WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR SEPTEMBER 29, 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 RELEASE *UNDER* $20

 

Casa Castillo Monastrell 2010 DO Jumilla: dynamite power and length,
14% ABV. All kinds of chewable fruit and smoke, plus spices, for a
ridiculously low price. +165621, $13.95, QPR: 92.

 

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

 

Dinastia Vivanco Reserva 2005 Rioja, +293431, 24.95.

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Santa Barbara Winery Chardonnay 2010 Santa Barbara County:
concentrated MVC quality tones, with some baked fruits and coconut.
Long length. 13.8% ABV. +989152, $18.95, QPR: 90.
2. Arboleda Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Aconcagua Valley: very herby, long
finish, with some citric acid. +510339, $16.95, QPR: 89.
3. Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Marlborough: =quality but
tame, with some tropicality minus the bizarre herb tones. 13% ABV. Sip
or food. +9142, $17.95, PR: 89.
4. Rudolf Rabl Loss Gruner Veltliner 2011 Kamptal: a great price for a
typical groovy wine, twist top, 12.5% ABV. +295709, $13.95, QPR: 89.
5. Champy Signature Chardonnay Bourgogne 2009: well-made and balanced,
some wood tones, MVC Burgundy all the way, more upscale than price
indicates, 13% ABV. With food. +43455, $18.95, QPR: 91.
6. Domaine de Fussiacus Macon-Fuisse 2009: decent French chardonnay
MVC, with some burgundian overtones, 13.5% ABV. +279000, $16.95, QPR:
89.
7. Perdriaux Domaine de Vaugondy Dry Vouvray 2010: made with older
vines, very good consistency, and a dynamic chenin finish. +189142,
$14.95, QPR: 89.
8. Markus Molitor Riesling 2011 Mosel: delightfully slightly off-dry,
peach complexity, MVC but with higher alcohol. 11% ABV. +295956,
$18.95, QPR: 89.

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Pelee Island Vinedressers [Red} 2010 VQA Ontario: fresh fruit and
berries (both black and red), but needs time to shed some acid. Lay
down, since it is affordable. 13% ABV. Good presentation. +299198,
$15.95, QPR: 89.
2. Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2010 California: there are no
regulations for using "old vines", so some zinfandel producers are
using "ancient vines" to indicate 80 to 100 years or more. This is
value priced for 15% ABV and black cherries with mocha, and a long
balanced length. +719211, $19.95, QPR: 90.
3. First Press Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2009 and 2010: I had the
opportunity through the LCBO Press Tasting Lab to try both vintages – I
thought the 2010 was better, if a bit more tannic, moving it into the
"food" arena. It might be interesting, if you were to have a
party/dinner, to sip the 2009 but pour the 2010 with food. 14.5% ABV
for each.  +188110 each, $19.95, QPR: 89.
4. Hogue Genesis Merlot 2008 Columbia Valley Washington State: great
value for US oak tones, menthol, black fruit and mocha. +349415,
$20.95, QPR: 89.
5. Luis Segundo Valle Las Acequias Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Mendoza:
how do they do this wine so inexpensively? Well-rounded and aged,
ready, oak, deep length, 3.5% ABV. +287516, $15.95, QPR: 90.
6. Blue Pyrenees Shiraz 2009 Victoria: tasty aging, ripe fruit and some
leather-sandalwood, 14% ABV. +935890, $19.95, QPR: 89.
7. La Giraudiere Clos des Meuniers Saumur-Champigny 2010: top stuff for
cabernet franc, with its Euro complexity. Ignore the Bronze medal decal
(why did they bother?) – It's better than that. +290122, $16.95, QPR:
89.
8. Colli Ripani Castellano Rosso Piceno Superiore 2007: great blend of
montepulciano and sangiovese, long finish, definitely needs food, 14%
ABV. +174086, $16.95, QPR: 89.
9. Produttori Vini Manduria Riserva Salice Salentino 2008 IGT Puglia:
delicious, with underbrush, mushrooms, berry fruit, leather, 13.5% ABV.
10. Rocca Delle Macie Chinati Riserva 2008: good value MVC Chianti
wine, 13.5% ABV. +111641, $15.95, QPR: 89.
11. Triacca Spadino 2010 IGT Maremma: herby, food-driven wine, 13.5%
ABV. A sentimental fave. +288001, $15.95, QPR: 89.

 

VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.

 

1. Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Marlborough, +677450, $21.95
retail.
2. Kim Crawford SP Moteo Vineyard Viognier 2008 Hawkes Bay, +191759,
$24.95.
3. Hoffmann-Simon Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese 2011
Mosel, +216499, $21.95.
4. Peninsula Ridge Reserve Meritage 2010 VQA Niagara, +299180, $22.95.
5. Polkura Syrah 2009 Marchigue Colchagua, +283978, $23.95.
6. Chateau St. Georges 2009 St. Georges St.Emilion, +960310, $34.95.
7. Domaine Chanson Beaune-Bastion 1er Cru 2009, +279067, $39.95.
8. Domaine Les Grands Bois Cuvee Maximilien Cairanne 2010 Cotes du
Rhone Villages, +286336, $21.95.
9. Gianni Gagliardo Barolo 2006, +713602, $44.95.
10. Masi Brolo Campofiorin Appaxximento 2008 IGT Rosso del Veronese,
+976092, $24.95.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

SOME FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER 2012

2. SERIOUSLY SIMPLE PARTIES; recipes, menus and advice for effortless
entertaining (Chronicle Books, 2012, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7257-7,
$24.95 US soft covers) is by Diane Rossen Worthington. She's a Beard
Award-winning radio show host, and the author of over 20 cookbooks,
including the Seriously Simple series. As her notes say, there is
material here for a Sunday football lunch for 10, a cocktail party for
20, and a holiday feast for smaller numbers. The trick is to use tested
techniques and simple shortcuts. There are 15 pages of menus, all with
page references for the recipes (which are arranged by separate chapter
courses). The Fall Harvest Party embraces 8 to 12 people, the Indian
Summer dinner party is for 6, and so on – it's all arranged by season,
about 4 – 8 each, 31 menus in all. There is the occasional drink
recommendation, and many tips on how to handle crowds and prepare in
advance. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: those looking for entertainment ideas and
food.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for an autumn paella party,
there are prosciutto-wrapped figs with burrata and port, a tapas
platter, a white gazpacho, an arugula salad, paella, and a limoncello
zabaglione.
The downside to this book: I'd like some material on cleaning up, that
might be useful. Also, more menus, maybe up to 52?
The upside to this book: good sampling of crudities, cheese platters,
drinks, and doubling recipes.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.

 

3. 500 BEST QUINOA RECIPES; 100% gluten-free super-easy superfood
(Robert Rose, 2012, 528 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0414-7, $27.95 CAN paper
covers) is by Camilla V. Saulsbury, a food writer and recipe developer.
Here she comes up with the usual variety of preps for Robert Rose
dealing with a single product: breakfasts, apps, snacks, mains,
desserts, and more. We've been cooking quinoa for over two years (one
of the first such books came from Whitecap), and it is always a delight
to come across another quinoa book. My only complaint is that cooked
quinoa – by itself - tastes too delicate, very close to millet. So it
needs a booster of sweetness or acid or salt via a sauce or added
ingredients. But quinoa has the highest amount of protein of any grain,
and it is complete protein with all the essential amino acids, plus
mineral. The fact that it is gluten-free is appealing to IBS sufferers.
As a cook, you can use the seeds, flakes or make flour in your cooking
patterns. The easiest way to treat quinoa is to prepare it like rice.
Saulsbury uses the simmer method, the pasta method, the rice cooker
method, and the thermos method. She also adds it to baked goods, toasts
it, sprouts it, and makes flour. Each prep here comes with some advice
and comments. 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: single ingredient cookbook for those
interested in quinoa.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pancakes with yogurt and
jam; steak with horseradish and tomato quinoa salad; broccoli and
chicken and quinoa stir-fry; quinoa almond butter blondies; bulgogi
pork with quinoa kimichi slaw; seared salmon with pineapple mint
quinoa.
The downside to this book: nothing really
The upside to this book: good colour photo section.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

 

 

4. THE BIG BOOK OF BABYCAKES CUPCAKE MAKER RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2012,
240 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0417-8, $24.95 CN paper covers) is by Kathy
Moore and Roxanne Wyes, food consultants who also develop recipes and
standards for small appliances. They wrote the booklet that accompanies
the Babycakes cupcake maker. So if you own one, then this book expands
the available recipe selections. It also includes uses far beyond
cupcakes: mini-pies, cake bites, cheesecakes, scones, assorted savoury
cups, tortillas, and more. Everything takes about 10 minutes baking
time, and this is great for parties, bake sales or mass pigouts,
community socials, and the like. Even your kids can help out. There are
even about nine gluten-free preps, but you can easily adapt others
through trial-and-error. There also lots of tips and sidebars. Of
course, it is possible to make small bite-sized desserts apart from a
cupcake maker, but why bother? This book is extremely useful because
the cupcake maker can do so much more than just cupcakes. All the 200
or so 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: beginning cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pecan mini pies; pina colada
cheesecakes; mud pies; candy cane cupcakes; root beer float cupcakes;
Linzer hand pies.
The downside to this book: no general notes on adapting the recipes to
an oven.
The upside to this book: there's a list of Internet and mail order
sources.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.

 

 

 

5. EVERYDAY KITCHEN FOR KIDS; 100 amazing savory and sweet recipes
children can really make (Whitecap, 2012, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-
066-2, $29.95 CAN paper covers) is by Jennifer Low, food editor,
cookbook author ("Kitchen for Kids") and beverage company operator. She
appears frequently on TV as an expert on cooking with kids. The
important thing to remember about this book is that there are no
knives, no stove-top cooking and no motorized appliances. The recipes
also do not call for gluten-rich ingredients such as wheat flour or
breadcrumbs (or they have a gluten-free option). There are long notes
explaining this and other maters affected by allergies and similar
medical problems. Indeed, everything is so easy and simple; it's an
ideal book for students away from home for the first time. The book
begins with meal foods for lunches or dinners, moving to special event
foods, then to baked goods, cookies, and sweets. About half the book is
desserts or sweets. 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: kids and their parents, even the
grandparents.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pink cherry cake; hocus
pocus pizza; ciabatta; sponge toffee lollipops; parmesan puffs; beef
stew; banana bread.
The downside to this book: it might actually help to have a few photos
of kids getting down-and-dirty with the food and the equipment, adding
a bit of a sparkle to the affair.
The upside to this book: there is a glossary of methods and
ingredients.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.

 

 

 

6. GRAIN MAINS; 101 surprising and satisfying whole grain recipes for
every meal of the day (Rodale, 2012, 232 pages, ISBN 978-1-60961-306-8,
$24.99 US hard covers) is by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarborough,
award-winning authors of more than 20 cookbooks. These preps here cover
the gamut, from the well-known (wheat berries) to the obscure (teff).
There's a primer of sorts on what whole grains are all about and
cooking whole grains. The rest of the book is balanced between
breakfast/brunch dishes, cold dishes, and warm dishes. Most of the cold
dishes are salads. A lot of the warm dishes are soups, stews, and
casseroles, with a few burgers. The gluten question is easily
addressed: barley, rye and wheat (in all their forms, including
triticale, kamut, spelt, farro) have gluten. All the rest are gluten-
free, but you must check with the grain processing facilities for
cross-contamination. Usually, only organic non-gluten grains will be
free of gluten. The book will also appeal to vegans and vegetarians
(and preps are labeled such). Preparations have their ingredients
listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: cooks looking for healthy foods in one book.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: quinoa crepes with corn and
avocado; Turkish red lentil and bulgur soup; kamut burgers with
shallots and pecans; tabbouleh with chicken and pineapple; spelt berry
salad with white beans and ham.
The downside to this book: a few more recipes would have been useful.
The upside to this book: a good book to extend your repertoire.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

 

 

7. DUTCH OVEN CAJUN AND CREOLE (Gibbs Smith, 2012, 128 pages, ISBN 978-
1-4236-2525-4, $15.99 US spiral bound) is by Bill Ryan, founder of the
Louisiana Dutch Oven Society. This is the full-blown Dutch oven, made
of cast iron, ranging from 2 quarts to 12 quarts (8 inches to 16 inches
in diameter). It's an important kitchen implement, and there is a
primer on how to season it, clean it and look after it, as well as
control the heat. Then he gets down to the food, which of course is
that Louisiana "yum-yum" factor. There are a lot of notes about
seasoning, and then we begin with breakfast, followed by mains, sides,
breads and desserts. The resources lists tell you where to buy Dutch
ovens and supplies, as well as how to locate the other societies with
all their recipes. There is even an International society, at
www.idos.org Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Just under
100 recipes.
Audience and level of use: Dutch oven users (or any large pot).
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate pecan pie;
crawfish pie; baked cod Cajun style; Cajun breakfast casserole; lobster
Creole; BBQ pork medallions; loaded baked beans; New Orleans red beans;
scalloped corn casserole.
The downside to this book: spiral binding makes it easier for library
users to rip out recipes. This also happens in book stores, where you
should only buy shrink wrapped versions – or use online ordering.
The upside to this book: HOWEVER, spiral binding makes it easier to use
the preps since the book lies flat.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

 

 

8. GLUTEN-FREE BAKING FOR THE HOLIDAYS; 60 recipes for traditional
festive treats (Chronicle Books, 2012, 167 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0701-
1, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Jeanne Sauvage who since 2006 has
maintained a blog at www.artofglutenfreebaking.com. She maintains that
it is not enough to bake gluten-free, the recipe needs to be delicious,
or why bother? I'm with her on this. She opens with the primer on
gluten-free flours, and adds sources for ingredients and equipment.
She opens the recipes with cookies, and then follows with cakes, pies
and tarts, breads and crackers, and ends with deep fried treats
(cannoli, bunuelos, rosettes, pizzelles, krumkake, doughnuts). There is
even a gingerbread house, with templates for the walls and roof.
Nothing is really labeled as a festivity, except maybe Buche de Noel
and Mexican Wedding Cookies – these can be good for year round
holidays. All of the preps are well-detailed, with boldface for the
ingredients and a larger face for the technique. Preparations have
their ingredients listed (for the most part) in metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no separate table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: gluten-free food eaters.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts:
The downside to this book: not enough recipes – I want more (I'll pay
more too).
The upside to this book: I had to fight off my wife who wanted the book
before I reviewed it. Patience.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

 

 

9. 101 RECIPES YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT; a Prevention cookbook (Rodale,
2012, 244 pages, ISBN 978-1-60961-942-8, $24.99 US hard covers) is by
Lori Powell, food director of Prevention magazine, published since
1950. The premise is that these are the top 101 dishes that we should
all be eating since each prep contains the maximum impact of good
nutrients. For example, the dark chocolate pudding with whipped ricotta
satiates the chocolate need and provides all the benefits of chocolate,
is low in calories, and delivers a quarter of one's daily calcium
needs. Linguine with kale, olives and currants provides fiber and
nutrition. The book focuses on 13 essentials: calcium, fibre, folate,
iron, magnesium, omega-3, potassium, others plus four vitamins. This
should provide the maximum impact for your diet if you eat some of all
13 each day. Sounds reasonable to me, and with 101 easy type recipes,
it should be a no-brainer. The only caveat would be if you do not
actually like the food, such as (in my case) beets. That knocks out
three recipes for me. It could be a simple matter of just leaving out
that food, but then the balance is gone. The arrangement is by course.
Each prep has nutritional information, and there is a week's worth of
menus at the back to get you started. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents (even though the nutritional data is in metric).
Audience and level of use: those cooks interested in good health, but
harried for time.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: grilled eggplant, tomato and
fresh mozzarella sandwiches; pearl couscous with roasted beets, lima
beans, and feta; chopped vegetable salad with sardines and toasted pita
croutons; Swiss chard and white bean soup; curried red lentil and
carrot soup; roasted chicken breasts with sauteed cabbage and apples.
The downside to this book: not enough recipes, could we have more
please?
The upside to this book: enticing photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

10. WHOLE GRAINS FOR A NEW GENERATION; light dishes, hearty meals,
sweet treats, and sundry snacks for the everyday cook (Stewart, Tabori
& Chang, 2012; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-
61769-001-3, $23.95 US paper covers) is by Liana Krissoff, a cookbook
author who had previously dealt with caning, hot drinks, and slow
cooking. The preps here are arranged by course, beginning with
breakfast ands brunch, progressing through apps and salads, mains and
sides, sweets and snacks, and ending with "homemade condiments to have
on hand". Most grains are gluten-free; the ones to avoid are the wheat
and rye family, barley, and possibly oats from a bulk bin. The 150 or
so preparations have their ingredients listed mostly in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no separate table of
equivalents. Each prep has an indication of whether it is gluten-free,
vegan or vegetarian. At the end, there is a cheat sheet of cooking
times, arranged by grain, and a list of sources with addresses and
websites.
Audience and level of use: home cooks looking for healthy and new
dishes.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: teff upma (spicy Indian
mush); kinche (Ethiopian cracked wheat) with spiced butter and
tomatoes; batido de trigo (puffed-wheat drink); smoked fish and kasha
cakes; oven-baked brown rice balls; spicy soba noodle salad; porcini
and barley risotto.
The downside to this book: I'd like a little more discussion on gluten.
The upside to this book: just about everything is tasty, with added
spicing (not necessarily heat).
Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

 

 

11. A YEAR OF PIES; a seasonal tour of home baked pies (Lark Crafts,
2012; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4547-0286-3,
$19.95 US paper covers) is by Ashley English, author of the Homemade
Living series (canning, chickens, bees, home dairy). The basics primer
has six essential pie crust recipes, some troubleshooting tips,
instructions for creating decorative pie crusts, and how to select
seasonal ingredients. Each season, beginning with winter, includes some
guest recipes from bloggers. Winter has such delights as pies made with
beets, cabbage, celeriac, collards, kale, mushrooms, onions, parsnips,
potatoes, rutabagas and turnips. Fruit is represented by citrus
varieties. Spring has more fruit, summer is almost totally fruit, and
autumn coasts with a good mixture of apples, cranberries, fennel, figs,
pears, pecans, pomegranates, pumpkins, quinces, and winter squashes.
While she herself doesn't have any gluten-free recipes, three bloggers
do: apple pie, pear tart, and smoked salmon tart. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are
tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: pie lovers (who isn't?)
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fiadone; spiced meat pie;
galumkis pie; roasted corn and pepper pie; lemon-lime chess pie; honey
pie; roasted butternut squash, cheddar, and sage galette.
The downside to this book: there's about 60 preps here, I wish there
were more, say 104, for pie twice a week.
The upside to this book: great idea, plus all the savoury pies as well.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

Re: FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! Meringue

Awesome! Thank you! I'll let Gibbs Smith know.

Cheers,
Danielle Johnson
Senior Publicist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raincoast Books ~ 2440 Viking Way, Richmond, BC V6V 1N2
danielle@raincoast.com ~ ph: 604.448.7163

Follow us:
BLOG: http://blogs.raincoast.com
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/raincoastbooks
PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/raincoastbooks/

>1. MERINGUE (Gibbs Smith, 2012; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-
>1-4236-2581-0, $24.99 US hard covers) is by Linda K. Jackson (a food
>and beverage marketing executive) and Jennifer Evans Gardner (cookbook
>author and lifestyle writer). Together they came up with a single
>ingredient cookbook for the masses: you cannot have too much meringue
>and sugar for dessert! There's an extensive section on the history and
>development of meringues, a primer on how to do it (ingredients, tools
>techniques), followed by a selection of preps dealing with cookies,
>pavlovas, bars, tarts, pies, cakes, tortes, vacherins, dacquoises,
>meringue frostings, and more. There are three stages of meringue
>(foamy, soft peaks, stiff peaks) and three types (French, Italian, and
>Swiss). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
>measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents.
>Audience and level of use: those looking for a meringue fix – what to
>do with all those egg whites after you've made crème brulee and crème
>caramel!
>Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: death by milk chocolate;
>snowballs; s'moringues; meringue pizza; ile flottante with salted
>caramel and toasted hazelnuts; vanilla swiss meringue buttercream;
>raspberry white chocolate vacherin; southern black bottom pie; golden
>apricot bars.
>The downside to this book: no mention of nun's farts (pet de nonne, pet
>des soeur), but there is a chapter on "little clouds".
>The upside to this book: great single ingredient cookbook.
>Quality/Price Rating: 90.
>
>Chimo! [ http://www.deantudor.com ]www.deantudor.com
>

FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! Meringue

1. MERINGUE (Gibbs Smith, 2012; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-
1-4236-2581-0, $24.99 US hard covers) is by Linda K. Jackson (a food
and beverage marketing executive) and Jennifer Evans Gardner (cookbook
author and lifestyle writer). Together they came up with a single
ingredient cookbook for the masses: you cannot have too much meringue
and sugar for dessert! There's an extensive section on the history and
development of meringues, a primer on how to do it (ingredients, tools
techniques), followed by a selection of preps dealing with cookies,
pavlovas, bars, tarts, pies, cakes, tortes, vacherins, dacquoises,
meringue frostings, and more. There are three stages of meringue
(foamy, soft peaks, stiff peaks) and three types (French, Italian, and
Swiss). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: those looking for a meringue fix – what to
do with all those egg whites after you've made crème brulee and crème
caramel!
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: death by milk chocolate;
snowballs; s'moringues; meringue pizza; ile flottante with salted
caramel and toasted hazelnuts; vanilla swiss meringue buttercream;
raspberry white chocolate vacherin; southern black bottom pie; golden
apricot bars.
The downside to this book: no mention of nun's farts (pet de nonne, pet
des soeur), but there is a chapter on "little clouds".
The upside to this book: great single ingredient cookbook.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! NYT Book of Wine

1. THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF WINE (Sterling Epicure, 2012, 692 pages,
ISBN 978-1-4027-8184-1, $24.95 US hard covers) has been edited by
Howard G. Goldberg. The essays come from 29 different contributors --
156 articles from the pages of the New York Times. Authors include Eric
Asimov, Frank J. Prial, Florence Fabricant, Terry Robards, Frank Bruni,
William Grimes, Howard McGee, R.W. Apple Jr., Goldberg himself, and
others. It is a good gift book, covering the previous three decades of
New York Times wine coverage back to 1980 when wine knowledge really
began to blossom in North America. Topics are vast and tiny: food
pairing, corkscrews, major wines, minor wines, restaurant experiences,
newly emerging wine regions, and the like. Goldberg was a NYT editor
from 1970, and wrote about wines until 2004. Asimov took over then, and
continues to do so. Good bedtime reading. Quality/Price rating: 90.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

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

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

 

THE ASIAN GRANDMOTHERS COOKBOOK; home cooking from Asian American
kitchens (Sasquatch Books, 2009, 2012; distr. Random House of Canada,
348 pages, ISBN 978-1-57061-752-2, $25.95 US soft covers) is by
Patricia Tanumihardja, a free-lance food writer. It was originally
published in 2009 as a hardbound book, and here it returns as a
paperback with perfect binding. The Asian grandmother in the US is the
glue that keeps the family together. Here are about 120 preps for old-
school dishes from Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Thai,
Indian and Korean sources. Recipes have their variations noted, and the
author contributes her notes and some from a relevant "grandmother".
Typical dishes include chicken adobo, steamed meatballs with tangerine
peel, beef stir fry, black bean steamed fish, watercress and pork rib
soup, pork and shrimp cups, and mochiko fried chicken. There are also a
fair bit of cultural notes here detailing the impact of elder Asian
immigrants in American life. Most of these notes come from the ten
profiles of "grandmas". There's a resources list and a bibliography,
with some chosen websites. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there are conversion tables of metric
equivalents. A good entry level book for the newly inspired lover of
Asiatic food. Quality/price rating: 87.

 

 

 

21. AGUECHEEK'S BEEF, BELCH'S HICCUP, AND OTHER GASTRONOMIC
INTERJECTIONS; literature, culture, and food among the early moderns
(University of Chicago Press, 2006, 2012, 375 pages, ISBN 978-0-26-
02127-0, $22.50 US soft covers) is by Robert Appelbaum, professor of
English literature at Uppsala University in Sweden. It was originally
published in 2006 (winning the Roland H. Bainton Prize in 2007), and
here receives a trade paperback reprint. It's an interesting idea: the
telling of how post-Renaissance Europeans put food into words and words
into food. Appelbaum looks at cookbooks, great literature, comic
novels, and colonial expansion, which brought in new foods to
wonderment and delight. The illustrations are well-chosen. There are
about a dozen preparations, for such tasty items as calves head,
chicken hunter style, hemp seed porridge, and capon broth for the ill.
This is a major contribution to European food cultural history. There
are extensive end notes and a long select bibliography. Quality/price
rating: 90.

 

 

 

22. AS ALWAYS, JULIA; the letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Mariner Books, 2012; distr. T. Allen) has
been edited by Joan Reardon. It is a reprint of the acclaimed 2010
hardback book; it was an IACP winner. The entire correspondence covers
1952 to 1989 (when Avis died), but Reardon only goes to 1961, the
period when Julia Child was developing the first volume of her
Mastering the Art of French Cooking. DeVoto was Child's friend and
unofficial literary agent. The initial decade covers the beginnings of
a gastronomic awakening in American culinary development, with Child
leading the way. The more than 200 letters provide the correspondents'
deepest thoughts and feelings about food, friendship, and the making of
the book. This paperback is out just in time for Child's 100th
anniversary of her birth. Scattered throughout are some black and white
photos. For those who like a topical approach, there is even a
worthwhile index. Quality/price rating: 94.

 

23. GRANDMA'S GERMAN COOKBOOK (DK Books, 2010, 2012, 195 pages, ISBN
978-0-7566-9432-6, $22 US hard covers) is by Birgit Hamm and Linn
Schmidt, food authors who live in Hamburg. It was originally published
by DK in German in 2010, with 85 classic preps as prepared by the
ladies' grandmothers (actually, there are six grandmothers involved).
It is a homey book, with a full range of soups, stews, dinners, sweets,
cakes, jams, and so forth. Fried potatoes, cabbage rolls, schnitzel,
spaetzle, roast duck, potato pancakes, marzipan, plum tart, Christmas
stollen -- mostly comfort food for a colder climate. There's a German
recipe index as well as a regular index. Cultural notes abound but
there is nothing on wines. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 88.

 

 

 

24. FANNIE FARMER 1896 COOK BOOK THE BOSTON COOKING SCHOOL (Skyhorse
Publishing, 1896, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 567 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-
543-8, $12.95 US hard covers) is an open-and-shut photographic reprint
of the 1896 edition, with nothing added or taken away. This includes
the index and the two dozen or so pages of adverts from that time
period. There are 1380 recipes here, from boiling an egg to preparing a
calf's head. Her book is widely known for standardizing measurements in
recipes (the Boston Cooking School first developed this). So these are
the classic recipes, with ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements. But of course, there is no table of metric equivalents. A
useful book for the culinary historian at a bargain price.
Quality/price rating: 86.

 

 

 

25. NORWEGIAN CAKES AND COOKIES (Skyhorse Publishing, 2012; distr. T.
Allen, 158 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-56-8, $19.5 US hard covers) is by
Sverre Saetre, who owns a patisserie in Oslo. It was originally
published in Norwegian in 2009, and this is its North American debut in
English. These are traditional Norwegian desserts with some modern re-
inventions. Saetre has been a member of the Norwegian National Culinary
Team since 2003; they were world champs in 2006 and Olympians in 2008.
There's a wide range here, more than enough to satisfy every taste: the
fyrstekake (butter pastry and marzipan), kokosholler (chocolate
truffles, tilslorte bondepiker (fruit compote). There's a primer
chapter on the basics, with tips and advice. As well, most ingredients
are scaled by metric and avoirdupois measurements. Here's about 60
recipes plus variations, but no index. The table of contents has been
expanded to include the names of the preps. The major arrangement is by
category: fruit, berries, dairy, nuts and spices, and chocolate.
Quality/price rating: 86.

 

 

 

26. KNIFE SKILLS: how to carve/chop/slice/fillet (DK Books, 2008, 2012,
224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-9831-7, $11.95 US paper covers) is by Marcus
Wareing, Shaun Hill, Charlie Trotter and Lyn Hall – all are chefs
except Hall who is a food writer. Here are clear, step-by-step
photographs as only DK books can do. There is material on how to choose
knives, how to sharpen, and how to master techniques. This is the
paperback reprint to the 2008 hardback – with more than 400 photos and
a section on safety and First Aid. Great price. Quality/price rating:
90.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH: Craig Claiborne bio (Free Press)

THE MAN WHO CHANGED THE WAY WE EAT; Craig Claiborne and the American
food renaissance (Free Press, 2012; distr. Simon & Schuster, 339 pages,
ISBN 978-1-4391-9150-7, $27 US hard covers) is by Thomas McNamee, who
also wrote "Alice Waters and Chez Panisse". Claiborne was a remarkable
food editor at the powerful New York Times (from 1957) and over time he
managed to change North American attitudes to food, from falsely-made
foreign food and overdone meats to an ethnic European culture that
embraced crème fraiche, arugula, pesto, cilantro, balsamic, and
equipment for the home kitchen such as the Cuisinart, chef's knives,
and salad spinners. He gave Julia Child her first major review,
introduced Bocuse, Troigros, Prudhomme, Edna Lewis, Puck, and Pepin to
the US, and created a demand for Hazan, Jaffrey, Kennedy, and other
writers. He was probably the first "critical" restaurant reviewer in
the US, and was son emulated by hundreds of others. He promoted dinner
parties at home with fine food and wines, great conversation, and
social ease. There's also a good deal of material about his private
life and his gayness, but it is the food stories that are mainly
relevant here. There are end notes and a bibliography (listing all of
Claiborne's books). His first (a large booklet) was for Bloomingdale's
in 1957, followed by the New York Times Cookbook in 1961.
Audience and level of use: gastronomes, food readers.
Some interesting or unusual facts: On page one of the New York Times,
Nov 14, 1975 – "Just a quiet dinner for 2 in Paris: 31 dishes, 9 wines,
a $4000 check" – the famous dinner paid for by AmEx after Claiborne bid
$300 at a charity silent auction. The full account is here.
The downside to this book: lacks a favourite recipe or two. Also, I
wonder what that $4000 dinner would cost today.
The upside to this book: great detail on the ins and outs of the NYC
food scene, well-worth reading.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 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 RELEASE *UNDER* $20

 

White – Domaine Jacky Marteau Sauvignon Touraine 2011, a bargain savvy
with herbs galore. +745349, $12.95, QPR: 91.

 

Red – Chateau d'Angles Grand Vin 2007 Languedoc La Clape: very good
mid-palate notes, long length, well-aged, 14.5% ABV. South of France
herbs and spices all the way. +286492, $19.95, QPR: 91.

 

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

 

Burgess Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Estate Vineyards Napa, +291914, $37.95.

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. 2017 Falls Vineyard Riesling 2011 VQA Vinemount Ridge: typical
Riesling MVC at a sterling pricepoint. Expect grapefruit, minerals,
some peaches. +294041, $18.95, QPR: 89.
2. Coffin Ridge Bone Dry Riesling 2011 VQA Ontario: from Bruce-Grey,
very good quality, an extra dry riesling with a bit of a bite. Needs
food. 11.9% ABV. +232744, $17, QPR: 89.
3. Lailey Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 VQA Niagara: honestly made well-
balanced, plush Chardonnay with kisses of oak and a lemony custard
finish. +193482, $19.95, QPR: 89.
4. Lakeview Cellars Reserve Riesling 2011 Roller Vineyards VQA Lincoln
Lakeshore: refreshing, extremely useful Riesling, 12.5% ABV, with all
the MVC. +294074, $16.95, QPR: 89.
5. Sebastiani Chardonnay 2010 Sonoma County: a very good in-your-face
California chardonnay, toasty finish, 13.5% ABV. +30791, $17.95, QPR:
89.
6. Domaine Seguinot-Bordet Chablis 2010: good definitive Chablis
character at this price point, 12.5% ABV, with minerality, fruity
flint, and unoaked. +289371, $19.95, QR: 89.
7. Martin Codax Burgans Albarino 2010 Rias Baixas: Burgans must be
Spanish for "bargains", as this is easily one of the better affordable
Albarinos around, with its peachy aromatic fruit forwardness. 12.5%
ABV. Twist top. +945063, $17.95, QPR: 89.

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1.Featherstone Cabernet Franc 2010 VQA Niagara: tannic finish, tight,
but herby nonetheless, 13% ABV. Could be juicier after cellaring.
+6468, $16.95, QPR: 89.
2. Wildass Red 2009 VQA Niagara: juicy sipper or with food from
Stratus, good mix of fruit and wood, a winemaker's treasure and
delight. Twist top, 13% ABV. +86363, $19.95, QPR: 89.
3. Chakana Maipe Reserve Malbec 2010 Mendoza: delicious balanced fruit,
14% ABV, matured in French oak. +247320, $17.95, QPR: 89.
4. Koyle Reserva Syrah 2009 Colchagua Valley Chile: very North Rhonish
with plump upfront syrah tones. 14% ABV. +273961, $15.95, QPR: 89.
5. The Black Chook Shiraz/Viognier 2010 McLaren Vale: surefire winner
of Parker points at 90 or over since 2003, great track record, twist
top, 14.5% ABV. What's not to like? +66738, $17.95, QPR: 89.
6. Chateau de Millegrand Minervois 2010: Gold Medalist, very good
balance, North American appeal of sweet oak. +288944, $16.95, QPR: 89.
7. Ferraton Pere & Fils Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2009: very
good consistency, 214.5% ABV, BBQ wine, simple North Rhone style.
+74229, $15.95, QPR: 89.
8. Azul Portugal Vinho Tinto 2007 Bairrada: modestly priced dense wine,
well-aged, delicious fruit, 13% ABV. +292060, $12.95, QPR: 89.

 

VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.

 

1. Bachelder Niagara Chardonnay 2010 VQA Niagara, +302083, $29.95
retail.
2. Closson Chase Closson Chase Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 VQA PEC,
+148866, $29.95.
3.Rolly Gassmann Stegreben de Rorschwihr Gewurztraminer 2009 Alsace,
+289439, $27.95.
4. Domaine Michel Caillot Meursault 2009, +281139, $42.95.
5. Roland Tessier & Fils Sancerre 2011, +10851, $20.95.
6. Henry of Pelham Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 VQA Niagara, +268391,
$24.95.
7. Bodegas LAN Reserva 2007 Rioja, +42929, $21.95.
8. Thomas Fogarty Lexington Meritage 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains, +83352,
$49.95.
9. Charles Cimicky The Autograph Shiraz 2008 Barossa, +27326, $34.95.
10. Gemma Barolo 2007, +285502, $29.95.
11. Ruffino Ducale Oro Chianti Classico Riserva 2007, +353201, $43.95.
12. Michele Castellani Colle Cristi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
2007, +222109, $44.95.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

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

 

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

 

 

 

19. PRESERVING MADE EASY; small batches & simple techniques (Firefly,
2012, 286 pages, ISBN 978-1-77085-094-1, $9.99 CA paperback is by Ellie
Topp and Margaret Howard. It's based on THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SMALL-
BATCH PRESERVING; over 300 delicious recipes to use year-round. 2d
edition,
The authors are professional home economists and food consultants. Both
have authored and co-authored cookbooks before. Lots
of simple techniques are carefully explained here, so that food should
not spoil. Variations are suggested. The shtick is to do your own
processing and save over supermarket prices; hence, there are fairly
decent store knockoffs here. Covered are jams, jellies, pickles,
chutneys, sauces, salsas, conserves, low-sugar spreads, flavoured oils
and vinegars. This paperback has 200 of the larger book's 300 preps,
some reworked for simplicity. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
separate table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89.

 

20. EASY CAKES & COOKIES; cupcakes, brownies, muffins, loaves a& more
(Ryland, Peters & Small, 2012, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-212-1,
$19.95 US hard covers) and

 

21. EASY 30-MINUTE MEALS; quick and easy recipes for busy people
(Ryland, Peters & Small, 2012, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-210-7,
$19.95 US hard covers) are the latest books in this publisher's "Easy"
series (over half-a-million books sold), bringing the total up to 18
thus far. The premise is a selection of easy preps from the stable of
writers at Ryland. All recipes are credited to such as Louise Pickford,
Maxine Clark, Ross Dobson, Sarah Rendell, Tonia George, and many
others. There are about 100 preps in each of the "Easy" books; all have
been previously published by Ryland. Try sweet potato and coconut soup,
porcini frittata, Thai chicken curry, mocha swirl loaf, lime drizzle
cake, or toffee pear muffins.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is a separate table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 84.

 

 

 

22. FISH & SHELLFISH; grilled & smoked (Harvard Common Press, 2002,
2012, 408 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832-181-6, $18.95 US soft covers) is by
Karen Adler, author of a dozen cookbooks, and Judith Fertig, also
author of a dozen cookbooks. Here they combine to give us 300 preps
plus sauces, marinades, rubs, and sides for seafood. The book was
originally published in 2002, and this is a paperback reissue. There's
a primer on grilling and smoking, with fish substitution guidelines.
Then the recipes are divided on fish or shellfish, smoked or grilled in
four chapters. There's fresh herbed-crusted mullet, grilled ocean
perch, grilled squid, smoked catfish salad, stir-grilled scallops, oak-
planked salmon, and more. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 85.

 

 

 

23. SUMMER DAYS & BALMY NIGHTS (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2012, 276
pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-207-7, $27.95 US hard covers) has more than 160
recipes and ideas for summer entertaining Mediterranean-style. It's a
book package pulled together from the stable of food writers at Ryland,
There was an earlier book entitled "Lazy Days and Beach Blankets", and
this current effort extends that one. Major recipe contributions came
from Louise Pickford, Fiona Beckett, Maxine Clark, Ross Dobson, and
Clair Ferguson. Preps include lemon drop, peaches and sauternes ice
cream, chicken avgolemono, soupe verdon, watermelon and ricotta salata
salad, and spiced muscat figs. Arrangement is by course, with grazing
apps, salads, soups, grill work, alfresco desserts and drinks.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no separate table of metric
equivalents. Excellent photography. Quality/price rating: 84.

 

24. ARTISANAL GLUTEN-FREE COOKING; 275 great-tasting, from-scratch
recipes from around the world, perfect for every meal and for anyone on
a gluten-free diet, and even those who aren't. 2d ed. Rev. (The
Experiment, 2009, 2012; distr. T. Allen, 336 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-
050-8, $18.95 US paper covers) is by the husband-and-wife team of Kelli
Bronski, Cornell hotel school graduate, and writer Peter Bronski (who
has celiac disease since before 2007). Everything, of course, is
gluten-free in this book. There are 70 GF flour preps for breads,
pastas, and pizzas, as well as 20 for GF flour desserts. They have
developed their own mix ratios for gluten-free flours (as has almost
every other gluten-free writer): if you need it, you'll have to
experiment to see what works best. This one is principally brown rice,
sorghum, and corn starch. But it is their default GF flour mix. There's
a primer plus a range of recipes without gluten. Many preps never had
gluten to begin with, such as bacon-wrapped shrimp. To my mind, a
better book would have been based solely on replacing gluten in
recipes. Only about 100 of the 275 preps do that. The new edition has
50 more colour photos, 25 more recipes, and some appeal to vegetarians
and vegans. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 85.

 

25. TEN-MINUTE BENTO (Vertical Inc., 2007, 2012; dist. Random House of
Canada, 80 pages, ISBN 978-1-935654-41-4, $14.95 US soft covers) is by
Megumi Fuji. It was published by Kodansha in Japan in 2007, and this is
the North American reissue. And it is a terrific idea. Tired of all
those 30-minute or less easy meals? Try the ten-minute bento. These are
easy, creative bento box meals, classic preps and some with modern
ideas. "Just cook up some rice and add a topping" – or two. Here are
sliced beef bento, omelet and wakame rice bento, sesame chicken and
veggie with salsify rice bento, or ramen salad bento. There are 27
bento boxes, plus some sides and desserts. Of course, it helps to have
a good pantry. Excellent photos. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
separate table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90.

 

26. THE PERFECT START TO YOUR DAY; delicious recipes for breakfast and
brunch (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2009, 2012; distr. T. Allen, 144 pages,
ISBN 978-1-84975-219-0, $19.95 U hard covers) is by food writer-stylist
Tonia George who has written for Ryland before. This is a revised
edition of "Breakfast & Brunch" published in 2009. There are abut 100
preps here that cover the usual terrain of drinks, fruit, grains, eggs,
pastries, pancakes, waffles, mains, sandwiches, salads, sides and
preserves. But it is all well-framed, with convincing arguments that
this style of food is appropriate all day long. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no table of metric equivalents. Try lemon and sage tisane,
smoked haddock and avocado omelette wraps, potato and rosemary pancakes
with bacon and honey, or English breakfast quiche. Quality/price
rating: 85,

 

27. MAKE IT TONIGHT; delicious no-fuss dinner solutions for every cook.
Updated edition (Transcontinental Books, 2007, 2012; distr. Random
House of Canada, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-9813938-6-5, $27.95 CAN paper
covers) is from the test kitchens at Canadian Living. It was first
published in 2007 under the guidance of Elizabeth Baird and her team.
This time it has been redesigned and redone by the Test Kitchen, with
55 new recipes and photos. The meals remain fast (15 to 30 minutes),
convenient (pantry or specialized equipment such as slow cooker), and
with few ingredients (usually 5 or fewer). Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no separate table of equivalents. Nutritional information is
provided, and usually there is a sidebar with each prep indicating some
technique or tip or advice. It is basic stuff, but it is organized well
and there is a large typeface and plenty of white space. Quality/price
rating: 85.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

Drink Book of the Month: Whiskey Opus (DK Books)

WHISKEY OPUS; the world's greatest distilleries and their whiskeys
(DK Books, 2012, 300 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-9833-1, $40 US hard covers)
is by Gavin D. Smith and Dominic Roskrow, with contributions by Davin
De Kergommeaux and Jurgen Deibel (Davin is a Canadian writer, author of
whisky articles for magazines and author of Canadian Whisky. This is an
incredibly informative book about the brown spirit of whiskey and
whisky. Every single style is noted, from single-malts to poteen, with
info on how to appreciate each one. The emphasis is global: so while
Scotland has the lion's share of 130 pages, there are about 125 for the
ROW. The US and Canada are separate, but all whiskey-producing
countries are included, along with a glossary and intro primer. It is a
huge book, measuring 11 by 9 inches, lots of photos (a DK Books
specialty). Regions are described, e.g., Speyside, Islay, Highlands,
Lowlands, and there are tasting notes for selected distilleries. It's
not comprehensive: only the best are included. Still, there is enough
here to keep even the most fervid fan happy. As I write this review,
you can get the book from Amazon.Com for $27.33 (or $27.59 in Canada,
with free shipping). Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

Some new Ontario wines recently tasted...

1. From Chateau des Charmes,

 

* Chateau des Charmes Aligote 2010 VQA St. David's Bench, $13.55,
+296848 LCBO: made from a rare French vinifera (seldom seen outside
Burgundy) that Chat. des Charmes has cultivated since 1978, loaded with
orchard fruit (apples and pears) and ending with a crisp finishing
acidity suggesting food more than sipping. 13% ABV.

 

* Chateau des Charmes Gamay Noir 2009 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, $12.55,
+57349 LCBO: medium-bodied, suggestive of Beaujolais (same grape
variety). Easy drinking of cherry-berry flavours, patios, parties, BBQ.
Ready now, with some tannic structure to carry through a whole meal.
13% ABV.

 

* Chateau des Charmes Vidal Icewine 2009 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake,
$25.95 for 200 mL, +565861 Vintages: a nifty icewine with apricot as
the defining aroma and flavour, followed by honey tones. Read now, but
can be aged (but then it will taste different and, in my opinion,
better). Perfect for gifting.

 

2. From Huff Estates,

 

* Huff Estates Pinot Gris 2011 VQA Ontario, $19.95 at winery: from
vineyards in PEC and NOTL (hence the Ontario VQA designation). Stress
is on the French style (winemaker F. Picard is French) and uses the
"gris" descriptor rather than the more-common "grigio". "Gris" usually
indicates more aromatics and floral consistency right through to an
enticing finish. Body is firmer and colouring is more straw or
yellowish. Useful as an aperitif or first course wine, but it is more
demanding than a regular sipper. 12.5% ABV.

 

* Huff Estates Riesling Off Dry 2011 VQA Ontario, $17.95 at winery: I
did not find this "off-dry" at all, but rather a typical Ontario
Riesling with body and finishing acidity. More a first course or
aperitif than a sipper as the label may imply. Good balance of
sweetness and acidity. 12% ABV.

 

* Huff Estates Riesling Reserve Sculpture Series 2011 VQA Ontario,
$21.95 at winery: more stuffing in this Riesling, again with some
citric and peach tones, and a longer acidity on the finish. Definitely
food, and later in the meal. Good offset to fatty foods such as goose.
This one could be cellared for 5 years. 12.5% ABV.

 

* Huff Estates Chardonnay VQA Niagara, $17.95 at winery: described by
the winery as "clean and lean", and I would add "green" for its apple
tones. Some tropicality. Stainless steel fermentation, no oak.
Excellent food wine, main courses. 12.5% ABV.

 

* Huff Estates Merlot 2011 VQA Ontario, $19.95 at winery: very fruity,
maybe fruit gone wild, no oak or other aging – just stainless steel.
Typical red fruit style, cherry-berry even, some anise. First course or
cheese. 12.8% ABV.

 

* Huff Estates Merlot 2008 South Bay Vineyards VQA PEC, $29.95 at
winery: previous vintages have won Gold medals at Artevino, the PEC
food and wine festival. This has just been released, but the taste
profile follows the past, so there is no reason why it cannot win again
in its class! Definitely French-style Pomerol, 18 months in new French
oak, 13% ABV. Black fruit, plumy, some underbrush showing, wood tones.
Good for laying down until at least 2016. Or aerate.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

 

Aug 29/12: re-launch of Tundra Restaurant

The Date and Time: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 6PM to 9PM
The Event: re-launch of Tundra Restaurant
The Venue: Hilton Toronto
The Target Audience: food, wine and lifestyle media
The Availability/Catalogue: beers, wines and cocktails were from the
bar.
The Quote/Background: Tundra has been through a makeover, with new
décor, menu, and ambience. Kevin Prendergast, Executive Chef (since
2006) was around us for chats – he was unmistakable with his presence.
The Montreal-based design firm Lemaymichaud had enhanced the entrance
with a sphere fashioned from Vancouver Island red cedar. The new
centerpiece features glass panels etched with a satellite image of
Ungava Bay. Earth tones dominate, especially at the horseshoe-shaped
bar.
The Wines: we were served Giovello Blu Prosecco (spritzy, party-like),
Lailey Vineyards Chardonnay 2009 VQA Niagara (full, ripe, nuances of
oak and tropical fruit, 90 pts), and Peninsula Ridge Merlot A.J. Lepp
Vineyard Reserve 2010 VA Niagara Lakeshore (nose a bit closed at this
point but red fruit prevailed on the palate, 89 pts). There were
cocktails from Diageo (Grand Marnier, Ketel One) which I did not have,
and beers (such as Sam Adams lager) which I did not have. Additional
drinks were poured with desserts in the 32nd Floor Executive Lounge.
The Food: The new menu features reindeer carpaccio, venison, elk, BC
black cod, and more, to be seasonally adjusted four times a year.
Everything, of course, is sustainable and locally sourced. Wild and/or
organic ingredients come from a Quebec-based forager (fiddleheads,
ramps, berries, mushrooms). Cheeses come via the Cheese Boutique. We
were served via four stations: house cured salmon gravlax (with ramps,
mustard cream cheese, dill), buffalo mozzarella (with charred leeks,
pea shoots, pickled fiddleheads, and pine nut shards), pan-fired
scallops, and beef slices. Passarounds included bison sliders, mac and
cheese lobster, sushi rolls. There was so much food…
The Downside: I wore myself out talking, drinking, and eating savouries
– I passed on the invite to the Executive Lounge.
The Upside: I had a very good time talking to a lot of people and other
media folk, plus Michael Howell from Tempest in Nova Scotia. The food
was terrific, excellent matches to the wines (and vice versa).
The Contact Person: renee@thesirengroup.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade):
94.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com