paul Roberts, an author who
writes on resource economics and politics for magazines and newspapers.
He wrote the doomsday "The End of Oil" in 2004, and now the failure of
the modern food economy is his new theme. His book (this is a reprint
of his 2008 work) is endorsed by Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food).
This is not a hard book to get in to, although it is depressing. It
certainly is a timely book because of the excessive rise in food prices
since January 2008. Indeed, he has an eight page afterword to bring the
book up to date. His scope is broad, ranging from making food to
marketing food and to moving what we eat. Of course, it is all entwined
with OIL, his previous book. So he has done his basic research. And
there are extremes here: the "haves" are now obese while the "have-
nots" are starving. What's new and different over the past few years
have been the incredible amount of international investments and
speculative food futures markets (commodity exchanges). With the
entrance of China as a global player, the whole situation has been
compounded. Commodity producers have taken over: they spend money on
political campaign contributions, lobbying, food security, and
transportation (read: oil) costs. They believe in ethanol which is
raising grain prices. They set prices yet get government subsidies.
Their profit margins grow, they don't cover deficiencies. They
influence trade policies. Worst still, they have managed to convince
pension funds to buy into the investments. There are long-term costs
associated with commodity producers, and we need to be aware of them.
There are extensive endnotes and a bibliography (strangely enough,
though, he does not cite Marion Nestle's 2006 book "What to Eat"
although her two other books are there). Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

 

 

27. RISOTTO WITH VEGETABLES, SEAFOOD, MEAT AND MORE (Ryland Peters &
Small, 2009; distr. T.Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-809-9, $19.95
soft covers) is by Maxine Clark, a cooking teacher and writer who
specializes in Italian food. She has also written other such books for
Ryland in the past. This book was originally published in 2005.
Beginning with the basics (white risotto step-by-step, broths), she
continues with sections on Best Broths, Useful Ingredients, Websites,
and U.S. mail order sources. There is a vegetarian section, but of
course, risottos deal mostly with cheese, egg, poultry, meats, and
seafood. There are 46 recipes here plus six others (e.g., "barlotto"
barley risotto, arancine di riso, and desserts). The book has metric
conversion charts for the U.S. volume measurements. Try gelato di riso,
fennel and black olive risotto, pesto risotto, chicken confit risotto,
or beet risotto. Each recipe is illustrated with a lush presentation
photo. Quality/Price Ratio: 85.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

 

NEW WINES IN ONTARIO, July 2009

SOME NEW PRODUCTS TASTED THIS MONTH:

 

A: From Artisan Wine Company in BC -- two new releases in Ontario.

 

-Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery Ogopogo's Lair Pinot Grigio 2007 VQA Okanagan: more delicate than it should be, unoaked, 13% ABV, tropicality but also peaches, clear and clean finish. $15.15 via Mark Anthony.

 

-Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery Fats Johnson Pinot Noir 2007 VQA Okanagan: medium styled all the way, light and lingering strawbs and tartish cherries, light spices, great for summer. +92304, $15.95 General List.

 

B: From Stonechurch Vineyards, Niagara –

 

Stonechurch Vineyards Quintet 2007 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, $19.95 at winery: smooth, almost ripe tones of hot climate Bordeaux with a cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and merlot blend. Some olives, pepper. 12.8% ABV. Gold Medal at All Canadian Wine Championships.

 

C: From Stoney Ridge Estate Winery in Vineland –

 

-Stoney Ridge Charlotte's Chardonnay 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, $12.95 at winery: 13% ABV, from the Black Capsule series, named in honour of Jim Warren's wife who didn't want any oak in her chardonnay. All stainless, good minerals, Chablis-like. Cuesta Vineyard, twist top. 555 cases.

 

-Stoney Ridge Gewurztraminer 2008 VQA Four Mile Creek, $14.95 at

winery. 12.3%. Gold Capsule series. This one is thick in body with mounds of Gewurz flavours, off-dry lingering finish, kind of yummy. Slight petillance, so could settle. Silver Medal in All Canadian Wine competition. 555 cases.

 

-Stoney Ridge Founder's Pinot Noir 2007 VQA, about $14.95: Vintages has purchased the entire 100 case production, so it will be in limited supply. 11.7% ABV and unfiltered. Expect mounds of flavour in a Euro mode.

 

-Stoney Ridge Warren Classic Pinot Noir 2006 VQA Niagara, $12.95: 13.4% ABV. Black Capsule series. Barrel aged for 18 months, then blended with 15% Pinot Noir from 2007 to promote that Euro burgundy complexity. Silver Medal in All Canadian Wine competition, 275 cases.

 

-Stoney Ridge Riesling 2008 VQA, Gold Medal in All Canadian Wine competition, 650 cases. 12% ABV. Dry Alsatian mode, long lingering finish.

 

-Stoney Ridge Chardonnay Musque 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, 13.1% ABV, 500 cases. $14.95. The trendiest grape in Ontario right now, a muscat-like clone of Chardonnay which promotes those peachey and tropical aromas.

 

D: From Karl Kovacs Agencies,

 

-Puklus Tokaji Szamorodni Dry 2002, +48058, $13.95 for 500mL (June 20, 2009 Vintages) replaces the previously available 1997 vintage, which was a popular brand. This is a sherry-like wine, made from a late harvest blend of ripe and botrytisized aszu berries (Furmint grapes). Residual sugar is a low 2 g/l, but the flavours are intense. Expect dried apricots, figs, rancio sherry tones (there is a flor sometimes because the barrels are not generally topped up). Not fortified, best with cheeses or just sipped. A gold medalist at the 2005 Hungarian Wine Competition.

 

E: From Familia Zuccardi, Argentina:

 

-Fuzion Shiraz/Malbec 2008, +83188, $7.45, 13.5% ABV, twist top, probably needs no introduction. It is off-dry (sugar code = 1) with many black fruit tones, medium palate, and a longer finish than expected. A bit more edgy than the first vintage released in Ontario.

 

-Fuzion Chenin/Chardonnay 2008, +119800, $7.45, 13% ABV, twist top, just introduced in time for summer. It probably has juice from younger chardonnay vines which could ameliorate the chenin blanc sweetness which is often flabby. It is off-dry (sugar code = 1), showing off some floral-flower complexity on the nose, and some apple-citrus tones on the mid-palate. A real crowd pleaser, better, in my mind, than the red.

 

-Fuzion Syrah Rose 2008, $7.45 – part of the seasonal rose program, and probably sold out. No sample for review, but sugar code = 1 and alcohol levels are at 13% ABV, and twist top. A question: why is the red listed with shiraz grapes while the rose is listed as syrah grapes? What's the difference here?

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

 

BOOK REVIEW: THE ASIAN BARBECUE BOOK; from teriyaki to tandoori

 

* FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! *
  ++++++++++++++++++++++

THE ASIAN BARBECUE BOOK; from teriyaki to tandoori, 125 tantalizing
recipes for your grill (Tuttle Publishing, 2009; distr. Ten Speed
Press, 176 pages, ISBN 978-0-8048-4044-6, $29.95 US hard covers) is by
Alex Skaria, a cook at a yacht club in Bangkok who also specializes in
huge BBQ gatherings for up to 200 people. Asian BBQ is perfect for the
combination of sweet-sour-hot-spicy dishes. Much of it favours kebabs,
short ribs, wings, and fish – the small stuff. So the grilling elements
can also be small hibachis and similar equipment. The book also
attempts to cover sides, salads, and desserts. Avoirdupois measurements
are used in the recipes, but there is no metric table of equivalencies.
There are 125 recipes in all.
Audience and level of use:  BBQ lovers
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: caramelized mangoes, baingan
bhurta, tandoori pork ribs, tomato pomegranate dip, grilled garlic
pepper jumbo shrimp.
The downside to this book: nothing really, looks fairly complete.
The upside to this book: good notes on the Asian pantry.
Quality/Price Rating: 91.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

 

BOOK REVIEW: A Pint of Plain (Irish Pubs)

* DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! *
  ++++++++++++++++++++++

 

1. A PINT OF PLAIN; tradition, change, and the fate of the Irish pub
(Walker & Company, 2009; distr. Penguin, 241 pages, ISBN 978-0-8027-
1701-6, $25 US hard covers) is by Bill Barich, a free lance writer
(think New Yorker) living in Dublin. Somewhere along the way, they had
changed the subtitle; it was first announced as "how the Irish pub lost
its magic but conquered the world". And indeed, one log rolling author
says that Barich "voices a reluctant farewell to the old Ireland" as
the new Ireland becomes part of the global mall. There were 12,000 pubs
in Ireland, but Barich wanted one in Dublin that was straight out of
"The Quiet Man", offering talk and drink with no distractions. But
sadly, a dwindling audience meant that pubs had to go after newer,
younger clientele who only wanted games and TV. Pubs had been losing
customers and closing one by one, but two new laws are actually killing
them: strict drunk-driving laws, and no smoking laws. Yet at the same
time, Irish pubs are being replicated all over the world in at least 45
different countries. His narrative combines modern day life with
historical material on the famed pubs of Dublin to tiny village pubs,
along with the denizens of said watering holes. And of course, there is
material on Guinness and other Irish beers. There is some evidence of
cutbacks in the book: there were supposed to be black and white
illustrations throughout, a tie-in with St. Patrick's Day (but I never
got my review copy until June even though I had asked for it months
ago), and a lack of a sorely needed index. The book concludes with a
bibliography for further reading.
Audience and level of use: Irish pub lovers, literate beer drinkers.
Some interesting or unusual facts: more Guinness stout is sold in
Nigeria than is sold in Ireland.
The downside to this book: an index is needed, as well as some
illustrative material.
The upside to this book: well-written and tenderly expressed.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com