WORLD WINE WATCH TOP 20/20 WINES: 20 under $20 and 20 over $20 for March 2, 2019

NOTE: The LCBO is retooling its Wine Media Tasting program to allow curation. We will not begin tasting Vintages releases until March 29, for the April 13 release date. SO: this edition of WORLD WINE WATCH will be my last UNTIL after March 29, since I will have no access to tasting samples until that time. But I will try to cobble something together....

 

 

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP 20/20 WINES: 20 under $20 and 20 over $20 for March 2, 2019

 

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 would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).

 

20 under $20

=========

W+377721 BARON DE HOEN RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER    AC Alsace    2017    $19.95       12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

W+480764    TUSSOCK JUMPER CHENIN BLANC    WO Western Cape    2017    $12.95

13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

W+631523    SWARTLAND WINEMAKER'S COLLECTION CHENIN BLANC    WO Swartland    2018    $12.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

W+485334    KEW MARSANNE    VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2016    $19.95

MVC/QPR: 89.5

W+636167    CHÂTEAU CAMILLE GAUCHERAUD SAUVIGNON BLANC     AC Côtes de Bordeaux--Blaye    2016    $16.95     13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5

W+392357    KONZELMANN LATE HARVEST GEWÜRZTRAMINER    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2016    $15.95     MVC/QPR:  88

W+579961    LUNDY MANOR PROPRIETOR'S BLEND WHITE    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2017    $18.95    12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

W+632323    SIEGEL SPECIAL RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC    Leyda Valley    2018    $17.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89.5

W+630558    BABICH BLACK LABEL ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY    Hawke's Bay, North Island    2017    $19.95    13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5

W+14340    WAIRAU RIVER SAUVIGNON BLANC    Marlborough, South Island    2017    $19.95       MVC/QPR: 90

W+630061    SCHIEFER STEILLAGE FEINHERB RIESLING    Qualitätswein    2017    $16.95    10.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

W+289538    VESEVO BENEVENTANO FALANGHINA    IGT Beneventano    2017    $16.95 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

W+586396    IZADI BLANCO    DOCa Rioja    2017    $19.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5

W+629436    TRAPICHE MEDALLA CHARDONNAY    Uco Valley, Mendoza    2016    $19.95  12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR:  88

W+390203    MONTES ALPHA CHARDONNAY    DO Aconcagua Valley    2016    $19.95 13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

% ABV, MVC/QPR:

R+128629    LUIGI BOSCA CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Mendoza    2015    $18.95  13.8% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

R+591313    MALIVOIRE GAMAY    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2017    $17.95    12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+22228    MONTES ALPHA MERLOT    DO Colchagua Valley    2015    $19.95     14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89.5

R+377481    LÓPEZ DE HARO CRIANZA    DOCa Rioja    2015    $15.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+490011    LA TREMENDA MONASTRELL    DO Alicante    2016    $17.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+631846    FIUZA PREMIUM ALICANTE BOUSCHET DO Tejo 2015 $17.95 14%ABV, MVC/QPR:89

R+530543    LA PRUA APPASSIMENTO    IGT Rosso Veneto    2016    $15.95     13.5%ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+644484    CAMPOS DE ENANZO BASIANO TEMPRANILLO    DO Navarra    2017    $11.95 13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+443945    EL GORÚ MONASTRELL/SYRAH/PETIT VERDOT    DOP Jumilla    2017    $13.95 14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

 

20 over $20

=========

W+ 276675    GIRARD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY CHARDONNAY    Russian River Valley, Sonoma County    2015    $39.95      13.9% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

W+310409    ROBERT MONDAVI NAPA VALLEY CHARDONNAY    Napa Valley    2015    $29.95

14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

W+295717    DOMAINE DU CHALET POUILLY POUILLY-FUISSÉ    AP    2016    $33.95 12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+155408    MARCHESI DI BAROLO BARBARESCO    DOCG    2014    $37.95  13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

R+225540    SARTORI CORTE BRÀ AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO    DOC    2011    $53.95      15.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+395855    HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CABERNET/MERLOT    VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2015    $24.95 13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

R+959627    CHÂTEAU MONT-REDON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE    AC    2015    $49.95 14.1% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

R+288530    MAZZEI SER LAPO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO    DOCG    2015    $23.95     13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+639484    FLORA SPRINGS CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Napa Valley    2015    $64.95 14.2% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+39388    FRANCISCAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Napa Valley    2015    $29.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+409151    JOSEPH CARR CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Napa Valley    2015    $44.95  14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR:  90

R+163022    JOSEF CHROMY PINOT NOIR    Tasmania    2017    $34.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+333229    WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE THE SIDING CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Coonawarra, South Australia    2016    $23.95    13.7% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+48066    CHÂTEAU DE BARBE BLANCHE    AC Lussac-Saint-Émilion    2015    $29.95 15% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89.5

R+17400    PIERRE AMADIEU ROMANE-MACHOTTE GIGONDAS    AC    2015    $28.95 14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+334094    LUIS CAÑAS RESERVA    DOCa Rioja    2012    $29.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 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 –

 

 

 

14.EASY VEGAN BAKING (DK Books, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8013-2, $17.99 USD paperbound) is by Jerome Eckmeier and Daniela Lais, both long-time vegans and bakers. He has an Internet cooking show and blog; she's a journalist who has also worked in a vegetarian-vegan Austrian restaurant. Here they present 80 easy preps for cookies, cakes, pizzas, breads, pies, tarts, frostings, etc. They've got the usual vegan primer of basics, plus a recipe distribution through dessert, entertaining, quiche, bread rolls, and holiday foods. Very useful, with that DK layout. 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: 85.

 

 

 

 

15.HEALTHY, QUICK & EASY SMOOTHIES (DK Alpha, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-7667-8 $16.99 USD paperbound) is by Dana Angelo White, RD, who specializes in culinary nutrition and recipe development. She's responsible for being a nutrition expert for foodnetwork.com as well as a founding blog contributor. She's got 100 quick preps under 300 calories each, and made with no more than five ingredients. Each prep has nutritional data such as carbs, fibre, protein, and fat. Most preps appear to be vegan in style (free of animal milk and honey) using coconut milk, almond or soy milk and maple syrup. But the remaining preps can be easily modified. Arrangement is by major ingredient: tropical, berry, green, and "combo" (e.g., pineapple and chia bowl with banana and orange). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

* MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS

 

7.ON BOARDS (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 184 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753114-8, $25 CAD hardbound) is by Lisa Dawn Bolton, a Vancouver food stylist and writer. As she says, these are simple and inspiring recipe ideas to share at gatherings. Bolton has 100 or so quick and easy preps and suggestions for creating a board of food that looks beyond being a charcuterie board or a cheese platter. Her 50 styling ideas are augmented by 52 recipes for both savoury and sweet additions such as beet hummus or mashed potato dip. The boards cover a range of occurrences, from everyday to seasonal to holiday to special occasion to international (Mexican, Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, France, Holland, Bavaria, et al). The recipes are useful, but you can also use other preps that you might be more familiar with. Just play around. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart for the avoirdupois weights and measures.

Audience and level of use: those looking for entertaining ideas.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate salami; bourbon bacon ham;

The downside to this book: I wanted more suggestions. Also, you'll need a few different platters for display.

The upside to this book: a really good look at platter creation.

Quality/Price Rating: 90

 

 

 

 

8.SEASON (Chronicle Books, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6399-4, $35 USD hardbound) is by Nik Sharma, ace blogger (A Brown Kitchen) and print food writer. As a food photographer, he did his own pix for this book of big flavours and beautiful food. He's also got seven noted log rollers, including Nigella Lawson. He's a home cook, but his 100 preps here show a global sensibility of spices and herbs and international techniques. He grew up in India and traveled widely, cooking in the Southern US and photographing his experiences. It is a colourful book, part memoir, part cookbook, with good leading and spacing for easier readability. The primer part details a flavour glossary, and this is followed by sections on small bites, salads, soups, gains and veggies, seafood, eggs and poultry, meats, sweets, and some beverages. The preps are bookended with a section on pantry staples to keep on hand. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements (except for teaspoons and tablespoons with no equivalents), and  there is no table of metric equivalents.

Audience and level of use: adventuresome cooks.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: crème fraiche chicken salad; chile-sumac pomegranate nuts; spiced mango milkshake; cardamom iced coffee with coconut milk; bacon-guajillo salt; charred green garlic and yuzu ponzu sauce; turkey-mushroom handpies; spiced meat loaf; tandoori swordfish steaks; coriander gravlax.

The downside to this book: maybe a little too much non-food material

The upside to this book: excellent photography and layout

Quality/Price Rating: 90

 

 

 

 

 

9.THE FAT KITCHEN (Storey Publishing, 2018, 290 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-913-6 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Andrea Chesman in Vermont. Her many cookbooks specialize in traditional techniques such as The Pickled Pantry. Here she explores, in 100 recipes, how to tackle the rendering and curing of lard, tallow and poultry fat – and then how to cook with them. It's been over ten years since Jennifer McLagan's definitive "Fat" book (Ten Speed Press) and six years since Michael Ruhlman's "Book of Schmaltz" (Little, Brown). It is no secret that fat not only imparts flavour to regular food but also makes pastry more tender and flaky, cookies rise higher, and caramelizes fried foods without being greasy. Each type of fat is distinct, and Chesman tells us which type is best for which method of cooking or food. So – we have pork carnitas, Cornish pasties, duck fat french fries, and similar preps. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements (but fat is additionally expressed in metric), but there are tables of metric equivalents at the back of the book.

Audience and level of use: home cooks, meat eaters

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: potato latkes; scallion pancakes; duck fat popcorn; duck confit with potatoes; onion confit; kale chips; red bean gumbo; kasha varnishkas; jam thumbprint cookies.

The downside to this book: nothing really, fairly priced.

The upside to this book: a good book for paleo and GAPS diets

Quality/Price Rating: 89

 

 

 

10.BUILD-A-BOWL (Storey Publishing, 2018, 180 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-990-7 $18.95 USD paperbound) is by Nicki Sizemore, food blogger, recipe developer, and cooking teacher, All of these 77 preps are easy and infinitely adaptable by your mastering of the build-a-bowl formula: a whole-grain base topped with veggie, protein, sauce and crispy garnish (e.g., seeds). The beauty of it is that every bowl can be customized for picky eaters, gluten-free eaters, vegans and vegetarians, and any special diet – all at the same time (if you have enough diverse foods). These are all family-oriented and thrive on leftovers. The grains can be GF or mixed, they can be just one (e.g., brown rice) or mixed, etc. The grains should be at least lukewarm for tastiness. Fruit is useful for dessert bowls at brunch or breakfast. There is good advice for actually building each of the 77 bowls – and most of the ingredients can be made  in advance, except last minute things such as fried eggs or warming things up. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents.

Audience and level of use: families, millennials, anyone in a hurry.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: millet muesli; pumpkin pie rice pudding; hardy greens and grains with pancetta and poached eggs; balsamic roasted mushrooms and Brussels sprouts with goat cheese and gremolata; grilled skirt steak with sweet corn and cabbage slaw plus roasted red pepper cashew sauce.

The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes, maybe an even 100?

The upside to this book: there is a resources list and an index to recipe type (e.g., eggs, legumes, fruit bowls, et al)

Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

 

 

11.ROAST REVOLUTION (Ryland Peters and Small, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-027-7 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Kathy Kordalis, a London-based food stylist and recipe writer. It's her sixth book, with plenty of light and accessible preps in the "heavy" field of roasts based on different cuts of meat. These are contemporary ideas for modern-day roasts. She emphasizes the "art of meat and heat" for perfect timings of tenderness. Veggies are included as well, such as the whole baked cauliflower with chimichurri sauce, and a farro bowl that also comprises favas and pistachios. Her sensibilities come from her Australian and Mediterranean heritages. After the primer, the arrangement includes classics, fast, slow, merry, and weekends, followed by sides and drinks. She also has a small number of menu suggestions for Father's Day, Summer Party, Valentine's Day, et al.

Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: those who like variations on a roast

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: gochujang roasted eggplant steaks; salmon inferno; soy and sesame baked monkfish; stuffed porchetta; braised beef cheeks; slow roast lamb leg; Middle Eastern spiced venison shawarma.

The downside to this book: I would have liked more menus.

The upside to this book: good idea, especially with a whole meal being planned. Sides suggestions are really in line.

Quality/Price Rating: 87.

 

 

12.THE MAKE-AHEAD SAUCE SOLUTION (Storey Publishing, 2018, 196 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-959-4 $16.5 USD paperbound) is by Elisabeth Bailey, who has authored two regional cookbooks of Maritime cooking. She lives in Lunenberg, NS where she teaches classes on gardening and food. These 61 sauces can all be pre-made and then frozen, to be brought out when time is short. In addition to ragus and Thai sauces, there are also gorgonzola chive butter, coconut lemon, chimichurri, Parmesan leek and more. Each recipe has a quick-reference chart showing the best base combinations of proteins and veggies. After the primer there are chapters on regional sauces from the Americas, Asia, and the Mediterranean – followed by cheese sauces, wine sauces, pestos and salsas. Eleven bases (pork, fish, shrimp, chicken, et al) with 61 sauces leads to hundreds of different meals. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents.

Audience and level of use: harried homemakers; cooks wanting different flavours every night.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sun-dried tomato pesto; cheddar ale; creamy chipotle; creole; pumpkin coconut cream; Vietnamese dipping sauce; mustard greens anchovies; primavera; blue cheese, pear and hazelnut; corn and chile salsa.

The downside to this book: I wanted more sauces.

The upside to this book: Sauces really do dress up your meal.

Quality/Price Rating: 89

 

 

 

13.POTATOES (Ryland Peters and Small, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-028-4 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Jenny Linford who has written other cookbooks in the UK. Here she gives us 65 potato preps ranging from soups to samosas, croquettes to chowders, curries to quesadillas, and pies to pierogi. Quite a wide range from the classics to the modern twists. It is a good basic little book emphasizing the range that potatoes can enjoy. The arrangement is useful: summery potatoes, then sustaining potatoes, followed by comfort potatoes and spicy potatoes. There are so many different things that you can do with the basic product so variables and spin-offs also come into play.

Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric equivalents, but there is no table of metric values.

Audience and level of use: beginner cooks

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: saffron mash fish pies; potato stuffed duck; goose fat roast potatoes; anchovy potato croquettes with salsa verde; potato chaat masala; potato wedges with romesco sauce.

The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes

The upside to this book: a useful single ingredient cookbook

Quality/Price Rating: 86.

 

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

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP 20/20 WINES: 20 under $20 and 20 over $20 for February 16, 2019

 

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP 20/20 WINES: 20 under $20 and 20 over $20 for February 16, 2019

 

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 would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).

 

THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL FINDS --

 

W+630004    WERNER ANSELMANN GEWÜRZTRAMINER KABINETT    PFALZ Prädikatswein    2017    $15.95     10.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 92

 

20 under $20

=========

W+557165    HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING    VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2017    $19.95    11.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

W+406991    SANTA ALICIA GRAN RESERVA DE LOS ANDES CHARDONNAY    DO Maipo Valley    2017    $16.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88

W+632349    TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC    DO Leyda Valley    2017    $17.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

W+518357    SIDEWOOD SAUVIGNON BLANC    Adelaide Hills, South Australia    2017    $17.95     12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5

W+631085    LA GUARDIENSE JANARE DEL SANNIO GRECO    DOC    2017    $18.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5

W+391987    MIDDLE-EARTH SAUVIGNON BLANC    Nelson, South Island    2017    $18.95  12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

W+18705    STRANDVELD FIRST SIGHTING SAUVIGNON BLANC    WO Cape Agulhas    2017    $13.95    12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

W+637868    CHÂTEAU DE LA GRANGE VIEILLES VIGNES CÔTES DE GRAND LIEU MUSCADET    Sur lie, AC    2016    $13.95    12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+550608    VIENI PINOT NOIR    VQA Vinemount Ridge    2015    $16.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+633362    MERF CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Columbia Valley    2016    $19.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90.5

R+632703    VIÑA LEYDA CANELO SINGLE VINEYARD SYRAH    DO Leyda Valley    2015    $19.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

R+631556    PLAISIR DE MERLE PETIT PLAISIR    WO Western Cape    2016    $16.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR:  89

R+632984    PIERRE LURTON BORDEAUX    AC    2016    $19.95     14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+644286    CAMILLE CAYRAN LA RÉSERVE PLAN DE DIEU    AP Côtes du Rhône-Villages    2017    $17.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+588723    CAVINO NEMEA AGIORGITIKO    PDO Nemea    2015    $13.95     13% ABV,  MVC/QPR: 89

R+270306    MASSERIE PISARI PRIMITIVO    IGT Salento Rosso    2017    $13.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+480665    LA TORRE GUINZANO SAN GIMIGNANO ROSSO    DOC    2015    $16.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+455659    LE PUPILLE MORELLINO DI SCANSANO    DOCG    2016    $17.95    14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+969469    RENZO MASI RISERVA CHIANTI    DOCG    2015    $18.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+258673    G. MARQUIS THE SILVER LINE PINOT NOIR    VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake        $16.95 13.2% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5

 

20 over $20

=========

W+395699    BERINGER LUMINUS CHARDONNAY    Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley    2016    $44.95    14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+981316    VALPANTENA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA    DOCG    2015    $38.95

15% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

R+24430    CHÂTEAU CANTENAC    AC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru  2014    $34.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91

R+60525    RUTHERFORD RANCH RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Napa Valley    2013    $49.95    15% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

W+479527    CLOS DU BOIS SONOMA RESERVE CHARDONNAY    Russian River Valley, Sonoma County    2015    $24.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

W+632851    PRESQU'ILE WINERY CHARDONNAY    Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County    2014    $32.95    13.9% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90

W+189126    JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE    AC    2017    $29.95

13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

W+631051    MONTE DEL FRÀ LUGANA    DOC    2017    $21.95    13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

W+578864    LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY    VQA Ontario    2016    $22.95  13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5

W+525048    CHAVET & FILS LA DAME DE JACQUES COEUR MENETOU-SALON BLANC    AC    2017    $20.95    13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88

R+632604    DOMAINE NATURALISTE REBUS CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Margaret River, Western Australia    2015    $33.95    13.8% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+470591    THE LANE SINGLE VINEYARD BLOCK 14 BASKET PRESS SHIRAZ    Adelaide Hills, South Australia    2016    $29.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+633032    CHÂTEAU BLAIGNAN    Cru Bourgeois, AC Médoc    2014    $23.95    12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR:  89

R+637306    DOMAINE BARON DE L'ÉCLUSE    AP Côte de Brouilly    2017    $18.95    13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+420653    LA REGOLA    IGT Toscana    2011    $28.95     14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90.5

R+461269    IZADI RESERVA    DOCa Rioja    2014    $21.95     14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+638783    RIOJA VEGA CRIANZA EDICIÓN LIMITADA    DOCa Rioja    2015    $22.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89

R+630939    BARONE RICASOLI BROLIO BETTINO CHIANTI CLASSICO    DOCG    2015    $29.95    13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5

R+589242    PIANO DEI DIANI    DOC Etna Rosso    2015    $26.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

RECENT INSTANT POT COOKBOOKS: report...

RECENT INSTANT POT COOKBOOKS: report...

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There has been a slew of Instant Pot (IP) cookbooks: it has been one of the hottest selling  electric implement in the kitchen. It's an extremely versatile piece of equipment, performing about a dozen different uses. So no need for single-purpose appliances. It can pressure cook, slow cook, saute, steam (cook rice), bake (breads), make yogurt, and more. But it cannot do everything, such as broil a roast or sheet pan cooking. There is also a temptation in Instant Pot cookbooks to re-format typical and standard pressure cooker and slow cooker preps which have been around for about a century, contributing nothing new – just bringing them across from previous books to the new IP book. The only real problem with IP is: you might want (or have) to use two or more of its functions at the same time – you can't do it. So time management is here important.

 

 

3.HEALTHY INSTANT POT COOKBOOK (Alpha, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-7663-0 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Dana Angelo White, RD. She provides very helpful information about the basic usage of the Instant Pot (with black and white photos) in nine pages, the longest stretch of the three books. For her, Instant Pot is a boon. Not only is it energy efficient and fast, but also it is healthier – the flavours and nutrients are locked in. So she has 100 light and simple preps for breakfast through to dessert, with meatless options. Along the way, she cuts back on fats (thus promoting a leaner mac 'n' cheese or lassagna). Each prep (such as caramel popcorn crunch) has symbols and words to indicate the program (e.g., pressure cooker), the pressure level (e.g., high) and the release (e.g., quick). Calories and cooking times are listed as well as nutrition per serving. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90

 

 

4.KETO IN AN INSTANT (Alpha, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8073, $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Stacey Crawford, a blogger who has celiac disease. To her, good health is being grain-free and low-carb – the ketogenic diet. She too has 100 keto recipes for the Instant Pot in the breakfast to dinner range, with several gluten-free and paleo-friendly options. It is also possible to be dairy-free. She's got the nutrient breakdowns for each prep, as ell as the setting and the release modes. She's only got less than a couple of pages on the Instant Pot, with more space on the ketogenic diet. The two books nicely complement each other in their preps. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89.

 

 

5.FIX-IT AND FORGET-IT INSTANT POT COOKBOOK (Good Books Skyhorse, 2018, 228 pages, ISBN 978-1-68099-431-5 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Hope Comerford, who has taken over from Phyllis Good, the original author of many Fix-It and Forget-It books which centred around the slow cooker. Well, maybe it is bye-bye time for the slow cooker and welcome to the Instant Pot!! It certainly frees up a lot of time and space in the kitchen. Like the other two recent books (see above), she has 100 recipes for the breakfast through dessert scroll. But unlike the other two she has tables of metric equivalents and a whole series of tips and tricks. She has indications for setting, pressure and release. But no nutritional data section. Most of the preps are from readers or followers of the Fix-It series. Quality/price rating: 88

 

 

6.THE MODERN MULTI-COOKER COOKBOOK (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-973-1, $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Jenny Tschiesche, who also runs the UK nutrition website  www.lunchboxdoctor.com and develops recipes. Previously she had authored "Sheet Pan Cooking" for this publisher. Overall, what sets this book apart from the others above is that it is hardbound and it has 101 recipes (one more than any of the rest reviewed here) – and manages to keep the price to under $20. Indeed, it is the least expensive book here. That may be because it concentrates on recipes, keeping the IP material to just one page of small typeface with no illustrations. That promotes it to the "Intermediate" level, by assuming that the user already has an IP. It's arranged by course or ingredient, with breakfasts, soups, "speedy" suppers, rice and grains, curries and chillies, casseroles and roasts, sides, desserts. Also, the preps seem to be a bit more upscale, with carrot and cashew hummus, sweet potato and pancetta frittata, cod in parma ham with lemon butter and veggies, veggie biryani, Thai chicken with cauliflower rice, Malaysian chicken, and lamb tagine. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes (it still had tablespoons and teaspoons), or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90.

 

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

* DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH: Wine Trails -- Australia and NZ (Lonely Planet)

 

1.WINE TRAILS: Australia and New Zealand (Lonely Planet, 2018, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78701-769-6, $20 USD hardbound) is one of a new series from Lonely Planet detailing 40 "perfect" [publisher's term] weekends in wine country. Covered here are the Australian hot spots of Margaret River, McLaren Vale, Hunter Valley, Coonawarra, Barossa, plus 25 more in the regions of New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. New Zealand has 10 in all, including Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, Waipara, and Gisborne. There are single weekends in these diverse regions, with Victoria being the most prolific at 10 wine areas. The entire country of New Zealand also has 10 regions. About 250 wineries are covered, so there is lots to do – that's 6 – 7 or so on each weekend, good pacing. With Marlborough as an example, there is a snapshot description of the cool climate area, a basic map with numbers for seven wineries to visit on that weekend, and blurbs about each winery and their wine specialties. All of them are either sustainable-natural or at the other end of the spectrum, biodynamic. Websites are given for more data, phone numbers, street addresses, time open, food, and price ranges. The end of the Marlborough chapter lists a few places to stay, to eat, and what to do. Small but useful photos are strewn about.

Audience and level of use: travellers, especially those who want to spend many weekends at these antipodean wineries.

The downside to this book: 5 contributors are mentioned but it is unclear who contributed what. One is from New Zealand, two more are from Australia.

The upside to this book: there are multiple indexes to architecture and art, experiences, and to the wineries themselves.

Quality/Price Rating: 92

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

CHOP SUEY NATION; the Legion Cafe and other stories from Canada's Chinese restaurants (Douglas & McIntyre)

CHOP SUEY NATION; the Legion Cafe and other stories from Canada's Chinese restaurants (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-77162-222-6 $24.95 CAD French flaps gatefold paperbound) is by Ann Hui, the Globe and Mail's National Food Writer since 2015 and a two-time nominee for a National Newspaper Award. It's an augmented version of a long piece she did for the June 21, 2016 issue of the Globe and Mail. Notable log rollers include Mark Bittman, Chris Nuttall-Smith, and Lucy Waverman. Her book, in addition to being an 18-day discovery voyage of small town Chinese restaurants in Canada, also is a vivid memoir of her family, her Dad, and their own restaurant the Legion Cafe. The scope is nation-wide, from the Don Mee Seafood Restaurant in Victoria, BC to the Kwang Tung Restaurant on Fogo Island, NL – with stops along the way to several places in Alberta and Prairies through to Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. She explores the Canadian version of “chop suey” [mixed small bits – shap sui in Cantonese] and “chow mein” (which substitutes sliced cabbage for noodles in Newfoundland), both using local ingredients that can be adapted and turned into such plates as “bon bon ribs” or “ginger beef”. The memoir portions are skillfully interwoven with the visited restaurants. 

Audience and level of use: those interested in Chinese food and Canadian cultural history, lovers of memoirs.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: it was only after the article was published when Ann found out that own family could have been included – her parents had run a Chinese restaurant before she was born! And indeed, many of the owner families came from the same region, Toisan (“First home of the Overseas Chinese”).

The downside to this book: no index is provided – one might have been useful to co-relate the various dishes on offer nationwide.

The upside to this book: compelling reading.

Quality/Price Rating: 93.

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH: Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui (Dougls & McIntyre)

CHOP SUEY NATION; the Legion Cafe and other stories from Canada's Chinese restaurants (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-77162-222-6 $24.95 CAD French flaps gatefold paperbound) is by Ann Hui, the Globe and Mail's National Food Writer since 2015 and a two-time nominee for a National Newspaper Award. It's an augmented version of a long piece she did for the June 21, 2016 issue of the Globe and Mail. Notable log rollers include Mark Bittman, Chris Nuttall-Smith, and Lucy Waverman. Her book, in addition to being an 18-day discovery voyage of small town Chinese restaurants in Canada, also is a vivid memoir of her family, her Dad, and their own restaurant the Legion Cafe. The scope is nation-wide, from the Don Mee Seafood Restaurant in Victoria, BC to the Kwang Tung Restaurant on Fogo Island, NL – with stops along the way to several places in Alberta and Prairies through to Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. She explores the Canadian version of "chop suey" [mixed small bits – shap sui in Cantonese] and "chow mein" (which substitutes sliced cabbage for noodles in Newfoundland), both using local ingredients that can be adapted and turned into such plates as "bon bon ribs" or "ginger beef". The memoir portions are skillfully interwoven with the visited restaurants. 

Audience and level of use: those interested in Chinese food and Canadian cultural history, lovers of memoirs.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: it was only after the article was published when Ann found out that own family could have been included – her parents had run a Chinese restaurant before she was born! And indeed, many of the owner families came from the same region, Toisan ("First home of the Overseas Chinese").

The downside to this book: no index is provided – one might have been useful to co-relate the various dishes on offer nationwide.

The upside to this book: compelling reading.

Quality/Price Rating: 93.

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com