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Wednesday, September 26, 2018

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP 20/20 WINES: 20 under $20 and 20 over $20 for September 29, 2018

 
WORLD WINE WATCH TOP 20/20 WINES: 20 under $20 and 20 over $20 for September 29, 2018
 
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.
These notes for wines available through the LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca/ or at  http://www.deantudor.com
 
Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone tastes like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).
 
THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL FINDS --
 
Rose +71712 Wildass Rose 2017 VQA Niagara $18.95  12.3% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
Sparkling +460832 Wolfberger Brut Cremant d'Alsace  $19.95  12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
Port +583013 Sandeman Vau Vintage Port 1999 [375mL] $12.95  20%% ABV, MVC/QPR: 92
 
20 under $20
=========
W+590760    CASAS DEL BOSQUE RESERVA CHARDONNAY    DO Casablanca Valley        2016    $15.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+714295    WAIMEA SAUVIGNON BLANC    Nelson, South Island        2017    $19.95 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+539965    DOMAINE DE LA BAUME ELITE D'OR CHARDONNAY    IGP Pays d'Oc        2015    $16.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
W+573683    CITRA FERZO ABRUZZO SUPERIORE PECORINO    DOP        2016    $17.95 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+370247    GÉRARD BERTRAND SAINT CHINIAN SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE    AP        2015    $16.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+493643    CHÂTEAU DE SÉRAME MINERVOIS    2011    $16.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
R+948059    PERRIN NATURE CÔTES DU RHÔNE    AC        2016    $16.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+297317    XAVIER CÔTES DU RHÔNE    AC        2016    $17.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+278150    NIRO MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO    DOC        2015    $16.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+421388    CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO    DOCG        2015    $18.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+574251    FANTI POGGIO TORTO ROSSO    IGT Toscana        2015    $19.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+574616    CLOS DE TAFALL    DO Priorat    Clos Berenguer    2015    $19.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+43281    FLAT ROCK RIESLING    VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment        2016    $17.95    11% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+361220    BORTHWICK VINEYARD PADDY BORTHWICK SAUVIGNON BLANC    Wairarapa, North Island        2017    $19.95    13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+577213    LA VINICOLA DEL TITERNO PIEDIROSSO    DOC Sannio        2012    $17.95 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+126847    MAN FREE-RUN STEEN CHENIN BLANC    WO Coastal Region        2017    $14.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+469775    DOMAINE DE LA VIEILLE CURE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE    AC    Nelly Marzelleau    2016    $12.95    12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+485656    LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC    AC    M. Chapoutier    2016    $15.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+443721    CHÂTEAU KSARA RÉSERVE DU COUVENT    Bekaa Valley        2015    $16.95 13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+561282    FERRATON LA TOURNÉE ROUGE    IGP Pays d'Oc        2016    $13.95 13.5 % ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
 
20 over $20
=========
W+421362    2027 WISMER VINEYARD FOX CROFT BLOCK CHARDONNAY    VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment        2016    $22.95    12.8% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+979344    WENTE RIVA RANCH SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY    Arroyo Seco, Monterey County        2016    $27.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+61176    DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER KESSLER RIESLING    AC Alsace Grand Cru        2015    $29.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
W+324103 Bachelder Saunders Vineyard Chardonnay 2015 VQA Beamsville Bench 12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+609123 Sixto Uncovered Chardonnay 2015 Washington 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
W+406314 Pascal Bouchard Les Clos Chablis Grand Cru 2011 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+129676 Torres Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Penedes 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+73098    BURROWING OWL ESTATE BOTTLED CABERNET SAUVIGNON    BC VQA Okanagan Valley        2015    $44.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+222323    BEST'S BIN NO. 1 SHIRAZ    Great Western, Victoria        2015    $21.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+469536    CHÂTEAU CLOS DU LOUP CUVÉE PRESTIGE    AC Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux        2010    $23.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
R+404285    CHÂTEAU PLAISANCE    AC Bordeaux Supérieur        2006    $20.95 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
R+330704    BENI DI BATASIOLO RISERVA BAROLO    DOCG        2008    $39.95 15% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
R+515460    TENUTA DI BURCHINO IL BURCHINO    IGT Toscana        2010    $24.95 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+149302    FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY    VQA Niagara Peninsula        2016    $21.95    13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+317131    ST. FRANCIS CHARDONNAY    Sonoma County        2016    $22.95 14.2% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+276576    POGGIOTONDO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO    DOCG        2013    $44.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+441279    CAFAGGIO BASILICA SOLATÌO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO    DOCG        2010    $39.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
 
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

Monday, September 24, 2018

* 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"...
 
 
15.EAST THAI COOKBOOK (Nourish, 2007, 2010, 2018, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-84483-893-6 $19.95 USD softbound) is by Sallie Morris. It was previously published in 2007, and is here reissued with some updated material. Morris has written many books on Southeast Asian cookery. She's got 70 simple preps here, each described step-by-step and accompanied by a photo. In addition to the prime on techniques, equipment and pantry, she has 12 menu plans with timings for create a wide assortment of meals, from a simple lunch for two to a dinner for eight, and even. The menus have preps indicated with page references and a countdown clock. Recipes in the book are arranged by course, from apps through soups, salads, curries, stir-fires, steams, grills, BBQ, and then desserts. It is all indexed by Thai name and by English translated name. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. But still a very handy book, well-worth reissuing. Quality/price rating: 88
 
 
 
16.THE JOY OF MIXOLOGY; the consummate guide to the bartender's craft (Clarkson Potter, 2003, 2018, 334 pages, ISBN 978-0-451-49902-8 $30 USD hardbound) is by Gary Regan, a magazine writer in spirits, and author of "The Bartender's Bible". It was originally published in 2003; this 2018 edition has been revised and updated. The 350 recipes have been grouped by families of drinks; this allows for substitutions and the creation of new drinks. There are the usual details on histories of mixed drinks, the art of blending, equipment, ingredients for the bar, etc. The section on garnishes is particularly good. Recipes cover all the popular drinks of martinis, highballs, snappers, sours, juleps. No pictures, which is a good thing. What I also do like about this book are the charts and the extensive bibliography (despite a lack of listed number of new books or many Internet resources). Quality/Price Ratio: 85.
 
 
 
17.THE GUT HEALTH COOKBOOK (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-970-0, $19.95 USD paper covers) is by Dunja Gulin, a chef who runs fermented foods workshops, and is the author of several vegan cookbooks such as The Vegan Pantry. It was originally published in 2015 as FERMENTED FOODS FOR VITALITY & HEALTH, but has been slightly revised for 2018. Naturally fermented foods boost the digestive immune system with pro-biotics, and appear in just about every culture (Japan's miso, Korea's kimchi, everybody's sourdough, beer, wine). Pro-biotics increase energy levels, stabilize blood pressure, improve sleeping patterns, and promote healthier skin. Gulin here has 60 ways to make fermented foods part of a normal meal pattern. It is all sorted by course (breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, salads, breads, condiments, drinks), concluding with an international list of sources and resources. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois with some metric measurements, but there still is no table of equivalents. Some interesting preps: vegan yogurt; water kefir grains; probiotic gazpacho; sauerkraut with quinces; sourdough grissini; spicy leek and miso condiment; Scandinavian chanterelle salad; purple sauerkraut with dulse and caraway seeds. Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 
 
 
18.KITCHEN BREWING (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 2018, 108 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-183-2 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Jakob Nielsen and Mikael Zetterberg. It was first published in Sweden in 2017 as "Kokosbrygging". This is the translation for the English language market. They believe that you can create quality beers on a budget in just a few hours, without losing any taste. They use everyday kitchen equipment plus a basic home-brew starter kit for small volumes such as 5 litres. The 20 beer recipes make brews that are ready to drink in just 4 weeks. The arrangement is by season, so something like oatmeal stout is not attempted in the summer, nor is wheat beer or steam beer particularly useful to make in winter. There is a lot of hand-holding here, but that is how it should be for beginners. There are lagers, IPAs, stouts – and surprisingly there is even an apple cider. The most valuable lesson to be learned here is simply to use clean sanitized equipment. I've done all this over thirty year ago, and it is a very pleasant and worthwhile exercise with a big fat reward at the end. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88.
 
 
 
19.HOW TO COOK WITHOUT A BOOK, completely updated and revised (Clarkson Potter, 2000, 2018, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-5247-6166-0 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Pam Anderson, who has authored eight cookbooks and was the former executive editor of Cook's Illustrated magazine. It was originally published in 2000 and this is its second edition. New material includes modern flavours and new techniques for the home cook. The colour photos are all-new and original. Anderson believes that these are recipes and techniques that every cook should know by heart. But first off, the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. All the world uses metric now except for the USA. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_weights_and_measures  Key approaches to food here include stocking and re-stocking a pantry/larder (she gives extensive lists), shopping wisely and seasonally, and remembering important formulas and techniques. Chapters are divided into individual techniques and formulas with a step-by-step approach to showing how they all work, illustrative photos, a simple recipe and simple variations, and the main points at a glance. Home cooks are encouraged to explore further variations on the theme. First up is vinaigrette, followed by a pan of veggies (roasted, grilled, steamed, sauteed). On to a loaded frittata, a cup of soup, hearty grains, simple tomato sauces, pasta, pizza, ending with "shove-it-in-the-oven stew".
Quality/price rating: 87.
 
 
 
20.THE WORLD ATLAS OF COFFEE. 2D ed.(Firefly Books, 2014, 2018, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-2281-0094-2 $35 USD hard covers) is by James Hoffmann, 2007 World Barista Champion. It was originally published in 2014, and is here revised with updated coverage of seven additional coffee-growing countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, China, Philippines, Thailand, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. Almost a half-billion cups of coffee are consumed daily in North America; 125 million people around the world depend on coffee production for their livelihood. Behind each cup is an explanation by this book, a global tour of 29 or so coffee-growing countries, with colour photos. So for Malawi, for example, there is detail on cultural and business history, a taste profile of the coffees, an interconnection with other countries, a description of the main growing regions, and pictures of pickers. The countries are grouped by continent: Africa, Asia and the Americas. Both organic production and the fair trade movement are discussed. He's got full tasting notes for over 500 different beans and grinds. Detailed maps (with updated detail for the new edition) locate growing areas and worldwide trends. A great book to look at and to delve into, for you to explore beyond your fave coffee.
Quality/price rating: 89.
 

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

Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://winewriterscircle.ca
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.

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

Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://winewriterscircle.ca
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.

Saturday, September 22, 2018

* MANY MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS!!

 
 
2.THE GIFT OF THE GREEK (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 158 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-2557-7 $17.99 USD hardbound) is by the UK's Yiota Giannakopoulou, a Peloponnesian who grew up with an extensive garden plot in Greece. She's got 75 recipes for the Mediterranean diet, all with a healthy dose of EVOO. She's arranged it all by type of course, beginning with apps and salads, mains, dips, breads, and sweets. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginner
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the classics include butter beans, dolmas of vine leaves and rice, seafood salad, bulgur wheat and feta cheese salad, chickpea coup, lemon chicken with rice, puy lentil stew, pasta pie, sea bream, harissa dip.
The downside to this book: too short – I wanted more, maybe 110 total?
The upside to this book: large typeface (even the index).
Quality/Price Rating: 86
 
 
3.THE CAMPOUT COOKBOOK (Artisan, 2018, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-799-4 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Portland OR food writers Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson, IACP Award winning authors of "The Picnic". They return to the outdoors for an extended overnight picnic and more. There are about 100 preps here, from wood-fired skillet pizzas to mug cakes and s'mores. All are suitable for deep backcountry cooking under the stars or just your backyard. Maybe your balcony too. It's a mix of make ahead meals and meals to cook on-site. There are also trail snacks and "fortifications", all leading up to the morning meal. Lots of lists. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts.
Audience and level of use: campers, picnic lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: figgy pecan crackers and whipped feta; roasted garlic parmesan monkey bread; smoked kielbasa, swiss chard, and Yukon gold potato hash; rib-eye with shallot butter.
The downside to this book: still, somebody has to do cleanup, and even more of it if this is two-nighter.
The upside to this book: useful preps for kids and vegetarians too
Quality/Price Rating: 89
 
 
 
4.TACO! TACO! TACO! (Hatherleigh; distr. Penguin, 2018, 243 pages, ISBN 978-1-57826-752-1 $20 USD paperbound) is by Sara Haas, a Registered Dietitian and professional chef who also writes about food for magazines and is a cookbook author. Here she promotes healthy eating with recipes concerning chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, pork, fish, seafood, veggies, and taco salads. There are about 100 preps in all. Her book also has large print and diagrams, plus techniques. The assumption is that you might not know a lot, but if you do, skip it and head for the recipes. Most preps have an option for either corn or flour tortillas, but some do specify just one or the other. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart.
Audience and level of use: taco lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ropa vieja tacos; sesame soy chicken tacos; fried egg tacos with dukka; cherry almond cheesecake tacos; brown sugar chili salmon tacos; curry cashew chicken salad tacos.
The downside to this book: sopes and gorditas are not covered.
The upside to this book: a good collection, very well detailed.
Quality/Price Rating: 87
 
 
 
5.THE BOATER'S COOKBOOK (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 426 pages, ISBN 978-1-944824-28-0 $29.99 USD papercovers) is by Sylvia Williams Dabney, who has lived aboard a boat full-time for over 15 years. She's sailed, cruised and chartered 60,000 offshore miles. She has cooked virtually every meal for family and friends during that period, in her galley. So there is lots of experience here, along with advice and tips for cooking in a small space. The book is also useful, of course, for apartment/flat rentals. She's got a list of gadgets and equipment (everything has multiple uses), as well as a pantry of essential supplies. 450 easy galley-tested recipes are extremely useful here, arranged by course or ingredient (apps, breads, breakfast, poultry, meat, pasta, rice, salads, seafood, soup, veggies, desserts and drinks). Every chapter is loaded with advice. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts.
Audience and level of use: boaters, renters, students.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: so fast chicken thighs, blue cheese popovers, baked crab dip, banana walnut snack cake, kale pesto, meyer lemon pesto with mint, pumpkin mousse, johnny cake.
The downside to this book: the book itself is enormous and heavy – take that into consideration for the galley.
The upside to this book: there are tables of food equivalents and substitutions.
Quality/Price Rating: 87
 
 
 
6.FRENCH GRILL (The Countryman Press, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 29.95 USD hardbound) is by Susan Hermann Loomis, who has written many other cookbooks detailing French foods. She teaches culinary workshops in Normandy and continues to write for food magazines. Here she investigates the art of grilling through 125 refined and rustic recipes. For a heavy-hitter well-selling French food cookbook author she still brings along top logrollers such as David Lebovitz, Steven Raichlen, Laura Shapiro, and Patricia Wells. Obviously the publisher feels that she needs them in order to sell. This is all neither here nor there in context of a cookbook review, but it does seems to be indicative of the approach by publishers. So too the book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes to cover teaspoons and tablespoons, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Chapters are all arranged from apps (amuses bouches) through first courses, poultry, fish, rabbit, lamb, beef and veal, with pork getting its own separate section. Side dishes include veggies and grains and then there are the desserts. What makes French BBQ different? Mainly the use of typical French cuts and beasts (rabbit, lamb, game) and herbs and spices (garlic, bay leaf, Esplette peppers, olive oil, quotes from French writers, a well-defined menu outline, and, of course, French words in the recipe titles (eg, les huitres grilles au pommeau), unfortunately only indexed with English words.
Audience and level of use: French food lovers, libraries.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: aioli with autumn veggies from the grill; curry beef and zucchini brochettes; strawberry shortcake from the grill with coconut whipped cream; rabbit with mustard and crispy bacon; Syrian spiced lamb chops; sweet potatoes with quail eggs; smoky pork shoulder a la Francaise.
The downside to this book: needs better metrication
The upside to this book: a virtually unique approach to BBQ, able to match Cajun and Creole BBQ. She also points out that grilling in France appears to be a male's job (p14 – 15, and indexed with the recipes)
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 
 
 
* 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 –
 
 
 
22.THE SPICE TREE (Ebury Press, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78503547-0  $42.95 CAD hardbound) is by Nisha Katona, founder of Mowgli Street Food, a UK food writer and television presenter. Its subtitle is "Indian cooking made beautifully simple".  The spices and finishing flavours use in Indian cooking are not that unusual. These familiar spices are re-arranged and sorted into a formula, a spice tree infographic that shows what spices and ingredients always go together. For example, with veggies, you pick one cluster, such as the "gujrati quartet"  (cumin seed, mustard seed, dry red chili, and asafoetida) and fry in oil, then add your veggie and some (to taste) turmeric, chilli powder, salt and sugar. After that, add one or more of English mustard paste, lemon, garlic, white poppy seed, coriander powder, tomato, green chilli, garam masala, coriander leaf, or amchoor. Then you are done. In addition to veggies, she's got the infographic formula for pulses, meats, and fish. They all move through the turmeric-chilli powder-salt-sugar area. It seems quite simple but it will be okay through practice. She has lots of technique notes. The book is arranged by type of food: brassicas, green veggies, root veggies, squashes, light lentils and dals, heavy pulses and grains, fish and shellfish, red meat, game and offal, chicken and eggs. The Spice Tree approach may work well in her restaurants where many different dishes are cooked every day; the at-home meals would be fewer but the large pantry must still be maintained. But of course you would not need a whole pantry if you don't cook flesh or don't cook veggies. The book could have been improved if it also used both metric and avoirdupois for all of the ingredients in the recipes, or at least had a conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86
 
 
 
 
23.THE ACADIAN KITCHEN; recipes from then and now (Whitecap, 2018, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050313-7 $34.95 CAD paperbound) is by Alain Bosse, AKA The Kilted Chef. He's a strong Atlantic Canada culinary ambassador with a track record of promotional appearances throughout the world. This is his second cookbook (the first dealt with mussels), and he celebrates over 400 years of Acadian history and culture. It's from Champlain and the Order of Good Cheer through the Cajun and French Canadian dishes. There are classic preps and modern updates: fricot, rappie pie, jambalaya, festive desserts. It is all arranged by type of courses, from salads and apps through to desserts, with some chapters such as "Cajun recipes" and "French-Acadian fusion" dealing with overlaps. There is an Acadian food glossary (hands up if you know bocouite, eplan, tompinambour) and also a bibliography. A big round of applause too for the support of Experience Acadie. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, with no table of equivalents needed. Quality/price rating: 91
 
 
* 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"...
 
24.THE RIVER CAFE CLASSIC ITALIAN COOKBOOK (Penguin Michael Joseph, 2017, 416 pages, ISBN 978-0-71818906-8 $53.95 CAD paperbound) is by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. It was originally published in 2009. and this is a paperback reprint of that edition. It's got all the major "classic" dishes, over 300 of them. The book has been a rarity for some time, with high prices in the resale market. The paperback is sturdy enough but it may become a bit frayed as time goes by. However, it is an essential book. With one large type recipe per page it should be well-used until the spine cracks open. At which point, you can safely separate all the pages (but do retain the index) for a binder. It is arranged by food type, from soups, through pasta, risotto, polenta, bread, pizza, fish. Meat, veggies, and desserts. Wine is not discussed, but it is used in 15 dishes. This book has always been a winner, with preps based on the restaurant and service mainly for six. It is good to see it back in print again. Quality/price rating: 90
 
 
 
25.A TASTE OF ADVENTURE (Ebury Press, 2017, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78503724-5 $35.99 CAD hardbound) is from Exodus Travels, a UK travel firm. It was originally published in 2016 by the company, and then reprinted last year by Ebury. It is an assortment of recipes meant for adventurers with appetites: the global scope allows you to recreate your travels at home. The preps come from a wide-range of sources, mostly in situ. It is arranged by continent, with Europe up first, followed by Africa, Asia, and the Americas.  Each chapter is divided into "dishes" and "drinks". Thus, we have tagine, larb, cevapi, ajvar, tiramisu, kjotsupa (Icelandic lamb soup), sahlab (hot milk drink), beetroot curry. Something for everyone. There's a mix of avoirdupois and metric in the recipes, which needed some conversion charts – but these were not available. While there are pix of food, there are also pix of travel. Still, a decent book, especially for Exodus Travels customers. Quality/price rating: 84.
 
 
 
26.SUPERFOOD BOOST (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 2018, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-8=5017-3159-2 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Erica Palmcrantz Aziz, a Swedish raw-food educator who has authored or co-authored several other raw food books. This one was originally published in Sweden in 2017; this is the English language translation. It has more than 70 gluten-free and dairy-free recipes for immunity building smoothies, bowls, green drinks, energy bars, and others. The belief is that food is medicine and superfoods contain maximum nutrition in every serving. They can easily replace anything else you have as "snacks". All the preps are based on raw food, and this also helps keep it simple and saves time (no cooking). Results? Balanced blood sugar levels. How about a strawberry coconut smoothie bowl? Or zoodles (made with zucchini or spaghetti squash) with sun-dried tomatoes and pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate puffs, and avocado nice cream. Inventive.
The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 87
 
----------------------------------------------------

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

* MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS

THREE INGREDIENT BAKING (Michael Joseph, 2018, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-718-18479-7 $27.99 CAN paperbound) is by Sarah Rainey, who spent a considerable amount of effort trying to save us time in the baking kitchen. These are quick and easy baking recipes using only three common ingredients. She's got a hundred simple recipes for cakes, biscuits, breads, desserts, savoury bakes, and frozen treats.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents for the American cousin.
Audience and level of use: home cooks; those looking to save time.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: naan bread; bacon breakfast cups; chewy granola cookies; very berry sorbet; cinnamon crispies; chocolate pizza; baklava; magic scones; lemon posset.
The downside to this book: some use of pre-made products such as phylo sheets, but in many instances this is forgiveable.
The upside to this book: handy hints given
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
 
 
 
4.FINDING MEZCAL (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57900-4 $30 USD hardbound) is by Ron Cooper, founder of Del Maguey Single Vineyard Mezcal and a Beard Award winner. With him is the travel-wine-food writer Chantal Martineau, who previously had written "How the Gringos Stole Tequila". The subtitle pretty well says it all: "a journey into the liquid soul of Mexico with 40 cocktails: you don't find mezcal, mezcal finds you." It's a memoir about his love affair with the spirit, and his commitment to the cultural traditions of Oaxaca, mezcal's spiritual home. Each chapter covers a new mezcal, its producer, its place of origin, and the distillation process from the maguey plant. The 40 recipes come from chefs and bars around the world. The sharp photography also makes it a great gift for the spirit traveller. Cocktails have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/Price Rating: 89
 
 
 
5.SECRETS OF THE SOUTHERN TABLE (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 314 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-93254-8 $30 USD hardbound) is by Virginia Willis, a southern US food authority and cookbook author. "Lighten Up, Y'all" won a Beard Award. It comes with some advanced log rolling, including the ubiquitous Nathalie Dupree. As Dupree says, the book "sings with the stories of the diverse South". Southern comfort at its best, which now includes the Chinese Americans living on the Delta, the Italians of New Orleans, and "Seoul of the South" in Atlanta. There's a discussion on the African culinary influence, the Greek and Hispanic influences in Alabama, and aquaculture as it affects catfish, crawfish, oysters, and shrimp. The chapters are arranged by product, with veggies, grains, seafood, meats, poultry, soups and stews – all followed by biscuits and breads and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents (although there is plenty of room to add it).
Audience and level of use: lovers of southern food and cooking
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: peanut stew; black pepper Cornish game ens with Alabama white sauce; apple and onion gravy; spicy Asian Cajun BBQ shrimp with baguette; baked farro and mushrooms; almond jelly with blueberry ginger compote; Cuban-style pork chops with mojo sauce.
The downside to this book: I am still looking for my chess pie recipe.
The upside to this book: good selection
Quality/Price Rating: 87
 
 
6.EATING MY WAY THROUGH ITALY (St. Martin's Griffin, 2018, 290 pages, $34.99 CAD paperbound) is by Elizabeth Minchilli, who has written many books about Italian culture, including "Eating Rome". Here she takes on the rest of the peninsula and islands. These are the back roads and Italian farmers. Scattered throughout are regional recipes that incorporate scampi and vongole from Venetian suburbs, balsamico from Emilia-Romagna, risotto and cassoeula from Milan, farinata in Florence, truffles in rural Umbria, olive oil, pizza, anchovies, capers in Pantelleria, and the Sardinian rusticity. Lots of photos, lots of restaurants described, tourist attractions, and the like. This book is jam-packed.
 
 
7.THE WICKANINNISH COOKBOOK (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 290 pages, $45 CAD hardbound) is another sumptuous travel-cookbook from an Inn/Hotel/Lodge, this time in Tofino, British Columbia. It's an award-winning Relais & Chateaux property, known for its rustic elegance on nature's edge (between the forest and the Pacific). The highlight, of course, is the Wick's sophisicated The Pointe Restaurant, open since 1996. These preps come from a variety of chefs over the years, and range from breakfasts, soups, breads, salads, grills, seafood and meats, desserts and more casual fare. There are also some cocktails plus a large selection of pantry items. Everything was created by opening Chef Rod Butters and then at least seven other chefs. There's a history of the Inn and gorgeous photography, mostly by Makito Inomara. As is common with all Appetite by Random House  cookbooks (these are Canadian published), there are dual metric and avoirdupois measurements for the ingredients. Good price for a gift cookbook.
 
 
 
8.MARGARITAVILLE; the cookbook (St. Martin's Press. 2018, 338 pages, $42.50 CAD hardbound) is compiled by Carlo Serbaglia and Julia Turshen. It's a paean to Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville" [Buffet did a foreword here] and incorporates relaxed recipes for a taste of paradise – a good state of well-being with many illustrative photos of the seascape and beaches and food and drink. It's arranged by course, from breakfast through apps, soups, salads, sandwiches, mains,  sides, desserts, and, of course, drinks. The authors have 20 party and menu suggestions plus 10 practical party tips. There is, in addition to a general index,  an index to recipes organized by fun: food for the boat, food for tailgating, food for the grill, food to make on the beach, food for large crowds – all with page references so you don't have to look anything up.
 
 
9.COCKTAILS ACROSS AMERICA (The Countryman Press, 2018, 236 pages, $33.95 CAD hardbound) is by Diane Lapis and Anne Peck-Davis, the former being a local history researcher and the latter being a collector of vintage bar artifacts. It's a postcard view of US cocktail culture from the end of Prohibition to the end of the 1950s. All the postcards come from Peck-Davis' collection. It is arranged by region, from US East Coast through the South, the Midwest, the Southwest, the West Coast, and even some from Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and Cuba. But not Canada, except for the Mart Pickford cocktail. Good looking postcards can be found here (it also comes with four detachable retro postcards from this time period, good to mail out to friends) to match the local cocktails (Margarita, Brown Derby Cocktail, Santa Fe Cooler, Palm Beach Special, Red Snapper, Salty Dog, Pink Squirrel, and others...
 
 
10.THE CONNOISSEUR'S GUIDE TO WORLDWIDE SPIRITS (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 210 pages, $46.99 CAD hardbound) is by Richard Carleton Hacker, a prolific writer and editor in spirits, wines, cigars, gourmet cuisine, and luxury lifestyle. The range is wide, which makes it a perfect gift: aperitifs, vodka, gin, single malt scotch, blended scotch, Irish, bourbon, Tennessee, rye, brandy, cognac, rum, tequila, mezcal, port, armagnac, liqueurs, grappa, absinthe, pisco, other spirits, and cocktails. Each gets a thumbnail sketch, photos, production notes, and tasting notes. A nicely wrapped package.
 
 
11.COCKTAIL ITALIANO (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 237 pages, $29.99 CAD hardbound) is by Annette Joseph. It's a guide to aperitivo, drinks, nibbles, and some stories and photos about the Italian Riviera. Here we are talking about Liguria, from the French border through to Lerici, neatly divided into the Riviera di Ponente (itself sub-divided into Riviera delle Palme and Riviera dei Fiori) from east of Menton to Genoa, and the Riviera di Levante from east of Genoa to Lerici. This is all Beach Club territory, and she goes on to describe lifestyles with stories, recipes for food bites/snacks, and cocktails. More good fun on the Riviera!
 
 
12.THE BEER BUCKET LIST (Dog 'n' Bone, 2018, 224 pages, $26.95 CAD hardbound) is by Mark Dredge, who is an international beer judge and acclaimed/awarded beer writer. This is his fifth beer book. It is a collection of over 150 "must try" beer experiences featuring the planet's best beers, bars, breweries, and beer events. It is indeed a "beer bucket list" to try before you die. He manages to combine city guides, travel, food and history via pubs, bars, brauhauses, hop gardens, beer festivals, and others.  For the shorter version, his top ten includes seeing the Burton Unions at Marston's Brewery in UK, drinking in the Pilsner Urquell brewery cellars, visiting the brewing Trappist monasteries in Belgium, Oktoberfest in Munich, drinking Guinness in Dublin, et al. Each occurrence has photos, description "lowdown" directory-type data, and visiting tips. A great book for travelers.
 
 
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

Sunday, September 16, 2018

* DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * "Brewing Everything, by Dan Crissman

1.BREWING EVERYTHING (The Countryman Press, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-68268-174-9 $21.95 USD paperbound) is by Dan Crissman, an editor who was formerly editor at The Countryman Press. He's a longtime homebrewer/fermentation enthusiast. This is one of the publisher's "Know How" series. It is a very accessible book dealing with every type of brewing project: beer, mead, cider, sake, kombucha, and other fermented drinks. It concentrates on the sparkling, low alcohol side, and is best for those who like ease and bubblies with little aging. Grape wines are not included because they take a slightly different process and do not involve bubbles. There is a large chapter on beer, ranging from pilsner to a variety of IPAs and dark ales. Cider is next, followed by mead and sake. Then there is kombucha, kefir, and kvass, tonics and switchels. He interviews experts in every chapter, and also gives us some easy brews and some hard-to-do brews. Crissman ends with resources lists and URLs for bloggers and supplies.
Audience and level of use: beginners and other curious readers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sarsaparilla; ginger beer; caraway rye kvass;  fuji apple sake; watermelon mead; wild honey pale ale; dandelion wine; West Coast IPA; dry-hopped farmhouse ale.
The downside to this book: Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
The upside to this book: Crissman takes great pains to emphasize sanitation, freshness of ingredients, and exploding bottles. I used to make a lot of this stuff, but stopped as I aged and could not carry the volumes of weights.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP 20/20 WINES: 20 under $20 and 20 over $20 for September 15, 2018

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP 20/20 WINES: 20 under $20 and 20 over $20 for September 15, 2018
 
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.
These notes for wines available through the LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca/ or at  http://www.deantudor.com
 
Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone tastes like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).
 
THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL FINDS --
 
-Grgich Hills Fume Blanc Dry Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Napa +346296 $47.95 13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
-Argot Estate Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Mountain +588277 $52.95 14.9% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
-Chateau des Charmes Brut Sparkling VQA +224766 $25.95 12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
 
20 under $20
=========
W+711556    WAKEFIELD CLARE VALLEY ESTATE CHARDONNAY    Clare Valley, South Australia    2016    $15.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+402677    MATAHIWI ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC    Wairarapa, North Island 2016    $18.95    12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+439554    AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN WHITE    WO Paarl 2016    $16.95 13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
W+469734    PFAFF SPECIAL    AC Alsace    Vignerons de Pfaffenheim    2016    $13.95 12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+82461    PIERRE-LUC BOUCHAUD SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE 2016    $15.95    12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+310532    CREW MERLOT VQA Lake Erie North Shore 2016 $17.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+617738    WAYNE GRETZKY WHISKY OAK AGED RED    VQA Niagara Peninsula        2017    $19.95    13.8% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+282517    WILD THING OLD VINE ZINFANDEL    Mendocino County    Carol Shelton Wines    2015    $26.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+402081    BURIED CANE CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Columbia Valley        2015    $19.95    13.8% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+575712    ANAKENA TAMA VINEYARD SELECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Cachapoal Valley 2015    $16.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+550426    CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE CLOTTE    AC Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux    Françoise et Philippe Lannoye    2010    $19.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+414615    BRUMONT TOUR BOUSCASSÉ  Madiran 2012    $17.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+184937    CASTELLANI FILICHETO VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO    DOCG        2013    $19.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+573519    VILLA PUCCINI RISERVA CHIANTI    DOCG    Michele Puccini    2014    $15.95 12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+268805    PAGO DE VALDONEJE MENCÍA    DO Bierzo    2016    $15.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+438713    VALDELACIERVA CRIANZA    DOCa Rioja        2013    $18.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+356873    FLAT ROCK GOOD KHARMA CHARDONNAY    VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2016    $16.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+38117    VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION ST. URBAN VINEYARD RIESLING    VQA Niagara Escarpment        2016    $19.95    11% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+158790 KENWOOD CHARDONNAY Sonoma County 2016 $18.95 13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
 
20 over $20
=========
W+430991    CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ST. DAVID'S BENCH VINEYARD CHARDONNAY VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake 2015     $23.95 15.1% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
W+28845    CLARENCE DILLON CLARENDELLE BLANC    AC Bordeaux        2016    $24.95 12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+928218    SERGIO ZENATO RISERVA LUGANA    DOC    Zenato    2015    $39.95    12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+268391    HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE PINOT NOIR    VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment        2016    $24.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+581223    MASTRONARDI SYRAH    VQA Lake Erie North Shore        2016    $24.95 13.4% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+226944    RODNEY STRONG SONOMA COUNTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Sonoma County        2015    $26.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+671164    ST. FRANCIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Sonoma County    2015    $34.95 14.8% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+444802    XANADU DJL CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Margaret River, Western Australia        2014    $24.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+568550    CAVE DE SAINT-DÉSIRAT CUVÉE CÔTE-DIANE SAINT-JOSEPH    AP        2015    $26.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+560979 LOUIS BERNARD CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2015 $39.95 14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
R+568741    BERTANI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA VALPANTENA    DOCG        2015    $39.95    15.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+443945    EL GORÚ MONASTRELL/SYRAH/PETIT VERDOT    DOP Jumilla    Bodegas Ego    2016    $13.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
W+142646    MEGALOMANIAC MY WAY CHARDONNAY    VQA Niagara Peninsula        2016    $24.95    12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+590414    OYSTER BAY PINOT NOIR    Marlborough, South Island        2016    $20.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+734855    TSANTALI RESERVE RAPSANI    PDO Rapsani        2014    $22.95    13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+445262    NATIV TAURASI    DOCG        2012    $36.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+286070    SOBRERO CIABOT TANASIO BAROLO    DOCG     2013    $54.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+395186    NIPOZZANO VECCHIE VITI RISERVA CHIANTI RÚFINA    DOCG    Frescobaldi    2014    $29.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+702761    MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES RESERVA    DOCa Rioja        2012    $24.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+556514    DE MANCEY LES CADOLES PINOT NOIR    AC Bourgogne        2015    $22.95    12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

Monday, September 10, 2018

* FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! : The Traditional Newfoundland Kitchen by Roger Pickavance.

 
1.THE TRADITIONAL NEWFOUNDLAND KITCHEN (Boulder Publications, 2017, ISBN 978-1-927099-92-6 307 pages $34.95 CAD softcovers) us by Roger Pickavance, a professor of biology at Memorial from 1968. At the time of his arrival, Newfoundland was just opening up with new roads and the beginning of the slow decline of the cod fishery. Ease of transport (through election roads) meant access to supermarkets in larger towns and the decline of the small community store. He quickly thought that local cooking traditions would change, so he explored what he could of available items such as saltfish, cod tongue, britches, partridgeberries and bakeapples. So this is an exploration of Newfoundland's culinary history by an inspired cook and academic. Other typical products and foods of the time were pork buns, turrs, watered fish, and damper bread. Each is carefully explained by Pickavance who interviewed hundreds of cooks, especially those who grew up in the colonial period before 1949. This collective memory is augmented by more than 300 recipes from the families. There are also some primer sections on food preservation and prep techniques. Chapters are arranged by course and/or ingredient: breads, soups, dumplings, cod, other fish, shell fish, fresh meat, preserved meats, wild meats, dairy, vegetables, puddings-pies-cakes, and other desserts. He's got a list of formal names of animals and plants with their common names. There is also a concluding bibliography of other cookbooks and memoirs. Scattered throughout are good archival black and white photos of people and places and also of adverts. An appendix details the contents of community stores up through 1918 (based on adverts), and includes fruits, veggies, dried foods, tinned foods, breads, dairy, cheese, eggs, flours, meats, bacon, beer and wine.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are some tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: Newfoundlanders, culinary historians, libraries.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: stuffed lamb hearts, fillet of sepia and macaroni, one-two-three-four cake, orange and m=lemon marmalade, pan-fried cod cheeks, beef and kidney pie, Jiggs' dinner, Indian meal cake, white bread leavened with barm.
The downside to this book: The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, notwithstanding that metric was not really used before 1970. Today's cook still needs conversions.
The upside to this book: well-written and express, never a dry style. A major contribution to Canadian culinary history.
Quality/Price Rating: 93.
 
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

Thursday, September 6, 2018

The Event: Wine Luncheon with Sandro Bottega, Sept 4 AT Biagio Ristorante

The Date and Time:  Tuesday September 4, 2018  11AM to 3PM
The Event: Wine Luncheon with Sandro Bottega
The Venue: Biagio Ristorante
The Target Audience: wine writers
The Availability/Catalogue: there are many wines in the portfolio, and they will be on-stream in due course. Most of what we tasted was not generally available in Ontario, but could be obtained through the offices of Noble Estates, Bottega's agent.
The Quote/Background: Sandro Bottega gave an enthusiastic, passionate guide to his plots in the region that makes Prosecco (and his plots in Tuscany and other Italian regions). Throughout his career since 1983 he has made vast use of organic principles in the crafting of Prosecco. Every single bottle in all of his Prosecco ranges is vintage dated. All Prosecco has a modest shelf life of about 5 years if cellared properly. This was evident in the vertical tasting of Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Brut. The 2013 was slightly oxidized but the mousse was full and thus reminiscent of well-aged Champagne. Personally, I loved it. The 2016 had evolved very well, and would be my personal choice from off the shelf (look closely for the vintage year). His latest project is making vodka from grapes.
The Wines:
 
**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Brut 2013 n/a
-Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Brut 2016 +897702 $15 LCBO
-Bottega Gold Prosecco +621458 $27.95 Vintages
-Bottega Acino d'Oro Chianti Classico VTG 2015
-Bottega Ancestral Sparkling wine 2017 – unfiltered cloudiness because it is not disgorged. Yummy bone dry character, but a little goes a long way.
 
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Brut 2014 n/a
-Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Brut 2017 +897702 $15 – bottled May 11 2018
-Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Rose 2017 +277202 $15
-Bottega Valpolicella Ripasso VTG 2016 – availability?
-Bottega Amarone 2014 – availability?
-Il Vino Dell' Amore Petal Moscato +588780 $14 LCBO
 
The Food: we had a full scale luncheon with small plates. First up were appetizers of cod, polenta, and ricotta tarts (accompanied by Bottega Gold) at a reception. Seated, we had plated stuzzichini (sundried tomatos, ricotta stuffed puff pastry, potato skin marcapone with bottarga) and Il Vino dei Poeti 2017 with its delicious fruitiness. The antipasto was prosciutto and black figs with Bottega Balsamic reduction and Il Vino dei Poeti Rose 2017. The primo was pasta alla puttanesca with Bottega Acino d'Oro Chianti Classico VTG 2015. The cheese platter was Blu 61, Parmigiano, and Pecorino (Bottega Valpolicella Ripasso VTG 2016 and Bottega Amarone 2014). Dolce was fresh berries marinated in Moscato and washed down with Il Vino Dell' Amore Petal Moscato. I took my biscotti home and also passed on the espresso. Near the end we all had access to his new Gin Bacur (+476309, $39.95) made with Italian botanicals from Veneto (sage), Tuscany (juniper), Sicily (lemon zest), and water from the Italian Alps.
Liqueurs included Limoncello, Bottega Nero (chocolate), and Pistachio – plus Grappa Sandro Bottega Club (+478156, $30.45). Not tasted (unfortunately) were his Vermouth Bianco (using pinot grigio as base) and Vermouth Rosso (merlot base) plus 30 botanicals.
The Downside: we started late due to projector issues
The Upside: a chance to hear Sandro and learn about the sustainable and organic practices of the company.
The Contact Person: sandrobottega@bottegaspa.com; spuritt@sympatico.ca
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92
 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

Monday, September 3, 2018

WINE TRADE WINDS TASTING DIARY FOR SUMMER 2018 [published since 2000] --

AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS –
 
 
 
WINE TRADE WINDS TASTING DIARY FOR SUMMER 2018 [published since 2000] --
 
By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca
Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com
 
This Diary has always been available since 2000 at www.deantudor.com and at http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
 
NEW BEVERAGE SAMPLES SENT TO ME FOR TASTING REVIEWS THIS SUMMER –
 
 
1. Chateau des Charmes Riesling "Old Vines" 2015 Estate Bottled VQA Niagara-On-The-Lake, +277228, $18.95 Vintages: made from vines largely planted in 1978, so it is now a very mature vineyard. 12% ABV. Succulent, but off-dry Alsatian character (citric tones, spices), with now almost three years of aging. A beaut with spicy or higher acidic foods. Lots of orchard fruit character. Twist top. Available at Vintages even before its release at the winery! Quality/price rating 90 points by Dean Tudor.
 
 
2. Chateau des Charmes Gewurztraminer 2016 St.David's Bench VQA, $21.95 Vintages +453472: from older vines in the St. David's Bench voineyards, done up in stainless steel, 12.6% ABV, Alsatian style (concentrated fruit, off-dry on the mid-palate, spicy with a tad of bitter on the finish, great with Asiatic foods. Or wonderful as a sipper by the deck/patio/pool. Cork finish, and it should improve over the next five years. Quality/price rating 90 points by Dean Tudor.
 
 
 
3. Chateau des Charmes Brut Sparkling Methode Traditionelle NV Niagara-On-The-Lake VQA, +224766, $25.95: this Brut is a mix of about half each of chardonnay and pinot noir from vines planted as early as 1991 (and from at least four vineyards), exhibiting apple and orchard tones with citrus and toast. All mostly from the same vintage, and "Recently Disgorged" after two or three years on lees, 12.5% ABV. Base material for bubblies from both grapes is the same: just the skin contact varies. RS is 8.6 g/L. Price has been incremental, only $3 in over 4 years. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
4.Gerard Bertrand Cremant de Limoux Thomas Jefferson Brut Blanc 2015 AOP Cremant de Limoux, +438838, $19.95 Vintages September: from Haute Vallee de l'Aude in Languedoc comes this excellent under $20 Cremant derived from Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Pinot Noir. The nose is textbook white: flower, pepper, honey, green apple, biscuit; the mousse is excellent and full. Long dazzling finish. Hand harvested with disgorged bottles (Cremant). 12.5% ABV. Good comparison with the late lamented Saumur Brut which was delisted by the LCBO in the spring. Sparkling wine from Limoux was the only sparkler to be found in Jefferson's personal cellar. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
5.Luigi Bosca Chardonnnay 2017 Mendoza, +575985, $19.95 Vintages October: made from Lujan de Cuyo and Valle de Uco sources, from vineyards with an age of 40 years on average. It is still a young wine at a year and a bit, so it may need more time to evolve in the bottle. Currently, it reflects delicate orchard fruit and minerality. For the most part
there is stainless steel fermentation with some of the wine going into French oak for six months while the rest stays in stainless. 14% ABV with 1.6 g/L residual sugar. Do not serve too cold, the slightly bitter finish needs to open up. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
 
6.Madrone Estate Winery Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc/Viognier 2015 Sonoma County, +577775, $19.95 Vintages: this is a pretty well straight-up wine with nuances of typical California viognier fruit (honey, peaches, ripe tropicality) spread against the pinot blanc corpus in an 85-15 ratio in favour of the pinot blanc. This makes the wine an equally good sipper or first course drink (soups, leafy salads). No malo-lactic fermentation, 14.1% ABV. Great looking label. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
7.Madrone Estate Winery Valley of the Moon Blend '41 2013 Sonoma County, +570838 $26.95 Vintages: the '41 here pays homage to the year 1941 when the Valley of the Moon winery was first established. In composition, the blend for 2013 is zinfandel (44%), syrah (24), barbera (18), merlot (8), petite sirah (4), and sangiovese (2). In Europe, these are often called field blends, even though they may have been calculated. It screams "BBQ" all the way to the pig, although poolside drinkers may try it with less greasy affairs such as a slice of pizza or a meaty sandwich. Aged for 16 months, 20% second year oak. 14.8% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
8.Adega Mea Dory Harvest Red 2015 IGP Lisboa Portugal, +570085, $16.95 Vintages: a field blend from touriga nacional, syrah, tinta roriz, and merlot. Stainless steel fermentation followed by some of the wine aging in used French oak barrels. Dominant tones are black fruit such as black currants and black pepper. Nifty BBQ wine at 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
9.Ferraton Pere et Fils La Tournee 2016 Vin de France Rouge, +561282 $13.95 Vintages September: a blend of syrah and grenache from the south of France (Herault, Gard), fermented separately in stainless steel and concrete. The grape varieties are later blended and aged on the lees. Mostly red fruits dominate, but with the spices it is very reminiscent of the Rhone. BBQ might be a useful food accompaniment. Good price! 13.5 ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
 
10.Gerard Bertrand Terroir Saint Chinian 2015 +370247 September Vintages $17.95: Bertrand has a Terroir series embracing the range of Sud de France wines. Here it is older vines in a schist area of Languedoc, specifically syrah and mourvedre. Expect black fruit all over the place (even black olives, mocha and garrigue). The "f" word comes to mind: full, fat, fleshy, fabulous at this price. One third of the wine is aged for nine months in barrel, the rest matured in vats and then blended before bottling. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
11.Gerard Bertrand Terroir Fitou 2015 $16.95 +403683 Vintages September: Bertrand continues to advance the Terroir series (and the Grand Terroir series) with more localized vineyards. Here it is Fitou, with its grenache and carignan grapes, vinified separately. The carignan has carbonic maceration for two weeks; the grenache is done in traditional style. Some of the wine is barrel aged for a year. Everything here seems to be concentrated in aromas and flavours, red fruit and undergrowth dominating. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
 
12.Gerard Bertrand Terroir Corbieres 2015 $18.95 +394288 Vintages: In this Terroir Corbieres, Bertrand uses carbonic maceration for the syrah and traditional fermentation for the grenache and mourvedre. It is an appealing Rhonish G-S-M, with the blended wine aging in wood for eight months before bottling. Very firm with some fruit on the full finish. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
 
13.Gerard Bertrand Grand Terroir La Clape Syrah/Carignan/Mourvedre 2015 AOP La Clape, +370262, $18.95 Vintages October: the bargains continue at the LCBO with this southern Rhone clone emphasizing aromatic red fruit (with some black) and garrigue. Nice long finish for that heavy meat dish. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
 
14.Gerard Bertrand Terroir Minervois Syrah Carignan 2015 +952804, $16.95 Vintages: handpicking and total destemming are hallmarks of the Bertrand approach. After the malo, both varieties are blended and part of the wine is aged in 225-litre Bordeaux barrels for 8 months. There are lively light spicy carignan flavours of cherries and plums, with some black fruit (black olive and blackberry)syrah component plus mocha. 14% ABV. BBQ wine. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
 
 
15.Gerard Bertrand Gris Blanc 2017 IGP Pays d'Oc +409870 Vintages, $16.95: from between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees, and from two different grenache varieties (noir and gris). Red fruit all the way, with very pale pink and grey colours. It looks different when viewed from different angles. Aromas of melons are fresh, just almost perfect for lazy late summer drinking, so you might want to load up. Twist top. 13% ABV.
Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
16.Palliser Estate Pencarrow Pinot Noir Martinborough 2016 New Zealand, +692301 Vintages, $24.95: made from 7 different clones in 4 different vineyards and with indigenous yeast, this crafted wine has been aged 10 months in 24% new 228-litre barrels. Expect ripe dark-red cherry fruit and blackberry aromas, followed by a palate of juicy dark-red cherry-berry tones. Some forest floor showing already. Structured to be an all-purpose pinot at an engaging price, it will get better over the next five years. Best with white meat (poultry, pork) – or, at this point in its growth, as a sipper. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 
 
 
17.Pelee Island Winery J.S. Hamilton Red 2017 VQA South Islands, +581181 Vintages, $18.95: named after one of the founders of the original Pelee Island Wine and Vineyards Company (and preceded itself by Vin Villa Vineyards). It's a bright and cheerful wine harbouring dark fruit among the syrah (48%), petit verdot (41%), and malbec (11%) blend. There is also some barrel aging. Residual sugar is less than 2.8 grams per litre. It is also a bit too young at this point, showing some tannins that may disappear with a double decant. As well, I tasted it over several days. Pairs well with fattier foods such as pork and, of course, cheeses. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
18.Pelee Island Winery Late Harvest Riesling 2017 VQA Ontario, +136010 Vintages, $15.95: sweeter white wines must be coming back, perhaps driven by sweeter roses, because I've seen a lot of them lately. This one has 38 grams residual sugar per litre, but it is not cloying. Rich flavours of lemon, peaches, some botrytis tones, and more orchard fruit. Its for dessert or fatty cheeses, perhaps over-the-top spicy foods as well. Quality/Price rating is 87 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
19.Pelee Island Winery LOLA Gewurztraminer 2017 VQA Ontario, +618231 LCBO September,$13.95: it's a basic Ontario gewurz showing off typical roses and slight bitterness tones. Lovely aromas. Body is semi-sweet at 28 grams per litre of residual sugar but alcohol of 12.5%. Quaffable for the dying days of summer or with South East Asiatic foods. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
 
 
20.Pelee Island Winery LOLA Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 VQA Ontario +618223 LCBO September, $14.95: a pretty good medium price winner in the Ontario cabernet sweepstakes, with some residual sugar of 6 grams a litre to give it a fruitiness for younger wine drinkers. It's the newest in Pele's LOLA series, brimming with red berry fruit tones. Good finish, ready now, quaffable for the autumn season or with grilled meats. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

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