SOME NEW PRODUCTS TASTED THIS MONTH --

1. Sokol Blosser Evolution White NV, +206870 LCBO, $16.95: here is the
16th edition of this wine (marked on the label; there is no vintage
date). It's one of the leading US white wine blends, with elements of
nine grapes (pinot gris, pinot blanc, white riesling, Semillon, muscat
canelli, gewurztraminer, chardonnay, sylvaner and muller-thurgau).
Probably only muscat and gewurztraminer really matter when it comes to
upfront grapey, tropical, and spicy tones. The rest contribute raciness
and mineral/lemon complexities. The balance changes each year depending
on what the vintage bears fruit, but the nine grapes apparently remain
the same. Lush, off-dry flavours of tropicality, perfect for summer
sipping (and light enough at 12% ABV). Goes with any food that is hot
and/or spicy. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic
Epicures.

 

2. Sokol Blosser Evolution Red NV: currently only on consignment
through PMA, price about the same as for Ev White. It leans more to a
party wine, with its red fruit from the sangiovese and sweet pie spices
and vanilla from the added syrah and montepulciano. There are even some
aromatics created by the addition of a bit of Evolution White, sort of
like a Northern Rhone wine which has some viognier added. 13% ABV here
is enough to make you dance. If you need food, try the grill for
meats…or pastas. It has been around the US for a year or so (this is
touted as just "2nd edition"), but only recently here in Ontario.
Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

3. G. Marquis The Silver Line Chardonnay 2011 Single Vineyard Niagara
Stone Road VQA NOTL, +258681, $16.95, QPR: 89: lightly oaked six
months, elegant orchard fruit, slightly off-dry, creamy. 13.2% ABV. As
medium bodied, best with first course or seafood. Quality/Price rating
is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

3. G. Marquis The Silver Line Pinot Noir 2011 Single Vineyard Niagara
Stone Road VQA NOTL, +258673, $19.95: with ML and BA (six months in
new, mainly French oak, this wine seems burgundian in style with a wash
of Ontario cranberries. Red fruit, some smoke, long finish. 13% ABV.
Expect some earthy, velvety tones and feel. Quality/Price rating is 88
points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

4. G. Marquis Premium Ice Rose VQA NOTL, +274761, $29.95: this is all
pinot noir (blanc de noirs) with some cabernet franc icewine for the
dosage. MC style, of course, 13.4% ABV, no wood. Berryish (rasps and
strawbs), floral. Medium body – without zee edge. Aperitif wine, in
celebration of Mother's Day, or (as the producer says) serve with
cheese. Come in a nice presentation cardboard box. Quality/Price rating
is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

5. Umberto Fiore Barbaresco 2008 DOCG, +254870 LCBO $16.05: a great
bargain since it was introduced in an earlier vintage. Fiore used to
produce my fave inexpensive Italian red, the Spanna (1978 and 1983 were
the best), coming in decades ago at $4.25. So here, with a modest price
bump, is a well-aged nebbiolo showing all the Barolo/Barbaresco
complexities, if a bit light. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92
points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

6. Domaine Boyar Cabernet Sauvignon Boyar 2011 Bulgaria, +340851 LCBO
$7.95: East European wines don't seem to get the respect they deserve,
but they sell well to an overtaxed populace (like the UK) who demand
value. It's a typical MVC Cabernet with black fruit, spices, anise,
mocha, and some plumy depth. It's a kind of Spartacus wine from
Thoracian vineyards. Twist top, 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89
points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

7. Badischer Winzerkeller Pinot Noir Spatburgunder Baden, +231373 LCBO
$9.95: a non-vintage lightweight in the pinot sweepstakes, but the AP
number seems to indicate that this is a bottling from the 2009 vintage.
Expect light aromas of cherries and other red fruits but no wood tones.
Quality/Price rating is 85 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

8. Badischer Winzerkeller Gewurztraminer 2011 Baden, +336735 LCBO
$10.95: this is a serious gewurztraminer, worthy of your consideration.
It has been one my faves since it first came here about eight years
ago. 12% ABV, full of lush fruit (including lychee) that is off-dry and
beguiling. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor
of Gothic Epicures.

 

9. Arnold Palmer Chardonnay 2011 California, $24.99 Consumer price,
Consignment from HHD Imports: a very nice chardonnay that just misses
the mark of being a "California" chardonnay. There is MVC here, but it
is on the lightish side, more like a cool climate chardonnay from the
Pacific Northwest. Quality/Price rating is 87 points by Dean Tudor of
Gothic Epicures.

 

10. Arnold Palmer Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 California, $24.99 Consumer
price, Consignment from HHD Imports: a very nice cabernet sauvignon
that just misses the mark of being a "California" cabernet. There is
MVC here, but it needs more concentration. More like a cool climate
cabernet from Washington State. Quality/Price rating is 87 points by
Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

11. Wildass Rose 2012 VQA Niagara Peninsula, +71712 Vintages, $19.95: a
delightful but strong rose, comprising gamay (25%), syrah (22%), malbec
(12%), cabernet Franc (11%), and the only white, Semillon at 30%. Check
out the 14.5% ABV while sitting around the deck this summer. It's 100%
barrel aged for three months in older French oak, but the berries sure
do dominate. Twist top. From Stratus Vineyards. Quality/Price rating is
89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

12. Wildass Red 2011 VQA Niagara Peninsula, +86363 Vintages, $19.95: a
delightful wine but not as strong as the rose above, comprising syrah
(11%), merlot (28%), cabernet Franc (31%), cabernet sauvignon (18%),
tannat (5%), Tempranillo (3%), sangiovese (1%), and petit verdot (3%).
The eight grapes were 100% barrel aged in 11% new oak for 246 days.
Exceptionally ripe wine, coming in at 14% ABV. Twist top. Quality/Price
rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

14. Tenute Santarelli "Aspettando Il Giudizio di Paride" Cerasulo IGT
2010 Abruzzo [rose], from Caliber Wines at www.winevintages.com, about
$20: from the montepulciano d'abruzzo grape, but a rose (known loacally
as "cerasuolo". Expect cherry tones, plus strawbs, fresh fruity aromas,
some bitter almonds and dried orange peel in the finish. Heavy, at
14.5%, pink like a Pinot Noir from a northern clime. Quality/Price
rating is 87 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

15. Tenute Santarelli "I Musici" Lacrima di Morro d'Alba 2010 IGT
Marche, from Caliber Wines, about $20: from the rare lacrima di morro
d'alba thin-skinned grape, suitable for early maturing in the soft
fruity style of a Dolcetto. 13.5% ABV, low yielding. Red berry tones,
unusual wine, great to savour and talk about. Quality/Price rating is
87 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

16. La Croix D'Azur Sauvignon Blanc 2011 IGP Cotes de Gascogne,
+330928, $11.95 LCBO: only the second Gascony white to appear on the
LCBO General List of late (the other is Domaine Pellechaut). This one
is a bit drier, more in tune with the savvy grape. There's about 15%
gros manseng, a local grape, to flesh out the spine. It's a nicely tart
zesty citrus-y savvy for summer, with a great finish for food. A bit
too dry for sitting around the deck, but useful as an aperitif or first
course white. 11.5% ABV, twist top. Good price. Quality/Price rating is
89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

17. Sileni Cellar Selection Merlot 2012 Hawke's Bay NZ, +308106, $15.95
LCBO: everyday drinking, including the patio. Aged briefly in used oak.
Expect plums and black fruit, with a soft finish. Terrific for summer
with its 12.5% ABV. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 87 points by
Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com
AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
AND https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

 

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.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JULY 6, 2013

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JULY 6, 2013
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at
http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. My Internet compendium
"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net" is a guide to thousands of news
items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, at
www.deantudor.com since 1994. 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. Corked wines are not normally available for a re-tasting.

 

======>>>> ** BEST WINE VALUE OF THE RELEASE *UNDER* $20

 

**** Wildass White 2009 VQA Niagara: blend of savvy, Semillon,
gewurztraminer, riesling, ripe orchard fruit and oak tones of coconut,
thick body of concentration. Dee-licious. +85100, $19.95, QPR: 90.

 

======>>>> ** BEST WINE VALUE OF THE RELEASE *OVER* $20

 

**** Vina Olabarri Gran Reserva 2004 Rioja, +329102, $24.95.

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Strewn Terroir Sauvignon Blanc 2011 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake:
excellent savvy from Ontario, twist top, 12.9% ABV, best with food (not
a sipper), Minerals and herbs. +343897, $17.95, QPR: 89.
2. Philippe Portier Quincy 2011: good sipper with fruit or aperitif
wine, mineral spine, more aromatics on nose than on palate, 12.5% ABV.
From sauvignon blanc, although there could be some sauvignon gris as
well. +326876, $17.95, QPR: 89.
3. Catena Alamos Torrontes 2012 Salta: long finish with this dry white,
full body, aromatic with citric tones, 13.5% ABV, good value, appetizer
or first course, twist top. +81539, $13.95, QPR: 90.
4. Steve Bird Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Marlborough: an over-the-top kiwi
savvy, twist top, 13.5%. +178319, $18.95, QPR: 89.
5. Dopff & Irion Domaines du Chateau de Riquewihr Les Murailles
Riesling 2008 Alsace: definite petrol on the nose and the palate, long
finish, dry mode, 13$ ABV. Stones, fennel, citric embodiment. +933069,
$19.95, QPR: 89.
6. Joseph Cattin Muscat 2011 Alsace: gewurztraminer-like, thus
delicious. Dry mouthfeel (higher acid), 12.5% ABV, slight bitterness on
finish but otherwise a gracious wine at a gracious price. Gold
Medalist. +224634, $15.95, QPR: 89.

7. Le Cidre St. Nicolas Rose NV: a sparkling hard cider from Quebec that
has added strawberry and raspberry juices to creat a "rose" colour and
some berryish aromas. Old fashioned style apple cider tones, the way they
make them in France. Gold Medalist. 275362, $19.95, QPR: 90.

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. William Cole Winemaker's Special Reserve 2010 Casablanca: very good,
consistent, bordeaux-style blend at 13.9% ABV, cork finish, food wine.
+325431, $17.95, QPR: 89.
2. Vavasour Redwood Pass Pinot Noir 2011 Marlborough: tasty dry red
fruit, balanced, MVC pinot noir via textbook, twist top, but 14% ABV.
+326041, $18.95, QPR: 89.
3. Villiersdorp Slowine Red 2010 WO Western Cape: North Rhonish in
texture with a large syrah component (leather, black fruit, smoked
meat). 14.5% ABV. Take your time getting up from the chair. +96503,
$13.95, QPR: 90.
4. Marchesi di Barolo Maraia Barbera Monferrato 2011 Piedmont: dense,
fruity, worthy of your attention, well-made food wine, 13% ABV.
5. San Michele a Torri Chianti Colli Fiorentini 2011: North American
style wine, heavy on mocha/cherry/smoke, 14.5% ABV…but organic.
+900258, $16.95, QPR: 89.
6. Taluau & Foltzenlogel Passion Bourgueil 2010: loaded with Euro
herbal tangs, cabernet franc all the way, savoury wine, 13% ABV.
+326884, $14.95, QPR: 89.
7. Chateau de Jau 2011 Cotes de Roussillon Villages: fruity (red &
black), hottish finish at 13% ABV, but pretty good tastes overall. Cork
finish. Try with BBQ, cheeses, and the like. +955070, $14.95, QPR: 89.
8. CVA Pinyolet Garnacha 2011 Montsant Spain: LCBO's garnacha of the
month, +271791, $17.95, QPR: 89.

 

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
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.

 

1. Hidden Bench Estate Riesling 2011 VQA Beamsville Bench, +183491,
$23.95 retail.
2. Seresin Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Marlborough, +178319, $18.95
3. Jean-Max Roger Cuvee Les Caillottes Sancerre 2011, +65573, $24.95.
4. Chateau Moulinat Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2009 Haut-Medoc, +198978,
$22.95.
5. Champy Signature Pinot Noir Bourgogne 2010, +1149, $23.95.
6. Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva 2008, +288530, $24.95.
7. Montepeloso A Quo 2010 IGT Toscana, +330886, $29.95.
8. Latium Morini Campo Leon Amarone Della Valpolicella 2008, +334300,
$46.95.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

SOME NEW PRODUCTS TASTED THIS MONTH --

 

1. Chateau des Charmes Rose Cuvee d'Andree 2012 VQA NOTL, $14.95
Vintages +333260: this fresh and vibrant rose continues to please year
over year. Here it is 100% pinot noir, dry "old style", with Ontario
cranberry and red fruit tones, coming in at 12.5% ABV. Stainless steel
of course, and twist top.7 Out of 1000 cases produced, only 300 remain
at the winery.7 It has been made the Ch de Ch house wine for this
summer. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic
Epicures.

 

2. Chateau des Charmes Cabernet-Merlot Old Vines 2010 VQA NOTL, $19.95
Vintages July 6 +222372: a substantial wine made from plots planted in
1983-1985 and 1992-1996. About a third franc, sauvignon, and merlot,
coming in at 13% ABV after 9 months in French oak. Expect a lot of
mocha and black fruit, and double-decant the bottle before serving.
Wait until winter; the extra time will help soften it. Quality/Price
rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

3. Chateau des Charmes Gamay Noir "Droit" 2010 VQA St. David's Bench,
$14.95, +582353 July Vintages: medium-bodied, suggestive of Beaujolais
cru wines such as Morgon or Moulin a Vent in its capacity for ageing.
Cherry-berry flavours dominate, but there is added spicing and even
some nuances of smoke and earth, although the wine is unoaked. Cork
finish. BBQ, cheese, or something substantial, but some tannic
structure is present to carry through a whole meal. 13% ABV.
Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

4. Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay Musque 2010 VQA NOTL +322016
July Vintages, $16.95: uses exclusively the chardonnay clone 809 (16-
year old vines), an almost in-your-face aromatic honeysuckle beauty
with some "muscat" grapey quality. Unoaked, of course, (Gold Medal at
OWA for Unoaked Chardonnays) and refreshing. 13.5%, useful for social
sipping or with lighter white meats. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is
91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

5. Ravine Vineyard Sand & Gravel Redcoat 2011 VQA Niagara, $17.95 LCBO
+260406: at a recent Ravine tasting, I thought that this bottle was the
best value for the dollar. It is 52% merlot, 46% cabernet franc, and 2%
cabernet sauvignon (for more spine). The (untasted) 2012 is expected
later this summer, with a different blend percentage. This is a savoury
wine with elements from the franc and a combination of red and black
fruits leading to a mellow finish. Twist top, 13.2% ABV. Quality/Price
rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

6. The Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend 2010 North Coast, $14.95 to June
23/13 (then $16.95), +310391: lively 13.5% ABV, not a twist top, clever
fruity blend of 78% merlot, 13% syrah, 6% zinfandel, balance petite
sirah, malbec and cabernet sauvignon. 14 months in oak gives some smoke
and toast to the jammy raspberry tones. Aperitif wine, patio/deck for
summer. More at www.dreamingtreeswine.com. Quality/Price rating is 87
points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

* THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK...

...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks.
Actually, they've been around for many years, but never in such
proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be
flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a
celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up
on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans
of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of
the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the
restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books,
special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu.
Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But
because most of these books are American, they use only US volume
measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric
equivalents, but more often there is not. I'll try to point this out.
The usual shtick is "favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks".
There is also PR copy on "demystifying ethnic ingredients". PR bumpf
also includes much use of the magic phrase "mouth-watering recipes" as
if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from
readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes
(not necessarily from these books) don't seem to work, but how could
that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many
books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with
tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life
in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding
about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem
to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a
lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from
other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are
cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some
companies, though, will ship around the world, so don't ignore them
altogether. Here's a rundown on the latest crop of such books –

 

MAD HUNGRY CRAVINGS (Artisan, 2013; distr. T. Allen, 306 pages, ISBN
978-1-57965-438-2, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Lucinda Scala Quinn,
food writer and chef with her own cooking show "Mad Hungry with Lucinda
Scala Quinn". She's also the executive food editor of Martha Stewart
Living Omnimedia. These are her versions of dishes that families seem
to enjoy: sesame chicken, pulled pork, New York-style cheesecake, pad
thai, potato skins, and more – 173 preps in all. Her arrangement is by
meal, beginning with brekkies, moving on to lunch (or anytime), ending
with dinner mains and then desserts. There are many, many tips along
the way, in such categories as "note", "good to know", "freezer
friend", and "how to pull it off". She emphasizes the importance of a
larder/pantry and tells us of the four main ones: North American,
Mediterranean, Asian, and Latin. With these you can conquer the world.
Still, a lot of the food is on the heavy side, and appeals mainly to
guys. In that respect it is an extension to her earlier book "Mad
Hungry: feeding men and boys". Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.

 

CELEBRITY VINEYARDS; from Napa to Tuscany (Welcome Books, 2013; distr.
Random House of Canada, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-59962-116-6, $35 US paper
covers) is by Nick Wise, who once was a wine merchant but now is a
writer of pop culture. It's the first of three to be written about the
celebrities who own vineyards. This one covers 16 people in California,
Canada, Italy, and Spain (volume two will deal with Washington State,
France, Australia, New Zealand, more California and Italy with another
15 vineyards). Celebrities include movie stars such as Raymond Burr,
Fess Parker, and Dan Aykroyd in North America, plus Antonio Banderas in
Spain. There are some race car drivers (Andretti, Lewis, Trulli), film
people (Disney, Coppola, Oliveros) and some sports figures – but no
golfers (they'll be in volume two)! The major criteria were that they
be actively involved in the winemaking process (not just fronting the
operation), and that the wines be generally available for sale. Each
chapter gives us some insight into the celebrity's life and reasons for
wanting to make wine, gives us some photos of the people involved and
the terroir landscape, and some conclusions (e.g., it takes a lot of
money). There are some tasting notes and label shots at the end of each
chapter. There is also a glossary and a directory of addresses and
websites to the wineries covered. Quality/price rating: 85.

 

 

 

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE; simple, sustainable, delicious grilling (Sterling
Epicure, 2013, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-9705-7, $30 US hard covers)
is by Barton Seaver, a former Washington DC chef and current
speaker/National Geographic Fellow working to restore our relationship
with the ocean and the land, and with each other through dinner. He's
spoken just about everywhere and has appeared on many US TV networks.
His first cookbook (For Cod and Country) was published two years ago.
Here he tackles fresh, organic produce, fish, beef and poultry,
emphasizing fire cookery. His book has a lot of primer data on grilling
and techniques for healthier and greener grilling. He's also got ideas
on adding flavour through smoke, making veggies a main component of
grilling, cooking many courses on one flame, and matching wines. Log
rolling includes chefs and cookbook authors such as Deborah Madison. If
you'd like something different, try grilled tuna spines, smoked lamb
shoulder or his version of merguez. There's a resource list at the
back. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.

 

FAMILY TABLE; favorite staff meals from our restaurants to your home
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 336 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-61562-2,
$35 US hard covers) has been assembled by Michael Romano (culinary
director for Union Square Hospitality Group, a Beard Award winner, and
cookbook author) and Karen Stabiner (food writer and cookbook author),
with log rolling by Mario Batali and Daniel Boulud. It's a great idea
for a book: every restaurant has some food available for its staff,
family style, before the lunch and dinner services. Often it is
improvised, or about new experimental dishes, or about tasty leftovers.
Romano has sifted through a variety of these staff meals as done at his
restaurants (Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Tabla, Blue Smoke,
The Modern, Maialino, Untitled, North End Grill, Union Square Café) and
regularized them for home cooks. Stabiner writes about the cooks and
how the dishes came to be: it is all backstage memoir material, along
with photos. Most preps are regional, such as Dominican chicken, fish
tacos, and Thai beef. Others are comfort food such as turkey potpie,
coffee cake, and corn soup. There's something here for every family to
try. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.

 

LEON FAMILY AND FRIENDS (Conran Octopus, 2012; distr. Canadian Manda
Group, 308 pages, ISBN 978-1-84091-619-5, $29.99 US hard covers) is by
Kay Plunkett-Hogge (cookbook writer) and John Vincent (co-owner of Leon
in London). Over the years, since 2004, the Leon group has expanded to
now feature 13 restaurants, serving some 70,000 people a week. This is
a fourth book, and contains hundreds more preps for bold dishes that
can be prepared quickly at home. It's arranged in three major sections:
first, "Today" has recipes for just about every occasion, taking about
20 minutes if the mise en place is used. Typical dishes are for
breakfasts, speedy lunches, afternoon snacks, and simple weekday
dinners. The second half is "Tomorrow": preps that can be made in
advance when you have time, for food on the move, kids' meals, party
food. The layout of the book is an ADD sufferer's delight, especially
the acknowledgements pages. This may put some people off, but I know
some young people who are delighted with a book that actually seems to
have material that leaps off the page, or, as they say, comin' right at
ya! Typical preps include the upside-down apple and cranberry crumble,
slow-cooked lamb shepherd's pie, devilish chicken drumsticks, and
potato and leek soup. There are a couple of bookmark ribbons, the
ingredients are listed in bold typeface, and there is also an index by
type of diet (e.g. gluten-free, low glycemic and low fat). Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85.

 

THE MEATBALL COOKBOOK (Mitchell Beazley, 2013; distr. Canadian Manda
Group, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84533-763-6, $19.99 US hard covers) is by
Jez Felwick who owns and operates a food truck in the UK: Great Balls
of Fire. He provides gourmet meatballs, fish balls, and veggie balls,
plus an endless variety of sides, sauces, dips and condiments. For his
fans, there is now his book, divided as to meat, fish and veggies. If
you like ball culture, then this book is for you: shrimp balls, lamb
and rosemary meatballs, green chile chicken balls, brown rice and red
lentil balls. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 87.

 

 

 

MODERN MEDITERRANEAN; easy, flavorful home cooking (Stewart Tabori &
Chang, 2013, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-61769-018-1, $35 US hard covers) is
by Melia Marden, of Greek extraction and now executive chef of The
Smile in New York City. The resto serves seasonal food, and that's what
she advocates in her 125 easy preps for the home cook, with log rolling
from the Lee Brothers and Joan Didion. There's a collection of 17
suggested menus at the back; unfortunately, none have page references
so you'll have to look them all up in the index. Topics cover a French
country dinner, a Christmas dinner (largely Moroccan), an Easter feats,
a BBQ grill, a Taverna offering, a garden party, a cocktail party.
There's a full range of ideas, from apps and drinks to desserts, with
basic pantry information for sticking up. The book is also partly
memoirish, which photos. Try fava bean crostini, minted snap peas,
fennel with cucumber and pomegranate salad, sauteed shaved asparagus, a
potato-fontina pizza, spaghetti in lemon cream, or Greek yoghurt panna
cotta. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric and
(mostly) avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.

 

HAND-CRAFTED CANDY BARS; from-scratch, all-natural, gloriously grown-up
confections (Chronicle Books, 2013, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0965-7,
$24.95 US hard covers) is by Susie Norris (chocolatiers of Happy
Chocolates in Los Angeles) and Susan Heeger (food writer). These bars 
are thick and layered with nougat or crisp with toffee, and then coated
with extra fine chocolate. They've taken familiar commercial bars and
other faves from the past – and re-created them using freshly wrought
ingredients at home. There is a mix and match flavour chart for people
to customize their own bars. It's a delicious book with stunning
photography: almond coconut bars, rocky road, coffee crisps, nougat
bars, peanut cups, caramel pecan tortoises – and more!! Recipes show
quantities and time needed, as well as tips and variations. There is a
primer on equipment and pantry holdings. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89.

 

CHEESECAKE; 60 classic and original recipes for heavenly desserts
(Ryland Peters & Small, 2013, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-353-4, $24.95
US hard covers) is by Hannah Miles, an early winner in MasterChef – in
2007 she was one of three finalists. She continues to make TV
appearances and has written other cookbooks on popcorn, whoopie pies,
and doughnuts. Here she tackles 60 cheesecakes, very easy to make. She
begins with a primer. The classics here include chocolate chip and
baked vanilla. Then there are the fruity (champagne rhubarb), the candy
bar (peanut brittle), the gourmet (salty honey), the party (trifle
cheesecake, baked Alaska), and the global (cardamom bun, Japanese
cherry blossom). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no separate table of
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

* 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"...

 

CHAMPIONSHIP BBQ SECRETS FOR REAL SMOKED FOOD. 2d ed. (Robert Rose,
2013, 405 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0449-9, $24.95 CAN soft covers) is by
Karen Putman and Judith Fertig. Putman was a BBQ prize-winning chef
with a grand championship and several world championships; Fertig is a
food writer who has produced eight BBQ books with a co-author. It was
originally published in 2006 with Putman, but she has since died and
Fertig began work on an update with new preps from the BBQ cooks'
community. So, as the publisher says, there are even more secrets here.
Over 300 recipes are provided, arranged by main product such as
poultry, pork, lamb, fish, shellfish, and the like. There is, of
course, the primer on the art of smoking and BBQ competitions. And the
primer on brines, rubs, marinades, bastes and sauces. The source guide
at the back is all US except for one in BC, but Canada is included in
the North American Regional Barbecue section, itemizing what works best
on a provincial basis. For Ontario, my home, there are pork ribs with
maple syrup, maple-smoked freshwater fish, and tomato-based maple-
sweetened sauces. Quebec isn't mentioned, but you can figure it out
from blending the Maritime Provinces (salt pork, salmon, maple, French-
inspired sauces) with Ontario. And of course, out in BC it is fish,
oysters, and Asian-styled sauces. Photos illustrate techniques of
brining and smoking. This is a nice book for chicken wings, cold smoked
veggies, salmon with white wine, stuffed game hens, and rack of lamb.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.

 

RECIPES AND DREAMS; from an Italian life (Appetite by Random House,
2013, 338 pages, ISBN 978-0-449-01603-9, $34.95 CAN hard covers) is by
Tessa Kiros, author of several food and travel books. She has explored
the world since the age of 18, cooking and traveling, and finally
settling down in Tuscany with her Italian husband. The book was
originally published last year in Australia by Murdoch Books. It's a
tribute to the women in her life: mother, mother-in-law, grandmothers –
and to other women. The nine chapters are headed for names of rooms and
items in the home: the linen cupboard, the pantry, the bread oven, the
snack box, the pasta pot, the dining room, the sugar bin, the ice box,
et al. There's a collection of photos, memoirish sidebars containing
tips, and about 100 recipes. Preps include limoncello, salsa verde,
quince jelly, pasta al forno Sicilian, rabbit pate, mascarpone and
lavender ice cream, and green tagliatelle. It would make a handsome
gift book. But the index not only has teeny tiny font size, but also
has no contrast between the grey ink and the white paper. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85.

 

 

 

FOOD; vegetarian home cooking (Sterling Epicure, 2013, 234 pages, ISBN
978-1-4549-0726-8, $29.96 US hard covers) is by Mary McCartney; she has
been a consultant to Linda McCartney Foods for over a decade. It is a
family book, full of memoir material, photos, observations about food,
stories about the recipes, and the like. It was originally published in
the UK in 2012 by Chatto and Windus. There's a primer on veggie
cooking, followed by divisions with breakfast, brunch, snacks,
sandwiches, soups and starters, salads, mains, sides, and desserts.
It's got more photos than I would have wanted, but the preps are all
tasty, such as the shepherd's pie, the asparagus summer tart, and the
spinach-leek-zucchini frittata. The additional interest here is Paul
McCartney's comfort food listings and recipes. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86.

 

 

 

THE EASY KITCHEN: pizza & focaccia (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2013, 144
pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-379-1, $19.95 US hard covers) and

 

THE EASY KITCHEN: salads & dressings (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2013, 144
pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-376-0, $19.95 US hard covers)

 

…are two new entries in the series designed to promote "simple recipes
for delicious food every day". The preps have been culled from RP&S
writers. In the pizza book, Maxine Clark contributed the bulk, but
there were contributions from six other writers. The salads book used
mainly recipes from Fiona Smith, but eight other writers were also
used. In this standard format, there are about 75 recipes with 80
colour photos. They are all basic, and the books can be host gifts. The
salads book is arranged by a section on dressings, followed by "the
classics", grains, meats, pasta, potato, nuts, and cheese. The pizza
book is divided into thick, thin, calzones, focaccia, and pizzette.
Both books' preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric
and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 85.

 

HOME MADE SUMMER (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2013, 232 pages, ISBN
978-1-61769-015-0, $35 US hard covers) is by Yvette Van Boven, a
freelance food stylist and recipe writer who runs a restaurant and
catering business in Amsterdam. It was originally published in 2011,
but this is its first North American release. Sometime back she had
published Home Made. This is the third volume, expressly put together
for the warmer climate time of year. Last year (2012) she'll come out
with Home Made Winter (in English). Meanwhile, here there are 150
colourful and black-and-white illustrations, of food, techniques,
finished plates, and some touristy angles. It's arranged by course,
with breakfast, tea time, drinks, apps, mains, and desserts. All of it
is geared to tasty foods. There's peach tart, zucchini cake with lemon
glaze, red iced tea, cantaloupe soup with goat cheese and basil oil,
white gazpacho, buttery corn risotto, spicy ratatouille, and more. The
pictures accompanying the food are generally terrific, but there is not
enough of them (but there are quite a few non-food pix). Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price
rating: 86.

 

THE DUKE'S TABLE; the complete book of vegetarian Italian cooking
(Melville House, 1930, 2013; distr. Random House Canada, 333 pages,
ISBN 978-1-61219-139-3, $40 US hard covers) is by Enrico Alliata, the
Duke of Salaparuta. It was originally published in 1930, at 1000
recipes! Actually, the number was 1009 in categories of appetizers,
soups, salads, pasta, timballi, lunch and side dishes, mains, eggs,
desserts, drinks, etc. There is a separate list of these at the back,
along with a traditional index. Alliata reworked all the classic
Italian dishes to be meatless. The book has been modernized to reflect
modern oven temperatures and quantities, but otherwise it remains the
same. At the front, there is a basic chart of cooking techniques for
the most common vegetables and their service size. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 88.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW

THE LIFE OF CHEESE; crafting food and value in America (University
of California Press, 2013, 306 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-27018-3, $29.95 US
paper covers) is by Heather Paxson, an anthropology professor at MIT.
It's number 41 in the well-respected California Studies in Food and
Culture series, but still comes with log rolling from five other
people. Paxson tells the anthropological story of American artisanal
cheese making, and its contribution to American culture. Much of the
book is anecdotal in her stories of the cheese community: family
members, employees, organizations, customers, other living things – but
no scandals. As a relative of a successful US cheese maker, I can
relate a few scandals that have been through the courts and banks, but
this is a book review, so 'nuff said. The serious part of the book
deals with food politics, the land and terroir, and modern labour
practices. There have been books about artisanal bakers and
chocolatiers and wineries, but here it is the fromagier's turn. A first
rate read in understanding how and where our food comes from, and the
artisanal life. There are also some small black and white photos,
extensive endnotes, and a long bibliography. No recipes. Quality/Price
Rating: 88.

 

4. HUNGRY CAMPERS; cooking outdoors for 1 to 100 (Gibbs Smith, 2013,
127 pages, ISBN 978-0-4236-3028-9, $15.99 US spiral bound) is by Zac
Williams, who also did the photography. It's an easy book to have on a
backpack trip since it emphasizes the basics: simplicity in flavours,
campfire primers, large group cooking, Dutch oven, and more. There's a
three-day backpack menu, with hiker's cereal, pita sandwiches, avocado
bacon wrap, gorp, and some noodle dishes. There's also an overnight
camping menu, a summer camp menu (for six days), a Dutch oven menu
(four days), and a gourmet three-day menu for the advanced chef. Good
fun for families and youth groups. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric
equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 86.

 

5. PRETZEL MAKING AT HOME (Chronicle Books, 2013; distr. Raincoast, 128
pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0964-0, $16.965 US hard covers) is by Andrea
Stonecker, a food writer and the executive director of the Portland
[OR] Culinary Alliance, as well as a cooking school instructor. It's an
open-and-shut book giving us sections on pretzel making basic, soft
pretzels (19 preps), hard pretzels (12 preps), plus some dips and
spreads. There's more to do with soft pretzels, such as the Elvis
peanut butter, banana, and bacon pretzelwich, pretzel bread pudding,
and even pretzel croissants. Hard pretzels feature taralli, caramel-
chocolate-pecan pretzels, and even pretzel ice cream. You can have fun
with this book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 86.

 

6. VEGETABLES PLEASE (DK Books, 2013, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-0202-
8, $25 US hard covers) is by Carolyn Humphries, a food writer and
editor for more than three decades (more than 60 books and numerous
articles). This DK book has the usual lush and plush photos, about 300
of them in colour. The publisher touts the book as "the more
vegetables, less meat cookbook" – and so, that end, there is a section
in every recipe called "Optional Meat" or Fish, with information about
a non-vegetarian option. This is extremely useful. The book opens with
a primer on pantry of veggies plus spices and herbs. This is followed
by 200 or so recipes, each with an indication of service and
preparation time and cooking time. And then there is a techniques
section. The arrangement is by form: soups, salads, pasta and rice,
pan-fries and fritters, curries, stews, casseroles, pizzas and wraps,
tortillas, tarts, pies, grills and bakes. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: the home cook
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: zucchini and pea mini wraps;
rainbow pepper Mexican tacos; maki sushi; chile bean and veggie braise
with fried eggs; potato and tomato curry; crepes with mushrooms, garlic
and cheese.
The downside to this book: nothing really, but if pushed I'd say a
little bit too basic.
The upside to this book: good photos of techniques plus a larger
typeface.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

7. COOKING WELL: HEALTHY CHINESE (Hatherleigh, 2013, 236 pages, ISBN
978-1-57826-428-5, $12.50 US soft covers) is by Wang Renxiang, David W.
Wang, and Jo Brielyn. The latter is a contributing writer in this book
of over 125 easy preps. The book follows the yin and yang concepts of
health: the cool yin embraces fruits and veggies, sugar and alcohol,
and fresh dairy, while the hot yang is salty foods (aged cheeses), red
meat, and poultry. But when you eat Chinese, it is always best to cook
it yourself. My problems with Chinese restaurants are too much
salt/sugar, and cheap ingredients (in order to be competitive). So this
book has healthy food (although you can cut back even more on the
salt). There's an overview of Chinese ingredients and their nutritional
benefits, healthy alternatives to oils/salts, and a guide on where to
find them. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginner home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: steamed orange chicken, dry-
fried shredded beef, lamb with cumin, steamed eggplant with garlic and
sesame paste, and shanghai-style steamed buns.
The downside to this book: some salt could still be reduced.
The upside to this book: by cooking the healthy food yourself, you'll
save on dubious ingredients.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.

 

8. 150 BEST DESSERTS IN A JAR (Robert Rose, 2013, 221 pages, ISBN 978-
0-7788-0435-2, $24.95 CAN soft covers) is by food writer Andrea
Jourdan. It's trendy these days, at least in restaurants, to present
desserts in a jar, mainly Mason jars. It is certainly a clever use for
jars that have lost lids, or for an antique jar that no longer seals
well. You may not have enough of one type for a dinner party, that that
is the charm: different shapes. So here is a whole pile of preps – 150
or so – ranging from warm fruit desserts (crumbles, cobblers, etc.),
steamed puddings, bread puddings, custards, creams, flans, cakes, and
soufflés through colder or room temperature delights of tutti frutti,
gelatin, trifles, tisamisu, freezer creams, and so forth. The obvious
rule is to use Mason jars or some tempered glass vessel for the hot
desserts, and something similar for the frozen ones. Apart from that,
you could just pretty well go to it for single-serving treats that are
readily available for warming up later or straight from the
fridge/freezer. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks, or restaurants looking for
ideas.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: peach melba, blackberry mont
blanc, burnt orange crème brule, iced mocha syllabub, pear and almond
crumble.
Quality/Price Rating: 89

 

 

 

9. 150 BEST EBELSKIVER RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2013, 256 pages, ISBN 978-
0-7788-0442-0, $24.95 CAN soft covers) is by Camilla V. Saulsbury, a
food writer and recipe developer. It continues a series from the
publisher about small desserts (see above for desserts in a jar, and
below for mini pies). Here it is a single-use pan that attracts:
ebelskivers, which can produce puffed pancake balls. The original  (or
variations) has been found in Japan, China, Thailand and India. It
turned up in Holland and Denmark as a result of their respective
trading with Asia. Here, in this book, they are traditional Danish
pancakes served as a special occasion sweet treat. They are about the
size of a racquetball, and have the consistency of part doughnut,
popover and pancake. They are cooked on top of a stove in a seven-well
ebelskiver pan. They are a main treat served stuffed with raspberry jam
at Christmas, along with mulled wine glogg. The pans have been a best-
selling item at Williams-Sonoma for the past five years; restaurants
also are serving the puffs. The book is in four main parts: breakfast
and brunch treats, serious desserts, savoury options, and international
dishes from Asia, Europe and Africa. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks, or restaurants looking for
ideas.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spiced carrot ebelskivers;
blue cheese and pecan ebelskivers with pear compote; green chile and
jalapeno ebelskivers; fluffernut puffs; o=pistachio and raisin
ebelskivers.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

10. 175 BEST MINI PIE RECIPES: sweet to savory (Robert Rose, 2013, 332
pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0439-0, $24.95 CAN paper covers) is by Julie
Anne Hession, a food writer. It is another book – of three – featuring
small desserts (see ebelskivers and jars above). It's another trend in
both the restaurant and the home, perfectly adaptable to individual
tastes and individual meal times. When you want one (or more) of
different kinds, just find it in the fridge and warm them up…any time…
They are mostly sweet, covering the whole range of desserts, but there
are also 90 pages devoted to savories such as meat, veggies, and
seafood. You will find tartlets, strudels, quiches, pot pies, pasties,
samosas, and others. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks, or restaurants looking for
ideas.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: The top ten classics include
mini-apple pies, maple-glazed pumpkin pies, lemon meringue tartlets,
cherry and hazelnut strudels, Mississippi mud pies, mini-chicken pot
pies, steak and mushroom Guinness stew pasties, spanakopita, baked
masala veggie samosas, and ham with cheese quiches.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

 

 

11. SLICE & BAKE COOKIES; fast recipes from your refrigerator or
freezer. (Chronicle Books, 2013; distr. Raincoast, 120 pages, ISBN 978-
1-4521-0962-6, $18.95 US soft covers) is by Elinor Klivans, a former
pastry chef who has written many book on home baking dealing with
cookies, cupcakes, and fast breads. Here she creates a database of
quick cookie doughs that can be stored in advance of baking, useful for
last minute get-togethers or bake sales or assuaging the afternoon
pecks. The 45 preps show that Klivans has turned a lot of standard
cookies into a "freeze and bake" system. There are four categories:
chewy, crisp, savoury, and stuffed/sandwich cookies. There is also the
usual primer information on making changes and storing. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home bakers
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chive and black pepper logs;
bacon and cheddar crisps; wafers stuffed with figs and tapenade; sun-
dried tomato and basil strudel; snickerdoodles; sugar cookies; almond
macaroons.
The downside to this book: no gluten-free advice is offered.
The upside to this book: good concept book
Quality/Price Rating: 86.

 

12. CRACKERS & DIPS; more than 50 handmade snacks (Chronicle Books,
2013; distr. Raincoast, 143 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0950-3, $19.95 US
hard covers) is by Ivy Manning, a food writer and columnist for the
Oregonian in Portland. Here are 52 formulas for crisp snacks and some
dips to eat with them. Homemade is always better for crackers because
then you get to control the preservatives, additives and salts. Some of
the crackers here are vegan, gluten-free and/or whole grain. The
crackers are in five sections: light and crunchy, international,
healthy, easy, and sweet crackers. This is followed by 18 dips, all of
which could replace butter in a restaurant serving bread. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and (mostly) avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home bakers, restaurants.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoked almond thins, flax
seed pizza crackers, amaranth crackers with cheddar and pepitas, black
pepper taralli, Irish blue cheese and walnut shortbread, bacon and
caramelized onion jam, albacore tuna tartare with hijiki.
The downside to this book: a bit short – I wanted more!!
The upside to this book: good single ingredient book.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH

WHY YOU LIKE THE WINES YOU LIKE; changing the way the world thinks
about wine (HanniCo New Wine Fundamentals, 2013, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-
615750-088-0, $ 25 US paper covers) is by Tim Hanni, MW. He proposes to
find you "new insights about your personal wine preferences, how to
find and enjoy wines on your terms, and how to match wine to the diner,
not the dinner" of food. It is just common sense that different people
will think about and taste wine differently – that's why they are
different. There is currently a real struggle in the wine writing world
to come up with one all-purpose wine glass rather than several
different glasses for different wines, as if that is the answer to
promoting wine drinking. We've already had in the market many all-
purpose wines suitable for parties, or for patios, or for dining. We've
already had many all-purpose rules on what to drink with what food,
such as red wines with flesh. But the rules do not take into
consideration that very few of us actually merge food and wine in the
mouth, and thus there is no modern mouthfeel when it actually comes to
pairing wine and food. You need a merger. Tim was called the Wine
Antisnob by the Wall Street Journal in January, 2008. He expresses his
concept of Vinotypes (wine preferences) early on, from pages 4 to 20.
Your Vinotype is the sum of the physiological and psychological factors
that determine your unique wine preferences and values. So it is a
measure of your sensitivity + your societal background + your wine
likes. [If I say anything more, you won't need to buy the book] He
notes a lot of research about palates and consumers. Topics in the book
include balance, sweet wines, delicate wines, smooth wines, intense
wines – and harken back to earlier writings by Hanni on the weight of
wine and how this should be conveyed and listed on the wine card.
There's material about the future of wine and wine
production/marketing, and some appendices on umami, wine lists, wine
terms, and sensory evaluation. Well-worth a purchase and a read, in
small doses at a time.
Audience and level of use: curious wine tasters, those wishing to read
about controversy in the wine world.
Some interesting or unusual facts: Being a supertaster does not really
mean that you can taste and enjoy the nuances of wine over and above
75% of the population. It just means "Hypersensitive", which Hanni
wants us all to use as the correct term when describing supertasters as
"Vinotypes"
The downside to this book: I think a stronger editorial hand might have
tightened many areas in the book, but that's just the copy editor in
me. And this is a continuing problem with any self-published book.
The upside to this book: "This introductory volume for The New Wine
Fundamentals wine education program is based on two decades of research
by the author and many research colleagues. Hanni's wine and food
principles were adopted last year and taught as part of the Advanced
Diploma curriculum for the Wine & Spirits Educational Trust."
Quality/Price Rating: 92.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

* THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK...

...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks.
Actually, they've been around for many years, but never in such
proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be
flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a
celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up
on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans
of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of
the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the
restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books,
special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu.
Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But
because most of these books are American, they use only US volume
measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric
equivalents, but more often there is not. I'll try to point this out.
The usual shtick is "favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks".
There is also PR copy on "demystifying ethnic ingredients". PR bumpf
also includes much use of the magic phrase "mouth-watering recipes" as
if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from
readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes
(not necessarily from these books) don't seem to work, but how could
that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many
books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with
tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life
in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding
about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem
to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a
lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from
other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are
cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some
companies, though, will ship around the world, so don't ignore them
altogether. Here's a rundown on the latest crop of such books –

 

14. COOKING WITH QUINOA FOR DUMMIES (Wiley & Sons, 2013, 336 pages,
ISBN 978-1-118-44780-2, $19.99 US soft covers) is by Cheryl Forberg,
RD, nutritionist for "The Biggest Loser" and a Beard winning chef. Here
she has over 140 recipes for quinoa, highly touted (and rightly so) as
the world's greatest gluten-free and most protein-packed grain. It is
also high in fiber, contains anti-oxidants, and is rich in the B
vitamins, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron. For vegetarians and
vegans, it is extremely useful since it has complete proteins. Shaped
like cous-cous, millet, amaranth, steel-cut oats, even rice, it can be
used in any prep calling for these grains/seeds. In other words, it can
be used as porridge, muffin, wrap stuffing, veggie salad, vegan burger,
and all manner of breads. Try quinoa rotelle with cannellini and wilted
arugula, chilied fish tacos with quinoa and fire-roasted salsa, or
"ambrosia" with vanilla yogurt cream. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of
metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90.

 

 

 

CHLOE'S VEGAN DESSERTS; more than 100 exciting new recipes for cookies
and pies, tarts and cobblers, cupcakes and cakes – and more! (Atria
Paperback, 2013, 257 pages, ISBN 978-1-4516-3676-5, $19.99 US paper
covers) is by Chloe Coscarelli, author of "Chloe's Kitchen" and winner
of the Food Network's Cupcake Wars. Here she gives us 100 preps that
are dairy-free and (for the allergy sufferers) convertible to soy-free
and gluten-free and "sugar"-free baking. There is a good range here:
dessert for breakfast (cakes, doughnuts, French toast, muffins), spoon
desserts, plus drinks and whatever was mentioned in the subtitle (see
above). There are end chapters on the basics (piecrusts, ice cream,
sauces, nuts) and some material on the sweet pantry. There is a good
layout and a constant reminder of gluten-free alternatives.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.

 

 

 

PIES SWEET AND SAVORY (DK Books, 2013, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-0203-
5, $25 US hard covers) is by Caroline Bretherton, with Jane Bamforth.
She's a caterer, owner of Manna Café in London, TV host, family food
writer for British papers, and DK author of other cookbooks. This is a
pie reference tool, with over 230 international preps for pies and
tarts. There's a long primer on pie dough, covering sweet dough, lard-
based dough, hot-water dough, puff pastry, strudel dough, gluten-free
dough, cookie crust, edges, and baking blind. The book has chapters
devoted to poultry pies and tarts, meat pies and tarts, fish pies and
tarts, vegetarian pies and tarts, fruit pies and tarts, and other
sweeties. Try some deep fried mincemeat ravioli, or a spicy butternut
squash and feta parcel. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
mostly avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. There are also good large typefaces and an excellent
index. Quality/price rating: 89.

 

 

 

PATI'S MEXICAN TABLE; the secrets of real Mexican home cooking
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-63647-4,
$30 US hard covers) is by Pati Jinch who hosts a PBS show of the same
name as the book's title. She's also the official chef of the Mexican
Cultural Institute in Washington DC, appearing widely as a spokesperson
for Mexican culinary culture. It's an all-purpose Mexican book, meant
for families, with toned down heat and spiciness (add your own) and
titles such as "chicken a la trash" (pollo a la basura), a one-pot
meal. There's some fancy logrolling from Batali, Rossetto Kasper, and
Nathan. The book is arranged by course, beginning with condiments such
as salsa and guacamole. So there are salads, soups, vegetarian,
seafood, poultry, meat, sides and desserts, as well as drinks. The
essential ingredients for the home kitchen appear to be soft corn
tortillas, refried beans, different salsas, queso fresco, ripe
avocadoes and fresh fruit. There are other items too in the Mexican
pantry, but that requires a commitment. Personally, my wife and I also
have an Italian pantry, an Oriental pantry, and an Indian pantry. All
of this takes up room, but it is necessary. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents. She's also got a good chatty style. You might
want to try pescado Rodrigo, corn torte, and guava cheesecake.
Quality/price rating: 85.

 

MICHAEL CHIARELLO'S LIVE FIRE; 128 recipes for cooking outdoors
(Chronicle Books, 2013, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0181-1, $35 US hard
covers) comes with SEVEN log rollers, including Batali (who else?),
Lagasse, Bastianich, Michael White, and Mariani. Chiarello runs Bottega
restaurant in the Napa, and has authored other cookbooks. Here, he is
assisted by Ann Krueger Spivack (tester) and Claudia Sansone (writer).
In addition to the grill, the book features six ways to cook with flame
and embers, with chapters for each (hearth, plancha, fire pit, hot box,
rotisserie, embers). Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents at
the back of the book. Typical preps include glorified burgers, gourmet
pizzas, a dinner by the lake, and a backyard camp-out breakfast. Lots
of safety tips too, for this is not just a backyard BBQ book. There are
sections on condiments and on resources. Try clams in a cataplana with
chicken-apple sausages or leg of lamb on string. Quality/price rating:
85.

 

THE NEW JEWISH TABLE; modern seasonal recipes for traditional dishes
(St. Martin's Press, 2013, 328 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-00445-1, $35 US
hard covers) is by five-time Beard Award nominee Todd Gray, who is co-
owner and operator of Equinox Restaurant (and others) in Washington,
DC. His co-author is Ellen Kassoff Gray, the other co-owner of Equinox
and other restaurants. The focusing food writer here is David Hagedorn,
and there are some log rollers. This is an update on Jewish cooking,
along with some memoir material about the authors' families. It is all
arranged by season, beginning with Fall, and preps are clearly listed
as dairy, meat, parve, or mixed. Within each season, there are a
selection of brunch items, starters, lunch, dinner, sides and desserts.
There are also menus for Rosh Hashanah (curried butternut squash soup,
salt-baked red snapper, caramelized cauliflower, roasted potatoes,
almond biscotti, and apple strudel), Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, and
Passover. Some chef's notes conclude the book. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

* 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"...

 

 

 

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS – the ultimate soups & stews book; more than
400 satisfying meals in a bowl (Wiley & Sons, 2013, 480 pages, ISBN
978-1-118-33561-1, $19.99 US soft covers) is a good source for easy-to-
prepare meals. There are the classics, the contemporaries, and the
spicy twists. Nothing is actually really new here, but they have been
assembled to put the best light on the one course meals in a bowl, good
for families and for entertaining. There's a primer on making stocks,
storing leftovers, and some slow-cooker recipe variations. Content
sections include hearty, poultry, chili, dumplings, meatless, fish,
international, regional US, Sunday specials, and cool summer coups. At
the end there is a page on emergency substitutions. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a
whole page of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85.

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL BAKING; sixth edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2013, 767 pages,
ISBN 978-1-118-08374-1, $99.99 hard covers) is by Wayne Gisslen, and
features recipes from Le Cordon Bleu (Paris). It comes with a
registration number for online retrieval of CulinarE-Companion Recipe
Management Software with about 900 recipes (all the preps from the book
plus 34 others, with options to modify and resize – and you can also
add your own), and a Student Workbook, an Instructor's Guide and Manual
(the latter available separately). There are also method cards with
step-by-step directions for common methods of yeast doughs, cakes,
muffins. There is material on artisan breads (natural fermentation,
hand crafting), and a chapter on baking for special diets, including
low-fat, low-sugar, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets. New to this
edition are plating techniques in chapter 23 (Dessert Presentation) and
expanded information on cakes, with more data on cake planning, icing,
filling and decoration. Also new is material on tempering chocolate and
mixing speeds and times for breads. There are about 180 new
photographs, and a new redesign to enhance the layout.  There is a
recipe contents page which explores yeast doughs, quick breads,
doughnuts and crepes, syrups, pies, tarts, cakes, decorating, cookies,
custards, frozen desserts, fruits, chocolate and marzipan. Everything
here in this book is clear, precise, no-nonsense, practical and
methodical. Both US volume and metric measurements are given in side-
by-side columns. Cooking schools, restaurants, hotels, and large
hospitality establishments will appreciate the book since it is a major
textbook. Quality/Price Ratio: 90.

 

PLATTER'S SOUTH AFRICAN WINES 2013; the guide to cellars, vineyards,
winemakers, restaurants and accommodation (John Platter SA
Wine Guide Ltd; distr. by Wines of South Africa Canadian Office,
keenan@propellerpr.com, 626 pages, ISBN 978-0-987-0046-1-1, $30CAD
includes shipping, hard cover) is the recognized authority on South
African wines. It has been published for 33 years. For this latest
edition, there are now 17 tasters – all identified, and with initials
after tasting notes. Some of the tasters have changed over the years.
More than 7000 wines are here evaluated (about 900 are new to this
edition), along with new wineries. One-quarter of all top ranking 5
star wines are now being made by mom-and-pop operations, a remarkable
achievement. Even the large co-ops are making more credible, limited
collections of superior wine. The contents of the guide are
straightforward: some 500 pages of dictionary-arranged wineries,
detailing most aspects are given, followed by chapters on the wine
industry, vintages and styles, and touring (accommodation and food, all
in some 40 pages). The book is 8 pages longer than last year's edition.
To quote, "Wines are entered under the name of the private producer,
estate, co-operative winery or brand name of a merchant, and listed
alphabetically. Entries feature some or all of: producer's name,
address, phone/fax number, email address, website; wine name, colour
and style, grape varieties, vintage, area of origin; selected recent
awards and star ratings. Where applicable, other attractions to be
enjoyed on the property, such as meals and accommodation, are
highlighted." The book also has an indication of organic wines
available for sale and sketch maps to show the location of all the
wineries. The index at the front is by grape, so you can see at a
glance what is the top performing pinotage, or cabernet sauvignon, or
sparkler. Quality/price rating: 95.

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL FOOD MANAGER. 3rd ed. (Wiley & Sons, 2013, 139 pages, ISBN 
978-1-118-38087-1, $  US soft covers) is from the National Environment
Health Association. It has been updated to the 2011 supplement of the
2009 FDA Food Code. The book helps raise the competency level of food
managers by preparing them for the certification examination. There is
good data here on the key principles of food safety management and how
to use these principles effectively, how to identify and avoid many
forms of contaminants, how to prevent time-temperature abuse and cross-
contamination, the importance of cleaning and sanitizing, pest control,
and guidelines to follow during and after an inspection. While American
in tone and development for the NEHA certification, the book does have
positive benefits for many food managers in other countries.
Quality/price rating: 88.

 

 

 

200 STEWS & MOROCCAN DISHES (Hamlyn, 2013, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-600-
62509-4, $7.99US paper covers) is by Ghislaine Benady and Nadjet
Sefrioui. It was originally published in French in 2010, and this is
the English language release. This nifty collection of 200 recipes is
basic, but affordable. The preps are concise and easy to make,
ingredients appear to be readily available (at least in cities), and
there is a good index. Most are accompanied by a photo and variations.
Contents: kemia and small plates, soups, tagines, fish, kebabs,
veggies, couscous, pastilles, and other desserts. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86.

 

THREE GUYS FROM MIAMI CELEBRATE CUBAN (Gibbs Smith, 2006, 2013; distr.
Raincoast, 248 pages, ISBN 1-4236-3330-3, $24.99 soft covers) is the
second such book from the team of Glenn Lindgren, Raul Musibay, and
Jorge Castillo. Glenn is from Minneapolis; the other two are from Cuba.
Together they write and broadcast on all things Cuban. Only Raul is
full-time in Miami. The book is a reprint of the 2006 hard back
edition. The Three Guys have 100 recipes around an entertaining theme,
with more classic dishes simplified into a North American style. Here
are ideas for family dishes and parties (Christmas Eve and Day, New
Year Eve and Day, Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Valentine Day). There are
even Cuban-style parties such as a velorio (wake) and Three Kings Day,
with text on the Cuban party style. There is lots of hand holding here
with cook's notes, food glossary, and US mail order sources. Check out
www.icuban.com for more. The Three Guys' index needs work
(there is no entry for Cuban Devilled Eggs under C or D). Some
interesting or unusual recipes include yuca with grapefruit and orange
sauce, fish and pineapple salad, Cuban red beans and rice, shrimp with
cheese. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price
rating: 86.

 

 

 

PASTRIES. Rev. ed. (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2011, 2012, 288 pages,
ISBN 978-1-61769-027-3, $50 US hard covers) is by Pierre Herme, an
Alsatian pastry chef once apprenticed to Lenotre, and then moved on to
Fauchon and Ladouree. He now owns pastry shops in Paris and Tokyo, and
has authored many cookbooks. This book was originally published in
French as "Reves de Patissier", and presented 50 classics reinvented by
Herme. The English translation appeared in 2011, and was republished
last year. Actually, the book has 50 of the classics PLUS 50 of the
reinventions, so you get 100 preps plus stunning photos of all of them.
Included are blancmange, cream puffs, crepes, flan, macarons, lemon
tart, linzer torte, tiramisu, black forest cake, rum baba, meringues,
trifle, soufflé – and more. Each is given a history and extensive prep
notes, with timings. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
equivalents. There is also an index of ingredients, a recipe index, and
a bibliography. First rate. Quality/price rating: 91.

 

CREATING YOUR BACKYARD FARM; how to grow fruit and vegetables and raise
chickens and bees (CICO Books, 2010, 2013, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-
908862-93-8, $21.95 US paper covers) is by Nicki Trench, an English
crafter and veggie grower. This was one of the first of the "backyard
farm" books, and it has been slightly updated for 2013. It is, of
course, a how-to book on growing your own fruit and veggies in your
backyard, with added information on hens and bees, window-box salads,
and herbs. On a size of one tennis court, you can grow a lot in a year,
including almost 3,000 pounds of potatoes, a half-ton of strawbs,
almost a ton of salad leaves, 330 pounds of sweet corn, 1750 pounds of
onions, and have four hens produce 800 eggs a year. Many plants are
discussed, along with many good photos. No recipes, but plenty of
resources and websites are listed. Quality/price rating: 85.

 

MYCOPHILIA; revelations from the weird world of mushroom (Rodale, 2011,
348 pages, ISBN 978-1-60961-987-9, $16.99 US paper covers) is by
Eugenia Bone, a food writer for Saveur and Food & Wine, and currently
president of the New York Mycological Society. It was originally
published in 2011; this is the 2013 paperback reprint. It is a rambling
but informative book about the facts and theories behind mushrooms, "as
well as a glimpse into the kooky, erudite, and totally obsessed
subculture of fungi enthusiasts" (back cover). Weird facts include that
fungi are related more closely to us than to plants (to which I would
add, related even more closely to actor Kevin Bacon), that the most
expensive food in the world is a fungi (white truffle), wild mushroom
harvesting is the US is a large cash  business, and "magic mushrooms"
really do help patients. No recipes, but plenty of anecdotal stories, a
lot of end notes, some dark black and white photos, and an index
complete the package. Quality/price rating: 86.

 

THE 8-WEEK HEALTHY SKIN DIET (Robert Rose, 2013, 480 pages, ISBN 978-0-
7788-0440-6, $24.95 CAN paper covers) is by Karen Fischer, a former
model and now nutritionist with a passion for health research. She once
suffered from skin problems. The book was originally published in
Australia and New Zealand in 2008 as "The Health Skin Diet", winning a
major prize. It's a common sense diet and lifestyle program, with good
flexibility. It was originally developed as an anti-inflammatory eating
program for eczema sufferers. But it seemed to have application to
psoriasis, acne, dandruff, wrinkles, sallow complexion, dermatitis, and
hives. Hence this book, which emphasizes getting beautiful skin from
the inside out. There are 100 food preps and some menu plans.
Associated conditions can also be helped: poor digestion, poor immunity
to colds and flu, hypoglycemia, body odor and bad breath. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.

 

THE SALT BOOK; your guide to salting wisely and well, with recipes
(Whitecap, 2013, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-176-8, $29.95 CAN paper
covers) was originally published last year in Australia by Arbon
Publishing. Fritz Gubler has a background in hotel management, David
Glynn is a food writer, and Russell Keast lectures in nutrition science
at Deakin University. It is a timely book, since it is also a guide
with recipes. Salt has been in the news in North America as never
before, and before the media coverage on salt blows over, you just
might want to read this book. It deals with why salt at all, which salt
to use, how to salt, when to salt, trends and facts, plus recipes
(almost 200) and techniques. Some of the preps are for making your own
salt at home, salt-block cooking, sauces, and salted desserts. 17 major
salts are described, along with a bibliography for further reading.
Because they know I scream and yell about these things, there are
tables of metric conversions. Classic starters include Spanish almonds,
melon and prosciutto, salt crackers, soft pretzels, brined trout,
gravlax, and tuna carpaccio. Mains include various salt crusts with
meats, duck confits, cured beef, slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, and
more. Stunning photos. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
mainly metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of
metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

Riesling and Pinot Noir at German Wine Trade Show, May 27/13

 The Date and Time: Tuesday, May 28, 2013   12:30 PM to 5 PM

The Event: "The Unexpected Germany": riesling and pinot noir.

The Venue: Arcadian Loft

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: many wines are in the system but others are only on private order. The catalogue had no notes on availability or prices.

The Quote/Background: The seminar was jam-packed, so there was lots of interest. We tasted nine wines (folded over into the notes below) with commentary from noted wine people such as Fritz Hasselbach (Gunderloch) and Julia Bertram, current German Wine Queen. Germany has 57.9% of the global surface area of riesling vines (France has 9%). Canada is the sixth largest market for German wines.

The Wines: I did not try every wine.

 

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Bollig-Lehnert Riesling Spatlese 2005 Trittenheimer Apotheke

-Gunderloch Riesling 2011 Beerenauslese Nackenheim Rothenberg

-Dr. Pauly Bergweiler Riesling Auslese 2010 Bernkasteler Badstube Mosel

-Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling Kabinett 2006 Kaseler Nieschen, $18  HHD Imports

-Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling Spatlese 2003 Piesporter Goldtrophchen, $23 HHD Imports

-Schloss Schonborn Riesling Kabinett 2011 Erbach Marcobrunn

-Schloss Schonborn Riesling Spatlese 2011 Hattenheim Pfaffenberg

 

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Loosen Brothers Dr. L Sparkling Riesling NV $13.95, +296095

-Stefan Winter Riesling Kalkstein Rheinhessen 2011

-St. Urbanshof Riesling Grosses Gewaeches Laurentiuslay 2011 Mosel

-Gunderloch Riesling Rothenberg Grosses Gewaeches 2011 Rheinhessen

-Meyer-Nakel Spatburgunder 2010 Ahr

-Fritz Wassmer Spatburgunder "M" 2009 Baden

-Gewurztraminer & Muskateller Dornroschen Weisswein, $20

-Gunderloch Riesling 2011 Spatlese Nackenheim Rothenberg

-Gunderloch Riesling 2011 Auslese Nackenheim Rothenberg

-Ihringen Gewurztraminer Spatlese 2011 Fohrenberg, $18

-Leitz Riesling Spatlese 2012 Rudesheimer Magdalenekreuz

-August Kesseler Riesling Spatlese 2005 Rudesheimer Bischofsberg Rheingau

-Rappenhof Gewurztraminer 2011 Rheinhessen

-Dr. Pauly Bergweiler Riesling Spatlese 2010 Bernkasteler Badstube Mosel

-Schloss Reinhartshausen Riesling 2012

-Schloss Reinhartshausen Riesling Kabinett 2009 Hattenheim Wisselbrunnen

-Schloss Reinhartshausen Riesling Auslese 2009 Erbach Marcobrunn

-Schloss Schonborn Riesling Kabinett 2011 Hattenheim Pfaffenberg

-Schloss Schonborn Riesling "Erstes Gewachs" 2011 Erbach Marcobrunn

-St. Urbans-Hof Riesling 2011 Old Vines

-St. Urbans-Hof Riesling Auslese 2011 Ockfener Bockstein

-Studert-Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2011 +160853

-Markus Molitor Wehlener Sooenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2011 +115634

-Vollenweider Krover Steffensberg Riesling Spatlese 2007 +324327

-Wegeler Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Spatlese 2007 +727412

 

*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Pfeffingen Kabinett Riesling Pfalz 2011

-Salwey Spatburgunder 2010 Baden

-Heitlinger Pinot Noir 2010 Koenigsbecher Baden

-Heitlinger Pinot Gris 2011

-Von Hovel Riesling Auslese 2007 Oberenmeier Hutte Mosel

-Moselland Riesling Auslese 2012 Goldschild Kestener

-G.A. Schmidt Riesling Spatlese 2012 Niersteiner

-Schloss Reinhartshausen Riesling Erstes Gewachs Erbacher 2010

-Runkel Chardonnay 2011, $22.95 J Cipelli

 

The Food: there were pass-by platters of pork schnitzel sliders, stationary cheese platters, a sushi area from Edo, platters of sardines/anchovies, cured salmon, smoked whitefish, grilled Italian veggies, pouches, etc. – all meant to go with the wine.

The Downside: not really a downside, but I'm not sure why we had riesling in the seminar. Pinot noir would have been enough, since most of the trade show itself was riesling.

The Upside: great food matches.

The Contact Person: ted@androscom.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade):89

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com