WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR FEBRUARY 1, 2014

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR FEBRUARY 1, 2014

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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 LCBO 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

 

McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2006 Hunter Valley, +724492, $19.95: we've all been waiting for some older Hunter Valley semillons – here is what could be the first of many. A bit light in texture but redolent with beeswax and candied peel. Nicely aged, twist top, delightful sipper or food wine. Multiple Gold medalist. QPR: 92.

 

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

 

Mountadam Estate Chardonnay 2009 High Eden Valley, +333211, $24.95 retail.

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1.Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2012 VQA Niagara, +80234, $16.95: a delight, with a long, long finish and Riesling MVC, 10% ABV, twist top. Food or sip. QPR: 89.

2.Tabali Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Limari, +662999, $14.95: very grassy, goose-y, and herbaceous, 13.5% ABV, great first course wine. QPR: 89.

3.Roux Pere & Fils Les Murelles Chardonnay Bourgogne 2012, +156455, $17.95: another fine mid-priced value chardonnay at that tender price point. Typical MVC flavours, more on the apple/lemon side but longer length. QPR: 89.

4.Beni di Batasiolo Granee Gavi del Commune di Gavi 2012, +75168, $16.95: fresh, appealing food wine, with citric acid and green fruit, some depth and nuttiness, concentrated tones. 12.5% ABV. QPR: 89.

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1.S. Balbo Crios Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Unfined and Unfiltered Mendoza, +640979, $13.95: more on the herby side than on the jammy side, pretty good food wine. 14% ABV, twist top. QPR: 89.

2.Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, +357517, $19.95: packs a lot of value as a delicious Bordeaux-styled wine. 14% ABV, one of the few Oz wines still left under cork. Delicious flavours. QPR: 89.

3.Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz 2011 Unfined and Unfiltered, +358127, $10.95 for 375 mL: Platinum medalist. Strong overt French tones, good value in a half-bottle, 14.5% ABV, twist top. QPR: 90.

4.Schild Estate Old Bush Vine GMS Grenache/Mourvedre/Shiraz 2011 Barossa, +108183, $19.95: old vine complexity shines through, good depth. 55% grenache, some jammy fruit. 14.5% ABV. QPR: 89.

5.Cathedral Cellar Triptych 2011 WO Western Cape, +53124, $16.95: good food wine with savouriness, longer finish, some oak tones from new French oak, 14.5% ABV. QPR: 89.

6.Chateau de Lafaurie-Monbadon 2010 Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon, +140012, $15.95: ripe, floral, sip or food. Harmonious balance. 14.5% ABV. QPR: 89.

7.Chateau Haut Methee 2009 Bordeaux, +356592, $15.95: another well-priced wine, brimming with textured fruit with the MVC Bordeaux tones. 13% ABV. Gold Medalist. QPR: 90.

8.Cave de Roquebrun La Grange des Combes Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun 2011, +155804, $15.95: 

50 percent Sarah, 30 grenache, 20 mourvedre. Gold medalist. 14% ABV, good solid food wine. QPR: 89.

9.Montiverdi Atila Chianti Classico Riserva 2007, +344465, $19.95: excellent quality Chianti, valued for its MVC tones. 13% ABV. QPR: 89.

10.Villa Mora Montefalco Rosso Riserva 2006 Umbria, +357079, $19.95: intense fruit and tannins revealed under a whopping 15.5% ABV. Certainly a hidden gem, but not part of the current LCBO program. QPR: 89.

11.Ribota 2010 Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, +280628, $15.95: ripe and round, blueberries come to mind, fruity, long length, delicious at 14.5% ABV. Check it out. 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.

 

2.Roland Tissier & Fils Sancerre 2012, +108514, $21.95.

3.Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Coonawarra, +590471, $29.95.

4.Chateau Tour Saint Bonnet 2009 Medoc, +349282, $29.95.

5.Luca Bosio Barolo 2009, +365197, $33.95.

6.Folonari Nozzole La Forra Chianti Classico Riserva 2009, +362731, $23.95.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

Annual Dinner of the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada, Jan 20/14, at Le Paradis, Toronto

The Date and Time: Monday, January 20, 2014  6:15PM to midnight

The Event: the annual dinner of the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada, attended by members and their partners. It was terrifically well-organized by member Sheila Swerling-Puritt, an event planner/opinion maker who is also a WWCC member.

The Venue: Le Paradis, Bedford Road.

The Target Audience: ourselves – private party, for which we actually pay money.

The Availability/Catalogue: only one wine was available to all – a generous donation of well-received Bottega sparklers: Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti (Prosecco) and their Rose Brut (both at the LCBO) for the reception, accompanied by mushrooms on potato gaufrettes and other canapes.

The Quote/Background: we get together every year in January for a dinner at some great restaurant in Toronto (previously, Edo, Tutti Matti, Mistura, Mideastro Bistro, Senses, Hemispheres, Royal York, etc.). In addition to paying for the dinner, each person is responsible for bringing a bottle of "good to great" wine, which is then shared by all.

The Wines:

There were a lot of good/great wines with the dinner, too many (over two dozen) to sample and to list – but I was struck by the Trius Grand Reds of 2007 and 1999, Neyen Espiritu de Apalta 2006 from Chile's Colchagua Valley, Soalheiro Alvarinho 2011, Art 2009 (Mencia from Bierzo), Comte Armand Pommard 2007, Zebras Brunello 2004, Comte Armand Pommard 2007, Château Pichon Longueville Lalande 1998, Rostaing Côte Rôtie La Landonne 1998, Kangaroo Springs Shiraz 2005, Urla Tempus 2010 (from Turkey: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc), Graham 30 Year Old Tawny Port and Kopke Colheita 1974, the Yatta white wine from Kenya in a tetrapak, and the

copious quantities of different Ontario ice wines.

 

The Food: there was a set menu of French bistro food with lots of choices and courses (duck, chicken, fish, salads, fricassé d'escargots, betteraves au chèvre frais, entrecôte du boeuf with béarnaise, trio of sorbets, etc.). Everybody got a scrumptious grilled veal marrow bone – it certainly brought out the dogs.

The Downside: it was really cold outside.

The Upside: we were in a room all by ourselves, and comfortably fed by David Currie who also provided a great wait staff.

The Contact Person: spuritt@sympatico.ca

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): A plus, of course.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW

THE COMPLETE FIBROMYALGIA HEALTH, DIET GUIDE & COOKBOOK (Robert
Rose, 2013, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0453-6, $24.95 CAN paper covers)
is by Louise D. McCrindle, ND and Alison Bested, MD, both specialists
in fibromyalgia care.
 
and

 

4. THE COMPLETE MIGRAINE HEALTH, DIET GUIDE & COOKBOOK (Robert Rose,
2013, 336 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0454-3, $24.95 CAN paper covers) is by
Susan Hannah, a health researcher, with Lawrence Leung, MD and
Elizabeth Dares-Dobbie, RD.

 

Both books are set up in similar fashion: there's a collection of
research, medical experience, anecdotal experience, and strategies for
guiding you through health problems associated with fibromyalgia or
migraines. Each promotes better health through comprehensive dietary
therapy programs, and includes a 4-week menu. In the case of
fibromyalgia, the diet avoids inflammatory foods to reduce pain. In the
case of migraines, the diet is about low- or antihistamine foods. Half
of each book is the science and diet guide. The other half is comprised
of the recipes, which come from previous books authored by the Rose
stable of cookbook writers such as Alexandra Anca, Johanna Burkhard,
Judith Finlayson, Camilla V. Saulsbury (the largest number), and
others. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no overall table of equivalents.
The fibromyalgia book has 100 recipes, the migraine book has 150. Each
also has pages of additional reading references, and nutritional data
for each prep.
Audience and level of use: those in need of relief from migraines
and/or fibromyalgia.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: broiled rosemary chicken
thighs; herb-roasted salmon; multigrain sandwich bread; lemony brussels
sprouts quinoa salad; herbed chicken and pomegranate salad; sauteed
spinach with pine nuts.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

5. SOUTHERN CASSEROLES; comforting pot-lucky dishes (Chronicle Books,
2013, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-1228-2, $24.95 US paper covers) is by
Denise Gee, a Southern food writer for many magazines. She's got about
40 casseroles here, along with full photos, from every part of the US
south (although she has strong Mississippi roots). Side dishes are also
included in this collection of one-pot wonders. The basic division is
easy eats and company's coming, plus sides done in one pot.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there are tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: duck and sausage cassoulet;
chicken and herbed dumplings; tamale pies; jambalaya; crawfish
fettuccine; chicken pot pie.
The downside to this book: not enough recipes.
The upside to this book: great picture on page 169.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

 

 

6. A FIRST COURSE IN WINE; from grape to glass (Race Point Publishing,
2013, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-937994-13-6, $28 US hard covers) is by Dan
Amatuzzi, beverage director at Eataly in NYC, co-owned by Mario Batali,
who, amazingly enough, provides the essential log rolling here via a
preface. It's a well-illustrated work, with perhaps too many photos. It
begins slowly, as most beginner wine books should, covering the wine
basics, the seasons of the vine, wine enjoyment, wine regions of the
world, and a resources list. It's descriptive: not too much on
confusing wine notes or recommended producers. The major division is by
colour: half the book is on reds, the other half on whites. But two
little paragraphs on Canada (one on reds, one on whites) just doesn't
cut it for me.
Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, beginners.
Some interesting or unusual facts: Many wine specialists recommend
having something in your stomach when consuming wine.
The downside to this book: too many generic pictures
The upside to this book: good layout and conceptions.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.

 

 

 

7. 200 SKILLS EVERY COOK MUST HAVE (Firefly Books, 2013, 256 pages,
ISBN 978-1-77085-210-5, $29.95 CAN hard covers) is by Clara Paul and
Eric Treville. Clara is head chef at the UK Books for Cooks, while Eric
owns the store. Both are food writers and cooking demonstrators. There
are over 300 colour photos here in this largely technique book. There
are 12 chapters for different skills, with alternative methods and
explanations as well as additional techniques. Topics, for the
contents, include sauces and dressings, preparing/cooking
fruits/veggies/meat, fish skills, pastry/baking skills,
pasta/bread/rice/noodles, presentation and plating, preserving and    
storing, entertaining tips. Their philosophy is to make better cooks
out of good cooks. There is also a glossary if terms. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements,
but there are also tables of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginning cooks
The upside to this book: usually a skill begins on the left page and
continues to the right page, so there is no flipping.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

 

 

8. 1000 SAUCES, DIPS AND DRESSINGS (Firefly Books, 2013, 288 pages,
ISBN 978-1-77085-212-9, $29.95 CAN hard covers) is by Nadia Arumugam, a
food writer and recipe developer who trained at Leith's and worked with
Mosimann. Now she writes for numerous publications and online magazines
out of New York City. This book is a nice database of all the possible
savour and sweet additions to enhance a plate or a meal. Too often
these can come in a processed food jar; making your own frees you from
preservatives and saves space as well. There's material on the five
mother sauces of French cuisine and how they can be used in
combination. There are 15 chapter categories such as creamy and cheesy
sauces, pestos and herb sauces, BBQ sauces, savoury fruit sauces,
Asian, ketchups, salsas, meat and seafood dips, oil and vinegar
dressings, and dessert sauces. Many recipes, of course, have
variations, which can lead up to 1000 sauces. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no overall table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home chefs looking to expand their
repertoire,
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sticky toffee, raspberry
coulis, cilantro lime sauce, honey peanut sauce, pesto all Genovese,
spicy pumpkin seed.
The downside to this book: the type font is very small and the
ingredient listing is faint, especially for quantities.
The upside to this book: at the back there is a sauce selector series
of tables.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.

 

 

 

9. PIES AND TARTS WITH HEART; expert pie-building techniques for 60+
sweet and savory vegan pies (Quarry Books, 2013, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-
59253-846-1, $24.99 US paper covers) is the third book by Denise
Balcavage, who blogs at urbanvegan.net. Dairy-free and honey-free pies,
also gluten-free alternatives (even raw options!) are here in the 70
preps. Classics have been modified, such as whoopie pie, Boston cream
pie, and Key Lime pie. She's also got a pretty good primer on preparing
dough, rolling, transferring/finishing, and decorating. Of great
interest is quiche 10 ways, with different fillings – and you can make
your own too. Icons are used for GF, fast, low fat, raw, kid-friendly,
and no-bake. Kudos for a giant type font in the index! Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and (mainly) avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: vegans and potential vegans.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: North African kale pie;
sweet parsnip pie; whipped nut toppings plus variations; raw raspberry
chia-cashew pie; frozen spumoni pie; cheeseburger pie.
The downside to this book: a few more savouries please!
The upside to this book: plenty of variations.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

10. I LOVE PASTA; an Italian love story in 100 recipes (Taunton Press,
2013, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-62710-087-8, $24.95US hard covers) is by
the Academia Barilla, a research-cooking school founded by the Barilla
pasta family. It's divided into long pasta, short pasta, baked and egg
pasta, and soup pasta. In all, Italy has about 300 shapes, so there are
plenty to mix and match. Of special value are the chapters on the
Barilla Company and the history of pasta in Italy. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of equivalents. Very good photography.
Audience and level of use: Italian food cooks, pasta lovers, culinary
historians.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: risoni with fava bean puree
and breadcrumbs; Genoa-style egg lasagna; sedani rigati salad with
parma ham; fusilli with tuna; vermicelli with mussels; capellini with
sausage and saffron.
The downside to this book: it's a producer book, with named pasta
brands.
The upside to this book: a good collection that should satisfy
everyone, especially for the photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.

 

11. THE BOOK OF BUNS; over 50 brilliant bakes from around the world
(Ryland Peters and Small, 2013, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-435-4,
$24.95 US hard covers) is by Jane Mason, who started Virtuous Bread
cooking school and then Bread Angels. This is a basic international
collection of bun recipes: sweet and savoury buns, steamed and baked
buns, stuffed buns, and special occasion buns. They are easy enough to
do (she has a primer), and of course they are portable. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: bakers, home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: snittsidan bullar (Sweden);
krentenbollen (Holland); muesli stangen (Germany); spaccatini (Italy);
bastounakia (Greece); kahvalti (Turkey); fastnachts (Canada).
The downside to this book: not enough recipes
The upside to this book: good theme
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

* FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! *

ISA DOES IT; amazingly easy, wildly delicious vegan recipes for
every day of the week (Little, Brown and Co., 2013, 311 pages, ISBN
978-0-316-22190-0, $30 US hard covers) is by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, co-
author of the bestseller Veganomicon. She does www.portpunkkitchen.com,
Which is a leading website for all things vegan. She has over 200 preps
here, ranging from the simple to the complex, from the small to the
large crowd, and weekdays to Sunday best. There's lots of advice on
shortening cooking times, knife techniques, planning ahead, cleaning
up, substitutions in case of allergies, and a vegan pantry. Throughout
there are also 30 minute meals, Contents include the range: soups,
salads, pasta, risotto, stews, curries, stir-fries, and courses (Sunday
night, breakfast, brunch). Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: vegans and potential vegans
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Greek diner salad; quinoa
Caesar salad; shroomy hot and sour soup; chocolate-zucchini bundt cake;
baked garlic-curry fries; kitchen sink chocolate cookies; roasted
potato and fennel soup.
The downside to this book: it is very thick and heavy.
The upside to this book: a good collection of one-bowl desserts
Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JANUARY 18, 2014

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JANUARY 18, 2014

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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

 

1.St-Nicolas Brut Crackling Cider Quebec, +277442, $17.95: at 8.5% ABV, it is no slouch in the buzz category. Excellent apple mouthfeel, and a great alternative to sparkling grape wine. So why was it released AFTER New Year's? Ok, moving on to Valentine's Day...QPR: 91.

2.Corral Don Jacobo Reserva 2004 Rioja, +313270, $18.95: oaky all the way, well-aged, now 9 years old but showing lots of life, old style Rioja. 13.5% ABV. QPR: 92.

 

 

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

 

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2012, +433060, $22.95.

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1.Calamus Unoaked Chardonnay 2012 VQA Niagara, +210062, $14.95: ripe, creamy, full luscious, no need for wood. QPR: 89.

2.Christobal 1492 Chardonnay 2012 Mendoza, +144402, $13.95: deftly made wine, emphasizing the brightness of stone fruit at the entry and the vanilla-wood tones at the finish. 13% ABV. QPR: 89.

3.Coopers Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Marlborough, +957407, $18.95: well-determined MVC classic kiwi savvy at a spot-on price. 13% ABV. Gold Medalist. QPR: 89.

4.Chateau Lamothe-Vincent Heritage 2011 Bordeaux, +362996, $15.95: another affordable Gold Medalist, 13% ABV, with woodsy complexity, all Sauvignon blanc. QPR: 89.

5.Domaine Langlois-Chateau St.Florent 2011 Saumur, +357251, $15.95: delightful Loire wine, all dry chenin blanc, great with first course emphasizing minerals. QPR: 89.

6.Mas des Bressades Cuvee Tradition Blanc 2012 Costieres de Nimes, +701094, $15.95: from grenache blanc, roussanne, marsanne, and viognier. Fresh and lively, off-dry on mid-p[palate, 13.5% ABV. Sip or food. QPR: 89.

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1.L.A.Cetto Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Guadalupe Valley Baja California Mexico: it has been awhile since L.A.Cetto had this cab around in Ontario. Great value for the upfront jam ripeness and fruit. 13.5% ABV. QPR: 89.

2.Emiliana Natura Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Rapel Valley, +61069, $14.95: good consistent MVC, round and fruity, value and balanced. 13.5% ABV. Twist top. Organic. QPR: 89.

3.Sister's Run Bethlehem Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Barossa, +360636, $16.95: another Gold Medalist, and another fine cabby for value. 14.5% ABV is a whopper, twist top. QPR: 89.

4.Chateau des Landes Cuvee Tradition 2009 Lussac-Saint-Emilion, +363101, $19.95: shows good aging, 14% ABV, and well-priced quality for a Gold Medalist. QPR: 89.

5.Chateau Trillol Grenache/Syrah 2008 Corbieres, +354126, $17.95: an excellent blend, suggested of south Rhone, tons of black fruit and 14% ABV. QPR: 89.

6.Cave Les Coteaux du Rhone Panicaut Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2012, +354076, $15.95: the Gold Medal wines keep coming (is there a category for these at the LCBO?). Here is off-dry fruit in a distinct Californian sunny style. QPR: 89.

7.Chateau Peyros Tannat/Cabernet 2008 Madiran, +208249, $14.95: the French have done well in blends. This one is 40% Cabernet franc. Both grapes make it taut and tight, so it still needs more time. 13.5% ABV, the quality is there, but it's not yet ready. QPR: 89.

8.Boutari Grand Reserve 2007 Naoussa, +140111, $16.95: this is usually my go-to wine when people want an older wine under $20. Mounds of aged flavor, well-oaked and well-aged. 13.5% ABV.

9.Saladini Pilastri Rosso Piceno 2011 Marche, +964866, $14.95: organic wine, excellent mocha and fruity and full (cherries with a hit of French oak). 13% ABV. QPR: 89.

10.Cantele Salice Salentino Riserva 2009 Puglia, +724328, $14.95: 13% ABV, still a bit tight, lay down for another year or so. Highly rated wine in Italy. QPR: 89.

11.Finca El Encinal Crianza 2010 Ribera del Duero, +355081, $17.95: toasted oak tones on the finish, 14% ABV, strongly-placed fruit for the palate. 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 should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.

 

1.Herve Azo Vau de Vey Chablis 1er Cru 2011, +240655, $28.95 retail.

2.Resalte de Penafiel Pena Roble Reserva 2004 Ribera del Duero, +355107, $31.95.

3.Chateau Laes Grand Chenes 2009 Medoc, +194019, $33.85.

4.Marchesi di Barolo Barbaresco 2010, +155408, $26.95.

5.Fattoria La Ripa Chianti Classico Riserva 2009, +984401, $26.95.

6.Palazzo Brunello di Montalcino 2006, +660746, $59.95.

7.Recchia Musua di Jago Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2010, +362921, $37.95.

8.Baron de Ley Gran Reserva 2007 Rioja, +642496, $31.95.

9.Ebano Crianza 2008 Ribera del Duero, +355099, $21.95.

 

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. Some magazines will reissue popular or
classic recipes in an "easy" format. Here are some recent "re-
editions"...

 

19. THE SLOW COOK BOOK (DK Books, 2011, 2013, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-
55363-219-1, $19.95 CAN soft covers) is by Heather Whinney, a UK food
write4 and cookbook author. It was originally released in 2011, and
this is the paperback reissue. She covers braising, stewing, poaching,
steaming and baking with pot roasts, casseroles, paellas, risottos,
hearty soups, curries, gumbos, tagines, chilies and desserts. 200
recipes in all. The great value of the book is each prep includes two
methods: one for crock-pot, the other for stovetop/oven. Good DK
photos, as per usual. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 87.

 

20. THE COMPLETE CHOCOLATE BOOK (Transcontinental Books, 2013; distr.
Random House Canada, 351 page, ISBN 978-0-9877474-6-4, $34.95 CAN hard
covers) is from the Canadian Living Test Kitchen which treats chocolate
as a versatile food product that can be dressed up or dressed down. And
because of this, it can be a fragile food in the cooking/baking
process. So this is a "best-of" collection of previous chocolate
recipes from their archives, plus helpful photos and tips. It is family
oriented, so do not expect pyrotechnics. The eight chapters are
arranged by texture, a great idea: gooey (chocolate cheesecake with
pecan sauce), creamy (puddings, mousses, fondues), crunchy (cookies and
tarts), chewy (brownies and breads), melty (truffles, bars), crumbly
(shortbreads), chilly (frozen treats), and cakey. Beverages fall into
the cracks of creamy and/or chilly. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements with some weights in metric, but
there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.

 

 

 

21. 200 BEST PANINI RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2008, 2013, 256 pages, ISBN
978-0-7788-0201-3 [sic], $27.95 CAN paper covers) is by Tiffany
Collins, who once served as culinary spokesperson for the Texas Beef
Council. 35 panini here are made from beef; this represents one-sixth
of the book. The book comes with some new photos, but essentially it is
the same as the 2008 version. 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 book for beginners. 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. There is even a chapter on
condiments. Quality/price rating: 83.

 

22, 200 EASY HOMEMADE CHEESE RECIPES. 2d ed. (Robert Rose, 2009, 2013,
408 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0465-9, $27.95 CAN paper covers) is by Debra
Amrein-Boyes, head cheese maker and owner of The Farm House Natural
Cheeses in BC. It was originally published in 2009 at 385 pages.
There's a primer on basic cheese-making techniques, plus equipment and
tools, and sanitation. Chapters include fresh cheeses, filata stretched
cheeses, mold-ripening, blue-veined, washed-rind, washed-curd, semi-
soft, semi-firm, and hard cheeses. Other chapters deal with ethnic and
regional cheeses, yogurt and kefir, butter, buttermilk and crème
fraiche. There is also a trouble-shooting section and a glossary. New
changes indicated include an all-new 32-page troubleshooting section,
new step-step-photos, and new inclusion of prep times with each recipe.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 88.

 

 

 

23. FINE COOKING SOUPS & STEWS; no-fail recipes for every season
(Taunton Press, 2013, 235 pages, ISBN 978-1-62113-795-5, $17.95 US
paper covers) is by the editors of Fine Cooking magazine, published by
Taunton Press in Connecticut. Fine Cooking (at finecooking.com) has
many recipes available, so it is spinning them off by theme. Others
have included pies, chocolate, fresh cooking, and comfort food. This
book concentrates on the warm and nourishing bowls that stave off
winter chills: classics, modern interpretations, vegetarian options,
and ethnic specialties. It is also possible to turn a soup into a stew
and vice versa. The arrangements are by type: pureed soups, bisques and
chowders, hearty soups, and stews and chilis (only 60 pages). There are
over 65 named contributors, including Kamman, Tanis, Willan, Wright,
McLagen, Pellegrino, and Ash. Look for Mediterranean kale and white
bean soup with sausage, buttercup squash and leek soup, chicken noodle
soups with lemongrass, chicken coconut soup, Thai hot and sour shrimp
soup, and matzo ball soup. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89.

 

24. THE RUNNER'S WORLD COOKBOOK; 150 ultimate recipes for fueling up
and slimming down – while enjoying every bite (Rodale, 2013, 278 pages,
ISBN 978-1-62336-123-5, $26.99 US hard covers) has been edited by
Joanna Sayago Golub, nutrition editor at Runner's World magazine.
Runner's World magazine is a leading disseminator on running
information, and nutrition, of course, plays a large part in any
runner's health. So the basic drive here is the burning of calories and
stamina for performance. Most of the 150 preps here come from the
magazine, with contributions from Mark Bittman, Patricia Wells and Pam
Anderson – 33 in all. There are two indexes: one is the general, the
other is a series of sub-divisions of special lists such as prerun,
recovery, gluten-free and vegetarian among others. There is a runner's
pantry to keep on hand. The preps are tabbed as to a number of suitable
categories, but all of them deal with high energy and stamina
performance, such as salmon cakes with salsa, tagliatelle with peas and
chile, or BBQ beef sloppy joes. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88.

 

25. VEGAN COOKING FOR CARNIVORES; over 125 recipes so tasty you won't
miss the meat (Grand Central Life & Style, 2012, 230 pages, ISBN 978-1-
60941-241-8, $18 US soft covers) is by Roberto Martin, who now cooks
exclusively vegan meals for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi. The
preps in this book come from his repertoire. He graduated from the CIA
and then became a personal chef to celebrities, focusing on healthy
food. The book is a reprint of the 2012 hardback, which became a New
York Times bestseller; it makes many vegan recipes accessible because
it is endorsed by DeGeneres. There's a small drawback: in the index,
there's an entry for honey-mustard vinaigrette, but when you turn to
the prep (which is labeled "honey-mustard vinaigrette"), he uses agave
nectar. The use of the word "honey" might turn off a true vegan, but no
honey is actually used. Just sayin'. The contents are arranged by
course, from breakfast through lunch initially, followed by apps to
desserts. It is also "substantial" food, with lots of tofu and meat
substitutions, to give dishes that heavier consistency that one expects
from meat. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try
buckwheat pancakes, avocado reuben, soft pita with hummus and almond
pesto, chopped Asian salad, or chile rellenos. Quality/price rating:
85.

 

26. THE CLUELESS BAKER; learning to bake from scratch (Firefly Books,
2013, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-77085-245-7, $16.95 CAN soft covers) is by
Evelyn Raab, who wrote the popular Clueless in the Kitchen book for
Firefly in 2011. The current book is a revised and updated edition of
the 2001 title. There are more than 100 tried, tested, and true baking
recipes, as well as the basics of how to bake and what to bake with,
plus the pantry. It now includes more gluten-free recipes, as well as
suggestions on how to convert conventional recipes using wheat
alternatives, more preps using whole grains, bold faced ingredient
lists in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, new recipes
including a trendy coffee mug cake. Quality/price rating: 88.

 

27. SERIOUSLY BITTER SWEET; the ultimate dessert maker's guide to
chocolate (Artisan, 2003, 2013; distr. T. Allen, 336 pages, ISBN 978-1-
57965-511-2, $25.95 US soft covers) is by Alice Medrich, acclaimed
author of seven other cookbooks, most dealing with chocolate in some
format. This current book was published originally in 2003, and here it
has been updated and revised as a paperback for a more "bitter"
audience. Tastes change; most chocolate used in cooking is labeled by
cacao percentage. She guides us through the percentages and the classic
styles of dealing with chocolate. Preps include ice cream and brownies,
chocolate tortes, truffles, mousses, soufflés, cakes and fillings,
glazes, pies, and cookies. There is also valuable data on "chocolate by
the numbers", web sites of artisans and suppliers, and other sources
for recipes. There are also variations throughout. Try chocolate
meringues with berries and cream, bittersweet semifreddo with rose
cream and sesame crunch, or "Carmen meringay". Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89. 

 

----------------------------------------------------

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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo
shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other
celebrities in magnificent cases 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 –

 

12. THE WARM KITCHEN; gluten-free recipes anyone can make and everyone
will love (Family Chef Publishing, 2013, 264 pages, ISBN 978-0-9894843-
0-5, $26.95 US paper covers) is by Amy Fothergill, an experienced chef-
consultant who now writes a gluten-free column for the Examiner.com in
San Francisco and has her own popular blog thefamilychef.blogspot.com.
Her oversized book has 150 recipes with dairy, sugar, and egg
substitutions to handle most allergies. She's got not only the usual
cooking tips, techniques, step-by-step instructions, but also family
friendly dishes and how to stock a gluten-free pantry. Everything is
covered, from breakfast to dessert, covering soups-salads-mains-sides-
breads. Of particular value are her preps for GF breads, mostly based
on her GF flour blend. There's a lot packed in here: try stuffoli,
banana cupcakes, battered chicken, shepherd's (actually, cottage) pie,
cinnamon raisin bread, and crispy pizza dough. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

 

 

13. VEDGE; 100 plates large and small that redefine vegetable cooking
(The Experiment, 2013; dist. T. Allen, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-085-
0, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, chefs and
owners of Vedge which opened in 2011 in Philadelphia. Landau has been
opening restaurants since 1994, while his wife Jacoby is also a pastry
chef and sommelier. Good credentials, but it still needed some advanced
log rolling for "praise". It's a vegan book, using vegan butter, vegan
cream, vegan shortening, and other substitutes. There are about 100
dishes, based on the Vedge menus. It is augmented by stocks and spice
blends. There is an apps section, soups and stews, freshly pulled
veggies, mains, stews, and desserts and breads. Try pesto trapanese,
roasted asparagus with hazelnut picada, French breakfast radishes with
nori and tamari and avocado, beetroot pots de crème, or grilled
broccolini with pistachio and cured olive. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.

 

14. BALABOOSTA; bold Mediterranean recipes to feed the people you love
(Artisan, 2013; distr. T. Allen, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-500-6,
$29.95 US hard covers) is by Einat Admony, chef-owner of Balaboosta,
Taim, and Bar Bolonat restaurants in New York. Balaboosta is Yiddish
for "a perfect housewife". This is a Mediterranean melting pot series
of recipes, with (surprisingly) only three preps for lamb. The heritage
is Israeli with influences from Persia, Morocco, and other southern
parts. It is meant for families, but there are dishes from her
workplaces for entertaining (spicy chicken tagine, Moroccan carrots),
for kids (red velvet gnocchi), quick meals (roasted broccoli,
shakshuka), comfort food (sinaya), romantic food (lamb chops with
Persian lime sauce), BBQ, healthy options, slow-cooked recipes (5000
year-old eggs), and others. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88.

 

15. BAKE AND DESTROY; good food for bad vegans (Page Street Publishing,
2013; distr. Can Manda Group, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-62414-002-0, $19.99
US soft covers) is by Natalie Slater, creator of the popular blog
bakeanddestroy.com. She was a Cooking Channel winner and has served as
a judge on the Food Network, plus she free lances her writings. This is
vegan food for today's young generation: punk rock, heavy metal,
slasher movies, and pro-wrestling. It is also a fun book, filled with
her rants and raves. Typical recipes are for bike messenger brownies
(with caffeine chai latte), crouching cornbread hidden broccoli (for
the kids), taco lasagna, shepherd's pie pizza…and more! If it attracts
people to good food, then go for it…What I especially like about the
book is the way Page Street Publishing lets the pages spread out, with
no holding down of the gutters or inner margins. More please!!
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements; there is no overall table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.

 

 

 

 

 

16. GREAT MEAT; classic techniques and award-winning recipes for
selecting, cutting, and cooking beef, lamb, pork, poultry and game
(Fair Winds Press, 2013, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-59233-581-7, $24.99 US
paper covers) is by Dave Kelly of Ruby & White, a UK butcher shop, and
John Hogan, executive chef of Keefer's of Chicago. Kelly did the text
and the material about cutting, while Hogan did the recipes. The book
is about, well, meat. Here is a basic go-to guide about the technical
aspects of home butchery, as well as useful recipes, not only from
Keefer's, but also from The Town House, The Manor House Hotel, and The
Circus Café. Try steak and arugula salad, chilled Vietnamese braised
beef shank, stuffed pork loin chops, rabbit pie, game casserole, or
lemon poussins.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.

 

17. THE SCARPETTA COOKBOOK (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 370 pages,
ISBN 978-1-118-50870-1, $35 US hard covers) is by Scott Conant, Beard
Award winner and TV cooking judge. He's the chef at Scarpetta, which
now has five locations (including one in Toronto). Still, despite the
accolades, there is log rolling from Bobby Flay and Marcus Samuelsson.
There are 125 recipes here from the restaurant, as he says "all
designed to teach essential cooking techniques" such as chiffonading
fresh basil, shaping quenelles, or deboning a chicken. There is also
wine advice from Paolo Barbieri, sommelier at Scarpetta Las Vegas.
Recommended wines are from Italy, and specify actual brands (although
there is often a choice). It's an upscale Italian cookbook, recast for
home kitchens from the restaurant. And there are pictures and stories
from Scarpetta. Try parmesan crackers, endive salad with creamy pine
nut dressing and shaved parmesan, duck and foie gras ravioli with
Marsala sauce, or radish confit. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88.

 

18. SWEET (Artisan, 2013; distr. T. Allen, 344 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-
468-9, $35 US hard covers) is by Valerie Gordon, who opened Valerie
Confections in 2004 in Los Angeles. This book is a collection of 100
recipes, mostly from that store. It's divided by type of dessert, so
there are separate chapters on pies and tarts, chocolates and
confections, cookies and bars, cakes, jams and marmalades. Some log
rolling is here, but it seems responsible and reasonably intelligent.
Part of the book is memoirish and about making gifts for others. There
is some mixing and matching of dishes, some hybrids through variations,
and complementary desserts. She's got a nifty pantry mise en place
section for ingredients and equipment. And excellent layout and
photography. Try Angelino plum ice cream, black-and-blue fool,
blackberry-mango curd pie, or apple and caramel aged Gouda crostata.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

Wine Australia Media Preview Tasting, Dec 10/2013

The Date and Time: Tuesday, December 10, 2013   5PM to 7:30 PM

The Event: Wine Australia Media Preview Tasting

The Venue: Vintage Conservatory, Lombard Street

The Target Audience: wine media

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines will be at the LCBO in Jan and/or Feb 2014 as part of Vintages releases.

The Quote/Background: we were given the opportunity to taste these wines before they hit the market. There were supposed to be 35 wines, but many did not arrive in time. We tasted 21 wines.

The Wines: All red wines were screwcapped, except for the Red Knot which had a zork. I was only able to taste the red wines (six did not arrive).

 

JANUARY MINI-THEMATIC (Jan 5 – Feb 1/2014)

 

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

-Peter Lehmann Portrait Barossa Shiraz 2011, $19.95

-Fowles Wine Are You Game Shiraz Victoria 2010, $16.95

-Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz SEA 2012, $15.95

-Robert Oatley Tic Tok Pocketwatch Cabernet Sauvignon Central Ranges 2011, $15.95

-Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Cabernet Sauvignon SXEA 2012, $12.95

-Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz Barossa 2011, $16.95

 

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

-Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz South Australia 2011, $16.95

-Shingleback Red Knot Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale 2012, $17.95

-Mitolo Junior Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale 2011, $16.95

-Henry's Drive Vignerons Pillar Box Red Padthaway 2010, $14.95

-Treasury Wine Estates Vin Parfait Red Adelaide 2012, $15.95

-Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet South Australia 2011, $16.95

-Hardys Bankside Shiraz South Australia 2012, $14.65

-Jacob's Creek Classic Shiraz SEA 2011, $12.25

 

FEBRUARY VINTAGES RELEASE (Feb 1/2014)

 

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

-Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra, 2010, $29.95

-Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz Padthaway 2011, $16.95 AUD

-Dandelion Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz 2011, $19.95 AUD

 

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

-Robert Oatley Signature Series Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2012, $18.95

-Dandelion Lioness of McLaren Vale Shiraz 2011, $19.95 AUD

 

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

-Chapel Hill Bush Vine Grenache McLaren Vale 2011, $27.95 AUD

-Heartland Stickleback Red South Australia 2010, $14 AUD

 

The Food: light finger foods (spanakopita, pita and dip, cheeses, breads).

The Downside: all eight of the white wines were missing, but were slated to arrive after 7PM – I could not wait for them, since I had another appointment.

The Upside: a chance to re-try some fine Oz reds.

The Contact Person: popoffanne@gmail.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 83.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JANUARY 4, 2014

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JANUARY 4, 2014

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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

 

San Jose de Aguaron Monasterio de la Vinas Reserva 2006 Carinena, +166579, $14.95: another Spanish garnacha (blended with tempanillo and carinena), aged in barrel for a year. Absolutely delicious with tons of spices. QPR: 90.

 

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

 

Chateau Vitallis Vieilles Vignes Pouilly Fuisse 2010, +360495, $27.95 retail.

 

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1.Flat Rock Riesling 2012 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, +43281, $16.95: a good basic Ontario Riesling at an affordable price point, 11% ABV, twist top. Finishes dry. QPR: 89.

2.Casa del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Casablanca Valley,+974717, $13.95: good MVC savvy intensity with herbs and greeness, 13.5% ABV, great price. QPR: 89.

3.Rabl Kittmansberg Gruner Veltliner 2011 Kamptal, +346007, $14.95: basic off-dry groovy, fruity palate, sip or food. 12.5% ABV. Another good price. QPR: 89.

4.Domaine Jacky Marteau Sauvignon Touraine 2012, +745349, $13.95: another good value savvy from the Loire region, typical MVC and certainly affordable. QPR: 89.

5.Torres Vina Esmeralda 2012 Catalunya, +113696: a personal fave of mine for about 40 years, now twist top, 11.5% ABV, 85muscat/15gewurztraminer and 100% delicious as a sipper. QPR: 89.

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1.13th Street Merlot 2012 VQA Creek Shores, +270504, $17.95: a great little wine for food, a Merlot with some guts, not really for sipping. 14% ABV. QPR: 89.

2.Bodega el Esteco Don David Finca La Urquiza #8 Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Cafayate Valley Salta, +357459, $15.95: [you could finish the wine before you finish reading the label]. Plush and lush, 14% ABV. QPR: 89.

3.Estampa Assemblage Reserve Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2010 Colchagua Valley, +350082, $14.95: another good value wine, 14.5% ABV, 82syrah/10cab/8merlot blend, in oak for 10 months. QPR: 89.

4.Santa Alicia Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Maipo, +350074, $14.95: black fruit of plums and blackberries, flavours touch all the bases, twist top, 14% ABV. Gold medalist. QPR: 89.

5.Chapoutier Domaine Tournon Mathilda Shiraz 2011 Victoria, +327395, $19.95: very Rhonish in style and tone, MVC for Syrah, 13% ABV, twist top. QPR: 89.

6.Chateau Pouyanne 2009 Graves, +349332, $19.95: delicious Bordeaux, ready now, 13% ABV. Gold Medalist. QPR: 89.

7.N. Potel Maison Roche de Bellene Cuvee Reserve Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2011, +299859, $17.95: decent MVC burgundy from Pinot noir, light but has value. 13% ABV. QPR: 89.

8.Domaine des Fees Cotes du Rhone 2012, +272450, $15.95: this unfiltered organic wine has a lot going for it. Very intense flavours, 15% ABV, should age well, great price. QPR: 89.

9.Chateau Nozieres Cuvee Ambroise de l'her Malbec Cahors 2010, +276055, $16.95: dense blend of malbec with 10% Merlot added, 14.5% ABV, muscular as are most Cahors. QPR: 89.

10.Coppi Peucetico Primitivo 2007 Goia del Colle Puglia, +724674, $13.95: chocolate and black fruit all the way, gutsy, 13.5% ABV. QPR: 89.

11.Tenute Piccini Valiano Chianti Classico 2008, +354019, $17: nicely aged now at five years, 13.5% ABV, long finish. QPR: 89.

12.Aguia Moura em Vinhas Reserva Tinto 2008 Douro, +354738, $16.95: black fruit, good aging for past five years, 14% ABV. QPR: 89.

13.Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell 2011 Jumilla, +163154, $13.95: powerhouse of black, dark fruits, some vanilla from oak, good acidic finish. QPR: 90.

14.Ilurce Rio Madre 2011 Rioja, +354753, $14.95: another affordable power wine at 14.5% ABV, ready to fuel another meal. 100% graciano, aged in French oak. 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.Geografico Montegiachi Chianti Classico Riserva 2009, +962142, $24.95.

2.Domaine Bonnard Sancerre 2012, +140525, $22.95.

3.La Pieve Barolo 2009, +213132, $29.95.

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

SOME FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW

 

THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BROWN RICE COOKBOOK; the world's best brown rice
recipes (SquareOne Publishers, 2013; distr. T. Allen, 184 pages, ISBN
978-0-7570-0364-6, $16.95 US soft covers) is by Wendy Esko, who has
studied and taught macrobiotic cooking for over four decades. She's
written over 20 cookbooks, and currently works for Eden Foods. She's
been around and around these recipes for quite some time. It's a basic
primer of some 140 recipes with practical cooking tips and guidelines,
plus variations. There's also a glossary of ingredients. It is
organized by course, with breakfast up first, followed by soups, stews,
salads, condiments, apps, sides, mains, and desserts. At the beginning,
there are the basics of brown rice and a pantry of sorts. There is also
a large list of resources. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: for vegetarians and vegans.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fried adzuki bean rice;
stuffed grape leaves; muesli; Moroccan rice; applesauce brown rice
muffins; mushroom onion sauce; California rolls; baked rice and barley
casserole.
The downside to this book: the emphasis is on brown rice, not
macrobiotics.
The upside to this book: good glossary
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

4. THE GLUTEN-FREE QUINTESSENTIAL QUINOA COOKBOOK; eat great, lose
weight, feel healthy (Skyhorse Publishing, 2013, 285 pages, ISBN 978-1-
62087-699-2, $17.95 US hard covers) is by Wendy Polisi, author of last
year's "The Quintessential Quinoa Cookbook". This version is now all
gluten-free. It's based on the large feedback she got from that book:
why not make it all gluten-free? So here it is, with photos and
nutritional info for every recipe, gluten-free desserts, and quinoa
recipes for kids. She's even given alternative ingredients and prep
methods for many dishes, including vegan, sugar-free, and quick and
easy. She's got two recipes for gluten-free flour blends – an all-
purpose quinoa flour blend and a quinoa cake flour blend. These can be
used without fear. The book is arranged by course, breakfast through
apps and snacks, salads, wraps and tacos and sandwiches, mains, baking
and desserts. About 140 dishes here, but there is more at
cookingquinoa.net. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: those who require a gluten-free diet
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: gluten-free pizza dough;
quinoa bread; apple onion focaccia bread; broccoli quinoa casserole;
BBQ quinoa sloppy joes; Mediterranean lettuce cups; smoked chile
rellenos.
The downside to this book: I would have liked more preps, but I can
always visit the website.
The upside to this book: good pictures and descriptions.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

5. INDIAN COOKING UNFOLDED (Workman Publishing, 2013; distr. T. Allen,
330 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-6521-7, $19.95 US paper covers) is by
Raghavan Iyer, an award-winning author-teacher with several Indian
cookbooks to his name. This one has 100 easy recipes with few prep
techniques and few ingredients or spices. The publisher has a "foldout"
format: each of the seven sections of the book opens with an
illustrated technique lesson that leads the cook through a foundation
recipe. This is the master class part of the book. For example, in the
veggie mains section, there is a class on smoky yellow split peas
(dal), with detailed instructions and technique photos. It is the first
lesson in the section, followed by others: spicy Indian omelets,
cardamom-scented cheese with peppers, pan-fried cheese with creamy
spinach, sassy chickpea curry, red lentil dal, mustard cannellini
beans, and six more, leading to root vegetable pie. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are
tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginners, those interested in Indian food.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: see above
The downside to this book: nothing really, although I got bored with
the sections headed "extra credit" – made it all seem so school-ey.
The upside to this book: there's a bibliography for advanced reading.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

6. GREAT GLUTEN-FREE WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD MACHINE RECIPES. (Robert Rose,
2013, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0463-5, $24.95 CAN paper covers) is by
Donna Washburn and Heather Butt, both professional home economists with
credentials in the fields of gluten-free recipe development and bread
machine baking. Together, they have written nine cookbooks, including
300 Best Canadian Bread Machine Recipes. Here there are 150 recipes
using flours that include quinoa, amaranth, teff, tapioca, rice,
buckwheat, millet, sorghum, corn, and oat. Every prep comes with
detailed notes off set up, nutritional information, tips and
variations, plus minute usage of the bread machine. New ones have a
gluten-free cycle; however, the authors also give a work-around system
for older machines without the cycle. The book begins with re-
interpretations of the classics, and then continues with artisan
breads, hearty breads, seed-nut breads, mixes, egg-free breads, and
then the flatties of filled breads, flatbreads, and pizzas. There are
glossaries of equipment, ingredients, and techniques.  Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. A very useful book.
Audience and level of use: those gluten-free cooks with bread machines.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: carrot poppy loaf, challah,
five-seed brown bread, mock rye loaf, panini sandwich loaf.
The upside to this book: there are sections on egg-free, nut-free, and
rice-free breads.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

7. THE FRENCH COOK: cream puffs and eclairs (Gibbs Smith, 2013, 128
pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-3243-6, $21.99 US hard covers) is by Holly
Herrick, who is a Cordon Bleu grad and restaurant critic, living in
Charleston, SC. She has also written a few cookbooks for Gibbs Smith.
This is the second in a new series on French cuisine. And, of course,
what better place to start than with versatile pate a choux or choux
paste (pastry), which can translate into many sweet and savoury cream
puffs and éclairs. There are photos and step-by-step techniques. The
basic pastes are here (gougeres, puffs, croquembouche, profiteroles)
plus more and some variations are noted. The book is set up as a primer
for beginners. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginner
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: avocado mousse with bacon
and tomato in choux paste; "gnocchi" made with choux paste; gougeres;
Dreamsicle orange cream puffs.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

8. THE SOUPMAKER'S KITCHEN; how to save your scraps, prepare a stock,
and craft the perfect pot of soup (Quarry Books, 2013, 160 pages, ISBN
978-1-59253-844-7, $24.99 US soft covers) is by Aliza Green, a Beard
winner (Ceviche!, published in 2001). She's written 13 cookery books in
all, and was a former food writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer and
Cooking Light magazine. Her last book was Making Artisan Pasta (2012).
Here she concentrates on the clever art of "scratch" cooking and
"leftover" cooking. Hardened family cooks (like my wife) already know
the ins and outs of sterling soup production. But for others, the book
is a gem. There's an in-depth chapter on stock followed by the major
categories of soups (clear, bisques, stews, chowders. Lots of tips and
advice too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: intermediate or beginner home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: golden tomato gazpacho with
smoked paprika; scallop and white corn chowder with roasted poblanos
chiles; Turkish red lentil soup; acquacotta maremmana; French soupe de
potiron; Caribbean callalou soup.
The downside to this book: no shrimp recipes.
The upside to this book: it is an all-purpose book with some vegan
recipes.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

9. GRAIN BRAIN; the surprising truth about wheat, carbs, and sugar –
your brain's silent killers (Little Brown and Co., 2013, 323 pages,
ISBN 978-0-316-23480-1, $27 US hard covers) is by David Perlmutter, MD,
an award-winning brain specialist with numerous books on the brain
(e.g., The Better Brain Book). There's some heavy duty log rolling
here, ascribing the linking of dementia to a diet high in sugar and
grains. Most carbs also appear to link to ADHD, epilepsy, anxiety,
chronic headaches, depression, decreased libido, and more. Most of the
book deals with proving this point; the balance h=goes on to describe a
4-week lifestyle change plan on how to keep the brain healthy, with
recipes, strategies, and so forth. Kristin Loberg is the focusing
writer. First, you must determine your baseline on blood glucose,
insulin, hemoglobin, vitamin D, gluten, and other factors. Then, there
is a list of OTC supplements such as coconut oil, DHA, probiotics,
resveratrol, turmeric, and Vitamin D, which must be taken daily for the
rest of your life. Then you clear out your kitchen, re-stock, maybe
fast a little, eliminate all gluten, focus on exercise and sleep, and
find motivators. There are some sample menus and some starter recipes.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents. Extensive end notes.
Audience and level of use: those wishing to go off carbs.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: broccoli soup with cashew
cream; herb garden salad with balsamic; Nicoise salad; avocado-tahini
dip; chocolate truffles; sofritos; dill spread.
The downside to this book: much of the beginning can be condensed even
further, but is still useful for argument's sake.
The upside to this book: the last 100 pages of text are the most
valuable.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

10. THE GREAT VEGAN BEAN BOOK (Fair Winds Press, 2013, 192 pages, ISBN
978-1-59233-549-7, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Kathy Hester, a
blogger and freelancer who writes on vegan matters
(healthyslowcooking.com, keyingredient.com, Chickpea magazine) and
teaches vegan cooking classes. Her book has more than 100 plant-based
dishes with lots of protein, and most recipes are soy- and gluten-free
(each recipe is tagged thus). There is also some heavy duty log rolling
from other vegan writers. All courses are covered, including breakfast,
snacks, soups, salads, sandwiches, stews, casseroles, and desserts. If
you are vegan, you may already know this material. Nevertheless, for
newbies, this is a good assortment of bean preps for every day and
every course. At the end, there is a resources list. All kinds of beans
are covered, including cannellini, calypso, edamame, and adzuki.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Nutritional data is given per serving.
Audience and level of use: vegans or those looking at veganism.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: faux goat cheese; pumpkin
white bean chowder; orange blossom brunch biscuits; cream of the crop
garden soup; salsa quinoa salad; asian black soybean slaw.
The downside to this book: I think it needed a few more recipes.
The upside to this book: the index has a listing of oil-free, gluten-
free, and soy-free dishes, arranged alphabetically.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.

 

11. NOSH ON THIS; gluten-free baking from a Jewish-American kitchen
(The Experiment, 2013; distr. T. Allen, 274 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-
086-7, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Lisa Stander-Horel and Tim Horel.
There is some heavy duty log rolling from other authors of gluten-free
or Jewish cooking. Most recipes come from the Eastern European
tradition. Chapter sections have headings: cookies, macaroons, bars and
brownies, cakes and cupcakes, pies and tarts, pastries, doughnuts,
breads and matzo, baked savouries, and others. Preparations have their
ingredients listed mostly in both metric and avoirdupois measurements,
but there is a table of metric equivalents. At the back, there is also
a list of resources, including a glossary/pantry/equipment table, along
with a store locator. Both celiac and Jewish baking Internet resources
are noted, and there is a handy Jewish holiday baking chart for seven
events, including Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Passover.
Audience and level of use: gluten-free food lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cherry chocolate cupcakes;
marble chiffon cake; baked jelly donuts; challah; crostata; hand pies.
The downside to this book: why all the endorsements?
The upside to this book: the Resources section is terrific.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

BOOK STOCKING STUFFERS OR HOST GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS 2013

 

STOCKING STUFFERS
=============

 

Stocking stuffers are at the top of everybody's gift list: something affordable (under $10,
up to $25) that can also double as a host gift, something small and lightweight. Most of
the books here are paperbacks. And of course, they can stuff an adult stocking.

 

Typical for food are:

 

--DISHES (Artisan Books, 2013, 456 pages, $17.50 CAN paper covers) is by Shax
Riegler. It covers some 623 colourful dinner plate patterns from around the world.
Riegler provides historical details and anecdotes for each. It's arranged by theme (art and
craft, flora & fauna, people and places, holidays). Artists covered include Frank Lloyd
Wright; manufacturers include Wedgwood and Spode.

 

--PIE POPS (Gibbs Smith, 2013, 96 pages, $23 CAN hard covers) is by Marcie Ballard,
and PIE POPS (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2013, 64 pages, $19.95 CAN hard covers) is
by Carol Hilker. They cover the same ground: mini-pies on a popsicle stick, either sweet
or savoury but always portable. This is good fun at Christmas. Ballard gives us 40 preps,
including smores, nutty nutella, lemon meringue, and chocoholic. Each recipe makes two
dozen. Hilker gives us 30 preps, including chocolate-dipped key lime pie pops, chicken
pot pie pops, orangesicle pie pops, and butterscotch pecan pie pop.

 

--200 EASY CAKES & BAKES (Hamlyn, 2013, 240 pages, $8.99 CAN paper covers) is
part of the 200 Easy series, a trusty database of recipes. Covered are cake, muffins,
cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and savouries such as cheese straws or soda breads.

 

--CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (Chronicle Books, 2013, 128 pages, $23 CAN hard
covers), by the team of Carey Jones and Robyn Lenzi, has a slight 40 recipes, but these
cover crispy cookies, soft cookies, vegan, gluten-free, salty and nutty versions. There are
some contemporary flavours here, such as coconut-sesame and olive oil.

 

--CEREAL SWEETS & TREATS (Gibbs Smith, 2013, 96 pages, $23 CAN) is by Jessica
Segarra who incorporates all those morning dry cereals into desserts and snacks: bars,
cakes, muffins, candies, cookies, frozen items. They add texture and some flavours, as
well as sugar replacement, to the end product. It's a fun thing, like pie pops.

 

--CLASSIC CANDY (Skyhorse Publishing, 2013, 119 pages, $16.95 CAN soft covers)
by Abrigail Gehring deals with old-style fudge, taffy, caramel corn, and others. The 60
recipes cover brandy balls, peanut butter cups, raspberry pate, and citrus hard candy.

 

--PORK CHOP (Chronicle Books, 2013, 128 pages, $27.95 CAN hard covers) is an
interesting single ingredient book from Ray Lampe. There are 60 preps for such as spicy
pork chop lettuce wraps. Various cooking styles are listed: BBQ, grilled, breaded, fried,
baked, jerked, stir-fried, slow-cooked, sammie, and salad. Just watch out for bones.

 

--WING IT! (Gibbs Smith, 2013, 96 pages, $23 CAN hard covers), by Robert Quintana,
has about 30 preps for spicy chicken wings and sides (salads, BBQ beans, veggies,
chutneys). Included are some recipes using curry and garam masala for the serious wing
lover.

 

The mother lode of small stuffers must be Ryland, Peters & Small. All of their small gift
books are hard covers, usually line priced at $19.95, with 64 pages. Here's just a
sampling of the latest, suitable as stuffers or host gifts: the above-mentioned PIE POPS;
MAC'N'CHEESE (by Laura Washburn who gives us pancetta & gorgonzola & tomato
additions, or Serrano ham and Spanish blue); BOOTLEG BAKERY (by Kiki Bee, 28
recipes for decadent cakes and desserts with a cheeky cocktail twist); RETRO CAKES
AND COOKIES (by Wendy Sweetser, 25 nostalgic cakes and cookies such as Anglesey
cakes, plus nostalgic trivia about each); and BURGERS & SLIDERS (by Miranda
Ballard, 30 recipes of mini-burgers such as lamb and feta with tzatziki and baby spinach).

 

Other little books, for beverages, include those on wine and spirits:

 

First up, wine –

 

--HELLO, WINE  (Chronicle Books, 2013, 228 $29 CAN paper covers) is by Melanie
Wagner. She tells us the most essential things you need to know about wine. It's
delivered in point form, a good idea, and relatively quick to memorize. There are also
recommendations for the US market, illustrations, and party menus for tasters.

 

--WINE: HOW TO CHOOSE, TASTE & ENJOY IT (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2013, 96
pages, $9.95 CAN hard covers) has an unbeatable price. Jonathan Ray is a drinks
columnist  for GQ. The grape varieties are covered, wine labels, storage, service, tasting,
and more. It was first published in 2001, and of course it is now updated.

 

--THE ESSENTIAL SCRATCH & SNIFF GUIDE TO BECOMING A WINE EXPERT
(Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 22 boards $24.99 CAN) is by Richard
Betts, a Master Sommelier. His belief is that wine is a grocery, not a luxury. It comes
complete with a map and aroma wheels. As a scratch and sniff  book , it has aromas of
pears, stone fruit, red fruit, vanilla, black fruit and assorted spices and herbs (dill). It is a
great evening's entertainment.

 

Next up, cocktail books --

 

--COCKTAILS FOR A CROWD (Chronicle Books, 2013, 96 pages, $22.95 CAN) is by
Kara Newman, and features 40 recipes for making popular drinks in party-pleasing
batches. So bring out the pitchers! Here she scales upwards for punches and cocktails,
such as a litre of margaritas (one of my faves). There's the usual primer on equipment,
ingredients and garnishes. But of course – beware of leftovers!

 

--TRUE BLOOD (Chronicle Books, 2013, 128 pages, $23 CAN), compiled by those
involved with the HBO show, has 45 preps and cocktails by Dawn Yanagihara. Desserts
and snacks are in "bites", many drinks include no alcohol (don't want to thin that blood!),
and also what to eat while watching the show.

 

--THE BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS  &  BARTENDING WITH FLAIR (Page Street,
2013, 224 pages,  $21.99 CAN paper covers) is by Jeremy LeBlanc and Christine
Dionese. The main chapters include party drinks and punches, classics with a twist,
exotic cocktails, and a collection of syrups-infusions-elixirs. There are also an enormous
series of tips and tricks and advice for enhancing your bartending experience. Try The
Crawling Milan or a Rhubarb Syrup or Sangria Manzana. Of particular value: the book is
constructed so that the pages nicely lie flat.

 

--WINTER COCKTAILS (Quirk Books, 2013; distr. Random House Canada, 2013, 160
pages, $24.95 CAN) is by Maria DelMar Sacasa. She presents 100 seasonal recipes for
mulled ciders, hot toddies, punches, pitchers, plus cocktail snacks. You can re-create hot
buttered rum, English Christmas punch, pumpkin-bourbon egg nog, coquito, and salted
caramel hot chocolate. She's also got a whack of entertaining and food ideas, plus bar set
ups.

 

--THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE COCKTAIL (Race Point Publishing, 2013, 144
pages, $18 CAN hard covers) is by Amy Zavatto. She tries to construct the perfect
cocktail from the bottom up: should it be stirred or shaken? In which order do you pour
ingredients? How many ice cubes to be added? What stemware is appropriate? Mixing
and straining? It is a tech book, designed to appeal to the male techie who drinks. There
are blueprints for each cocktail (about 75 of these) with recipes for classic and
contemporary drinks. It is a very handy size for keeping at the bar.

 

--APOTHECARY COCKTAILS (Fair Winds Press, 2013, 160 pages, $23.99 CAN spiral
bound) is by Warren Bobrow. He's collated many restorative drinks from the past, with
some contemporary spins. We used to call these things "snake oil", as charlatans would
tout them from a wagon. But pharmacies did prepare tincture, butters and herbal remedies
with an alcohol base for curative benefits, usually poor digestion. Now they have
appeared in trendy bars. Bitters and vermouths fly off the shelves of liquor stores.
Bobrow gives a history (Chartreuse, Peychaud's Bitters, etc.), and goes on to discuss
herbs, flowers, extracts, and spices. Oh, would that we had Everclear in Ontario (it's in
Alberta) – 196 proof distilled spirit, perfect for infusions – so that we can make our own
at home. Nevertheless, this is a delightful book, made all the better with a spiral binding
so that it can be flat on the table.

 

--GIN, VODKA, TEQUILA (Duncan Baird Publishers, 2013; distr. Random House of
Canada, 208 pages, $20.95 CAN hard covers) is by Brian Lucas. It has been extracted
from  Duncan Baird's The Big Book of Cocktails. There's a short primer on bars,
followed by a long chapter on gin, then vodka, and then tequila (shortest chapter).  If you
love white spirits, this is the book for you. Preps listed in both avoirdupois and metric
forms of measurement. A large typeface also helps.

 

--INSTANT EXPERT WHISKEY (Princeton Architectural Press, 2013, 144 pages,
$19.95 CAN hard covers) is by John Lamond, and is one a series labelled "Instant
Expert", a sort-of Dummies guide, but more compact for traveling or shopping. Lamond
takes us through the tech process and ends with tasting notes, featuring single malts and
bourbons plus some blends. There's a glossary, but its main importance is its portability
and thumbnail sketches.

 

--DRINK MORE WHISKEY (Chronicle Books, 2012, 176 pages, $24 CAN hard covers)
is by Daniel Yaffe, with the subtitle "everything you need to know about your new
favourite drink". It is meant for consumers who are looking to drink better whiskey from
Canada, US, Scotland, Ireland, and other places. To this end he's also got 20 recipes for
cocktails scattered throughout. For example, there are three from Canada – Scofflaw,
Court Jester, Saskatchewan Punch (do these suggest Duffy, Ford and Wallin?) – along
with descriptions of how they came to be.

 

Last year I mentioned a book DRINKING GAMES. There's an update – a kit of beer
mats (DRINKING GAMES, Ryland, Peters and Small, 2013, $16.95 CAN). Here are 15
beer mats (3 each of 5 designs) with the rules for 25 drinking games. A necessary
accompaniment to beer….

 

And for no alcohol, consider –

 

--MAKING YOUR OWN COFFEE DRINKS (Skyhorse Publishing, 2013, 99 pages,
$17.95 CAN hard covers), by Matthew Tekulsky, tells you how to make coffees and how
to make drinks (e.g. spiced coffee cider, blended banana coffee, iced almond coffee). He
covers espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, mochas, and more. He's got hot and cold drinks,
along with a glossary of terms.

 

--THE GREAT TEAS OF CHINA (Raincoast,  2013, 72 pages, $16.99 CAN paper
covers) is by Roy Fong, owner of Imperial Tea Court in San Francisco. He's a master of
the art, and details white tea, green tea, black tea, oolong – 11 types in all – with
illustrations, maps and stories.

 

And there are even a few non-books, such as the AFTERNOON TEA WITH BEA SET
(Ryland, Peters and Small, 2013,  $22.95 CAN) which complements the book of the same
name which I had reviewed last year at Christmas. The kit includes a 64 page cookbook
with 30 preps for cakes and sandwiches, 12 cupcake wrappers, 12 cake toppers, and 10
invitations with envelopes. This is all you would need for a tea party with friends.

 

Annual calendars are always monster hits and are often appreciated, both the wall and the
desk type. The best of the desk are the "page-a-day" (PAD) calendars from Workman.  A
YEAR OF BEER 2012 (Workman, 2013, $16.99 CAN) has a combined Saturday and
Sunday page. Most of the beers appear as imports in Canada, but otherwise there are few
Canadian brews included. Lights, wheat, lagers, ales, porters, stouts, seasonal beers, and
lambrics – they're all here, 161 craft beers. Check out Brew Dog's The End of History at
55% ABV. Other material in this PAD includes beer festivals, beer facts, label lore,
trivia, and vocabulary. There are also "must-try" beer recommendations. If you buy any
of the PAD calendars, then you can go online to the website and pick up other stuff,
usually free at www.pageaday.com.

 

For wall calendars, there is COLLECTIBLE TEAPOT & TEA CALENDAR 2014
(Workman, 2013, $14.99 CAN) which has, for every month, a distinctive teapot and tea
service set, plus an indication and preps for sweets and nibbles for a tea party. Great fun,
which encourages you to have a monthly tea party, even if you don't own the appropriate
tea pot.  The calendars are worth saving if you are a collector. 365 DAYS OF EXTREME
CAKES 2014 (Workman, 2013, $15.99 CAN) has been put together with cake designs
from Cake Alchemy, City Cakes in New York, Colette's Cakes, Lulu Cake Boutique, and
Riviera Bakehouse. These edible masterpieces are sculpted out of sugar and fondant:
wedding cakes, replicas of cathedrals, holiday cakes, "sushi platter" cake. Each month
has a theme, and there is lots of baking here.

 

There are also some journal and organizer items. FRUIT & VEGETABLE GARDEN
NOTES (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2013, 192 pages, $18.95 CAN hard covers) is for
both novices and experienced gardeners. Here you can plan a veggie garden layout,
record the successes of different seed types and plant varieties, and organize the year. The
blank pages will be good for a diary and sketching beds; there is also an envelope for
storing seed packets and labels. DRAWING FOOD (Chronicle Books, 2013, 180 pages,
$19.95 CAN paper covers) is a sketchbook with drawing techniques for food: use it for
anything and everything in the kitchen, for all foods, and produce a sort-of diary at the
same time. It is also portable enough to take with you to markets, farms and cafes.
RECIPE ORGANIZER (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2013, 128 pages, $34.95 CAN, hard
covers) has eight dividers and pockets for storage, plus 20 perforated tear-out pages and
some stickers. It is ring-bound and sturdy. The organizer helps you store everything in
one place with lined pages and dividers. There are built-in cooking guides and conversion
charts. WINE JOURNAL (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2013, 144 pages, $24.95 CAN hard
covers) is similar, but for wine. It's got four dividers and pockets, colour photos, space
for wine tasting notes, wine cellar advice and listing space, plus some tips and advice
from Jonathan Ray and Andrew Jefford. BEER TASTING NOTES (Ryland, Peters &
Small, 2013, 192 pages, $18.95 CAN soft covers) completes the offerings. There's a
listing of  the characteristics to some 100 craft beers, an envelope to store labels, bottle
caps or beer mats, and space for notes.

 

And so on to the wine annuals. The two international leaders are HUGH JOHNSON'S
POCKET WINE BOOK 2014 (Mitchell Beazley, 2013, 336 pages, $17.99 CAD hard
bound) and OZ CLARKE'S POCKET WINE GUIDE 2014 (Pavilion, 2013, 368 pages,
$15.95 CAD hardbound). Both are guides to wines from all around the world, not just to
the "best" wines. Similarities: Johnson claims more than 6000 wines and growers are
listed, while Clarke says more than 7500 wines, but then recommends 4000 producers.
News, vintage charts and data, glossaries, best value wines, and what to drink now are in
both books. The major differences: Johnson has been at it longer – this is his 37th edition
(Clarke is celebrating his 23rd anniversary) -- and has more respect from erudite readers
for his exactitude and scholarliness. His book is arranged by region; Clarke's book is in
dictionary, A – Z form (about 1600 main entries). It is really six of one, or half a dozen of
another which one to use. This year, though, the Clarke book is a couple bucks cheaper.
Apparently, Amazon.Com reports that many people buy both, for about $20 US total.
Both books have notes on the 2012 vintage and some details about 2013 potential, along
with a closer look at the 2011. It is fun to look at the two books and find out where they
diverge. As a sidelight, Johnson and Oz are moving more into food: there is a 13 page
section on food and wine matching in the former, while Oz has 6 pages. Johnson also has
a listing of his personal 200 fave wines. Both books could profit from online accessibility
or a CD-ROM production. What I don't like about both books is that they come out too
early. Johnson was available August 15, while Clarke was released on October 3. I guess
that this gets them off the hook about having to comment on the 2013 harvest and vintage
in the Northern hemisphere!!

 

Other wine annuals – mostly paperbacks -- deal with "recommended" wines, not all of
the wines in the world. They can afford the space for more in-depth tasting notes (TNs)
of what they actually do cover (usually just wines available in their local marketplace). 
These are for Canada, in 2014:  THE 500 BEST-VALUE WINES IN THE LCBO 2014
(Whitecap, 2013, 256 pages, $19.95 CAN paper back) takes a run at the wines at the
LCBO. This sixth edition by Rod Phillips (wine writer for the Ottawa Citizen) has wines
arranged by wine colour and then by region/country with price and CSPC number. Each
value wine gets a rating (the basic is three stars out of five), and there is an indication of
food pairings. A good guidebook, but I'm afraid most people will just look through it for
the 5 star selections and leave it at that. Turnover in Ontario occurs regularly as quotas
are unmet or prices rise or the producer decides it is time for a change; there are 140 new
entries this year, which is about a third of the book. Coverage is limited to LCBO General
Purchase wines and LCBO Vintages Essentials, the wines that are available (if only by
special internal order) in every LCBO store. New this year is the fact that there are NO
three star notations: everything is 3.5 stars or better. And Phillips has included the newish
LCBO perceived sweetness notations rather than the older Sugar Codes. HAD A GLASS
2014; top 100 wines under $20 (Appetite by Random House, 2013, 176 pages, $19.95
CAN paper covers) is by James Nevison, the co-author of Have a Glass; a modern guide
to wine. He reports regularly at www.halfaglass.com. Had a Glass showcases top
inexpensive wines available with national distribution. He tries to pick wines available to
match any occasion, and along the way he provides tips on food and wine pairing and
stemware. The first forty pages present all the basics. I am not sure why the basics are
here since the book is really about the top 100 wines. Most readers/buyers will head
straight for the listings which follow, one per page, for whites, roses, reds, aperitifs,
dessert wines and sparklers. In view of rising prices, he also covers some "splurge"
wines. For Ontario, this is just at the very time that the LCBO is concentrating on the $15
to $19.95 spread. There are indexes by countries and by wine/variety. Tasting notes are
pretty bare bones, but each wine does have a label, description of the product, a price, and
some food matches.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com