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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

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. FORKS OVER KNIVES; the plant-based way to health (The Experiment,
2011; distr. T. Allen, 214 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-045-4, $13.95 US
soft covers) has been assembled by Gene Stone, and is based on the
documentary "Forks Over Knives" (2011) which examined the impact of
animal/dairy foods on the causes of degenerative diseases in humans.
Apparently, a plant-based diet decreases cancer growth and heart
disease. There is a compelling argument for this, in both the book and
the movie. The book is meant to accompany the movie since it provides
125 recipes. There's a broad range, but a good introduction for those
who are used to eating few veggies. The food is both hearty and
substantial, relying on legumes, grains, fruits, roots and salads.
There are few of the really best green plants here (no Swiss chard),
but I did note seven kale recipes. The veggies with lower appeal seem
to be missing, although there is one token prep for Brussels sprouts
and one for broccoli, one for cabbage. Still, it is a good beginner
book, driving home the Michael Pollan philosophy and the film's.
About two dozen people contributed the recipes, maybe five apiece.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 84.
12. THE FARM; rustic recipes for a year of incredible food (Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt, 2012, 233 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-51691-2, $30 US hard
covers) is by Ian Knauer, who develops recipes for the Food Network and
is host of his own TV shows. During the week he is a New York food
writer, but weekends he goes to his Pennsylvania farm that his family
has owned for generations. There are 150 preps here, emphasizing
market, garden or CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) foods. And it
is pretty hard to beat the log rollers here: Ruth Reichl, Deborah
Madison, and John Willoughby. It is, of course, arranged by season,
from spring through winter, so there is a progression from asparagus to
garlic. There is a category list of recipes, a contents guide to
starters, soups, salads, breakfast, sandwiches, pizzas, breads, pasta,
meats, sides, preserves, and desserts. Try herb-roasted lamb shanks,
buttermilk ricotta, peaches in honey syrup, beer and garlic roast pork,
duck breasts with chanterelles, or dried-fruit-braised short ribs. Good
large print throughout. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 87.

13. THE BACK IN THE DAY BAKERY COOKBOOK; more than 100 recipes from the
best little bakery in the south (Artisan, 2012; distr. T. Allen, ISBN
978-1-57965-458-0, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Cheryl and Griffith
Day, who founded "Back in the Day Bakery" in Savannah, Georgia in 2002.
This is a collection of preps from that bakery (done in time for their
tenth anniversary), adapted for home cooks, with an emphasis on rustic
breads and decadent treats. The 100 recipes are arranged by form, such
as coffee cakes, quick breads, sweet yeast breads, cupcakes, cakes,
pies, cobblers, crisps, tarts, puddings, custards, cookies, brownies,
bars – and even savories. Included is the trendy bacon jam recipe. This
book is not for the faint-of-heart, and I dearly wish I could eat my
calories this way, but alas… Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88.
14. CHARRED & SCRUFFED; bold new techniques for explosive flavor on and
off the grill (Artisan, 2012; distr. T. Allen, 266 pages, ISBN 978-1-
57965-465-8, $24.95 US soft covers) is by restaurateur Adam Perry Lang
with places in Las Vegas and London. He has won top honours on the
national US BBQ circuit. His book has already won acclaim in the US,
with backing from Jamie Oliver, David Chang and Mario Batali. This time
out he has different techniques: scruffing meat and vegetables
(roughing them up) and cooking directly on hot coals, constantly
turning and moving the meat while cooking – this is the showman aspect,
bound to appeal to those male backyard BBQ. This produces a crust and
additional flavours; I did not see any mention of added carcinogens.
He's also got quite a collection of finishing salts and dressings, as
well as side dishes (smoked garlic confit, scruffed carbonara potatoes,
charred radicchio). Typical dishes include smoked pork shoulder,
planked lobster tails, roasted rib stack, "man" steak, lamb in ash salt
crust with charcoal salt. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is a separate table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.

15. GELATO; simple recipes for authentic Italian gelato to make at home
(Ryland, Peters and Small, 2012, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-208-4,
$24.95 US hard covers) is by Adriano di Petrillo, owner of Dri Dri, a
London UK gelateria. Gelato is made with milk (not cream) and is made
by mantecazione (frozen and churned very slowly). It is very easy to
make, especially with an ice cream maker. With low fat (but more
sugar), gelatos are popular in the summer. There are three types here:
gelato, sorbetto, and granita (no dairy). There is also a concluding
section on serving gelato, such as blending flavours from different
scoops, making drinks, sandwiches with Florentines or brownies or
brioche. Try mango sorbet, espresso coffee gelato, lemon gelato,
licorice gelato, or strawberry sorbet. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no separate table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating:
85.

16. THE SKILLET COOKBOOK; a street food manifesto (Sasquatch Books,
2012; distr. Random House of Canada, 148 pages, ISBN 978-1-57061-732-4,
$18.95 US paper covers) is by Josh Henderson, who attended the CIA and
began working in the restaurant trade. In 2007, he founded Skillet
Street Food in Seattle, using a vintage Airstream trailer for lunch
menu making. In 2011 it also became a brick-and-mortar restaurant. The
preps here are al street food, arranged by breakfast, lunch, diner, and
dessert. The 100 recipes include nutella crostini, skillet granola,
kale Caesar salad, poutine gravy, farro burger, and shortbread and
lemon curd. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 85.
17. MADE IN ITALY (HarperCollins, 2011, 389 pages, ISBN 978-1-44340-
686-4, $39.99 CAN hard covers) is by David Rocco, This is his second
book of Italian adventures derived form his Food Network show, David
Rocco's Dolce Vita (now broadcast in 150 countries). To matrch that,
he's got about 150 preps here covering the gamut of Italian food:
pizzas, pastas (but no panini), risotto, and dolci. Along the way there
are a lot of photos and text about his travels in Italy, to match the
TV series. There are also a lot of drink recipes but few wine notes.
Try his fried fennel, his espressos, chestnut fritters, rabbit with
rosemary, lamb in cherry tomato and red wine, or mascarpone and nutella
calzone. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 85.

18. GARDE-MANGER (HarperCollins, 2010, 2012, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-
44341-326-8, $34.99 CAN hard covers) is by Chuck Hughes, who opened
Garde-Manger restaurant in Montreal. He has also had two TV series,
"Chuck's Day Off" and "Chuck's Week Off". This current book, his first,
was published in French in Quebec in 2010, and it is now available in
English. It is a "best of" collection, says the Introduction, with
classics, standards, and contemporary spins. So it reflects the
restaurant, and begins with cocktails. There are also lots of oversized
pix of the restaurant and staff. It's mainly a seafood place, with crab
legs, calamari, octopus, sardines, but it did broaden to include steaks
(pork, lamb, beef) and chicken. There's also some good-looking close-up
photography here. Try pan-cooked smoked salmon, salt cod fritters,
lobster mushrooms and fingerling potatoes, pan-roasted halibut, or
shrimp with puttanesca sauce. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Some more really good cookbooks...

CHOWDERS AND SOUPS; 50 recipes for the home chef (Nimbus Publishing,
2012, 82 pages, ISBN 978-1-55109-905-7, $18.85 CAN soft covers) is by
Halifax food critic Liz Feltham. It's a modest book, but it's full of
local Maritime seafoods such as lobster, shrimp, crab, clam, and local
fishes. Here are some classics, plus some modifications and re-doings.
There are a few changes to the traditional recipes, such as with the
smoked haddock chowder (also known as cullen skink). She uses sweet
potato instead of mashed potato, and herbes de Provence is the major
seasoning. There's an appendix on stocks and a glossary. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no table of metric equivalents. The index is by recipe name, not by
major ingredient.
Audience and level of use: home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lobster and asparagus
chowder; maple parsnip soup; monkfish chowder; zuppa de pesce; smoked
mackerel chowder.
The downside to this book: I would have liked more recipes.
The upside to this book: two recipes for local fruit (chilled
strawberry and chilled blueberry soups).
Quality/Price Rating: 84.
4. CREPES; 50 savory and sweet recipes (Chronicle Books, 2012, 144
pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0534-5, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Martha
Holmberg, former publisher and editor and Fine Cooking magazine. It's
an interesting book, with some invaluable tips and procedure notes. She
tries to come to grips with gluten-free choices, and proposes a 100%
white rice flour crepe recipe. But she also covers both gluten-free
buckwheat and chick pea crepes, both a bit stronger in flavours. In
Brittany, the all-buckwheat crepes are called "galettes de sarrasin".
India uses a lot of chick pea flour in its preps, here represented by
spiced Indian potato and chickpea crepes (unfortunately, not indexed
under chickpea). The broad range of dishes should be enough to keep any
crepe lover happy. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no separate table of
metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pesto and crème fraiche
crepes with arugula salad; swiss chard and goat cheese crepes with
walnut crumb topping; coconut cream crepes with mango sauce; Meyer
lemon and whipped cream crepe cake.
The downside to this book: the chickpea flour crepe recipe uses wheat
flour, when it could have used white rice flour, making it 100% gluten-
free.
The upside to this book: a good collection.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
5. CLASSIC ARTISAN BAKING; recipes for cakes, cookies, muffins and more
(Ryland, Peters & Small, 2012; distr. T. Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-
84975-225-1, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Julian Day, who runs a mail-
order artisanal cake business in the UK. These are some of his preps,
developed for home use. There are sections on family cakes, small
cakes, brownies and bars, biscuits and cookies, breads, and tarts. The
range is extensive and useful. Traditional cakes include Dundee cake,
St. Clement's cake, lemon polenta cake, Bakewell slices, and lavender
loaves. The Fig and Marsala Crostata was a standout. But some details
on gluten-free alternatives might have been useful. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no separate table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks with expertise.
The downside to this book: it is mainly a British book, but was not
promoted that way.
Quality/Price Rating: 84.
6. THE QUINTESSENTIAL QUINOA COOKBOOK; eat great, lose weight, feel
healthy (SkyHorse Publishing, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 215 pages, ISBN
978-1-61608-535-3, $17.95 U hard covers) is by Wendy Polisi, who runs
cookingquinoa.net, and claims more than 200,000 monthly readers. This
cookbook is mostly derived from that website. It's the second such
quinoa book lately, and more are on the way as quinoa becomes the
latest superfood. The bets news about it is that it is gluten-free, so
this opens up a huge new audience. You can find quinoa at bulk stores,
and even Costco has mounds of the organic variety, selling at a fairly
decent price. Important stuff in this particular book is that there are
alternative ingredients and prep methods for many recipes (vegan,
gluten-free, sugar-free, fast and easy). The arrangement is by course,
beginning with breakfast, followed by apps, soups, salads, entrees,
pasta-polenta-pizza, breads, muffins, and desserts. There is even a
section devoted to quinoa for kids, a nifty idea. She's got a basic
primer on what quinoa is all about, and some no-nonsense advice.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: health fans, gluten-free eaters
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: almond fudge quinoa
brownies; raspberry crumb cake; quinoa grissini; polenta lasagna;
quinoa falafel; eggplant parmesan.
The downside to this book: the book is very tightly bound, making it
difficult to prop it open. Recipes are on the recto page, so it is
possible to position the book and snap the spine if need be.
Photocopying is a pain, and maybe the publishers wanted it that way.
The upside to this book: it is good to have a quinoa book with photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.

7. THE ROMANTIC PRAIRIE COOKBOOK; field-fresh recipes and homespun
settings (CICO Books, 2012; distr. T. Allen, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-
908170-17-0, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Fifi O'Neill, who grew up in
France but then moved to Manitoba for 15 years. She later re-located to
the US prairies but now lives in Florida. She fell in love with "the
prairies" and founded "Romantic Prairie" magazine. This is her second
book (first cookbook) about that style. The preps here reflect the
style of the prairies, so expect lots of harvested surplus foods,
artisanal baking, cheese making, preserving, pickling and so forth. The
100 recipes here, along with photographic essays, show a field to table
sensibility. It is arranged by course, apps to desserts, with a special
chapter on celebrations such as a harvest supper and Christmas. Recipes
are normally sourced from a farm in the US Great Plains area.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: those who love farm food
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Dutch apple pie; zucchini
and cheese tarts; tourtiere; venison stroganoff; roast buffalo; pickled
cauliflower; braised fennel.
The downside to this book: too many gratuitous general farm pictures,
which have been set in California, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire,
New York, and Virginia, hardly the "Great Plains".
The upside to this book: good choice of recipes.
Quality/Price Rating: 84.
8. THE OLD FARMER'S ALMANC GARDEN-FRESH COOKBOOK (Yankee Publishing,
2011; distr. T. Allen, 336 pages, ISBN 978-1-57198-541-5, $19.95 US
hard covers) is a good-value cookbook from the OF Almanac people. It's
even got Deborah Madison on board for some log-rolling. It boasts more
than 325 preps plus over 100 tips for growing and harvesting your own
vegetables, fruits, and herbs. There are recommendations on ripeness
levels, plus handy charts on storing foods, cooked vs. raw
measurements, substitutions, weights and measures, equipment to use,
and sources. There are also four special sections on a kitchen herb
gardens, a beginner veggie garden, an edible flower garden, and a berry
garden. There are recipes for meat, poultry, and seafood, so this is
not a strictly "vegetarian" book. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: anybody desiring fresh food.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cantaloupe and peach
conserve; vegetable hash; sweet and sour wax beans; rosemary chicken
with spinach; sweet potato casserole with sausage; watermelon BBQ
marinade; fresh raspberry muffins.
The downside to this book: this is a very heavy book because of the
paper used for the photographs.
The upside to this book: good choice of preps
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
9. THE RED HOT CHILE COOKBOK; fabulously fiery recipes for chile fans
(Ryland, Peters and Small, 2012; distr. T. Allen, 160 pages, ISBN 978-
1-84975-224-4, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Dan May, who began growing
chiles in the North Pennines in 2005. He now has the world's most
northerly chile farm, called Trees Can't Dance. He began producing
chile sauces. Here he has about 70 preps loaded with heat at various
levels. There's primer stuff on history, how to grow at home, how to
identify the varieties, and their strength levels. It's all arranged by
course, from apps to desserts (chile jam ice cream, chile pecan
brownies) and drinks. Each prep has a chile meter to indicate heat
levels. At the back, there's a listing of both US and UK chile
suppliers. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric
and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no separate table of
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: chile pepper lovers
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tropical fruit salad with
chile and lime syrup; green chile bhajis; fruity African bean stew;
roast pork chops with spicy lentils; Moroccan-spiced lamb burgers.
The downside to this book: nothing much on sweet peppers or paprika.
The upside to this book: smoked peppers are included such as chipotle,
in five recipes.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.

10. SINFULLY EASY DELICIOUS DESSERTS; quicker smarter recipes (Artisan,
2012; distr. T. Allen, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-398-9, $25.95 US
soft covers) is by Alice Medrich. This is her eighth cookbook – the
others have all involved chocolate and/or cookies. She had previously
owned a dessert shop, called Chocolat. Here she branches out to stylish
but easy preps. There are also over 100 ideas for spontaneous desserts
that don't involve baking, such as dressing up humdrum fruits. There's
a section on the pantry, over 30 pages on ideas with ice cream, more on
fruits, followed by puddings, pies, tarts, meringues and cakes. She
also notes plenty of variations. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, and they are scaled so you have
both volume and weight. There are tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: dessert lovers, cookbook collectors.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fragrant oranges with ice
cream, almonds and dates; apples in cardamom lime syrup; lemon-scented
apple upside-down cake; vanilla tart with winter cherry compote; spiced
and candied nuts; house truffles; coconut layer cake; bittersweet
chocolate cake.
The downside to this book: the typeface is a bit on the light side,
fatiguing to read after awhile.
The upside to this book: great photography.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! -- Herbivoracious

HERBIVORACIOUS; a flavor revolution, with 150 vibrant and original
vegetarian recipes (Harvard Common Press, 2012; distr. T. Allen, 367
pages, ISBN 978-1-55832-745-0, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Michael
Natkin, a food blogger and writer recommended on several print
publications. He's also a food photographer. With log rolling from
other chefs, Natkin gives us 150 well-chosen flavourful vegetarian
dishes. The index points to both vegan and gluten-free choices. His
blog Herbivoracious.com claims 92,000 monthly readers. His preps are
derived form his blog, and about a third of them here in the book are
main courses. Soups, salads, sides, apps, desserts and more complete
the picture. There's a pantry list and equipment section, both with
detail. The book reads like a song, right from the first prep "tea-
smoked lychees". Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents at
the back. The index has large typeface. He believes in organization:
good food takes time, but the best way to save time is through
organizing, and a mise en place.
Audience and level of use: vegetarians looking for new recipes
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: paella cakes with mangoes
and marmalade; blue-potato tarts; quinoa cakes; panish lentil and
mushroom stew; chili borracho; chickpea and green olive tagine;
raspberry-blueberry buckle.
The downside to this book: nothing really, although some experienced
cooks may not like the detail.
The upside to this book: the photography is his own, warts and all.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JULY 21, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JULY 21, 2012
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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 OF THE MONTH *UNDER* $20
 
WHITE -- Chateau Brondelle Classic Sauvignon/Semillon 2010 Graves: some
of everything (vanilla from wood, MVC savvy character, Semillon fruit,
figs, great finish and length. Good appeal for North Americans.
+626507, $15.95, QPR: 90.
 
RED – Five Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Victoria: matured wine, full of
stuffing (old everything – meat, bacon, leather, dried fruit, game,
forest floor, mushrooms). Not for the faint of heart. Twist top, 12.7%
ABV. +280214, $19.95, QPR: 94.
 
======>>>> ** BEST WINE OF THE MONTH *OVER* $20
 
RED –- Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir 2011 Victoria, +281055, $39.95.
 
WHITE -- De Loach OFS Chardonnay 2009 Russian River Valley Sonoma,
+729343, $37.95.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2011 WO Western Cape: refreshing,
with some body and style in the California vein. 13.5% ABV. +662718,
$14.95, QPR: 89.
2. Ken Forrester Reserve Chenin Blanc 2010 WO Stellenbosch: dry,
delicious MVC Chenin Blanc at an excellent price, 14.5% ABV. +231282,
$17.95, QPR: 89.
3. Domaine de la Colline Sauvignon Touraine 2010: great savvy flavours
ands development, body and concentration. Not too zesty. +169656,
$12.95, QPR: 89.
4. Vincent Raimbault Les Terrages Dem-Sec Vouvray 2010: off-dry,
summery wine for sip or first course. 13% ABV. +271973, $17.95, QPR:
89.
5. Martin Codax Albarino 2010 DO Rias Baixas: aromatic, floral, some
tropicality, finishes dry. Sip or food.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. C.J.Pask Gimblett Road Cabernet/Merlot/Malbec 2008 Hawkes Bay New
Zealand: elements of forest floor, good Bordeaux-style, excellent with
food, ready now. +279869, $19.95, QPR: 89.
2. Chateau Perenne 2005 1er Cotes de Blaye: nicely made, ready-to-roll,
MVC Bordeaux, instantly recognizable. +283150, $18.95, QPR: 89.
3. Le Circque Carignan/Mourvedre/Syrah 2010 Vin de Pays des Cotes
Catalanes: full and generous, North American styled off-dry fruitiness,
14.5% ABV. +277079, $14.95, QPR: 89.
4. Pasquale Petrera Fatalone Primitivo 2006 Puglia: nicely aged,
organic wine, dryish finish, 15% ABV. +279729, $16.95.
5. Tedeschi Capitel San Rocco Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2009: the
Ripasso of the month at the LCBO. +719294, $18.95, QPR: 89.
6. Terras de Alter Fado 2009 VR Alentejano: juicy, delicious tones from
six months in French oak. 13.5% ABV. +283135, $13.95, QPR: 89.
7. Conde de Valdemar Reserva 2005 Rioja: extremely good value at the
price, ready now, MVC Rioja. +947309, $19.95, 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. Fielding Viognier 2010 VQA Niagara, +142323, $25.95 retail.
2. Senorio De Laredo Gran Reserva 2004 Rioja, +218347, $24.95.
3. Caledonia Australis Reserve Chardonnay 2008 Victoria, +284935,
$39.95.
4. Tahbilk Museum Release Marsanne 2007 Central Victoria, +276980,
$22.95.
5. Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc 2011, +912337, $24.95.
6. Domaine Latour-Giraud Les Narvaux Meursault 2009, +12369, $45.95.
7. Bernard Reverdy & Fils Sancerre 2010, +200055, $22.95.
8. Rodney Strong Knotty Vines Zinfandel 2009 Northern Sonoma, +363358,
$22.95.
9. Clos de los Siete 2009 Mendoza, +622571, $21.95.
10. Camelback Shiraz 2008 Victoria, +665125, $27.95
11, Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz 2009 Victoria, +243592, 35.95.
12. Chateau Lamothe-Cissac 2005 Haut Medoc, +206755, $23.95
12. Domaine de Viaud 2001 Lalande-de-Pomerol, +282475, $26.95

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Pyramid Valley NZ wine tasting, July 5

The Date and Time: Thursday, July 5, 2012     3:30 PM to 5PM

The Event: a drop-in tasting with Mark Cuff (The Living Vine) and Pyramid Valley Vineyards of New Zealand.

The Venue: Fine Wine Reserve

The Target Audience: wine media, invited clients.

The Availability/Catalogue: everything is available by private order in either six- or twelve-packs. Lion's Tooth is consignment.

The Quote/Background: Mike Weersing led the tasting. He was showing two lines of wines: the Growers Collection (sourced from NZ organic vineyards) and the Home Vineyards Collection (biodynamic, named after weeds in the vineyards).

The Wines:

 

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

-Pyramid Valley Angel Flower Pinot Noir 2010 Home Vyd, $79.95

-Pyramid Valley Earth Smoke Pinot Noir 2010 Home Vyd, $79.95

-Pyramid Valley Howell Family Vineyard Hawke's Bay Cabernet Franc 2009, $49.95

 

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

-Pyramid Valley Lion's Tooth Chardonnay 2009 Home Vyd, $74.95 consignment

-Pyramid Valley Rose Vineyard Marlborough Riesling 2009, $32.95

-Pyramid Valley Cowley Family Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009, $49.95

 

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

-Pyramid Valley Riverbrook Vineyard Marlborough Riesling 2009, $32.95

-Pyramid Valley Kerner Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Rose (not a ros-ay) 2009, $36.95

-Pyramid Valley Calvert Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009, $59.95

 

The Food: hard cheeses, terrines, breads.

The Downside: there was a massive traffic tie up on Spadina; I had to walk down from College to King. Mike Weersing was also caught in this traffic, and he arrived 45 minutes late with many of his wines.

The Upside: some really good and refreshing wines for a hot day.

The Contact Person: mark@thelivingvine.ca

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90.

 

Monday, July 16, 2012

DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! --- 1001 Whiskies

1001 WHISKIES YOU MUST TASTE BEFORE YOU DIE (Universe Publishing,
2012; distr. Random House of Canada, 960 pages, ISBN 978-0-7893-2487-0,
$36.95 US hard covers) has been edited by Dominic Roskrow, an award-
winning drinks writer (Whiskey Magazine, Harper's) and book author who
also edits Whiskeria. It is one of a series of "bucket list" books,
such as 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die, 1001 Foods …, 1001
Wines… The Whiskies and Foods books work best because the initial
database is much smaller. Here is a team of 23 writers who have
analyzed the best of whiskies, beginning with Scotland and moving on
through Ireland, US, Canada, Japan, Europe, and the Rest Of the World
(ROW). There are several indexes, principally to whiskies by name and
whiskies by country. So single malts, blends, bourbons, and ryes are
also covered. Most of them are small-batch producers. Each entry
contains critical tasting notes, a history of the distillery,
temperature recommendations, ABVs, and initials to indicate who the
writer is. There's a whack of Canadian companies here, beginning with
Alberta Premium, Black Velvet, Forty Creek, Canadian Club, Glen Breton
and Wiser's – 44 in all. There's about a page per entry, and there are
pictures of bottles for just about all of them. Quality/Price Rating:
91.
 

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Cookbook 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"...
 
23. THE BARBECUE COLLECTION; Canadian Living (Transcontinental Books,
2010, 2012, 552 pages, ISBN 978-0-9877474-0-2, $$32.95 Canadian, soft
covers) is from the Canadian Living Test Kitchen, and promises "the
best barbecue recipes from our kitchen to your backyard". It was
originally released in 2010 for three dollars less. Of course, the
basics are covered, along with brochettes, kabobs, burgers, sausages,
patties, steaks, chops, ribs, roasts, poultry, fish, seafood, and
grilled pizza. There is also room in this book for vegetables and
cheese, salads and sides, sauces, marinades and rubs. Something for
everyone, beginning with a discussion on gas or charcoal and all tools
needed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Many of
the recipes come from Andrew Chase and Camilo Costales, plus Canadian
Living and Homemakers magazines. There are 400 recipes here, which
include more than 100 new ones. Try garlic & anchovy stuffed pork
tenderloins, Thai grilled chicken, Hoisin chicken burnished, BBQ
rabbit, Portuguese grilled sardines with potatoes and peppers, Texas
BBQ brisket, or Mexican pork shoulder. The layout is pretty good, with
plenty of white space and leading. The ingredients are listed in bold,
and the font is very readable and big. There is nutritional data for
each prep. Quality/Price Rating: 86.
 

24. JOHN SCHREINER'S OKANAGAN WINE TOUR GUIDE. Revised and updated
fourth edition (Whitecap, 2012, 368 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-096-9,
$19.95 Canadian paper covers) is by the renowned B.C. writer who has
written many books about B.C. and Canadian wines, as well as snapping
up major writing awards in this area. He's been busy in the past few
years, crafting works on Canadian wines (in general) and on BC wines.
The publisher claims that Schreiner has added 60% new material to this
third edition, yet the price has remained the same – and 50 more pages
were added. This tour guide includes the Similkameen Valley as well,
which is the most southerly wine region in BC but only 5% the size of
the Okanagan. He describes the sub-regions, and this is followed by an
alphabetical order to the 178 (up from 146 in the last edition)
wineries themselves including others not yet producing. For each, there
is a description and commentary, followed by some specific but brief
notes on a few of the wines. A black and white picture of the owner
and/or winemaker appears, as well as the date opened, address, phone
numbers, website, and times of day open. Schreiner concludes with a
vineyard census, general production figures, and a glossary of heavy-
duty words such as "micro-oxygenation". The most popular grape in BC is
still Merlot (16.23%), followed by Pinot Gris (10.80%), Pinot Noir
(9.62%), Chardonnay (9.29%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7.65%), and
Gewurztraminer (7.16%). The black and white photos are still on the
dark side. Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 

25. CALIFORNIA HOME COOKING; 400 recipes that celebrate the abundance
of farm and garden, orchard and vineyard, land and sea (Harvard Common
Press, 1997, 2012; distr. T. Allen, 502 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832-119-9,
$17.95 US paper covers) is by Michele Anna Jordan, who has written over
16 books. She's a food columnist and broadcaster, a beard winner and
often nominated. This one of the previously lauded "America Cooks:
celebrating regional cooking" series. Her book was published in 1997,
and this is the paperback reissue. Consequently, the bibliography is
dated as could be the California resources pages (no websites
mentioned). The material is arranged by course, from appetizers through
desserts and beverages. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Typical foods include smoky corn salsa, olive risotto with basil,
strawberry soup, shellfish stew with sausages, and ratatouille.
Quality/price rating: 85.
 

26 .COMPLETE BOOK OF HOME PRESERVING; 400 delicious and creative
recipes for today (Robert Rose, 2006, 448 pages, ISBN 0-7788-0137-3,
$27.95 CAN paper covers) has been edited by Judi Kingry (at Bernardin)
and Lauren Devine (at Jarden Home Brands) – Jarden has a license on
both Bernardin and Ball names. This reissue is essentially the same as
the 2006 edition (which sold about 750,000 copies), but there are 16
additional colour photos. It is a basic book, easy to understand.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. There's
an FAQ about canning, a produce purchase guide, plus an extensive
glossary covering ingredients and equipment and techniques. Chapters
progress form soft spreads through fruits, salsas, relishes, chutneys,
condiments, pickles, tomatoes, and pressure canning. You won't see it
on the title page nor in the catalogue, but the cover says "Bernardin
Complete Book of Home Preserving" while the American edition with the
same material is called "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving".
Quality/price rating: 87
 

Friday, July 13, 2012

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 –
 
 
 
18. RAO'S ON THE GRILL; perfectly simple Italian recipes from my family
to yours (St. Martin's Press, 2012; distr. Raincoast, 158 pages, ISBN
978-1-250-00627-1, $35 US hard covers is by Frank Pellegrino, Jr., a
fourth-generation scion of the family that founded and still runs 115-
year old Rao's restaurant in East Harlem. There are also other
cookbooks from Rao's (and a line of homemade sauces and pastas), but
this book concentrates on Italian grill cooking. It's arranged by
course, from apps to desserts, with digressions for beef, pork, veal,
chicken, seafood, pasta, and pizza. There's a primer on grilling, plus
details on how to make those impressive grill marks on such as polenta
or peaches. Ingredient listings are in bold, and there is plenty of
room for each recipe. And there are wider indentations in the index, a
boon. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try grilled
chicken with tomato and basil salad, grilled salmon with asparagus and
almonds, sausage and pepper stomboli, or grilled shrimp oreganato – all
of it truly al fresco.
Quality/price rating: 86.
 
 
 

19. PIKE PLACE MARKET RECIPES; 130 delicious ways to bring home
Seattle's famous market. (Sasquatch Books, 2012; distr. Random House of
Canada, 206 pages, ISBN 978-1-57061-742-3, $23.95 US soft covers) is by
Jess Thomson, a Seattle-based free-lance writer and cookbook author.
Here she delves into the stories behind the world-famous Pike Place
Market in Seattle. It's more than 100 years old and has some 55 produce
and specialty stores, plus 18 restaurants. This is both a cookbook for
the local food of Washington, plus a tour guide to the market. There
are back-stories to most of the businesses, plus contributed recipes
(all sourced). It is conveniently arranged by product -- seafood,
foraging, garden, meats, and so forth – with a listing of preps by
course, 15 menu suggestions (with page references) and a resource
directory list to all the businesses at the market. Try whole-wheat
pull-apart cinnamon bread, smoky bacon and kale gratin, devilled duck
eggs, or mussels with Pernod cream. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86.
 
 
 
20. ESPANA; exploring the flavours of Spain (Gibbs Smith, 2012, 232
pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-2423-3, $40 US hard covers) is by Chef James
Caruso, who came to New Mexico in 1989 and later opened La Boca in
Santa Fe, specializing in tapas and other Spanish foods. Some of his
preps have been tempered by Mexican influences as well. Spanish
condiments such as saffron and honey, olives, peppers and chorizos can
define the flavours. This is upscale food, largely based on La Boca's
menus and tapas. The range is from salads through soups and stews,
veggie tapas, seafood tapas, meat tapas, mains, and desserts. Just
about any main can become a tapa (re-size it), and just about any tapa
can become a main. Try chorizo toasts with fried quail eggs, shrimp
pancakes, rice with squid, roasted harissa chicken with couscous, blood
sausage with apples, or salt cod puree with egg and toast. There's a
fair bit of detail about the restaurant, the elements of Spanish food
in general, and exceptional close-up photography. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a
table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88.
 
21. 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-
60941-242-5, $29.99 US hard 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. This book 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. 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: 86.
 
 
 
22. BEERLICIOUS; the art of grillin' & chillin' (Fenn/McClelland &
Stewart, 2012; distr. Random House Canada, 308 pages, ISBN 978-0-7710-
7367-0, $29.99 CAN paper covers) is by Ted Reader, food entertainer via
TV and radio. The emphasis is on a good time, as noted by the log
rollers (Brauch, Rainford, and others). Preps come from his family,
fiends and fans, each made with a different beer that he chose for
unique reasons and flavours (with pairing and tasting notes). It's a
good idea (and you can still have wine with the food). There's the BBQ
primer, the sauces and rubs (made with beer), and then the recipes
arranged by course or product: appetizers, steer, pig, lamb-veal-game,
birds, seafood/fish, sandwiches, sides and desserts. There is no index,
which is a real shame since it would have been a good place to list all
the different beers. The table of contents is fine since that's all the
guys would use anyway! But there is no beer list. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of equivalents. For the adventuresome, try the
"General Hand Grenade Steaks with Kaboom Butter" or the appetizer,
"First-Date Explosions with Laquintas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale"
(dates, bacon, cheese, and spiced heat)
Quality/price rating: 83.
 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Some more interesting cookbooks this month...

GRILL THIS, NOT THAT! (Rodale, 2012, 362 pages, ISBN 978-1-60961-
822-3, $19.99 US paper covers) is a cheeky book from David Zinczenko,
editor worker at Men's Health, Women's Health, and Prevention
magazines. It's a spin-off from the successful "Eat This, Not That!"
series of books (going back to 2008), concentrating this time on
grilled foods. The basic premise in these books is the creation of
home-cooked knockoffs of popular restaurant foods. For example, Red
Lobster's Cedar Plank Salmon is about $20, with 1050 calories. The
book's comparable salmon recipe costs $2.91 with 240 calories. You can
do the math. Unfortunately, the recipe is indexed under "Fish", and not
under "cedar" or "salmon". This makes it hard to find -- at least the
first time. So there are the basics here on grilling, plus coverage of
all the fast food and restaurant meals type of foods such as burgers,
sandwiches, pizza, pasta, poultry, meat, fish, seafood – and more. Each
prep has a calorie count and a cost per person. So you can save money
and calories at the same time. There are tables and guides to meats and
their cuts, veggies, and sugars. It's a colourful book. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no table of metric equivalents. Nutritional data is, of course, stated
in metric alone.
Audience and level of use: grillmasters, dieters.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: western bacon cheeseburger;
sausage and pepper pizzas; prosciutto pesto chicken; balsamic lamb
chops; steak and potato skewers; mahi-mahi with fennel-orange salsa.
The downside to this book: the index could use an expansion.
The upside to this book: lots of colour and vivid writing.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 

4. GLUTEN-FREE SLOW COOKING; over 250 recipes of wheat-free wonders for
the electric slow cooker (Cider Mill Press, 2012; distr. Simon &
Schuster, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-60433263-6, $18.5 US paper covers) is
by Ellen Brown, who has written more than 30 cookbooks (mostly on
gluten-free and slow cookers). Here, she promotes gluten-free foods,
arranged from soups through desserts. You can, of course, not use a
slow cooker; preps can be easily modified since they are for braising.
Some preps, such as Moussaka, have been modified to use gluten-free
ingredients. These re-formulations can be transferred from the book to
all of GF cooking. While wheat, barley and rye are missing from the
preps, there are plenty of ethnic meals to satiate, using rice and
other grains.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there are tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: gluten-free users and slow-cooker fans.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chao; kasha; Greek fish
stew; feijoada; fontina polenta; vegetarian hoppin' john; salmon with
salsa; potage saint-germain.
The downside to this book: the index could use an expansion.
The upside to this book: a single implement cookbook.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
 
 
 
5. CHIA; the complete guide to the ultimate superfood (Sterling
Publishing, 2012, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-9943-3, $14.95 US paper
covers) is by Wayne Coates, an agricultural engineer who developed the
system currently used to harvest and clean chia seed. He's been
assisted by Stephanie Pedersen, a health writer and counselor who
concentrates on "wellness". It is, of course, another superfoods book,
along the lines of quinoa, amaranth, teff and various berries
(cranberries, wolfberries). About half the book is about chia; the
other half has the 75 recipes. Chia has omega-3, antioxidants, calcium,
protein, and fiber. It is also consumed for boosting endurance and
losing weight. I already eat (every morning) a small bowl of hemp
seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and ground flax seeds – so I can
easily add some chia seeds to get extra taste and endurance. There is a
FAQ section and a resources listing with websites. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a
table of metric equivalents. The author is to be commended for his
enthusiastic writing.
Audience and level of use: runners, health lovers, dieters
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Chia seed is the highest
known plant source of omega-3 fatty acids – 2 tablespoons gives 5 grams
of acid.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.
 
 
 
6. COUNTRY COMFORT: CASSEROLE COOKING; over 100 easy and delicious one-
dish recipes (Hatherleigh Press, 2012; distr. Random House of Canada,
178 pages, ISBN 978-1-57826-404-9, $12.50 US soft covers) is by Monica
Musetti-Carlin, a food writer doing a "Country Comfort" series of
cookbooks. These are collections of recipes garnered by the author, and
sourced from friends, restaurants, farmers' markets, chefs, and more –
with a credit line for each. It's a basic book with basic preps, plus a
section on pantries and biscuits, and meal/menu planners (with page
references for the dishes). No illustrations, but good large type and
easy-to-follow instructions. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginners
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spaghetti pie; pork loin
with raisin sauce; Penn Dutch chicken and dumplings; bread pudding and
whiskey sauce; hot fudge cake.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
 
 
 
7. FOOD BLOGGING FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley & Sons, 2012, 308 pages, ISBN
978-1-118-15769-5, $24.99 US paper covers) is by Kelly Senyei, a food
journalist (Columbia MA), stylist, photographer, and chef. She blogs at
www.justataste.com. This is one of the first books to explicitly guide
a writer through the food blogging process, although it is relatively
easy to pick up through reading a lot of food blogs. However, if you
are a Dummy, then this is the book for you. Most people do it because
they want to share their passion for food. Some want to preserve their
family's dishes. Others have a specialty not addressed elsewhere, such
as blogging only about teff. This basic guide is also in colour, since
design, layout and colour is included in food blogging. It more than
quadruples the weight of the book. Material covers choosing a name,
claiming a domain, getting a platform, design, food-styling tricks, and
how to market the blog. Other material includes editing guidance, ideas
and inspirations, avoiding obsessions, comments and responses, and the
ten hardest foods to photograph (meatloaf, poached or fried eggs,
oatmeal, etc.) with her ideas. Here's another winner in the Dummies
series, especially for food bloggers wishing to learn something new.
Audience and level of use: food bloggers new and old.
Some interesting or unusual facts: chocolate pudding and melted cheese
are very hard to photograph.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 
 
 
8. FOOD STYLING & PHOTOGRAPHY FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley & Sons, 2012, 312
pages, ISBN 978-1-118-09719-9, $29.99 US paper covers) is by Alison
Parks-Whitfield, a technical writer and food photographer in the San
Francisco Bay Area. It's useful for books, articles, and of course
blogging (see above); it can form a subscript to the above book. It
does cost five dollars more because there is more photography in this
book. This Dummies book will appeal to both amateurs and professionals
because it concerns the passion of food photography. Basically, she
tells you how to make food look more attractive, to sell the product.
Topics include equipment, toolkits, dealing with sets and employers,
preparing the shoot, composition, tilts and angles, focus, and how to
start your own business. Along the way you'll get a good list of
indispensable items for a food photo shoot and some notes on terrific
garnishes to photograph (sesame seeds, microgreens, etc.)
Audience and level of use: photographers, food lovers
Some interesting or unusual facts: meat proteins dry out very quickly,
especially under hot lights.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 

9. CHEESE FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley & Sons, 2012, 382 pages, ISBN 978-1-
118-09939-1, $19.99 US paper covers) is from culture magazine
www.culturecheesemag.com  which covers everything about cheese
including travel, pairings, recipes, and DIY cheese. It was co-founded
in 2008 by Thalassa Skinner, co-author here with Laurel Miller, a
writer at culture, and owner of a food store. What's amazing to me is
why it took Dummies so long to put out a book on cheese. Other
similarly titled books have been available for years. So here are the
basics: what it is (types, regions), how to serve, how to cook with
cheese, pairing cheese with wines and other foods, 39 recipes, DIY
cheese, cheese festivals, some US artisanal cheese-makers, bizarre
cheeses (e.g., stinking bishop which is a smelly cow cheese from
England, camelbert from camel milk in Jordan), and more. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no table of metric equivalents. There are colour photos of cheeses in
the middle of the book.
Audience and level of use: cheese lovers who need a primer.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: gougeres; bistro salad with
poached egg and Parmigiano Reggiano; sopa de quinoa; pan-roasted wild
mushrooms over cheddar polenta with pumpkinseed oil.
The downside to this book: I'm curious why it took so long to be
published. Also, it needs more recipes.
The upside to this book: a good entry in the Dummies category.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
10. PURE VEGAN; 70 recipes for beautiful meals and clean living
(Chronicle Books, 2012, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7863-0, $29.95 US
paper covers) is by Joseph Shuldiner, a designer and writer. It comes
with log-rolling by Deborah Madison and the Lee Brothers. The book is
oversized, to allow for large close-ups of gastric delights, some of
which were shot by the author (who also designed the book). He's also
got a great recipe for a No Cheese Plate – with all the elements
usually found on a cheese platter minus the cheeses! (Figs, nuts, dried
pears and apricots, fig paste, quince paste). Just add bread, crackers,
fresh fruit…The book is arranged by time of day, with chapters for
morning, afternoon, evening, late night, and very late night (although
I'm not sure I'd like a lot of chocolate late at night: caffeine and
sugar? But that's just me). There is also a resources list for
obtaining upscale or hand-to-find items. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of
metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: vegans and others.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: potato torte; nutty mushroom
risotto; ginger pound cake; pistachio olive oil cake; garbanzo bean and
tomato soup; vegan tapas plate; savory breakfast tarts.
The downside to this book: it could use more than 70 recipes, I'd guess
100 is a good minimum.
The upside to this book: superb photography and boldface for listing
the ingredients.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 

11. UNCORKED; my journey through the crazy world of wine (Clarkson
Potter, 2012, 214 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-71984-3, $28) is by Marco
Pasanella, who has owned a wine shop in Manhattan since 2005. Before
that he was a designer, a teacher of design, and a columnist. The book
comes with log rolling by Martha Stewart (who employed his wife) and
Steven Dublanica (Waiter Rant). He wanted a career change – and he got
it. So just about all of the book is based on the past half-decade of
his life. According to the Library of Congress, it's a collection of
anecdotes; it's not even a memoir. He's divided his stories up into
eight regions: plow, prune, harvest, crush, ferment, bottle, age, and
drink. The appendix lists material that could form a sort-of primer to
the world of tasting wine, including a list of 27 toasts in 27
languages, such as salut, prost, but no chimo (Inuit). It's a hodge-
podge of material about wine, eclectic enough that an indexer would
have trouble. So there is no index. There are a couple of recipes for
such as roasted parsnips, fish linguini, and fried sage leaves.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents. This sort of thing works
well is you are a wine writer, as in Natalie MacLean's two books, but
there is no coherence here. It's like a series of short newspaper
stories, about 800 words apiece. Given that, then it is a good book for
light and enjoyable reading. You'll learn a bit about renovating a five
story house at the Manhattan waterfront, traveling in Italy, and the
uniqueness of the New York wine industry. But in summary, it is mainly
about the struggles of a small business. Given the price, you might
want to wait for the paperback or borrow it from the library.
Currently, it is $16 at Amazon.
Audience and level of use: the compleat wine reader
Some interesting or unusual facts: He "unloaded 660 cases by hand(no
forklift) of his house red, Pasanella & Figlio Rosso.
Quality/Price Rating: 82.
 
 
 
12. MOROCCO; a culinary journey with recipes (Chronicle Books, 2012,
223 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7738-1, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Jeff
Koehler, a writer-photographer specializing in food. He's written for
many papers and magazines, and has authored several Mediterranean food
books from the same publisher. He has just about the highest degree of
log rolling I have even seen, with accolades from Naomi Duguid, Colman
Andrews and Clifford Wright – other well-known and good Mediterranean
food writers. The subtitle says he goes from the spice-scented markets
of Marrakech to the date-filled oasis of Zagora, photographing along
the way. There are 70 recipes here, complemented by a brief culinary
history, a cook's tour of the land, and a discussion on the Moroccan
pantry (all in the first 50 pages). Arrangement is by course, with
digressions for street food, savoury pastries, tagines, couscous, and
drinks (authentically non-alcoholic, featuring mint tea, almond milk,
spiced coffee). There's a useful bibliography, and a ton of people are
cited in the acknowledgments, forming a useful source list (if you can
read the small typeface used).
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: international food lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cucumbers in sweet marinade
with oregano; berber omelet tagine; calamari with tomato dipping sauce;
fish brochettes; kefta lamb brochettes; seafood pastille; lamb tagine
with oranges, saffron, and candied orange peel.
The downside to this book: I would have liked more than 70 recipes.
The upside to this book: dishes are indexed under both indigenous name
and English.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.
 

13. SMOKING MEAT; the essential guide to real barbecue (Whitecap, 2012,
222 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-038-9, $29.95 CAN paper covers) is by Jeff
Phillips, creator www.smoking-meat.com which has 34,000 forum members
and 140,000 subscribers to his monthly e-newsletter. Currently, he
lives in Oklahoma. The publisher claims that this book is "the ultimate
how-to guide for smoking all kinds of meat and fish".  Certainly, it is
an authentic book with Phillips' takes on smokers (charcoal, gas,
electric), woods, tools, and pantry-stocking. His main "secret" is "low
and slow". It is a good, basic book, arranged by the major elements of
poultry, pork, beef, fish, and seafood, along with sides and desserts
plus cheese for smoking. There's good detail here, such as the bacon-
wrapped stuffed sausage patty with its interlacing bacon and 16 photos
to show the techniques. There is also a source list on where to
purchase smoking equipment and supplies. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of
metric equivalents. Nothing beats smoked BBQ. Nothing.
Audience and level of use: BBQers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoked duck with wine butter
sauce; smoked hot wings; smoked pork spare ribs; pulled pork burritos;
Cajun smoked frog legs.
The downside to this book: it would not open flat; I had to prop it
open.
The upside to this book: larger than normal type, which is a boon.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
14. SLOW FIRE; the beginner's guide to barbecue (Chronicle Books, 2012,
176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0303-7, $22.95 US hard covers) is by Ray
Lampe, a multiple cook-off champion and BBQ food writer with other meat
books. Look at www.drbbq.com. It is another basic BBQ book, pitched at
the entry level. There's a primer on tools and equipment, charcoals,
spices and rubs, and then individual chapters on types of meat: ribs
(back, spare, tips and short), pork, beef, poultry, and a catch-all
chapter for lamb, kielbasa, bologna, salmon, and tilapia. Plus side
dishes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: BB lovers, novices
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Memphis-style wet or dry
ribs; Memphis-style pulled pork; bacon-wrapped pig wings; homemade
pastrami; Texas-style beef brisket; planked salmon.
The downside to this book: only two wine preps (chicken and turkey)
The upside to this book: easy to use and convenient to store. Large
typeface.
Quality/Price Rating: 84.
 

15. THE FIRE ISLAND COOKBOOK (Atria, 2012; distr. Simon & Schuster, 180
pages, ISBN978-1-4516-3293-4, $30 US hard covers) is by Mike Desimone
and Jeff Jenssen, both lifestyle writers (Wine Enthusiast, Wine
Spectator, Saveur). They're at www.worldwineguys.com. There's some log
rolling, but Daisy Marinez cookbook author) says it best: "Easy,
effortless entertaining with delicious, user-friendly recipes". This is
seasonal produce to create a meal for each weekend from US Memorial Day
through Labour Day. Ach of the 14 menus is global in scope, with food
and wine pairings. So there is Spain, France, a Pool Party, Greece,
Mexico, Mediterranean, Tuscany, the Caribbean and others. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no table of metric equivalents. An interesting collection of recipes,
with wines being named by label – no alternatives proposed.
Audience and level of use: beginners.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Tuscan dinner – penne with
prosciutto and peas; bistecca alla fiorentina; shaved fennel salad;
cinnamon caramelized gnocchi.
The downside to this book: no generic wines expressed.
The upside to this book: it is hard to believe but the index is in a
larger typeface than the recipes.
Quality/Price Rating: 83.
 

16. THE GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK (DK, 2012, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-
8216-3, $25 US hard covers) is by Fiona Hunter, Heather Whinny, and
Jane Lawrie, all experienced food writers and stylists. But only Fiona
Hunter (also a nutritionist) gets a credit on the front cover. It's
another book in the gluten-free sweepstakes, part of the vegan-
vegetarian category of books now being published throughout North
America. Here are 230 "easy" preps, step-by-step illustrations, plus
advice for the gluten-free diet. Hunter provides a nutritional analysis
of every recipe and special "nutrient boost" features for menu
planning. Essentially, gluten-free means no wheat, barley or rye. But
there are plenty of choices for other kinds of flours, which work
rather well. Only breads suffer, and if you are as picky as I am, then
you might avoid gluten-free breads and move on to other foods. The
taste is different and there is no chew factor. There's about 40 pages
on flours and making pastry, cakes, pastas and breads. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements for weight (not for volume), but there is no table of
metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: those needing a gluten-free diet.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lavosh with eggplant dip;
tuna and vegetable pasta salad; fattoush with corn tortillas; crispy
fish; beef burgers; smoked salmon and cream cheese picnic pies.
The downside to this book: the typeface is a shade of gray, lighter
than the usual darker black,
The upside to this book: good indexing plus highlighted heads.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
 
 
 

17. THE FRESH & GREEN TABLE; delicious ideas for bringing vegetables
into every meal (Chronicle Books, 2012, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-
0265-8, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Susie Middleton, who also wrote
"Fast, Fresh & Green". She's a former editor of Fine Cooking magazine,
now writing about vegetables for that magazine. She concentrates here
on quick methods, such as pre- or quick-braising, short sautéing, stir-
frying, and quick roasting. Some preps have meat in them such as
pancetta. She encourages substitution of vegetables, as she did in her
first book. But here her preps are more substantial, being a good
collection of mains. The book's arranged by nine cooking techniques,
such as main-dish salads, hearty soups, veggie pasta sauces, and
including gratins and tarts and pizza. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there are no tables of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roasted eggplant galette
with mint and honey; spicy garlicky corkscrew pasta with broccoli;
bread stuffing with asparagus and peas; pasta frittata with leeks, goat
cheese and arugula; brussels sprouts and carrot ragout with peas,
cipollini onions and citrus butter.
The downside to this book: these are not all veggie preps, which could
be confusing to some readers.
The upside to this book: yummy looking photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
 

APVSA tasting in Toronto, Jun 7/12

The Date and Time:  Thursday, June 7, 2012  11AM to 5 PM

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 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, Uruguay, Spain and Australia. Sometimes spirits and VDN are also available.

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; these were mostly the good value or unique wines. Here were my faves from today, regardless of FOB cost which must be requested due to competitive pricing. I did not try every wine.

 

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

-Cognac Boutinet XO

-Champagne Janisson Grand Cru

-Champagne Janisson Brut

-Chateau des Landes Lussac Saint Emilion 2009 Cuvee Prestige

-Domaine Mussy Pommard-Epanots 1er Cru

-Domaine Changarnier Monthelie 1er Cru Champs Fulliot 2010

 

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

Rating terms):

-Clos D'Elle Mas de Blanger Syrah Pays D'Oc 2010, 3.30 E

-Chateau Coutelor La Romarine 2009 Sainte Foy Bordeaux

-Les Caves Poussin Vouvray Sparkling NV

-Chateau Soutard Les Jardins 2008 St-Emilion

-Domaine des Perelles Macon St. Veran 2010

-Chateau des Landes Lussac Saint Emilion 2009 Cuvee Tradition

-Domaine Changarnier Meursault 2010

 

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

-Chateau La Roche Bordeaux 2009 Les Canons de Guyenne

-Chateau La Roche Bordeaux 2009 Les Canons de Guyenne Rose

-Clos D'Elle Mas de Blanger Chardonnay Pays D'Oc 2010

-Clos D'Elle Rose  Pays D'Herault 2011

-Chateau de Coustelle 2009 Canon-Fronsac

-Domaine des Perelles Beaujolais Blanc 2010

-Domaine des Perelles Bourgogne Chardonnay 2011

-Domaine de L'Echelette Macon Cruzille 2010

-Domaine Dalais Pascal et Valerie Fleurie 2011

-Domaine Dalais Pascal et Valerie Moulin a Vent 2011

-Domaine Dalais Pascal et Valerie Cote de Brouilly2011

-Domaine Metrat Fleurie La Roilette Vieilles Vignes NV

-Domaine Metrat Moulin a Vent 2010 Lieu Dit

-Domaine Saint Michel Archange La Tour de Boussecos Vin du Pays D'Oc 2010

-Domaine Py Corbieres 2011

 

The Food: Some really great vegetarian food from Le Commensal.

The Contact Person: Pascal p.fernand@apvsa.ca

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

84.