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Thursday, June 30, 2011

July 1: Many Food and Drink Books this month...

2. JEKKA'S HERB COOKBOOK (Firefly, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-
814-1, $29.95 CAD) is by Jekka McVicar, who sells herbs through her a
award winning Jekka's Herb Farm in the UK. It has been published in the
UK by Ebury Press. Here are 250 recipes using her top 50 garden herbs
(out of 650 different varieties that she has grown for over 20 years.
Although she has published several books on herbs, this is her first
cookbook. The value of herbs, of course, is that they enhance flavours.
And, of course, there are some medicinal properties as well for many of
them. The range covers the popular parsley to the exotic curry leaf.
The 50 chapters are arranged alphabetically by common name, and discuss
how the herb is grown, its varieties (with botanical features and Latin
names) and benefits, growing and harvesting. as well as an average of
five preps each. Non-culinary uses are mentioned, and there are
suggestions for using the excess harvest. The preps cover all courses
and global cuisines. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. There's more at www.jekkasherbfarm.com.
Audience and level of use: cooks and gardeners.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Good King Henry croquettes;
lemon balm salsa; beef stew with myrtle and cinnamon; rosemary lamb
hotchpotch; asparagus and chervil soup; stevia carrot cake; sea bass
with fennel and olives; purslane and flageolet salad; braised red
cabbage with winter savory.
The downside to this book: some of the colours have a lighter typeface
which makes it difficult to read sometimes.
The upside to this book: there are botanical and medicinal glossaries
at the back.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
FARM TOGETHER NOW; a portrait of people, places, and ideas for a new
food movement (Chronicle Books, 2010, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6711-
5, $27.50 US hard covers) is by Amy Franceschini and Daniel Tucker.
There's log rolling from five prominent writers in the shrinking global
food supply area. And a foreword by Mark Bittman (copyright 2011, while
the rest of the book is copyright 2010). Bittman concentrates on why
farms matter. There are 20 projects in the book from across the USA.
They chose to seek out and interview farmers and groups who are
changing the way that the US food system works: philosophies, public
policy, history, soil and distribution channels. All interviews reflect
various approaches and opposing philosophies: food justice, sustainable
agriculture, locavore movement, and the like. There's the Knopik Family
Farm in Nebraska (1000 grazing acres, 400 crop acres; 200 cows)
believers in environmental activism, as does Greeno Acres in Wisconsin
(producing raw milk from 160 acres). There's Tryon Life Community Farm
(15 adults and 3 children on seven acres), the Angelics Organics
Learning Center in Illinois (12 staff, 220 acres), and the Acequiahood
of the San Luis People's Ditch (16 water users, 2100 acres of crops).
There's a glossary of terms (e.g., bioregion, GMOs, co-ops, CSA) and an
index. And some wonderful colour photos of the profilees.
Audience and level of use: the concerned or committed global food
person.
Some interesting or unusual facts: "food justice" focuses on the belief
that global hunger is not the result of a lack of food but the lack of
political will to ensure fair distribution.
The downside to this book: lack of a discussion about "organic" and
"fair trade".
The upside to this book: this is important reading matter.
Quality/Price Rating: 91.
 
 
 
400 BEST SANDWICH RECIPES; from classics & burgers to wraps &
condiments (Robert Rose, 2011, 360 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0265-6,
$24.95 US paper covers) is by Alison Lewis, a recipe developer and food
writer in Alabama. She specializes in healthy, food-friendly recipes
that are easy to prepare.
 
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SANDWICHES; recipes, history and trivia for
everything between sliced bread (Quirk Books, 2010, 300 pages, ISBN
978-1-59474-438-9, $18.95 US paper covers) is by Susan Russo, a food
writer (NPR) and blogger.
 
Both books are being reviewed here because I got them at the same time.
In Lewis' book, the preps are arranged by format – breakfast and brunch
sandwiches, lunch box, classics, grilled cheese, burgers, wraps,
international, light and healthy, condiments, and dessert sandwiches.
Russo's book is arranged by title, in true "encyclopedia" fashion. It
begins and ends with indexes to ingredients and to sandwiches. It also
has more photographs than the Lewis book, despite there being only half
as many preps (about 200). Many preps are duplicated, after a fashion,
with variations. Russo has a curried chicken salad sandwich on bread (a
wide choice), while Lewis has a curried chicken wrap. Russo differs by
using carrots and cashews, with some yogurt, while Lewis has chutney,
pecans, and cranberries. Most of the rest is in common, and you can
certainly wrap Russo up and make Lewis a sandwich. So it is really six
of one and half a dozen of another. Other preps have these same
similarities. Both authors are American, but Rose is a Canadian
publisher, so there is both avoirdupois and metric in the listing of
ingredients, while Russo has a table of metric equivalents. Both books
have interesting photos, but you can have too many shots of sandwiches,
and they all get routine after awhile. There's a bit more culinary
history and trivia in Russo, but there is no denying the quantity in
Lewis's book. If you are looking for materials to place in or around
some slices of carbohydrates, then remember that almost any sandwich
can be a wrap and vice versa. I like the arrangement of the Lewis book
better, for ideas of a certain pattern are grouped together there, such
as school lunches.
Audience and level of use: anyone who needs a sandwich.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Lewis – grilled apricot blue
cheese, quinoa tabbouleh, veggie enchiladas, stuffed pizza burgers.
Russo – frittata sandwich, various panini, walleye sandwich, doughnut
sandwich.
The downside to this book: not as many recipes in the Russo book.
The upside to this book: Lewis book has more variations and
substitutions.
Quality/Price Rating: Lewis – 89; Russo – 83.
 
 
 
SALAD AS A MEAL; healthy main-dish salads for every season (William
Morrow, 2011, 360 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-123883-3, $34.99 US hard covers)
is by Patricia Wells, multiple food award winner (many Beards). This is
her twelfth book; she was also restaurant critic for the IHT for a
quarter-century. Most of her books show a strong French-influence, and
this one is no exception, with veggies from her Provencal garden. Here
are 150 recipes, almost 40 apiece for each season. Arrangement, though,
is by major ingredient, so there are salads which use grains, eggs,
cheese, fish, shellfish, meats, and poultry. She has separate chapters
on "classic salads", appetizers, breads, dressings, and sauces. All the
salads are light and healthy, and the photos are nicely framed by her
gardens and outdoor settings. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Good layout with sufficient white space and dark type. And
of course there are nine recipes with her signature potato food.
Audience and level of use: beginner to intermediate levels.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: penne salad with tuna and
spicy mustard; Caesar salad with polenta croutons; frisee aux lardons;
salade nicoise with grilled tuna; halibut cheeks with polenta and
parmesan crust; mussel tartines with chorizo; smoked duck breast with
mushrooms and cracklings.
The downside to this book: she has a pantry and equipment section, but
it is full of items for purchase through her commercial website.
The upside to this book: there is an alternate list of Internet food
sources that covers the USA.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
EVERYDAY FLEXITARIAN; recipes for vegetarians & meat lovers alike
(Whitecap, 2011, 276 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-021-1, $29.95 Canadian
soft covers) is by Nettie Cronish (multiple vegetarian cookbook author
and chair of the Women's Culinary Network) and Pat Crocker (food writer
and vegan cookbook author). "Flexitarian" is the latest jump word for
food lovers who eat a little meat with their meals ("pescetarian" is
supposed to be the term for vegetarians who eat fish). The idea of
cutting back on meat makes sense, particularly since so much of it has
been medically-enhanced one way or another. It's also a valid approach
to eating organic meat: one has a meat budget, and if one is to eat
less meat, then one should eat better – and more expensive – organic
meat. Or vice versa. So what we have here is a tasty vegetarian book
that has been tailored for meat. The cook can either integrate or
segregate; it is a good beginning. Traditionally arranged from apps to
desserts and beverages, the book also has separate sections on
pantries, kids and Canadian Organic Food Standards. Unless one has
strong feelings against meat, the flexitarian approach will work.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Usually, Cronish gives the vegetarian recipe, and Crocker adds the meat
interpretation.
Audience and level of use: intermediate cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: shrimp (or tempeh) curry
with lime and nut butter; chicken mole; broccoli rabe crepes (with and
without Italian sausages; lentil mushroom moussaka (with or without
baked salmon); vegetable shepherd's pie (with or without lamb kabobs);
roasted cashew curry with cauliflower and peas (with and without
chicken).
The downside to this book: it is a very heavy book (weight wise) and
seems to make cooking life a bit more complicated that it could be.
The upside to this book: a good idea to adapt vegetarian dishes.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 
 
 

SUPER NATURAL EVERY DAY; well-loved recipes from my natural foods
kitchen (Ten Speed Press, 2011, 250 pages, ISBN 9788-1-58008-277-8, $23
US paper covers) is by Heidi Swanson, creator of www.101cookbooks.com,
food writer and multiple cookbook author. This latest book advances her
Super Natural Cooking book (2007). "Natural Cooking" occurs five ways:
eat from a colourful plate; use all kinds of whole grains; use organic
natural sweeteners; consume healthy oils (mostly organic); and eat
phytonutrient-packed ingredients and foods. She has 100 recipes here,
plus details for beginning a pantry. These are everyday recipes, very
good for work nights during the week. You can see www.101cookbooks.com
for more recipes and other techniques. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no table of equivalents. It does do an excellent job of
concentrating on grains, oils and sweets – which many people forget
about.
Audience and level of use: those concerned about their food.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: farro soup; rye soda bread;
white beans and cabbage; pan-fired mung beans with tempeh; harissa
ravioli; stuffed medjool dates; membrillo cake.
The downside to this book: there is no mention of stevia
The upside to this book: thick, sturdy pages.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
 
 
 
EVERYDAY TO ENTERTAINING (Robert Rose, 2011, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0-
7788-0271-6, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Meredith Deeds (US cookbook
author and food writer) and Carla Snyder (baker, caterer, cooking
school teacher and cookbook author). The premise is to present some 200
recipes that can transform from "casual" to "elegant". All the preps
here come in pairs: there is a basic everyday version (say, macaroni
and cheese) and an entertaining version (say, quattro fromaggio baked
penne with wild mushroom and pancetta). Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no table of equivalents. It has been typically arranged from
apps to desserts, with a section on the pantry. And it is very
colourfully arranged, with contents pages indicating what the casual
(highlighted in green tabs) becomes when it is elegant (blue tab
highlights). There's also an alphabetical index at the back should you
lose your way. All courses and types of plates are covered.
Audience and level of use: beginners who aspire
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beef kabobs with ras al
hanout can also be Middle Eastern beef kabobs with garlic hummus sauce;
mustard and garlic-roasted pork loin can be glazed pork loin stuffed
with apricots and figs; corn spoonbread can be cheese-chile-cilantro
corn spoonbread; sugar snap peas and sesame can be sugar snap peas with
carrots-edamame-mint; chocolate mousse can become chocolate mousse-
filled profiteroles.
The downside to this book: elegant presentations could have been
emphasized more – they can add something to "casual" food, even mac and
cheese or burgers.
The upside to this book: strewn along the way on the recipe pages are
tips and technique advice.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 
 
 
THE COMPLETE HOMEBREW BEER BOOK; 200 easy recipes from ales & lagers to
extreme beers & international favorites (Robert Rose, 2011, 456 pages,
ISBN 978-0-7788-0268-6, $24.95 US paper covers) is by George Hummel, an
award-winning homebrewer and homebrew shop owner in Philadelphia. He
has brewed beer with Michael Jackson, the Nodding Head Brewery, and
Dogfish Head. Solid credentials…This is a fairly comprehensive book,
ranging from can kits to malt extract to actual grain. The level of
difficulty or time involved is directly proportional to the amount of
processing that has already occurred in the ingredients. I started with
a kit, and it was easy as falling off a log. Within a few years, I was
working with grains – and found it hard work. But it paid off. Indeed,
homebrewed beer is just as good (if not better) than any craft beer. I
wish the same was true of homewinemaking. I have not made beer for
awhile since it went straight to my gut. But don't let that discourage
you. Hummel talks here about the hops, the malts, the different styles
throughout the world, and how to duplicate them all at home. You can
have fun for the next decade doing all of these. There is even a
section on meads and one on ciders (including cider with brettanomyces
for that Norman complexity, and perry), plus recipes for root beer,
birch beer, and other sodas. There's a glossary at the end.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table equivalents. Throughout
there are brewer tips and trivia items, which make great reading.
Audience and level of use: for homebrewers and a good reference book as
well.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: The Pilgrims stopped at
Plymouth Rock so that they could homebrew.
The downside to this book: I did not see anything in the index about
skunkiness.
The upside to this book: good collection of recipes.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 
 
 

DUTCH OVEN COOKING (Gibbs-Smith, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 128 pages,
ISBN 978-1-4236-1459-3, $15.99 US spiral bound) is by Terry Lewis, a
two-time winner of the World Championship Cook-offs held by the
International Dutch Oven Society. He has been cooking and competing in
such events for over 20 years. His Dutch Oven is meant to be on a bed
of coals; thus, for every recipe, he lists how many hot coals will be
needed. This may limit its usage in many places. For example, the
omelet requires 31 hot coals, including 9 under the oven and 16 on the
top. In general, each coal will raise the temperature about 20 degrees
Fahrenheit. This is a basic book, with adaptations for lasagna, pizza,
corn bread, baked beans, chicken and rice, and others. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
a table of metric equivalents. The basic arrangement is by entry level:
beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Within each range there are
categories for breads, sides, mains and desserts. It all appears to be
finger-lickin' good and authentic.
Audience and level of use: Dutch oven users
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: almost 60 recipes, including
chicken and cheese chimichangas, maple BBQ ribs with buttered almond
rice, and peach-raspberry pie.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
 
 
 
BREAD MAKING; a home course (Storey Publishing, 2011, 296 pages, ISBN
978-1-60342-791-3, $16.95 US soft covers) is by Lauren Chatman, an IACP
award winner who has written 10 books. Her book deals with core bread-
making techniques for the novice. There's the first section primer on
flour types, ingredients, techniques and equipment, knives, mixers and
processors. The second section has the recipes, from basics to
artisanal. There's even some material on lower-gluten bread, but not on
gluten-free breads. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and  avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
equivalents. Recipe ingredients are scaled, of course. Bread machines,
instant yeast and kneading techniques are amply covered, and each
chapter has a trouble-shooting section. Good bold black typefaces and
white space in the layout.
Audience and level of use: just about every skill level is used here.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ciabatta; grilled whole
wheat naan; overnight English muffins; rustic flax seed rolls; spelt
batardes;
The downside to this book: only US websites and resources are quoted at
the back.
The upside to this book: it is chock full of technique tips and advice.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
 
 
 
300 BEST TACO RECIPES; from tantalizing tacos to authentic tortillas,
sauces, cocktails & salsas (Robert Rose, 2011, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0-
7788-0267-9, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Kelley Cleary Coffeen, a New
Mexico-based food writer whose specialty is Mexican-style foods and
beverages. The publisher promotes this book as a taco a day for all
family members. Everything culinary about the American Southwest can be
displayed between folds of fried (or baked) tortillas. Her book opens
with a review of taco history, the basic sauces and toppings, and the
use of flour tortillas. She encourages home cooks to make their own
tortillas. Certainly, if you are going to eat a lot of them, it would
be worth your while. Most tacos are made with poultry, and she has 80
pages worth of preps here. Beef is next with sixty pages, followed by
pork and lamb (40), fish and seafood (35), and vegetarian (55). There
are even some Asian, Italian, German and French variations on the taco
theme. Food can be prepared in minutes, and if you make them yourselves
(with control over them), then you can control levels of fat and salt.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: taco lovers, Mexican food lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tri-tip tacos with fresh
roasted green chiles; grilled ranch chicken tacos; roasted garlic,
chicken and mushroom tacos; roasted chicken, cheddar and bacon tacos;
spicy crab tacos; coconut shrimp tacos with orange salsa; sundae tacos
with Mexican chocolate sauce; pecan crunch tacos.
The downside to this book: I am not sure why there are cocktail recipes
here.
The upside to this book: good database collection of tacos at a
reasonable price, with metric measurements.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
 

CHICKEN AND EGG; a memoir of suburban homesteading with 125 recipes
(Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-
7045-0, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Janice Cole, a former chef and
restaurant owner who is now a food writer and blogger. Five years ago,
she started raising chickens in her suburban backyard. This book is
about her exploits (and those of the chickens). She started with three
chicks in St. Paul's, Minnesota. She takes us through the first year of
her challenges, beginning with early spring. The preps are also
arranged in this fashion, with memoir material strewn about.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there are tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: for chicken and egg lovers, and food
memoirists.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoked wings with cilantro
dip; sage frittata with charred tomatoes and curly parmesan; morning
eggs on mushroom-bacon hash; Burmese fried rice with eggs; cranberry-
pear bread pudding with bourbon sauce; tossed greens with strawberries,
avocado and eggs.
The downside to this book: I kept wanting it to go on, but to read
more, you'll have to go to http://janicecole.net/blog
The upside to this book: good quality writing.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 

 
 
 

Saturday, June 25, 2011

* FOOD BOOKS OF THE MONTH! *

 
* FOOD BOOKS OF THE MONTH! *
 
DATES; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 136 pages, ISBN 978-
1-86189-796-1, $15.95 US hard covers) is by Nawal Nasrallah, a
researcher and food writer specializing in Middle East cuisine.
 
ICE CREAM; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-
1-86189-792-3, $15.95 US hard covers) is by Laura B. Weiss, a New York
City journalist who specializes in lifestyle writing.
 
LOBSTER; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-
86189-794-7, $15.95 US hard covers) is by Elisabeth Townsend, a
Massachusetts-based food and wine writer.
 
POTATO; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 142 pages, ISBN 978-1-
86189-799-2, $15.95 US hard covers) is by Andrew F. Smith, who teaches
culinary history at the New School in NYC. His previous books have been
about junk food and "Hamburger", the latter for this current series,
The Edible Series. He's also the editor of the series which now numbers
some 20 books in a uniform format.
 
Edible is a great series, offering fingernail profiles and engaging
memoirs of foods. You don't need to collect them all: if you hate
lobsters, then just avoid that book. Each book has a selection of
recipes (with both metric and avoirdupois measurements), end notes,
bibliography, and a listing of websites and associations. There are
also terrific full-colour photos and an index.
 
"Dates" is a straight-forward history, beginning with Mesopotamia and
moving forward with the role that the date palm has played in the
Middle East economy. A lot of the book has anecdotes, etymology,
culture, legends and religious attitudes about dates.
 
"Ice Cream" is the longest book in the series, but it is also the food
probably most worked over in the foodbook/cookbook genre. It is good,
though, to have some global history of the product before segueing into
American territory. Weiss says that ice cream, began in ancient China
and ends in modern Tokyo. Italian immigrant ice cream vendors played a
big role in North America.
 
"Lobster" has long been peasant food. Those living by the ocean had to
eat it, to the shame and mortification of those poorer students who
were forced to eat lobster sandwiches for lunch in the school
cafeteria. They were laughed at. Now lobsters are big ticket items,
although coast dwellers still remember their penurious beginnings. This
is a good account of the social history of global lobster eating.
 
"Potato" is a Western Hemisphere product, rising from the Pre-Columbian
period in the Andes to its role as a staple today. Of course, there's a
fair bit of material about Ireland and the blight/famine. There's even
a mention of poutine. It's easy to grow and is a good choice for
carbohydrates.
 
Audience and level of use: culinary historians, food lovers.
Some interesting or unusual facts: Popular ice cream flavours in Japan
include green tea, crab, sea urchin, wasabi, beef tongue, eel, and
garlic. The biggest date celebration in the world is the National Date
Festival (Indio, California). Indonesians eat their French fries with
sate sauce, Belgians with mayonnaise, Bulgarians with grated white
cheese, and Vietnamese with sugar and butter. Spiny lobsters adorn an
Egyptian temple from the fifteenth century BC.
The downside to this book: as with any profile, occasionally one may
wish for more detail about certain points.
The upside to this book: good, nifty self-contained books.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.

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

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

LCBO Vintages June 25 release: some notes

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JUNE 25 2011
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. My
"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net Compendium" is a guide to
thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers
and spirits, at www.deantudor.com since 1995. 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 available for re-
tasting.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
But first: Ciderie St. Nicolas Pom'or Tradition Crackling Cider: great
for summer, with its 7% ABV and cider apple component. +179473, $12.95,
QPR: 90.
 
1. Alamos 2010 Chardonnay Mendoza: MVC Chardonnay but with a summer
sipper-like finish. +801571, $13.95, QPR: 89.
2. Familia Zuccardi Organica Torrontes 2010 Mendoza: fruity, a bit on
the orange side with low bitterness, great for patios. Organic.
+232694, $13.95.
3. Pfaffenheim 2009 Cuvee Bacchus Gewurztraminer Alsace:
rose petals on the nose, slightly bitter finish, very definitive MVC.
Spiciness, a touch of sweetness. +996017, $19.95, QPR: 90.
4. Don Sebastiani SKN Chardonnay 2007 Napa: one for the woodies, 13.5%
ABV, lots of caramel and toast. +225367, $16.95, QPR: 90.
5. Balthasar Ress Riesling Spatlese 1998 Hattenheim Nussbrunnen
Rheingau: a modest 8.5% ABV, but very well-aged and exceptionally
priced. Expect honeyed tones plus the usual aged petrol component.
+160762, $20.95, QPR: 91.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Colchagua: wonderful bouquet of flavours and aromas, right through to
the finish and beyond: florals, smokes, minerals, red and black
berries, really complicated. 14.5% ABV. +640870, $17.95, QPR: 90.
2. Howling Moon 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi: smokey wood tones linger,
13.5% ABV, rich, full, off-dry, BBQ necessary. +57356, $18.95, QPR: 90.
3. Marquis Philips 2008 Shiraz McLaren Vale: loaded with character and
16% ABV. Smoked bacon, blackberries, mocha, etc. +17475, $15, QPR: 91.
4. Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz: very Rhonish, 14% ABV, a keeper or
drink now. +433060, $19.95, QPR: 90.
5. Amani Pendana Shiraz 2007 Stellenbosch: again, very gamey Rhonish,
perhaps some brett on the finish. 14.5% ABV. +220079, $18.95, QPR: 90.
6. Rupert & Rothschild Classique 2008 Western Cape: another fine
Bordeaux-style blend (cabernet sauvignon – merlot) at 13.5% ABV, very
Euro in mode. +717991, $19.95, QPR: 89.
7. Herdade dos Ourives 2006 Colheita Seleccionada Alentejano: very
upfront juicy in NA appeal, plummy, smokey, red currants and chocolate
finish. +240663, $18.95, QPR: 89.
8. Pago de San Gabriel Zubiola 2007 Navarra: mocha, oaked, 14% ABV,
boredeaux-blend and some of the style (pencils, smokey toast, black
fruits). +242438, $20.95, QPR: 90.
 
VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.
 
1. De Loach 2008 OFS Chardonnay Russian River, $37.95 retail, +0729343
2. Chateau Fonteneil 2006 Fronsac, $49.95, +567404
3. Carlos Serres 2001 Gran Reserva Rioja, $27.95, +221945)
4. Closson Chase 2008 KJ Watson Vineyard Chardonnay Niagara River,
$39.95, +230912
5. Quails' Gate Pinot Noir 2008 Okanagan, $24.95, +585760
6. Frog's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Napa, $49.95, +932400
7. Grgich Hills Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Napa, $69.95, +71407
8. Antucura Calvulcura 2008 Uco Valley Mendoza, $23.95, +233973
9. Pikes 2008 Eastside Shiraz Clare Valley, $23.95, +77891
10. Kim Crawford SP Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Marlborough, $24.95,
+38240
11. Suoi Barolo 2006 Piedmont, $33.95, +212522
12. Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione 2007 IGT Alta Valle Tuscany, $58.95,  +719872
 
 
 

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"...
 

17. BEST SUMMER WEEKENDS COOKBOOK (Cottage Life Books, 2004, 352 pages,
ISBN 978-0-9696922-4-9, $39.95 CAN hard covers) is by Jane Rodmell, who
had a food column for Cottage Life. Currently, she's the proprietor of
All the Best Fine Foods. This edition combines the best of her earlier
"Summer Weekend Cookbook" and "More Summer Weekends Cookbook", but with
75 new recipes. All of this totals about 300 preps designed for
entertaining at a cottage. The range is complete, from apps to BBQ,
salads, make-aheads, light snacks, brunches, and sweets. Each prep
includes variations and substitutions and some quick tricks; all
variations are indexed, which is a boon. So actually, it can be a
weekend cookbook for city use as well, or for making dishes in the city
for transport to the cottage. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
table of equivalents. There are some good notes on larder/pantry
maintenance, but I also wish there had been some menus listed.
Quality/price rating: 86.
 
 
 
18. THE NEWLYWEDS' VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2011,
176 pages, ISBN 978-1-849975-115-5, $27.95 US hard covers) is a house
production using recipes credited to their stable of cookbook authors:
Ross Dobson (40 preps), Fiona Beckett, Maxine Clark, Tonia George, and
many others. Subtitled by an enthusiastic publisher as "every recipe
you'll ever need for your life together". There is a credit list with
the recipe titles, but no page references. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no metric table of equivalents. It seems to be a good basic
book for new cooks (the original The Newlyweds' Cookbook sold 70,000
copies) who want to get more veggies into their lives. Basics are
covered, as well as pantry stocking. There are 117 recipes, sorted as
to brunch, quick meals, special occasions, family gatherings, and easy
entertaining. Plus, of course, appetizers and snacks, desserts, baking,
and drinks. Well worth a look for morning muffins, cinnamon porridge,
peach, mozzarella and frisee salad, Spanish-style panzanella, feta and
chick pea parcels, pumpkin and gorgonzola risotto, and rose petal tart.
Quality/price rating: 88.
 
 
 

19. THE LAURA SECORD CANADIAN COOK BOOK (Whitecap, 2011, 192 pages,
ISBN 978-1-55285-260-6, $16.95 CAN paperback) is a perennially useful
cookbook now in it second printing. It was prepared by the Canadian
Home Economics Association and vended by McClelland & Stewart through
Laura Secord stores in 1966 as a sort-of Centennial Project. Since then
over 200,000 copies have been sold. It was one of the first books to
rely on a "Canadian cuisine" with preps for tourtiere (including a
chicken one from Gaspe), fricandeau (veal and pork meatloaf), glazed
back bacon, shoofly pie, and sugar pie from Quebec. The recipes are
presented "as is" in 1966, consistent with existing ingredients and
techniques and equipment. No microwaves or food processors here.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no metric table of equivalents. A great, reliable book,
value priced for over 300 recipes. Menus are for regions (East Coast,
BC, Quebec, etc.) and Canadian holidays (e.g., "Dominion Day").
Quality/price rating: 89.
 
 
 
20. LOCAVORE; from farmers' fields to rooftop gardens – how Canadians
are changing the way we eat (Harper Perennial, 2010, 241 pages, ISBN
978-1-55468-419-9, $17.99 CAD paper covers) is by Sarah Elton, food
commentator for CBNC Radio and a free-lance writer for other
publications. It is a 2011 paperback reprint of the successful 2010
best seller. She follows along Margaret Webb's previous journey through
various farms (Apples to Oysters, 2008) by also expanding to what is
happening in the cities. But I am surprised that Webb's book is not
cited in an otherwise very decent and relevant bibliography. Elton has
stories from most of the provinces, including farm life in Nova Scotia,
New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. This is followed by urban
patterns in British Columbia, cheese in Quebec, and urban homesteading
in Toronto. Well-worth catching if you don't already have it.
Quality/price rating: 89.
 

21. ESQUIRE – EAT LIKE A MAN; the only cookbook a man will ever need
(Chronicle Books, 2011, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7741-1, $30 US hard
covers) is based on Esquire's food coverage over the years. There is
material from chefs Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud, David Chang, Tom
Colicchio, Thomas Keller, Michael Symon, Michael White, Scott Conant –
and more (including several women chefs). They are all listed and
sourced as to restaurant and recipe. There's a listing of preps by
skill level, in order of difficulty, from Banana bread French toast
through porchetta and bourbon salmon (all easy) to beef stew with ale
and truffled mac and cheese (reasonable). There are only six preps that
would be rated difficult or worth the effort: Sunday gravy (really? It
is just a stew), Coca-Cola brined fried chicken (you've got to be
kidding), red beans and rice grits, seafood hot pot, bone-in top loin,
grits with fried farm eggs and ham scraps. Some asparagus and spinach
appear to be the only veggies. If you ate like this all the time, you'd
die – guaranteed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
In fact, to reinforce the doubt I have that men had ever heard of
metric stuff, there is a table of "common conversions", such as 2 pints
= 1 quart. Not for the faint of heart (it is enough to terrify any
vegan), but exceedingly useful for the carnivore in the family.
Quality/price rating: 85.
 
 
 
 
 

21. THE BAR & BEVERAGE BOOK. Fifth Edition. (John Wiley & Sons, 2012
[sic], 722 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-24845-4, $82.95 Canadian hard covers)
is by Costas Katsigris, now Director Emeritus of the Food and
Hospitality Service Program at El Centro Community College in Dallas.
His co-author is Chris Thomas, a professional food and wine writer. It
began life in 1983 with Katsigris, and was last revised in 2007. The
publisher summary says that the book explains how to manage the
beverage option of a restaurant, bar, hotel, and country club. There's
a chapter on the history of the beverage industry (mostly American), an
appreciation of wines-beers-spirits. Information on equipping, staffing
managing and marketing a bar, and how to purchase. New to this edition
are updated changes to US regulations on service of alcohol, sanitation
guidelines, labour laws, and how to be more profitable. New trends are
also covered. There are summaries, discussion points, and terms used by
the trade in each chapter. Canada gets mentioned only with Canadian
whisky and Canadian beer. "Canadian whiskey" [with an "e"] is mentioned
at one point in the glossary.  Useful for all schools of hospitality,
libraries, and working establishments in the US. Quality/price rating:
87.
 

23. THE NEW FOOD PROCESSOR BIBLE. Rev. and updated 4th edition. 30th
anniversary edition. (Whitecap, 2011, 552 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-028-
0, $29.95 CAD soft covers) is by Norene Gilletz, IACP member and food
writer-consultant-teacher. She first published this book in 1979/80 as
"The Pleasures of Your Processor", later re-titled as "The Pleasures of
Your Food Processor". I think all of those recipes are here, plus 65 
new ones. And of course, since there are many brands of food processors
in the market, it does not matter which one you use in order to employ
these recipes. There are now over 600 recipes here, plus the useful
practical tips, a quick reference "Smart Chart" and nutritional
analysis with every recipe. There are low-carb and low-fat options and
gluten-free baking. The baby-food section is new. Even a slow cooker is
involved. Still, I am not sure why the publisher felt that there should
have been major log rolling from five writers, a cookbook store owner,
and a marketing director. Because Gilletz is a leading author of kosher
cookbooks in Canada, there is a section on Passover recipes. There are
also no pork or related seafood preps. Two recipes a page makes it a
little crowded, and some preps carry over to the verso side of the
leaf. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements (with some metric added for the weights), but there is no
metric table of equivalents. Tabs are used to locate relevant sections.
Food processors, like any piece of kitchen equipment, are not the final
answer to all the prep work. But they do go a long way to making life
easier. Quality/price rating: 85.
 
 
 

24. BEAT THIS! COOKBOOK (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011; distr. T.
Allen, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-43700-2, $14.95 US paper covers) is by
Ann Hodgman. It was last published as a 208 page paperback in 1999. A
mention on NPR stirred a response by the publisher to reissue the book
with 50 more preps. This is that book. Here are 150 recipes that
Hodgman guarantees to be better than anyone else's. Recipes include:
Apple Crisp, Baking Powder Biscuits, Beef Stew, Blueberry Muffins,
Caramels, Chicken Salad, Clam Chowder, Deviled Eggs, Fudge, Fried
Mushrooms, Gingersnaps, Guacamole, Lemon Squares, Lime Sorbet, Molasses
Cookies, Onion Soup, Pesto Torta, Plum Pudding, Potato Salad, Shrimp
Salad, Spaghetti Sauce, Sugar Cookies, Tomato Soup, and White-Chocolate
Raspberry Tart. It is all presented with a sense of humour.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents. There is a concluding
chapter on leftovers. I did get tired of the red print on white
background, but that may be just me. Quality/Price rating: 89.
 
 
 
25. HOW BAD ARE BANANAS? The carbon footprint of everything (Greystone
Books, 2011, 232 pages, ISBN 978-1-55365-831-3, $19.95 CAD paper
covers) is by Mike Berners-Lee, founder of Small World Consulting, a
company specializing in climate change. His research has included the
development of leading footprint tools based on environmental input-
output analysis and life-cycle analysis. It was originally published in
the UK in 2010 as a paperback, but at 304 pages. So perhaps some arcane
material was excised? Anyway, it is a lifestyle-green guide, especially
useful for vegans. It is also a demanding book about climate change,
with references to choices to be made in order to reduce carbon
footprints. He believes that everything can be costed out in carbon
credits and debits, even the big things like the Iraqi war or volcanic
eruptions. The small things, also here, include a glass of beer or
wine, ironing, even email. According to his studies, a plastic bag has
the smallest carbon footprint of anything listed. A kilo of cheese uses
about 12 kilos of CO2 emission; a leg of lamb emits about 17 kilos of
CO2 for each kilo of lamb. Most of these values are for local items, as
in the UK. If we were to import British cheese to Canada, the CO2
emission would climb for the transport. There are lots of graphs and
charts and scientific reasoning here. Well worth a read. Quality/price
rating: 89.
 

26. SAVEUR -- THE NEW COMFORT FOOD; home cooking from around the world
(Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-
7801-2 $35 US hard covers) comes from the pages of Saveur magazine.
There are a lot of familiar dishes here, although some ethnic foods may
not be everyone's idea of "comfort food". Saveur is a top-down
magazine, emphasizing the origins of a dish with great photography and
extraordinary writing by culinary authors. After a string of books on
international themes, this one (edited by James Oseland, editor-in-
chief of the magazine) promotes solid home cooking as the building
blocks of great meals. Here are more than 100 classic home-style
dishes, ranging from a lot of American (Texas BBQ, New Orleans shrimp,
southern catfish) to some exotic (Thai hot and sour soup, Tuscan kale
soup, Italian meatballs). There's also a lot of Mexican food here,
reflecting the US southwest. All the recipes are richly illustrated.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.
 

27. PLENTY; vibrant vegetable recipes from London's Ottolenghi
(Chronicle Books, 2011, ISBN 978-1-4521-0124-8, $35 US hard covers) is
by Yotam Ottolenghi, co-owner of four eponymous "haute-couture to-go
food shops" in London UK. He also writes a weekly vegetarian column for
The Guardian newspaper. Here, he has 120 recipes from that column.
Organized by ingredient, from roots to fruit, the material is nicely
framed by the photography. The book was originally published in 2010 by
Ebury Press; this is its North American debut. Onions have their own
separate section, with leeks, garlic, and onions together. There's
mushrooms, squashes, peppers, brassicas, eggplant, tomato, leaves (raw
and cooked), green beans, pulses, grains, pasta-polenta-couscous, and
then fruit with cheese.
 
 
 

Sunday, June 19, 2011

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 –
 
 
 
11. PUTTING UP MORE; a guide to canning jams, relishes, chutneys,
pickles, sauces and salsas. (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-
4236-0739-7, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Stephen Palmer Dowdney,
previously owner of Rockland Plantation Products which specialized in
small batch processing in South Carolina. He claims his recipes for the
company taste exactly like the best of a grandmother's home put-up
stores. He had previously authored "Putting Up" (2008) which
concentrated mainly on Southern food. Here, in the new book, the scope
has widened to include the rest of the US and beyond. Here are 68
recipes from which you can certainly save a lot of money, at least half
the cost of buying commercially canned food. The book is also part
memoir, with anecdotes and stories. The preps are arranged by type (as
indicated in the subtitle above). In addition, there are resources
listed for buying canning supplies. And a long list (with explanations)
of safety precautions on home canning. I avoid the whole issue by
storing my canned foods in the fridge (if jams) and in the freezer (if
raw or low-acid). But then that's me. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of
metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home canners.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Ethiopian/Eritrean berbere
sauce; Jamaican jerk rub; balsamic vinegar tomato salsa; achar; mango
chutney; eggplant chutney; sweet-onion jam.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
 

12. EXPRESS HOUSEKEEPING (DK Publishing, 2011, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-
7566-7177-8, $15.95 US soft covers) is by Anna Shepard. It's a basic
guide to quickly cleaning up in housekeeping chores. For the home cook,
the kitchen section is particularly useful. For the small dining
establishment, the whole book is extremely useful since many small
place do their own linens and must cope with kiddie spills and other
stains. Plus, of course, cleaning floors and furniture.
Topics include speed cleaning, doing dishes, clothes and laundry,
removing stains, coping with children and pets, and decluttering.
Here are the expert tips, tricks, and time-saving strategies that would
allow you to maximize your time, speed and efficiency. The overriding
strategy is twofold: clean a little at a time, and clean often. It is
such a pain to have to clean it all at once. Here are excellent tips
and advice for that small business restaurant. Quality/price rating:
89.
 
 
 

13. GLUTTON FOR PLEASURE; signature recipes, epic stories, and surreal
etiquette (Whitecap Books, 2010, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-015-0,
$29.95 CAN hard covers) is by the talented and irrepressible Bob Blumer
(Food Network's "Surreal Gourmet" and "Glutton for Punishment"). He's
been doing this for nine seasons, and this is his fifth cookbook. Most
of the material has been drawn from previous books and magazine
articles, although all of them have been recast or reworked or re-
titled. There is even a prep he did for the back of a Starbucks coffee
carton. These are the signature recipes (many lollipops) and epic
stories of a master craftsman. His basic belief is in common
ingredients with fresh herbs and spices. But to all of this he adds his
own sense of quirkiness, delving into wine pairing, pantry stocking,
music accompaniment – all based on 20 years of travel and experience.
Typical is the lamb cupcake, made with cooked lamb shank meat and
mashed potatoes coloured with beet. Since I had a lot of ground lamb on
hand, I used that instead and also used sweet potato, avoiding the need
for colouring. I saved a lot of time and steps, but never asked
permission from Blumer. I have my own quirks. Every food prep has a
Blumer photograph of the final plating (food styled by Blumer himself),
and the artwork too has been created by Blumer. As he says, no food was
harmed by the process, and he ate it after finishing the detail work.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 90.
 
 
 

14. PLANET BARBECUE! (Workman Publishing, 2010; distr. by T. Allen, 638
pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-4801-2, $22.95US paper covers) is by Steve
Raichlen, who has written a lot of books about food as well as being
host of BBQ television cooking shows on PBS. His grilling books have
sold over 4 million copies (say the publishers). And here is a lot of
value from this engaging chef-author. 309 recipes from 60 countries,
plus techniques, tips and comparable photos—all for about $6.40
Canadian plus shipping (used copy through Amazon marketplace), or $18
Canadian new at Amazon. From Malaysia there are ginger-turmeric prawns,
roasted fish from Spain, grilled crostini from Tuscany, spit-roasted
pineapple caramelized with spiced sugar from Brazil, spicy grilled pork
from Korea, piri-piri chicken wings, jerk chicken, harissa lamb chops,
and Keith Allen's North Carolina pork shoulder for pulled pork
sandwiches. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Good dark
bold print for the listing of ingredients. Quality/price rating: 90.
 
 
 
15. MILK & COOKIES (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 176 pages,
ISBN 978-0-8118-7254-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Tina Casaceli,
chef-owner of Milk & Cookies Bakery in Greenwich Village. Judie Choate 
is the focusing food writer. The bakery specializes in, well, sweet
cookies. Some of the preps are derived from Casaceli's extended family,
but all of them evoke childhood memories of sweet smells and sugar
tastes. Here she tells a bit about the business and her life in
cooking, and then goes on to describe how to make lots of cookies at
home. There are 80 recipes here, most built around one of five easy
bases (vanilla, double chocolate, oatmeal, peanut butter, and sugar).
There are also the classics: snickerdoodles, s'mores, gingersnaps, ice-
cream sandwiches, brownies, bars, and biscotti. Her section on "family
favorites" is definitely Italian with ciambelli, pinulata, viscotti,
biscotti, and others. As a true baker, preparations have their
ingredients listed in both weight and volume (albeit avoirdupois
measurements). But there is a metric table of equivalents. A nicely
organized book, well-put together, with good spacing in the index. And
the cookies leap off the photographed page. Quality/price rating: 89.
 

16. BAL'S QUICK & HEALTHY INDIAN (Whitecap, 2011, 198 pages, ISBN 978-
1-77050-023-5, $29.95 CAD paper covers) is by Bal Arneson, author of
"Everyday Indian" (2009). Since then she's been the host of Spice
Goddess, a TV series on the Food Network, and a cooking school teacher.
This book is a continuation of her first one, once again concentrating
on quick and healthy food. All the preps here should be ready in 25
minutes, according to the author. That presupposes, of course,
that all the ingredients are to hand. Global cooking demands a diverse
larder/pantry to be maintained. And she has a primer on Indian spicing
and how to make your own fresh spice blends. The basis of her cooking
is Punjabi. Grape seed oil is the oil of choice. Flaxseed oil in
salads, ginger, and turmeric all have health benefits. There are cooks
notes, backgrounders, and tips. There are seven menus, ranging from
everyday to fancy entertaining, and all dishes listed have page
references to the recipes. The typeface is large, just right for the
kitchen. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Some of the photos are more pretty than useful. Quality/Price Rating:
86.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Some More Food and Drink Books...

3. BREW NORTH; how Canadians made  beer and beer made Canada (Greystone
Books, 2010, 175 pages, ISBN 978-1-55365-467-4, $24.95 Canadian paper
covers) is by Ian Coutts, who is a book author and magazine writer of
diverse topics. Here he handles a popular history of beer in Canada.
It's also an industry thing, with stories of brewers and businessmen,
starting from New France days through to modern microbreweries. It is
also lavishly illustrated with ads and labels from the past, with a
great deal of colour. Topics include prohibition, the rise of national
brands, advertising, and, of course, India Pal Ale. While the
illustrations make it a fun book, there is a serious bibliography for
further reading and a useful index.
Audience and level of use: beer drinkers who read.
Some interesting or unusual facts: Bans on liquor advertising continued
in Saskatchewan until 1987 and in PEI until 1997.
The downside to this book: no real tasting notes
The upside to this book: nice illustrations of the microbrews.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
4. D.I.Y. DELCIOUS; recipes and ideas for simple food from scratch
(Chronicle Books, 2010, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7346-8, $24.95 US
hard covers) is by Vanessa Barrington, author of Heirloom Beans. This
is a slow food book, with preps made from "scratch". Scratch includes
making your own staples such as peanut butter, crackers and yogurt.
Here she explains how to culture fresh cheeses and brew root beer.
Indeed, she introduces many readers to the processes of fermentation,
pickling, and culturing. Topics include preserving (condiments, jams,
spreads), salads and sauces, dairy products, breads, pickles, and
beverages. She suggests several sources of supplies, and has an
interesting bibliography which includes useful websites. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
a metric table of equivalents – and indeed, this is even mentioned on
the contents page.
Audience and level of use: home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: plum-verbena jam; avocado-
tomatillo salsa; marinated fresh cheese; hal-wheat sourdough bread;
fresh pasta with cabbage and bacon; sarma; Italian table pickles.
The downside to this book: it's a heavy book, and weighs more than it
needs to
The upside to this book: there are section on making baby food and pet
foods.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
 
 
 
5. CHATELAINE MODERN CLASSICS; 250 fast, fresh recipes from the
Chatelaine kitchens (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 391 pages, ISBN 978-0-
470-73982-2, $39.95 Canadian hard covers) has been compiled and edited
by Victoria Walsh, associate food editor of Chatelaine. It's a general,
basic book, with the recipes coming out of the pages of the magazine
over the years. It is hard to believe that four log rollers (including
Michael Smith and Anna Olson) were needed for pre-publication blurbs.
Still, it is a useful book, meant for those homes with larger pantries
and larders, and with a shortage of time. The classics here have some
short cuts (e.g., easy eggs benedict) and some variations. Each prep
has timing, ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements (but there is no table of equivalents), cook's notes and
tips, and a nutritional analysis. All courses are covered, as well as
breakfast and brunch. There is a short chapter on entertaining ideas,
with sections such as drinks and menus (1l of them, but nothing
specific to Canada – even the Christmas Dinner for 12 can be used for
Canadian Thanksgiving).
Audience and level of use: home cooks, Chatelaine magazine fans.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: linguine with spicy
gremolata shrimp; spicy sausage with dilled orzo; mushroom-stuffed
sirloin steak rolls; Singapore noodles; Asian burgers; California
sushi-roll salad; cedar-planked salmon.
The downside to this book: nothing specifically Canadian
The upside to this book: the index has a larger than normal typeface.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
 
 
 

6. THE ILLUSTRATED COOK'S BOOK OF INGREDIENTS; 2,500 of the world's
best with classic recipes (DK, 2010, 544 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6730-6,
$40 Canadian hard covers) is a nice book package from DK. According to
the publisher, the reader can learn how to buy, store, prepare, cook,
preserve and eat about 2500 international foods. It's a visual
reference with thousands of photos and major contributions from such
top UK writers as Jill Norman (Elizabeth David's editor) on herbs and
spices, Jeff Cox on veggies, Judy Ridgway on oils and vinegars,
Clarissa Hyman on fruit, and the American Juliet Harbutt, cheese
consultant. Each has a separate chapter, so the book is not an
alphabetically arranged reference tool (there is an index). It's also a
heavy book because of the paper needed for the photos. 200 classic
regional recipes are also here. Preparations have their ingredients
listed mostly in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table
of equivalents. The index is a gem, with leading and a larger than
normal typeface. It's pretty hard to beat the price of this book.
Audience and level of use: those in need of an identifier.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: "Slinzega: made in
Valtellina using smaller strips than bresaola, traditionally horse, but
increasingly venison or pork."
The downside to this book: it's a heavy book.
The upside to this book: it's pretty graphic – p.154 has some nifty pix
of offal, including tongue and a pig's head.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 

7. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JEWISH FOOD (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 656 pages,
ISBN 978-0-470-39130-3, $40 US hard covers) is by Gil Marks, a chef and
rabbi with five books (including a Beard winner). This is a
comprehensive international book on Jewish foods, recipes and culinary
traditions. There's an interesting section on wine and winemaking, but
not so much on yayin mevushal wines (the term is not indexed), nor on
the distinction between kosher wines and passover wines. Otherwise,
there's a fair bit of cultural history and food traditions here. The
book is alphabetically arranged, with a time line of Jewish history and
(at the end) a bibliography, mostly in English, with a separate
breakout for cookbooks (but he left out some of his own books!). There
are internal cross-references plus recipes strewn about. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no metric table of equivalents. Each page has a double-column, so
material is well-packed in. There is the occasional black and white
photo, along with some sketch maps.
Audience and level of use: food scholars, lovers of Jewish food.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the original bagel had more
hole and less bread; potato latkes derive from Italian cheese pancakes;
and other "did you know that?"
The downside to this book: the lack of wine information.
The upside to this book: good reference tool.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
8. SOUTHERN PIES; a gracious plenty of pie recipes from lemon chess to
chocolate pecan (Chronicle Books, 2010, 168 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-
6992-8, $22.95 US paper covers) is by Nancie McDermott, a North
Carolina food writer with ten cookbooks to her credit. The publisher
tries to describe these 60 plus recipes as "heavenly", and that may
well be, but they are not "light". It's arranged by season, with other
chapters on old-school custard pies, heirloom pies from the past, a
selection of chess pies, chocolate pies, and regional favourites. About
a third of the recipes are sourced as to a particular person who
developed the recipe (such as Nathalie Dupree or Leah Chase among many
others). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. My wife's
former father-in-law was a Southern gentleman who came home every day
from work for lunch: he always insisted on a fresh pie with lunch (he
didn't eat it all). There are mail order sources, and even a three-page
bibliography for further recipe gathering.
Audience and level of use: home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Cajun tarte a la bouillie;
mountain home soup bean pie; old-school North Carolina rhubarb pie;
buttermilk chess pie; almond custard pie; banana-peanut butter cream
pie with fudge sauce.
The downside to this book: nothing really.
The upside to this book: good cook's notes and memoir material
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 
 
 

9. GLUTEN-FREE GIRL AND THE CHEF (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 288 pages,
ISBN 978-0-470-41971-7, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Shauna James
Ahern, blogger at glutenfreegirl.com and author of the memoir Gluten-
Free Girl, and Daniel Ahern, a chef in Washington state. Notable log-
rollers (there are five of them) include Michael Ruhlman and Molly
Wizenberg. There's 100 recipes here, strewn amongst a memoir of a love
story between the "GF girl" and the "chef". The book also follows a day
in the life of the working chef. So there is material about life at
home and life at the restaurant. Lots of teff and millet and quinoa are
used. There's an index to the recipes, as well as a resources list (all
U.S., mostly west coast). Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents.
 Audience and level of use: those needing a gluten-free diet, those
who'd like a good read.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: millet tabouleh; gluten-free
fresh pasta; gluten-free crackers; gluten-free polenta with goat
cheese; chocolate-peanut butter brownies;
The downside to this book: it needs more gluten-free recipe adaptations
for foods that actually contain gluten.
The upside to this book: there is separate list of recipes that is easy
to scan.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
 
 
 
10. EVERYONE CAN COOK SLOW COOKER MEALS; recipes for satisfying mains
and delicious sides (Whitecap, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-027-3,
$24.95 CDN paper covers) is by Eric Akis, a food writer in Victoria,
BC. He's a former chef and the bestselling author of the "Everyone Can
Cook" series (covering basics, seafood, appetizers, celebrations, and
midweek meals). There are six in this series, and I guess you could
call him Canada's answer to Mark Bittman. These are simple dishes,
suitable to a wide range of "satisfying" meals. But their usefulness
lies in the creative planning of meals. He has the primer of how to
select and buy a slow-cooker. Each recipe has detail on prep time, slow
cooker time, and finishing time, as well as some options and
variations. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric
and avoirdupois measurements, and there is no table of equivalents.
There are plenty of cook's notes and options for variations here.
Audience and level of use: beginner or home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: veal stroganoff; sake soy
braised beef short ribs; chicken wings with bourbon, maple and citrus;
The downside to this book: the quantities for each ingredient are set
in pastel colours on the page, which makes for squinty reading and poor
photocopying. I advocate photocopying recipes for actual kitchen
preparation (saves wear and tear on the book, and you can clip the
recipe to a shelf or cupboard).
The upside to this book: a good clean look.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
 

Friday, June 17, 2011

April 29/11: APVSA Hits Toronto for big French wine tasting

. The Time and Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2011   10AM to 6PM
The Event: the monthly APVSA tasting (Association pour la promotion des
vins et spiritueux en Amerique du Nord).
The Venue: Delta Chelsea Inn
The Target Audience: wine agents.
The Availability/Catalogue: no wines are currently available in
Ontario. The group is here to try to get some agents to agree to rep
the principal. Some of the wines are available in Quebec and Alberta.
Most of the wines were French, and there is sales staff available to
comment on the prices and production. This road show also visits such
places as New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas, Calgary,
Vancouver, Miami, Washington DC, and Montreal. Occasionally, the show
will have wines from Italy, Spain and Australia. Sometimes spirits are
also available, and VDN.
The Wines: The problem I had with the wines, and one that must be
acknowledged, is that (by and large) they were about the same as wines
that we already have here in Ontario. There really did not seem to be
any price advantages, either. But these 40 or so wines could be made
available through Vintages or Consignment. In the past, quite a few
have been picked up for sale in Ontario. They were mostly the good
value or unique wines. Here were my faves, regardless of price (all
prices are ex-cellar Euros). I did not try every wine.
The Wines:
 
**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Dom. Joseph Scharsch Riesling de Wolxheim 2009 Alsace, 4.70 E
-Dom. Piquemal Cotes du Roussillon Villages Les Terres Grillees 2005
-Dom. Michel Mallard et Fils Corton Les Renardes 2009 Grand Cru, 40 E
-Dom. Michel Mallard et Fils Ladoix 1er cru Les Crechons Blanc 2009, 17
E
-Dom. Michel Mallard et Fils Corton Les Rognets 2008 Grand Cru, 34 E
 
***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Dom. Joseph Scharsch Grand Cru Altenberg Riesling de Wolxheim 2008
Alsace, 7.40 E
-Dom. Jacky et Pascal Preys Touraine Fie Gris 2009 Vieilles Vignes,
3.30 E
-Dom. Jacky et Pascal Preys Silex Cuvee 2009 Vieilles Vignes, 3.90 E
-Dom. Henri Beurdin et Fils Reuilly Blanc Cuvee L'Orme au Loup 2009,
4.10 E
-Dom. De la Chaise Touraine Blanc Sauvignon 2010, 2.85 E
-Dom. Jacques Rouze Quincy Domaine des Croix 2010, 4.60 E
-Maillard Christophe Muscadet Sevre et Maine Cuvee Camille 2009, 3.75 E
-Dom. De Chevilly Quincy 2010, 4.65 E
-Menard Gaborit Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie Cuvee Prestige 2010,
2.95 E
-Chateau Fontbaude Cotes de Castillon Vieilles Vignes 2008, 4.75 E
-Chateau Goubau 2008 Cotes de Castillon, 7.50 E
-Chateau d'Esteau Haut Medoc 2005, 7 E
-Chateau d'Esteau Haut Medoc 2006, 6 E
-Chateau d'Esteau Haut Medoc 2008, 6 E
-Chateau La Mongie Cuvee Harmonie 2007 Bordeaux, 2.50 E
-Dom. Ruet Cote de Brouilly 2009, 4.30 E
-Dom. Perrin Volnay 2008, 10.45 E
-Dom. Michel Mallard et Fils Ladoix 1er Cru Les Joyeuses 2008, 15 E
-Dom. Michel Mallard et Fils Ladoix Le Clos Royer 2008, 13 E
 
*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Dom. Joseph Scharsch Pinot Gris Clos Saint Materne 2009 Alsace, 7 E
-Dom. Joseph Scharsch Riesling de Wolxheim 2009 Alsace, 4.70 E
-Dom. Jacky et Pascal Preys Sauvignon Les Pillotieres 2009, 2.70 E
-Dom. Henri Beurdin et Fils Reuilly Blanc 2009, 4.05 E
-Maillard Christophe Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sablons 2009, 3.07 E
-Menard Gaborit Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie 2009, 2.5 E
-Chateau Fontbaude Cotes de Castillon 2008, 3.75 E
-Chateau Goubau Les Charmes de Goubau 2008 Cotes de Castillon, 3.50 E
-Chateau Goubau La Source 2008 Cotes de Castillon, 4.75 E
-Chateau La Mongie 2008 Bordeaux Superieur, 2.50 E
-Dom. Ruet Morgon 2009, 4.30 E
-Dom. Ruet Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2009, 4 E
-Dell'Ova Freres Chateau de la Grange Fitou 2008, 3.50 E
-Dom. Perrin Pommard 2008, 13.24 E
-Dom. Perrin Volnay 1er cru Les Mitans 2008, 16.03 E
-Dom. Michel Mallard et Fils Ladoix 2009, 12 E
-Dom. Michel Mallard et Fils Clos de Nuits Villages 2009, 12 E
-Dom. Michel Mallard et Fils Aloxe Corton 2008, 16 E
 
The Downside: selection is eclectic and some bottles arrive
haphazardly. Some bottles never arrived at all, but we were not told
this until we got there. Some bottles are in the show, but are not
listed in the catalogue. It can be frustrating.
The Upside: a chance to taste some engaging wines not available here.
There is a listing of wines with FOB prices in Euros.
The Contact Person: Pascal p.fernand@apvsa.ca
The Effectiveness (numerical grade): 84.
 
 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

May 12: New Zealand Wine Fair Toronto 201, Design Exchange

The Time and Date: Thursday, May 12, 2011 2:30 PM to 5 PM
The Event: New Zealand Wine Fair Toronto 2011
The Venue: Design Exchange
The Target Audience: wine trade
The Availability/Catalogue: the catalogue was the usual model of depth
– short histories or notes about the wineries, contact details,
agency/distributor details, and a list of wines on show with suggested
CAD retail prices. Wines were through the general list, vintages,
consignment, or as private orders.
The Quote/Background: Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) is the
auditing body as NZ winegrowers march towards 100% sustainability by
2012. So far 190 wineries and 1500 vineyards (90% of all wine
production and producing areas). The seminar theme this year was about
"aromatics" (riesling, pinot gris, gewurztraminer, and syrah). I folded
these wines into the running totals below.
The Wines: 39 wineries were pouring their drinks.
**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Mt. Beautiful Cheviot Hills Riesling Canterbury 2008, $18
-Carrick Riesling Central Otago 2009, $29.95 Lifford
-Spy Valley Gewurztraminer Marlborough 2010, $21.95 Kylix
-Sacred Hill Deerstalkers Syrah 2007 Hawkes Valley, $39.99 Diageo
-Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah 2008 Hawke's Bay, $37.95 PMA
-Man o' War Dreadnought Syrah Waiheke Island 2008, $49.99 Mark Anthony
-Pasquale Pinot Gris 2010 Waitaki, $30
-Pasquale Pinot Noir 2009 Waitaki, $50
-Elephant Hill Reserve Syrah Hawke's Bay 2008, $38.95 HHD Imports
***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Ostler Caroline's Pinot Noir 2009 Waitaki, $39.95 Von Terra
-Ostler Audrey's Pinot Gris 2009 Waitaki, $29 Von Terra
-Akarua Chardonnay Central Otago 2009, $22.95 Von Terra
-Astrolabe Voyage Pinot Gris Marlborough 2010, $21.95 Rogers
-Astrolabe Voyage Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010, $21.95 Rogers
-Giesen The Brothers Pinot Noir 2009, $29.95
-Tohu Pinot Noir Marlborough 2008, $26.25 Connexion Oenophilia
-Tohu Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010, $18.30 Connexion Oenophilia
-Hunter's Riesling Marlborough 2006, not available.
-Framingham Pinot Gris Marlborough 2009, $19.95 Charton Hobbs
-Waipara Hills Gewurztraminer Waipara 2009, not available
-Vinoptima Reserve Ormond Gewurztraminer Gisborne 2006, $54.95 Hanna
-Te Awa Chardonnay Hawke's Bay 2009, $23.95 MCO Wines
-Churton Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2009, $22 Terra Firma
-Cloudy Bay Chardonnay Marlborough 2008, $29.95 Vintages
-Coopers Creek Viognier Gisborne 2009, $16.95 Noble Estates
-Elephant Hill Viognier Hawke's Bay 2010, $26.95 HHD Imports
-Lawson's Dry Hills Gewurztraminer Marlborough 2009, $18.45 Wine Guru
-Marisco The King's Bastard Chardonnay Marlborough 2009, $19.95
Glencairn Wine Merchants
-Sileni Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010, $15.95
Kirkwood
-Southbank Estate Pinot Noir Marlborough 2008, $19.95 Vintages
-Spy Valley Envoy Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2009, $33.95 Kylix
-Staete Landt Estate Grown Chardonnay Marlborough 2009, $36.95 Lifford
-Summerhouse Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2009, $19.95 Vintages
-Te Kairanga Estate Chardonnay Martinborough 2009, $17.95 Small
Winemakers
-Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010, $23.95 Trialto
*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Akarua Pinot Gris Central Otago 2009, $22.95 Von Terra
-Gladstone Vineyard Pinot Gris Wairarapa 2009, $21.50 Wine Guru
-Trinity Hill Syrah Hawke's Bay 2008, $20.95 Connexion Oenophilia
-Te Mata Estate Bullnose Syrah Hawke's Bay 2009, Prevedello $38
-Mission Estate Reserve Syrah Hawke's Bay 2009, $26.95 Vinexx
-Babich Family Estate Individual Vineyard Headwaters Organic Block
Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010, $19.95 Dionysius
-Kato Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010, $16.95 General List
-Konrad Gewurztraminer Marlborough 2010, $17.35 Vergena
-Mt. Difficulty Chardonnay Central Otago 2008, $26.95 Small Winemakers
-Stoneleigh Chardonnay Marlborough 2009, $16.95 General List
-Wither Hills Rarangi Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010,
$22.95 Select
The Food: sandwiches for the press, a variety of cows' milk cheeses
from the Dairy Farmers of Canada, and desserts of small pavlovas.
The Contact Person: nzwine@ketchin.com
The Marketing Effectiveness/Execution of the Event(numerical grade):
89.

 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

May: Tasting and lunch with Evangeloa Gerovassiliou of Domaine Gerovassiliou

 The Time and Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 11 AM to 3 PM
The Event: a tasting and lunch with Evangeloa Gerovassiliou of Domaine
Gerovassiliou, Thessaloniki, Greece. He also controls Domaine Katsaros
in Northern Greece and Biblia Chora at Mt. Pangeon (Northern Greece).
The Venue: Thompson Toronto
The Target Audience: wine press and private clients.
The Availability/Catalogue: wines are in the process of coming to
Ontario and Quebec. The SAQ agent, Cava Spiliadis, is arranging for
Ontario representation.
The Quote/Background: Elyse Lambert, winner of Best Sommelier of
Americas 2009, came in from her home in Montreal to give the
presentation, which was also accompanied by a video.
The Wines:
**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Biblia Chora Ovilos Blanc 50% assyrtiko/50% Semillon. Gold Medalist.
$28 in SAQ.
***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Biblia Chora Areti 2009 100% assyrtiko. Gold Medalist. About $22.
-Domaine Gerovassiliou Viognier 2008. Gold Medalist. About $30.
-Domaine Gerovassiliou Evangelo 2006 92% petite sirah/8% viognier.
About $50.
*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Domaine Gerovassiliou White 2009 assyrtiko/malagousia (50/50). Gold
Medalist. $19.95 Vintages
-Domaine Katsaros Estate Chardonnay 2009. Gold Medalist. About $30.
The Food: at the lunch we were served black cod marinated with miso and
aji mirin. Accompanying it was baby bok choy, enoki, and barley
risotto. The new Vintages release of Domaine Gerovassiliou 2009
($19.95) played off well against the sweet-salt of the mirin-miso. The
striploin churrasco, with potatoes and veggies, was a winner with the
Evangelo Red 2006 ($50). Top marks for the food and wine pairings.
The Downside: unfortunately, I had a play to catch at 2 PM, so I left
before dessert (passion fruit and white chocolate parfait).
The Upside: a chance to see the Thompson and to try its vaunted
culinary kitchens.
The Contact Person: george@cavaspiliadis.com
The Marketing Effectiveness/Execution of the Event(numerical grade): 87.
 
 

Monday, June 6, 2011

June 11/11: LCBO Vintages Release -- some notes

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JUNE 11, 2011
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. My
"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net Compendium" is a guide to
thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers
and spirits, at www.deantudor.com since 1995. 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 available for re-
tasting.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Lakeview Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Niagara: great MVC (greens
such as grass, asparagus, gooseberry) for an Ontario savvy. Gold Medal
winner. +226027, $17.95, QPR: 90.
2. Vineland Estates Chenin Blanc 2008 Niagara Escarpment: spices and
aromatics reminiscent of the Loire, terrific value with an off-dry
finish, 11.7% ABV. Sipper. +227033, $17, QPR: 90
3. Napa Ridge Chardonnay 2009 Napa: MVC California chardonnay (slightly
off-dry, ripe orchard fruit, more toast than smoke, bracing
tropicality). +213678, $19.95, QPR: 89.
4. Famiglia Bianchi Chardonnay 2010 Mendoza: light body but 14.5% ABV,
easy finish, great price, MVC for a barrel-fermented chardonnay. +1461,
$12.95, QPR: 90.
5. Braided River Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Marlborough: herby NZ MVC savvy
with body and finishing acid, 13% ABV. +214585, $15.95, QPR: 90.
6. Domaine des Malandes Chablis 2009: classic and easy, simple,
uncomplicated Chablis with MVC (minerality, apple, and lemon). +111658,
$18.95, QPR: 89.
7. Godo Bianco 2009 IGT Bianco Veronese: interesting, caught my
palate's attention, slightly off-dry, useful with food or sipping.
+214353, $14.95, QPR: 89.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Emiliana Novas Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2008
Maipo: incredible value for an organic wine, with alcohol (14.5%),
finishing acid on the length, ripe and fruity style of cabby MVC, some
plumminess from the merry merlot. With food or sipping. Load up at this
price – buy it all!! +685792, $14.95, QPR: 93.
2. Thelema Shiraz 2006 WO Stellenbosch: good balance, Rhonish MVC tones
(black fruit, mocha). +146431, $19.95, QPR: 89.
3. Chateau Begadanet 2005 Medoc: maturing nicely, lots of underbrush
and wood, fruit on the mid-palate. +138875, $17.95, QPR: 90.
4. Clos de Verdots Merlot 2009 Bergerac: slight Bordeaux complexity,
affordable, Gold Medal winner, 14% ABV. +219436, $15.95, QPR: 90.
5. Apollonio Terragnolo Negroamaro 2004 IGT Salento Rosso: MVC Salento
(deep brooding flavours, some olives and smoked meat), long length,
ready to roll with 14.5% ABV. +211821, $17.95, QPR: 90.
6. Zeni Costalago 2008 IGT Rosso Veronese: North American appeal of
cherries and chocolate, becoming mocha on the finish. 14% ABV, useful
sipper as well as with food. +220848, $14.95, QPR: 89.
7. Conde de Valdemar Reserva 2004 Rioja: MVC for Rioja, some coconut
from the US oak, age and price is great. 13.5% ABV. +947309, $18.95,
QPR: 90.
 
VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.
 
1. Dutton Estate Dutton Palms Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 Russian River
Valley, +234856, $54.95 retail.
2. Jacques Bourguignon Chablis 1er Cru 2009, +208033, $25.95.
3. Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Napa, +149955,
$99.55.
4. Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Volant 2006 California, +975847,
$39.95.
5. La Crema Pinot Noir 2009 Russian River, +906404, $44.95
6. Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Howell Mountain Napa, +234005, $79.95
7. Domaine du Haut des Terres Blanches Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007,
+177618, $37.95.
8. Pasquale Pelissero Bricco San Giuliano Barbaresco 2007, +214551,
$27.95.
9. Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva 2007, +216309, $22.95.
10. Giacomo Montresor Amarone della Valpolicella 2006, +204826, $53.95.
11. Remo Farina Monte Fante Riserva Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
2004, +63636, $62.95.
 

May: Hidden treasures of Greece Wine Show, Toronto

The Time and Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 11:30 AM to 5 PM
The Event: "Discover the Hidden Treasures of Greece" wine trade show
The Venue: Metropolitan Hotel
The Target Audience: wine trade
The Availability/Catalogue: wines are available, mainly through private
order or consignment or some other non-conventional channel.
The Quote/Background: Unique terroirs were explored my John Szabo in
his seminar presentation. I have folded these wines into the lists
below.
The Wines: It was impossible to actually try all of the wines.
**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Antonopoulos Gerontoklima Vertizami 2003, $44.95 Kolonaki
-Limnos Muscat Organic 2009, $15 Kolonaki
-Santowine Vinsanto 2004 Santorini, Vergina
-Nico Lazaridi Magic Mountain 2006 Red, Vergina
-Muscat de Limnos Aelios White 2004, $20 half-litre Kolonaki
-Papaioannou Estate Microclima 2003 Red, $63.95 Kononaki
***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Axia Malagouzia 2010 White, $18.95 Eurovintage
-Alpha Estate Red 2007, Vintages November 12/11 $29.95
-Alpha Xinomavro Reserve Old Vines 2007, $23 Vintages
-Alpha Xinomavro Single Vineyard Hedgehob 2007, $18.95 Fall 2011
Vintages
-Antonopoulos Private Collection Red 2005, $18.95 Kolonaki
-Biblia Chora Areti Red 2005, Cava Spiliadis $27
-Biblia Chora Areti White 2009, Cava Spiliadis $23
-Boutari Naoussa Grande Reserve 2004, $16.95 Vintages
-Cavino Nemea Reserve 2006 Red
-Cavino Nemea Grande Reserve 2005 Red
-Gaia Estate 2006, Small Winemakers
-Domaine Gerovassiliou Viogner 2009, $30 Cava Spiliadis
-Domaine Gerovassiliou Avaton 2006 Red, $40 Cava Spiliadis
-Domaine Katsaros Chardonnay 2009, $31 Cava Spiliadis
-Domaine Katsaros Red 2005, $41.25 Cava Spiliadis
-Monemvasios Red 2005, Celebrity Wines
-Oenoforos Asprolithi 2010 Red, $14.95 Dionysus
-Papaioannou Cava 2001 Red, $27.95 Kononaki
-Parparoussis Taos Cava 2005 Red. $44 Cava Spiliadis
-Pavlidis Thema Red 2008, Kolonaki
-Chateau Porto Carras 2004 Red, Vergina
-Semeli Nemea Reserve 2007, Ambelinos Wines
-Mercouri Estate Antares 2007 Red, $22 Rubaiyat

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Ktima Brintziki Bio 2008 Red
-Kouros Nemea 2007, $11.95 Dionysus
-Hatzimichalis Chardonnay 2009, $15.95 Dionysus
-Hatzimichalis Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, $17.95 Dionysus
-Katogi Averoff 2008 Red
-Katogi Xinomavro 2005 Red
-Katogi Agiorgitiko 2007 Red
-Kir Yianni Diaporos 2007, Kolonaki
-Nico Lazaridi Chateau 2006 White, Vergina
-Nico Lazaridi Merlot 2009, Vergina
-Tsantali Rapsani Reserve 2007, $14.95 Churchill Cellars
-Skouras Megas Oenos 2007, $38 Kolonaki
-Mediterra Xerolithia 2010 White, Kolonaki

The Food: as in the past, we were served a lot of lamb lollipops, roast
beef, smoked salmon on large blini, crab cakes, veggies and dips,
grilled club/BLT sandwiches, sushi, spiced shrimp, and plenty of a
variety of cheeses and breads.
The Downside: I was very late for the seminar due to a medical
appointment.
The Upside: a great opportunity to taste some exciting red wines now
being made in Greece.
The Contact Person: kmunson@allaboutgreekwine.com
The Marketing Effectiveness/Execution of the Event(numerical grade):
90.
 
 

Sunday, June 5, 2011

May: Domaine Sigalas Vertical wine tasting.

The Time and Date: Monday, May 9, 2011 11:30AM to 3 PM
The Event: a vertical wine tasting of Domaine Sigalas (Santorini),
conducted by President and CEO Paris Sigalas. The firm is repped in
Ontario by the Kolonaki Group.
The Venue: LCBO Event Kitchen, Summerhill location
The Target Audience: wine press, sommeliers.
The Availability/Catalogue: Some wines are no longer available, or only
in small quantities. The Sigalas Assyrtiko/Athiri 2009 (a 70/30 blend)
is through Consignment, as is the Sigalas Santorini Barrel 2008. The
Sigalas Santorini 2009 (stainless) is at Vintages +74781.
The Quote/Background: Paris founded the company in 1991. Today, he
grows assyrtiko (Santorini), athiri, aidani, mandilaria, and
mavrotragano grape varieties.
The Wines: We were all amazed at how young the wines appeared. On the
island, the vines are 100 years old or so, no phylloxera has ever
appeared, and only French oak is used.
**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2003 Barrel Aged 100% assyrtiko, $40
***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2009 100% assyrtiko, $23.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2007 100% assyrtiko, $29.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2006 100% assyrtiko, $34.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2007 Assyrtiko/Athiri (70/30), n/a
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2009 Barrel Aged 100% assyrtiko, $29.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2008 Barrel Aged 100% assyrtiko, $29.95
*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2010 100% assyrtiko, $23.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2008 100% assyrtiko, $24.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2005 100% assyrtiko, $39.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2003 100% assyrtiko, $39.95
-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2010 Assyrtiko/Athiri (60/40), $17.95
Unfortunately, the Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2001 was corked.
Other wines, mainly with food, included Sigalas Mavrotragano 2008 (deep
brooding red, 3.5 stars, and $44.95) and Sigalas Vinsanto 2004 (rated
3.5 stars, $44.95 for a 500mL bottle).
The Food: typical mezes – sausages, lamb, olives, feta cheese, open-
faced sandwiches. The refreshing acidity from all of these wines braced
the food-wine pairings.
The Downside: I had to rush over from a medical appointment, so I
missed the first half hour.
The Upside: any vertical tasting in Toronto these days is a rarity, and
even more so when it is classy white Greek wine.
The Contact Person: steve.kriaris@kolonakigroup.com
The Marketing Effectiveness/Execution of the Event(numerical grade):
90.
 
 

Thursday, June 2, 2011

May 5/11 Australia's First Families of Wines trade show in Toironto

 The Time and Date: Thursday, May 5, 2011 2:30 PM to 5 PM

The Event: Australia's First Families of Wines trade show and order event.

The Venue: Arcadian Court, The Bay

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: some wines were available for purchase that night by consumers, others were in the usual distribution channels.

The Quote/Background: the AFFW (some 11 members) call themselves the Guardians of the Soil. They brought some 60 iconic wines with them for tasting and selling.

The Wines: I did not get to taste all the wines.

 

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

-D'Arenberg The Galvo Garage Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot 2003, $33

-De Bortoli DB Reserve Pinot Noir 2008, +221994, $15.95

-Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz 2002, $899

-Howard Park Chardonnay 2008, $39

-Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon 2008,

-Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2006, $219

-Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 2006, $55

-Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 1999, $65

-Tahbilk Eric Stevens Purbrick Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, $59

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (8890 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Campbell's Rutherford Muscat  Vintages

-Campbell's Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, $19

-Campbell's The Brothers Shiraz 2007, $55

-De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2007

-Henschke Johann's Garden GMS 2007

-Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2007, $134

-Howard Park Scottsdale Shiraz 2008, $37

-Jim Barry The Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, $23.95

-McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Maurice O'Shea Shiraz 2005, $65

-McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Maurice O'Shea Shiraz 2006, $65

-McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2003, $59

-Tahbilk Eric Stevens Purbrick Shiraz 2005, $59

-Tahbilk 1860 Vines Shiraz 2005, $139

-Tyrrell's Rufus Stone Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2008, $24

-Tyrrell's Rufus Stone Shiraz 2008, $19.95 Vintages

-Wakefield St. Andrews Shiraz 2004, $49

-Wakefield St. Andrews Chardonnay 2008, $44

-Wakefield St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, $49

-Wakefield Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, $17.95 Vintages

-Yalumba Viognier 2009, $24.95 Vintages

-Yalumba Hand Picked Single Site Habermann Vineyard Grenache 2005, $76

-Yalumba The Virgilius Viognier 2008, $50.95

-Yalumba The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2004, $110.95

 

*** Three Stars (8587 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Campbell's Rutherglen Durif 2008, $25

-Campbell's Bobbie Burns Shiraz 2008

-Campbell's Shiraz/Durif 2009, $19

-D'Arenberg The Twentyeight Road Mourvedre 2007

-D'Arenberg The Wild Pixie Shiraz/Roussanne 2009, $29

-De Bortoli Rococo Blanc de Blancs NV, $25

-De Bortoli Melba Lucia 2007, $29

-Henschke Keyneton Estate Euphonium Shiraz 2008, $50

-Henschke Giles Lenswood Pinot Noir 2009, $54

-Howard Park Madfish Gold Turtle Chardonnay 2007, $27.95

-McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Florence Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2010

-McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2005, $59

-McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Estate Shiraz 2008

-Tahbilk Viognier 2010, $18

-Tahbilk Shiraz 2006

-Tyrrell's Vat 9 Hunter Shiraz, $51

-Tyrrell's Lost Block Semillon 2010, $15.95 Vintages

-Tyrrell's Vat 1 Hunter Semillon 2004, $51

-Tyrrell's Vat 47 Hunter Chardonnay 2008, $51

-Wakefield Chardonnay 2009, $16.95 Vintages

-Yalumba Patchwork Shiraz 2004, Vintages $21.95

 

The Food: cheese and pate, breads and crackers.

The Downside: we were at 11 tables of eight, one per winemaker, and we were allowed eight minutes to taste and discuss two wines. For the most part, it worked, but at the end of each component tasting, we ALL had to get up and move to another table in sequence. That meant carrying notes, pens, bags, glasses, and spittoons from table to table. It could have been so much easier if only the winemaker moved: 11 bodies at a time, not 77. It's been done that way at other tastings over the years. Also, not enough time was allowed for the whole show. It was skedded for 2 hours, but it took almost 2 hours just to get through the tasting with the winemaker. Consequently, we were rushed through the rest of the tasting (some 45 wines, compared to just 22 at the tables).

The Contact Person: affw@praxispr.ca

The Marketing Effectiveness/Execution of the Event(numerical grade): 80