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

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

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

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.

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

"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net" is a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, at www.deantudor.com since 1994. My LCBO tastings are based on MVC (Modal Varietal Character); ratings are QPR (Quality-to-Price Ratio). Prices are LCBO retail. Only my top rated wines are here. NOTE: The LCBO does NOT put out all of the wines of the release for wine writers or product consultants. Corked wines are not normally available for a re-tasting.

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.

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

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

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

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

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

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11.Ribota 2010 Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, +280628, $15.95: ripe and round, blueberries come to mind, fruity, long length, delicious at 14.5% ABV. Check it out. QPR: 89.

 

VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20

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

Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10 markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.

 

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

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

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

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

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

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

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

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

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

The Venue: Le Paradis, Bedford Road.

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

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

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

The Wines:

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

copious quantities of different Ontario ice wines.

 

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

The Downside: it was really cold outside.

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

The Contact Person: spuritt@sympatico.ca

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

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

* FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! *

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

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

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

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

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

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.

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

"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net" is a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, at www.deantudor.com since 1994. My tastings are based on MVC (Modal Varietal Character); ratings are QPR (Quality-to-Price Ratio). Prices are LCBO retail. Only my top rated wines are here. NOTE: The LCBO does NOT put out all of the wines of the release for wine writers or product consultants. Corked wines are not normally available for a re-tasting.

 

 

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

 

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

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11.Finca El Encinal Crianza 2010 Ribera del Duero, +355081, $17.95: toasted oak tones on the finish, 14% ABV, strongly-placed fruit for the palate. QPR: 90.

 

VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20

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

Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10 markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

21. 200 BEST PANINI RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2008, 2013, 256 pages, ISBN
978-0-7788-0201-3 [sic], $27.95 CAN paper covers) is by Tiffany
Collins, who once served as culinary spokesperson for the Texas Beef
Council. 35 panini here are made from beef; this represents one-sixth
of the book. The book comes with some new photos, but essentially it is
the same as the 2008 version. Panini, for the uninitiated cook, are
pressed and grilled sandwiches. You can take almost any sandwich and
make it into a panini: just keep the ooze factor to a minimum. This
book has several hundred recipes, if you count all the variations, and
it is a good book for beginners. The arrangement is by format or
content, such as breakfast and brunch panini, vegetarian, seafood
(smoked salmon, red onion, cream cheese and caper panini), poultry,
meat (beef, caramelized onions and blue cheese panini), deli, leftover,
panini for kids, and desserts (chocolate, hazelnut and strawberry
panini). She has riffs such as classic Reuben panini, Montecristo
panini, Philly chicken panini, chicken Caesar, lobster fontina, even
pizza panini. Some of the preps are glamorous such as the sardine and
balsamic tomato panini. Others are upscale. The type of bread is up to
you, she says, but ciabatta and focaccia are best according to the
author. The book shows the standard
Robert Rose approach: larger typeface and additional leading,
avoirdupois and metric measurements, colour plates with page
references, cooks notes, and index. There is even a chapter on
condiments. Quality/price rating: 83.

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK...

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com

Wine Australia Media Preview Tasting, Dec 10/2013

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

The Event: Wine Australia Media Preview Tasting

The Venue: Vintage Conservatory, Lombard Street

The Target Audience: wine media

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

-Peter Lehmann Portrait Barossa Shiraz 2011, $19.95

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

-Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz SEA 2012, $15.95

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

-Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Cabernet Sauvignon SXEA 2012, $12.95

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

 

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

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

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

-Mitolo Junior Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale 2011, $16.95

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

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

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

-Hardys Bankside Shiraz South Australia 2012, $14.65

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

 

FEBRUARY VINTAGES RELEASE (Feb 1/2014)

 

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

-Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra, 2010, $29.95

-Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz Padthaway 2011, $16.95 AUD

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

-Heartland Stickleback Red South Australia 2010, $14 AUD

 

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

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

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

The Contact Person: popoffanne@gmail.com

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

Chimo! www.deantudor.com