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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR FEBRUARY 4, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR FEBRUARY 4, 2012
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at
http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. My Internet compendium
"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net" is a guide to thousands of news
items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, at
www.deantudor.com since 1994. My tastings are based on MVC (Modal
Varietal Character); ratings are QPR (Quality-to-Price Ratio). Prices
are LCBO retail. Only my top rated wines are here. NOTE: The LCBO does
NOT put out all of the wines of the release for wine writers or product
consultants. Corked wines are not normally available for a re-tasting.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Gran Lurton Corte Friulano 2010 Uco Valley Mendoza: wonderful
aromatic complexity, partial BF for Sauvignon Vert, Pinot Gris,
Chardonnay and Torrontes varieties. +66829, $19.95, QPR: 90.
2. Vieil Armand Medaille Gewurztraminer 2009 Alsace: 13% ABV, dynamite
MVC, whirling world of lychee, peach, citrus, and some bittering.
+260158, $16.95, QPR: 91.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Albino Armani Egle Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore 2008: "Ripasso of
the month". +247916, $15.95, QPR: 89.
2. Maculan Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 IGT Veneto: a lighter Bordeaux-like
style, good value at this price. +987701, $14.95, QPR: 90.
3. Maetierra Dominum Quatro Pagos Reserva 2005 Rioja: delicious, albeit
sweet tones, not drying out, 14% ABV, "Reserva" not noted on front
label. +246660, $19.95, QPR: 89
4. Columbia Crest Grand states Merlot 2007 Columbia Valley Washington
State: smoke and toast dominate, fruit after mid-palate. Yummy. 13.5%
ABV. +263418, $15.95, QPR: 91.
5. Crios de Susana Balbo Malbec 2010 Mendoza: dense, 13.5% BV, but good
finishing acid for food pairing. +162529, $13.5, QPR: 89.
6. La Posta Angel Paulucci Vineyard Malbec 2008 Mendoza: ripe and
juicy, long finish, food or sipper. 13.9% BV. +75515, $15.95, QPR: 89.
7. Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz/Cabernet 2009 Padthaway: dense and chunky, some
mint showing, 14.5% BV. +186114, $16.95, QPR: 89.
8. Tapestry BG & V Shiraz 2009 McLaren Vale: twist top, rich and fruit,
14% ABV. +247155, $17.95, QPR: 89.
9. Chateau Haut-Canteloup 2009 Blaye: dynamite MVC Bordeaux, 13% ABV,
delivers flavour and value, ready now. +64747, $13.95, QPR: 93.
10. Chateau Piron 2008 Montagne St-Emilion: juicy, affordable, 12.5%
ABV. +176982, $16.95, QPR: 89.
11. Perrin Nature Cotes du Rhone 2010: very good finish and development
for this organic wine. +948059, 16.95, QPR: 90.
12. L'Excellence du Chateau Bladinieres 2008 Cahors: delicious wood
aging, 13% ABV. Gold Medal. +264671, $16.95, QPR: 90.
 
VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.
 
1. Antolini Moropio Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2006, +247957,
$34.95 retail.
2. Stratus Chardonnay 2008 VQA NOTL, +267856, $42.20.
3. Landmark Damaris Reserve Chardonnay 2008 Flocchini & Sangiacomo
Vyds, Sonoma, +356519, $45.95.
4. Domaine Jean Collet & Fils Vaillons Chablis 1er Cru 008, +650804,
$28.95.
5. Domaine Fouassier Les Grands Groux Sancere 2009, +267948, $24.95.
6. Mission Hill Reserve Merlot 2008 VQA Okanagan, +553313, $25.95
7. Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 Napa, +80218, $89.95.
8. Dry Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Sonoma, +642207, $24.95.
9. Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Blue Label Merlot 2008
California, +595686, 24.95.
10. Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz 2007 Barossa, +50047, $39.95.
11. Loacker Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino 2005, +237263, $49.95.

Monday, January 30, 2012

First Saintsbury Society Dinner of 2012 now a matter of record...

The Date and Time: Saturday, January 28, 2012  7:30 PM to 11:30 PM

The Event: Saintsbury Society Dinner

The Venue: somewhere in the East End of Toronto

The Target Audience: Members and Guests

The Availability/Catalogue: Most of the wines were not available as they were older vintages. Our host provided a tasting of Gigondas.

The Quote/Background: "One of the rules is: we cannot ask you back to this location." This secret society, without its robes, appears to specialize in gourmet dinners and old wines at members' houses. Some outsiders get invited to participate. Tonight it was my (and my wife's) turn.

The Wines:

 

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

-Domaine de Mavette Gigondas 2007 (13.5%), $23.95 Vintages

-Delas Freres Cornas 1983 Chante Perdix

-Josef Draften Wittinger Scharzberg Riesling Extra Dry Mosel Sekt 2009, 12.5%, $13.95 Vintages

-Domaine de Cabasse 2007 Gigondas, 15% $29.95 Vintages

-Cuilleron Cote Rotie 2007 Terres Lombres, 13.5%

-Domaine de Bonsterine Cote Rotie 2008 La Sarrasine

 

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

-Chateau de Trinquevdel 2011 Rose Tavel (13.5%), $17.95 Vintages March

-Hartz Barn Sparkling Shiraz 2001 Black Bead Barossa, 13.5% en magnum

-Domaine des Bernardins Muscat Beaumes de Venise 2009, 15% half-bottle

-Domaine Mathieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 Blanc, $35

-Domaine de Grapillon d'Or 1806 Gigondas 2010, Vintages upcoming

-Domaine de Grapillon d'Or 1806 Gigondas 2009

-Domaine de Grapillon d'Or 1806 Gigondas 2007, $31.95 Vintages

 

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

-La Ferme de Mont Cotes du Rhone Blanc La Truffiere 2009, 13.5%

-Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz 2006, 14.5%

-Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2002, 13.5%

 

The Food: The food was Rhone/Provence, so the wines matched that theme with grape varieties or regions. We began with sweet and savoury nuts and herbed black olives, followed by water chestnuts wrapped in Rowe Farm bacon. All of these with the sparklers and the Tavel; the latter went best of course. To the table and some hand-cut foie gras and chutney with lovely Muscat Beaumes de Venise, slightly off-sweet here. The Asian pear shrimp salad was lovingly presented with Romaine spears and a Marie Rose sauce in a plastic double Martini glass, very effective. The Cotes du Rhone Blanc offered bracing fruit and acidity for the pear. Out came the main: huge braised Australian lamb shanks and their mirepoix, truffled mash, and roasted parsnips (cut lengthwise). It took forever to consume (they were tender, but they were big), and then we needed the time and space for nine red wines to taste and match. I needed help with extra shank meat, but I got through it before the honeyed figs and pistachio ice cream with biscuit arrived. There was a floral Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc with this course, delightful in its structure.

The Downside: it was a slippery and slid-y icy night, plus there were four other wines that we never got to.

The Upside: A range of five Gigondas for tasting.

The Contact Person: deantudor@deantudor.com

The Event's Execution (numerical grade): 95.

 
 

Saturday, January 28, 2012

SOME NEW PRODUCTS TASTED THIS MONTH --

 

1. Antoine Moueix Merlot Bordeaux 2010, +245860 GL LCBO, $12.95, an easy drinking affordable Bordeaux, twist top, 13.5% ABV, from a Saint Emilion specialist. Young vines give it a characteristic light tannic finish, but it could go either way as a sipper or with food

 

2. 181 Merlot Lodi 2008, +226530 GL LCBO, $16.95, another easy drinking merlot from California. The number 181 refers to the Merlot clone imported from Pomerol; the wine emphasizes its roots. Best as a sipper.

 

3. Mionetto Il Prosecco NV, +588053 GL LCBO, $11.95, weighing in at 10.5% ABV and with a crown cap, this newest addition to the growing list of proseccos in Ontario meets a demand for lower price and lower alcohol. The category has apparently exploded last year, up 16% across Canada. No cork means a lower wholesale price to the LCBO. Off-dry, frizzante style, aperitif or party wine.

 

4. Cantine Clavesana D'Oh Dolcetto di Dogliani 2010 Piemonte, $12.95 GL LCBO, +268037, is a welcomed addition, principally because of its fruitiness. It'll give Beaujolais a run for its money at 12.5% ABV. 90% of the company's production is Dolcetto (the co-op has 350 vintners), and 90% of all that is for domestic sales – so only 10% is exported. Expect warm red fruit tones, very useful as a sipper.

 

5. Mountain Road Wine Company Chardonnay 2007 Unoaked Niagara, +700067 Winery Only, $14.95: orchard fruit, good long finishing acid, highly extractive body, more like an aging Chablis. 13.7% ABV. An aperitif wine.

 

6. Mountain Road Wine Company Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2006 Niagara, Winery Only, $15.95: one of my fave wines, aromatically positive, expressive Euro mode, good creamy oaking, food wine, long finish, maturing well (over five years now). Best with cheese, fish and chicken. 13.9% ABV. First Prize Ribbon at Royal Winter Fair in 2010.

 

7. Mountain Road Wine Company Chardonnay Reserve 2006 VQA Beamsville Bench, Winery Only, $25.95: typical baked apple and tropical fruit, butter, vanilla, caramel and cream, highly extractive, some underbrush, rich and fat. Body leads to good mouthfeel on the mid-palate. Cuvee 2010 Gold Medalist.

 

8. Mountain Road Wine Company Vidal Icewine 1999 VQA Steve Kocsis Vineyard Beamsville Bench, 375 mL, +977049, Winery Only, $39.95: tropical fruit, oranges and honey, but acidity balances sweetness, leading to a rich long finish. Considering its age, this is a bargain wine. It got a Lieutenant-Governor's Award 2011 for Excellence in Ontario Wine.

 

9. Tokaji Yellow Muscat 2010 Puklus Cellars Hungary (+46508 Vintages, $14.95 retail, 750 mL, Vintages January): related to Muscat Blanc, from older vines, done up in Late Harvest style, with that peachy complexity, medium-bodied, but with lemons and pineapple acidity on the longer finish. Floral aromatics. 12% ABV, a bit less this year. Serve with later courses (fruity mains, salads, cheeses, off-dry desserts).

 

10, Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Maipo (+275594 Vintages, $19.95 retail): offers immense value, with its deep black fruit (cherry-berry), vanilla, toast, some anise, very French like. 5% Cabernet Franc added, 14.5% ABV, aged 14 months in mixed-use oak barrels, ready to consume now. All the grapes come form 15-year-old low yield vines of Alto Jahuel in Maipo.

 

11. Rodney Strong Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve Russian River Valley Sonoma 2009 ($34.95 b consignment, Mark Anthony): with 14.5% ABV, this baked apple and vanilla-driven white leaves a long, buttery finish. Lees stirring has promoted creaminess. There is something here for all Chardonnay lovers, or at least for those who dislike stainless steel. Barrel fermentation in French oak (one-quarter new), all malolactic, and 13 months aging.

 

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK...


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

17. CAKE COUTURE; modern sugar-craft for the stylish baker (Firefly,
2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-949-0, $19.95 CAD paper covers) is by
Annie Dam, who owns and operates "Cake Couture" cake boutique in
Edmonton. It is also published by Quintet Publishing in the UK. She's
written about decorative techniques for publications, and has appeared
on Breakfast TV and other place. Here she has written a book about the
art of decorating, principally wedding cakes, celebrations and
cupcakes. It's Spanish- and French-influenced (Dam herself comes from
Vietnam). The basics are covered in a primer, with over 120 pages
devoted to decorating techniques (with photos). In addition, she also
covers transporting, displaying and storing. There's a thumbnail index
to such decorations as violet scrolls, cube, black and white ribbons,
ribbon roses, ruffled brooch, mardi gras and 14 more. Each recipe has a
similar layout. For example, to make a "lustrous peacock", she outlines
tools required (over 30), materials (16), and a timeline beginning one
week ahead. There are 17 photos showing techniques and assembling
requirements. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric
and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88.
 
 
 
18. THE ROSIE'S BAKERY ALL-BUTTER, CREAM-FILLED, SUGAR-PACKED BAKING
BOOK (Workman Publishing, 2011, 418 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-5407-5,
$15.95 US paper covers) is by Judy Rosenberg, owner of the Rosie's
Bakery chain in Boston. It was first announced under a different title,
with about 300 recipes. Here, that total has dropped to 250. She had
written two other baking books (one got an IACP Award) which together
sold over 310,000 copies – and this current book combines the "best" of
those two books and then adds 40 new ones to the package. The larger
arrangement is by category (cakes, cookies, bars, pies and fruit
desserts) with smaller groupings for such as layer cakes, bundts,
tubes, loaves, rolled cakes, cheesecakes, and cupcakes for the "cakes".
Try truffle soufflé, banana rum bread pudding, peaches and cream
custard, stovetop rice pudding, lemon cream cheese squares.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois volume (not
weight) measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. You
may not need this book if you already have the other two. Quality/price
rating: 87.
 
 
 
19. BACK TO BAKING; 200 timeless recipes to bake, share, and enjoy
(Whitecap, 2011, 330 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-063-1, $40 CAD hard
covers) is by Anna Olson, host of many food shows on Food Network
Canada. This is her seventh book with Whitecap, and they honoured her
by publishing it in hard covers! It's a basic book, of course, which
she says provides fundamental formulas and guidelines. There is also a
higher level of sophistication here for some more complicated preps. So
it is a book for both the novice and the adventuresome: muffins, coffee
cakes, sticky buns, pies, tarts, cookies, bars, custards, cakes.
There's a whole chapter on gluten-free desserts, with about three dozen
preps, plus other chapters on dairy-free desserts, egg-free desserts,
and low-fat and/or low-sugar desserts. Try the gluten-free honey almond
shortbread, or the pistachio snowball cookies, or the whole wheat
carrot sticky buns, or the complicated Hungarian dobos torte.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
And all the ingredients have volumes, and are not scaled. Quality/price
rating: 89.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

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

 ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback
reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher
a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will
reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will
rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text
while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent "re-editions"...
 
 
 
23. THE SOTHEBY'S WINE ENCYCLOPEDIA; the classic reference to the wines
of the world, 5th edition rev. (DK, 2011, 736 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-
8684-0, $50 US hard covers) is by prolific wine writer Tom Stevenson.
The first edition was in 1988, and Stevenson has done a remarkable job
in chronicling the changes over the years. The last edition was in
2007, with the same US price, but only 664 pages. Here there are 72
more pages, needed for entirely new content such as the ABC of Grape
Varieties and A Chronology of Wine. Also inn this new edition, he has
reworked all the maps, with major changes to Greece, Romania, Israel,
South Africa, North Africa and Asia. He also claims that the new
Italian and United States' maps have every single DOC and AVA listed.
Other updating deal with wine producers, new appellations, and recent
vintage assessments. His book is arranged geographically, covering all
the wine-growing areas, history and reputation. There are new useful
photos. There are sections on all the factors affecting taste and
quality. Stevenson authors many profiles of important producers, giving
assessments of individual wines. He also has a section on enjoying
wines, including wine tasting; wine and food, star ratings, taste
charts to profile flavours, flaws in wines, and vintage charts back to
1976 in general, with earlier mentions for key years. He even has some
detail about regional oak varieties with illustrated close-ups of the
grain. The book concludes with a glossary (Micropedia) and an extensive
index. Many changes are devoted to New World wines (California,
New Zealand, Australia, India, Asia). Stevenson gives detailed coverage
of the whole world and 6000 wineries are recommended; he is also a good
writer. Canada gets six pages, covering 25 Ontario wineries and 23 in
BC, plus Nova Scotia and Quebec, with up-to-date notes. There is an
"author's choice" section which lists the best wines, with a lengthy
description and aging ability. With over 1000 photos and maps (plus
scores of Top Ten lists), it's hard to get more comprehensive, fresh
and up-to-date than this book right now. Quality/Price Rating: 92.
 
 
 
24. THE RESTAURANT; from concept to operation. Sixth edition. (John
Wiley & Sons, 2011, 557 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-62643-6, $82.59 US hard
covers) is by John R. Walker, a hospitality professor at the University
of South Florida. This book has always been a one-stop guide to the
resto biz, and is well-read in hospitality schools. New to this edition
is greater emphasis on business leadership and management,
sustainability, business plans and the independent operator, cultural
history of eating out in America, purchasing meat, cocktails, spirits
and non-alcoholic beverages, and the influences of Native Peoples and
African American food on the industry. Although heavily pitched to the
US scene, there is enough of value here to us in Canada. Quality/price
rating: 89.
 

25. ARTISAN BREADS; practical recipes and detailed instructions for
baking the world's finest loaves (Skyhorse Publishing, 2004, 2011, 240
pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-487-5, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Jan Hedh, a
Swedish bread maker. The book was originally published in 2004 in
Swedish, and here it has been translated and released into North
America. He's got 110 recipes that are internationally based, and are
quite suitable for home cooking. There are lots of primer-type
information and photos of techniques and finished breads. There's
nothing gluten-free here, and most of the preps are European
influenced. There are sandwich breads, sweet breads, dark breads,
savoury bread, brioches, Christmas breads, and the like. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in only avoirdupois volume measurements,
with no scaling, and there is no table of metric equivalents. A
concession to the American market? Quality/price rating: 82.
 

26. THE COMPASSIONATE COOK; or, "Please don't eat the animals!" a vegan
cookbook (Grand Central Publishing, 1993, 2011, 24 pages, ISBN 978-0-
446-39492-5, $13.99 US paper covers) is by People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals and Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA. It was
originally published in July 1993, and here it has been reprinted in
2011. It's a guide to low-fat, cholesterol-free and animal-friendly
eating, with over 225 basic vegetarian/vegan dishes covering all
courses and meal patterns. There are the usual substitution tips,
listing of healthy ingredients, and some advice on how to eat out.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents. Well-worth an affordable
look. Quality/price rating: 85.
 

27. THE BOOK OF YIELDS; accuracy in food costing and purchasing. Eighth
edition. (John Wiley, 2012, 298 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-19749-3, $37.50
US spiral comb) is available separately from the hard cover book done
by Francis Lynch. I had reviewed the book previously as: "a basic work
for students and chefs, and it comes with a workbook. It tells you what
you need to know for how much food to buy". It is a collection of
accurate food measurements for over 1,350 or so raw food ingredients
(200 new foods since the 2008 edition). Measurements are given in
weight-to-volume equivalents, trim yields, and cooking yields. Part One
of the contents covers herbs and spices, produce, starchy foods,
baking, fats and oils, dairy, beverages, meats, seafood, and poultry.
Part Two is the workbook of costing sheets and conversion tables. Here,
recipe cost and yield are most important. Spreadsheets, though, should
be able to handle all of this. There's also a new chapter on standard
portion sizes to assist in menu planning, recipe development and
costing. For the most part, only US measurements are given, so you will
need to convert to metric or imperial. That is why a spreadsheet works
better than paper and pen. But there are conversion charts inside the
book. Quality-to-Price Ratio: 90.
 

28. FOOD AND BEVERAGE COST CONTROL. 5th ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2011,
544 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-25138-6, $97.95 CAD hard covers) last came
out in 2008. The authors are academics and consultants Lea Dopson and
David Hayes. We all know that there are razor-thin profits in the food
hospitality industry. Such outlets embrace all types of restaurants,
bars, sports complexes, grocery stores, room service, country clubs,
banquet halls, etc. This book emphasizes the need for control, in order
to maximize profits and minimize shrinkage. Its contents cover managing
as a Food and Beverage Manager (basic accounting, forecasting,
predicting sales), the cost of food, storage, and inventory – with
plenty of forms to view. More chapters cover the cost of beverages,
labour, and "administration". Another part of the book deals with
pricing, analyzing charts, and verifying data. There is information on
security, such as dishonest employees, false invoices, scams, skips,
and the like. For example, chapter four is on beverage control (45
pages). This is mainly booze control for all of the industry as noted
above. There is how to forecast sales of beer, wine (wine by the glass,
too), spirits, cocktails and their mixes. All of it applies to
standardized drinks and portions, markups, constructing a wine list,
storage and inventory, and to the ubiquitous forms. Forms are available
for finding how to compare the costs of beverages. I'm not sure how
much of the record keeping applies to Canada, since there are
provincial regulations on what has to be recorded for government
inspectors and revenue filing. Anyway, the appendices have all of the
useful formulae. As a textbook for the hospitality schools, it fulfills
its functions: there are questions and answers for students to discuss
and then to apply. Each chapter has lists of key terms and concepts,
plus selected tests for you to try out. Additional readings are also
suggested. New to this edition are sections on sustainability and
environmental responsibility, and more on international foodservice
operations. Quality/Price Rating: 90.
 
 
 
29. EASY PARTY FOOD; simply delicious recipes for your perfect party
(Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-162-9,
$19.95 US hard covers) has over 100 recipes taken from the publishers'
books of cookery authors Fiona Beckett, Susannah Blake, Maxine Clark,
Ross Dobson, Lydia France, Fran Warde, Jennifer Joyce, and others.
Everything is easy to prepare, and broken down into categories such as
"light bites and dips", tartlets and toasts, canapes, sticks and
skewers, breads and crackers, buffet dishes, sweet treats, and drinks
(which include crowd faves such as mulled wine, sangria, mulled cider,
and punches). It's one of two dozen books in the "Easy" series.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 85.
 

30. WHERE WOMEN COOK CELEBRATE! Extraordinary women & their signature
recipes (Lark, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-60059-898-2, $24.95 US hard
covers) is by Jo Packham, editor of "Where Women Cook" magazine. The
book profiles 28 women who share their passion for cooking and
entertaining, and there are about 50 preps. Most of the women are food
bloggers and/or authors/writers for magazines or newspapers. Here they
all write about festivities or large dinners. There's food for every
course, such as caramelized onion and gruyere tart, lemon pepper tea
biscuits, pumpkin donuts, or carrot orange soup. There's a biography
for each and some text on how and why they did the celebration, plus
most of the recipes. The rest of the recipes may be found at the
magazine's website www.wherewomencook.com; much of the material here
had been published in the magazine. Preparations have their ingredients
listed avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85.
 

31. SOUP; a kosher collection (Whitecap, 2004, 2011, 210 pages, ISBN
978-1-77050-062-4, $24.95 CAD paper covers) is by Pam Reiss, who joined
the family business in Winnipeg (Desserts Plus, a kosher catering
company). There's 150 kosher soup preps here, and for the 2011 revision
she has added 20 new soups, full-colour photos, and nutritional
information for every recipe. There's a full-range here, from Passover
to parve, dairy, fish, meat, fruit and dessert soups. As one reviewer
of the first edition said, everything here is both creative and easy.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 87.
 
 
 
32. EASY COCKTAILS; over 200 classic and contemporary recipes (Ryland,
Peters & Small, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-164-3, $19.95 US hard
covers) has enough preps to get your home bar started. Most of the
recipes come from Ben Reed, but Louise Pickford and Tonia George also
contribute. There's the basic primer on home bars, followed by separate
chapters on martinis, sparkling cocktails, smashes, sours, manhattans,
rum-based, highballs, shooters, and creamy cocktails. There's even a
short chapter on hangovers and mocktails. It's one of two dozen books
in the "Easy" series. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85.
 

33. PURCHASING; selection and procurement for the hospitality industry.
Eighth edition. (John Wiley, 2012, 688 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-29046-0,
$111.65 US hard covers) is by Andrew Hale Feinstein and John
Stefanelli, both academics teaching in American hospitality programs.
It was last published in 2008. It is a basic book, used as a text, and
on the desks of current Food and Beverage Managers. New to this edition
are the latest thoughts on green practices, sustainability, socially
responsible suppliers, buying locally, new technology, new products,
novel approaches to procurement, and new techniques for costing. There
are interviews which show the daily lives of workers doing typical
purchase decisions. There are exercises for students and practitioners
alike. Bibliographic references include websites and newer periodical
articles. Key words and concepts have been increased and revised. And
there are scores of new illustrations and photos. Quality/price rating:
91.
 
34. THE CALIFORNIA SEAFOOD COOKBOOK; a cook's guide to the fish and
shellfish of California, the Pacific coast and beyond (Skyhorse
Publishing, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-344-1,
$24.95 hard cover) is by the team of Isaac Cronin (a PR director), Paul
Johnson (owner of a fish company and chef), and Jay Harlow. All three
are also cookbook authors. It was first published in 1983, and sold
over 125,000 copies. It's encyclopedic in scope, covering some 75
species with about two recipes apiece on average (150 in all). About
half of the species are also in the Atlantic and Gulf waters, and each
recipe suggests alternative fish and shellfish from other regions, so
it is wider in scope than just "California". The titling was just an
unfortunate marketing practice. There's primer data on cooking methods
such as cleaning and shucking oysters, crabs, and the like. and some
wine notes. There's a colour illustration for each fish, and a
concluding bibliography. Print size is nicely large for these tired
eyes of mine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 87.
 
 
 
35. COOKING VEGETARIAN; healthy, delicious, and easy vegetarian cuisine
(Wiley Publishing, 1998, 2011, 274 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-00762-4,
$26.95 soft covers) is by Chef Joseph Forest and Vesanto Melina, a
nutritionist who writes books. It was originally published with 40
fewer pages in 1998. It is an easy book to get into. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents. There are updated
reference charts and guides to food, as well as and all-new book list
and added resources. The first 70 pages concern health benefits and
cooking techniques. The recipes cover all courses, and include their
take on ice cream (Vegan Dasz). Lots of menus and good sense here,
although it is actually a vegan book (no fish, eggs, dairy, honey).
Quality/price rating: 88.
 
 
 
36. 300 BEST POTATO RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2011, 448 pages, ISBN 978-0-
7788-0278-5, $24.95 CAD soft covers) is by Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh, a
well-known Canadian cookbook and food freelance writer, now based in
Bayfield, off Georgian Bay. It's a vastly updated and expanded version
of a 2002 book she did for Penguin, which had only 150 recipes for the
same price. She's said the Canadian-originated Yukon Gold potato was
the impetus for that book. A member of the belladonna family (tomatoes,
sweet peppers, eggplant, tobacco), the potato is a good source for
niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, essential minerals, and complex
carbohydrates. One 150 gram potato can supply half the RDA of Vitamin
C. It is probably everybody's favourite vegetable. Over 400 species of
white potatoes are in production (about 4000 have been catalogued). And
there are plenty of yellow, red, purple varieties, in all shapes and
sizes, all year long. And they are used in every conceivable way:
boiling, baking, roasting, steaming, frying, and mashing. The only
difference between most potatoes which appear at the market: some are
floury (best for baking and mashing) and some are waxy (best for
salads). She's got many sidebars of tips and advice. Her chapters are
arranged beginning with "classic" recipes (roast, mash, fried,
scalloped), and moving on to appetizers (potato focaccia, potato bread,
brandade), French potato galette, oyster pie, potato soup and pesto,
salads, grilled, souffles, stews, noodles, and a concluding section on
sweet potatoes which is mostly desserts but with some interesting
concoctions involving dry mashed white potatoes. But "classic salade
nicoise" has no place here: a classic nicoise uses only raw veggies.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/Price rating: 90.
 

37. THE GOOD COOKIE; over 250 delicious recipes, from simple to sublime
(John Wiley & Sons, 2002, 2011, 390 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-16954-4,
$22.99 US soft covers) is by Tish Boyle, cookbook author and food
editor at Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design magazines. It was
originally published in 2002; here is the paperback reprint. There's
the usual primer on cookie dough and equipment. At the back, there is
an updated source list, with websites. Of particular value is the
series of "Cookies for Every Occasion", a listing by categories
(unfortunately without any page references, so you will have to look
them up yourself). So under the "Coffee Hour" there are almond anise
biscotti, almond java rounds, chocolate almond biscotti, chocolate
walnut bars, cinnamon dough nut holes, hazelnut biscotti, and toasted
almond crunch cookies. Other categories are "for kids", "picnic fare",
"ship well", "nuts about nuts", "holidays", "over-the-top chocolate"
and six more—for a total of thirteen. A good wide-ranging assortment of
cookies here.  Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 87.
 
 
 
38. HOME-GROWN HARVEST; delicious ways to enjoy your seasonal fruit and
vegetables (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-
149-0, $27.95 US) is a collection of some 150 recipes concentrating on
the bounty of any home-grown fruit or veggies that you may have.
Recipes come from the stable of the publisher's cookery writers such as
Fiona Beckett, Maxine Clark, Ross Dobson, Tonia George, and 19 others.
The arrangement is two or four to ma page, categorized by type: root
veggies, bulbs and stems, fruiting veggies, podding veggies, salad
greens, squash, mushrooms, tree fruits, and soft fruits. The
organization makes it a nice concept. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of
metric equivalents. Try flamiche (leeks), belladonna tart, pea and
parma ham crostini, squash and eggplant chutney, or summer crumble.
Quality/price rating: 87.
 

39. BREWED AWAKENING; behind the beers and brewers leading the world's
craft brewing revolution (Sterling Epicures, 2011, 292 pages, ISBN 978-
1-4027-7864-3, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Joshua M. Bernstein, a free
lance writer who writes beer articles for Imbibe magazine. Most of this
book comes from articles he had written for Imbibe, Others come from
his writings for the New York Press. It is loaded with stories about
craft beer makers, illustrated with a variety of pubs and labels. There
is also a number of different typefaces for the reader to enjoy, plus
material on food and beer pairings. He manages to cover super-bitters,
cask-conditioning, organic beers, gluten-free beers, high alcohol
beers, and the like. He also manages to cover limited production beers,
usually in lots of 800 or so bottles which sell out in an hour. There
are stories about lost recipes, back-to-the-land beers, and extreme
beers. But there is not a lot here on draught beers. Throughout the
book there are 150 craft beer reviews. At the back there's material on
craft beer weeks around the US, with three listed for Canada. There is
also a glossary and an index. Canada gets a few pages, principally
about Dieu du Ciel in Montreal. Quality/price rating: 85.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

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

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JANUARY 21, 2012
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. My
"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net Compendium" is a guide to
thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers
and spirits, at www.deantudor.com since 1995. My tastings are based on
MVC (Modal Varietal Character); ratings are QPR (Quality-to-Price
Ratio). Prices are LCBO retail. Only my top rated wines are here. NOTE:
The LCBO does NOT put out all of the wines of the release for wine
writers or product consultants. Corked wines are not normally available
for re-tasting from another bottle.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Kunde Magnolia Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Sonoma Valley: zesty,
citric, good savvy MVC, not your typical Californian sauv blanc. 13.8%
ABV. +67363, $18.95, QPR: 89.
2. Wolf Blass Premium Selection Chardonnay 2007 South Australia: rich,
ripe, unctuous, 13.5% ABV, twist top. +394908, $19.95, QPR: 90.
3. I Campi Campo Vulcano Soave Classico 2009: rich melons, citric
finish, good lasting body. 12.5% ABV. +269969, $19.95, QPR: 89.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. 13th Street Merlot 2010 VQA Niagara: loaded with flavour, no oak,
robust finish. 12.5% ABV. +270504, $17.95, QPR: 89.
2. Ridgepoint Merlot 2009 VQA Twenty Mile Bench: complex, chocolate,
good savoury finish. +270488, $17.95, QPR: 89.
3. Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 California: a good example
of a US restaurant-ready wine, 13.8% ABV, sip or with food. +38034,
$19.95, QPR: 89.
4. Concha y Toro Serie Riberas Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Marchigue: delicious – it hits all the right and the high notes of
blackness (fruit, coffee, chocolate, fungi). At this price, buy it all.
No regrets, +256693, $14.95, QPR: 93.
5. Yabby Lake Cooralook Shiraz 2008 Heathcote Victoria: delicious
Rhonish complexity, affordable, 14.5% ABV. +262451, $18.95, QPR: 89.
6. Chateau de Treviac 2008 Corbieres: North American appeal, stylish
fruit of GSM-like, 14.5% ABV. With food or sip. +670505, $15.95, QPR:
89.
7. Spadina Una Viola Signature Syrah 2008 IGT Sicilia: god Rhonish
style wine, with North American fruit bomb appeal, 13.5% ABV. +17162,
$16.95, QPR: 89.
8. Sassoregale Sangiovese 2009 IGT Maremma Toscana: tasty cherries,
baked aromas, jammy middle, to a savoured finish. 13.5% ABV. +251785,
$15.95, QPR: 89.
9. Bodegas Castano Reserva Pozuelo 2006 Yecia: very good blend, mostly
monastrell, 13.5% ABV, nicely aged. Ripe and juicy, although tones of
the 30% of the international blended grapes seem to dominate. +35485,
$14.95, QPR: 89.
10. Ignacio Marin Old Vine Garnacha 2008 Carinena: old vines dominate
the jammy flavours, nicely oaked, underbrush and forest floor. Gold
medalist. 13% ABV. +214205, $15.95, QPR: 90.
11. Menhir Salento Primitivo di Manduria 2007 Puglia: juicy, North
American appeal, especially for zinfandel lovers. 15=4% ABV. +268086,
$15.95, QPR: 89.
 
VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.
 
1. Mer Soleil Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2009 Santa Lucia Highlands,
+958975, $34.95 retail.
2. Faiveley Puligny Montrachet 2008, +241125, $51.95.
3. Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles 2009 Barossa, +723940, $29.95.
4. Chateau Le Castelot 2006 St. Emilion Grand Cru, +245472, $34.95.
5. Chateau Haut Selve Reserve 2006 Graves, +235424, $29.95.
6. Fontanafredda Reserva Barolo 2005, +967141, $49.95.
7. Descendientes de J. Palacios Petalos 2009 Bierzo, +675207, $21.95.
8. Vina Herminia Reserva Tinto 2004 Rioja, +236927, $25.95.
 

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK...

...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks.
Actually, they've been around for many years, but never in such
proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be
flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a
celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up
on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans
of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of
the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the
restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books,
special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu.
Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But
because most of these books are American, they use only US volume
measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric
equivalents, but more often there is not. I'll try to point this out.
The usual shtick is "favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks".
There is also PR copy on "demystifying ethnic ingredients". PR bumpf
also includes much use of the magic phrase "mouth-watering recipes" as
if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from
readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes
(not necessarily from these books) don't seem to work, but how could
that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many
books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with
tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life
in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding
about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem
to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a
lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from
other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are
cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some
companies, though, will ship around the world, so don't ignore them
altogether. Here's a rundown on the latest crop of such books –
 
12. TRULY MEXICAN (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 264 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-
49955-9, $35 US hard covers) is by Roberto Santibanez, a well-known
Mexican chef-owner of many restaurants. He was culinary director of
Rosa Mexicano restaurants, and of Fonda San Miguel. Currently, he runs
a consultant firm, Truly Mexican. Here, in this book, he is assisted by
J.J. Goode, with Shelley Wiseman as the recipe developer. He is
concentrating on salsas, guacamoles, adobos, moles and pipanes. All
these sauces and their types can be applied to most foods; hence, you
can some up with a great Mexican meal by profiling the sauce. At the
end, there is a small section on foods to round out the meal, such as
some bean preps, Mexican white or red or green rice, mushrooms and
zucchini. Try pasilla and apple mole, lamb shanks braised in parchment,
adobo ribs, seafood guacamole, or grilled adobo-marinated skirt steak.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.
 

13. DOS CAMINOS MEXICAN STREET FOOD; 120 authentic recipes to make at
home (SkyHorse Publishing, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 282 pages, ISBN 978-
1-61608-279-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Ivy Stark, chef at New
York's Dos Caminos. Joanna Pruess is the focusing food writer. There is
also some log rolling on the back cover. Street food needs sauces, so
Stark opens with a chapter on 12 of them. This is followed by some
breakfast food, such as egg dishes, pancakes, biscuits and the like.
Vegetables and fruits include street salads as well as pickled red
cabbage. There is an assortment of fish, shellfish, beef, pork, and
game. Desserts and beverages are also included. This is much more than
just street food; it can be family or peasant food as well. Still,
preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.
 
 
 

14.SPILLING THE BEANS; cooking and baking with beans and grains
everyday (Whitecap, 2011, 268 pages, ISBN 9789-1-77050-041-9, $29.95
CAD paper covers) is by Julie Van Rosendaal, a CBC radio host and co-
host of TV's "It's Just Food". As well, she edits "Parents Canada"
magazine, and runs a food blog dinnerwithjulie.com. Her co-author is
Sue Duncan. The book is about beans, legumes, and whole grains,
emphasizing their low-fat, high-protein, cholesterol-free, and high-
fibre nature. They begin with "Beans for Breakfast" (such as buttermilk
waffles with bean puree), apps, salads, sandwiches, soups and stews,
one pots, pasta, sides, and desserts (pumpkin chocolate chip loaf
cake). It's not a meatless book, which means that there is room for a
lamb shank or two as well as sliders. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88.
 

15. FRESH; new vegetarian and vegan recipes from Fresh restaurants
(Wiley Publications, 2011, 198 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-67796-4, $29.95
CAD soft covers) is by Jennifer Houston and Ruth Tal, co-owners of
Fresh restaurants. Here are 200 preps, most drawn from three previous
books (Refresh in 2007, Fresh at Home in 2004, and Juice for Life in
2000) with new material added and updated thoughts on nutrition. The
2007 book was vegan; the current book is both vegetarian and vegan.
Most of the preps are off their menus, so there is some familiarity
here for their fans and regulars. There are apps, soups, salads,
sandwiches and wraps, some entrees (mainly rice bowls), sauces and
dressings, sweets, juices, smoothies and the like (about 50 pages for
these drinks). The recipes here are what are currently being served at
the restaurant; hence, the mushroom pizza is gone (it used to be one of
my faves and the fave of my server). Typical dishes include a detox
cocktail, grounding greens bowl, kale and oyster mushroom salad, and
Portobello pesto sandwich. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 87.
 
 
 
16. PAULA DEEN'S SOUTHERN COOKING BIBLE; the classic guide to delicious
dishes, with more than 300 recipes (Simon & Schuster, 2011, 455 pages,
ISBN 978-1-4165-6407-2, $29.99 US hard covers) is a very convenient
book. It encapsulates all the basic and classic southern US food lore,
and makes it easy to prep at any home in North America. Deen, a best-
selling cookbook author, Food Network personality, caterer and
restaurant owner, magazine publisher (Cooking with Paula Deen), is the
one to summarize such US cooking. Here she is assisted by Melissa
Clark, a magazine food writer who has also written about three dozen
cookbooks. You can call the book a summation. The Low Country of the
Carolinas gets prominence, but there's also room for Cajun, lots of
corn, Afro-American foods: biscuits and gravy, she-crab soup,
jambalaya, chicken with drop dumplings. And you can't get more southern
than boiled dressing. Arrangement is by course, from apps to sweets. 
Tips and advice abound. 80% of the 325 recipes are new to this book.
There are some illustrations of techniques. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88.
 

17. EVERYDAY EXOTIC; the cookbook (Whitecap, 2011, 184 pages, ISBN 978-
1-77050-064-8, $29.95 CAD soft covers) is by Roger Mooking and Allan
Magee. It is named after the Food Network TV show of the same title.
The preps are collected from the show's 52 episodes, about one per
show. The secret, of course, is to punch up the herbs and spices (not
the heat). So the lamb burgers have five spices, as does the mayo. The
meatloaf has coriander, and the pesto has cilantro. The mac and cheese
has curry. Even the macaroons had added pistachios. The show is
interesting and it works with the multiplicity of fusion flavours. Just
make sure that you have a good pantry and the spices/herbs are fresh.
Arrangement of the book is by ingredient and/or course. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 87.
 
18. THE BEEKMAN 1802 HEIRLOOM COOKBOOK (Sterling Epicure, 2011, 176
pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-8709-6, $25 US hard covers) is by Brent Ridge
and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, founders of Beekman 1802, a major lifestyle
brand in the US. They've written books about early farm life and have
appeared on Planet Green TV and other places. Here, they are assisted
by Sandy Gluck, a cookbook author and also host of a Sirius Satellite
food show. From their historic farm in upper New York state, the
authors do their natural goat milk soaps and Blaak cheese. The book has
been collated from preps of their farm, family, and friends. It is not
necessarily about 1802 food. It is tied into the seasons, and there is
room for your own recipes via blank note space for personal annotation.
There are also many variations. It's pretty simple but nouirish food,
such as winter vegetable soup, mini ham and cheese biscuits, sweet
potato pie, spinach salad, stewed green beans, and the like. But there
are too many gratuitous pictures of the boys and the farm. This space
could have been devoted to more preps. There are about 100 recipes plus
variations. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 82,
 
 
 
19. SALSAS OF THE WORLD (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-
2208-6, $19.99 US paper covers) is by celebrity chef Mark Miller of the
Coyote Café in Santa Fe. He's also written nine other cookbooks which
have soled about one million copies. Here he is assisted by Robert
Quintana, a food consultant-caterer also living in Santa Fe. These are
sauces from a dozen countries, including (of course) Mexico. There are
100 recipes here, ranging from quick to challenging, mild to hot, and
plain to smoky. It's all arranged by type, from easy to classic chili,
tropical, smoky, fresh salsas, hot, fruity salsa, and sour. Every
single one is delicious, beginning with artichoke fennel provencal
right through to the salsa de bruja. China, France, Peru, Morocco,
Italy – they all have some action here. Heat levels are indicated.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is a table of metric equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 89.
 

20. CAKE LADIES; celebrating a Southern tradition (Lark, 2011, 143
pages, ISBN 978-1-60059-789-3, $19.95 US paper) is by Jodi Rhoden, who
owns Short Sweet Cakes bakery, is a cookbook author, and is a member of
The Southern Foodways Alliance. Here she has a project similar to
"Where Women Cook Celebrate", reviewed below. She's written profiles of
some 17 diverse southern US women, delving into their cake food lives.
Every town has some kind of a cake lady, a go-to person for community
celebration. There are 21 recipes too, such as a ten-layer chocolate
cake, a lemon cheese layer cake or applesauce spice cake. There are
even vegan red velvet cupcakes and a dirty cake. There are a lot of
tips, stories and kitchen wisdom here. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of
metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87.
 
 
 
21. HOME COOKING WITH JEAN-GEORGES (Clarkson Potter, 2011, 256 pages,
ISBN 978-0-307-71795-5, $40 US hard covers) is the fourth book by Jean-
Georges Vongerichten; he's the chef-owner of dozens of restaurants in
14 cities around the world. He's assisted by Genevieve Ko, a cookbook
author and senior food editor at Good Housekeeping. This is French-
style cooking with Asian accents. There are 100 preps here, all fully
plated and photographed. This is the stuff he cooks at home. Even so,
it needs a pantry for basic items. The arrangement is by course (apps,
salad, lunch, brunch, desserts) and by major ingredient (fish, poultry,
meat, sides). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try candied
paprika pecans, quinoa with spinach and goat cheese, sausage and kale
pizza, pork chops with cherry mustard, braised endive with ham and
gruyere, or honeyed pear clafoutis tart. Quality/price rating: 88.
 
22. ROBIN TAKES 5 (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011; distr. Simon &
Schuster, 402 pages, ISBN 978-1-4494-0845-9, $29.99 US soft covers) is
by Robin Miller, author of nine cookbooks and host of "Quick Fox Meals"
on the Food Network and blogger for the FN. There's some good log
rolling endorsements. The "5" comes as part of every prep: each recipe
has 5 ingredients of less, 500 calories or less per serving, good for 5
nights a week at 5PM for early family dining. Oh, yes, there are also
500 recipes here. This is top-notch family dining for the harried home
cook, arranged by course or main ingredient. So for chicken, there is a
separate chapter sub-divided into regional styles. You can have chicken
southwest US, Asian, French, Italian, Mediterranean, tropical, or basic
American, even with eight turkey recipes (tenderloin or breast or
burgers). There's also nutritional data for each serving. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH -- Flavours of Prince Edward Island

FLAVOURS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND; a culinary journey (Whitecap,
2010, 260 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-009-9, $39.95 CAD soft covers) is by
the culinary team of Jeff McCourt, Allan Williams, and Austin Clement,
all chefs associated with either the Culinary Institute of Canada or
the PEI Association of Chefs and Cooks (or even both). It is a tribute
to the food of PEI, and won the major Gold award at the Cuisine Canada
Culinary Book Awards 2011 in the English Canadian Culinary Culture
category. Recipes come from all over the island, and photography is by
James Ingram. Chapters are arranged by ingredient. Clement, for
example, takes on clams, beef, pork, potatoes and cheese, while the
others handle mussels, oysters, lobsters, tuna, apples, blueberries,
cranberries, and mushrooms. There is even a chapter on wine and
spirits; Rossignol Winery is well-known for its fruit wines. Each
chapter tells you what and when to buy or how to forage. You can
recreate a typical PEI meal at home. The book is oversized, which makes
it terrific for leading and spaces. The large fonts are easy on the
eyes, and the paperback make it easy for a table layout. Usually,
though, with a posh "coffee table" type book like this, I make
photocopies of the recipes I'd be trying out. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but
there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, PEI Canadian cuisine
lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: haddock seafood chowder;
grilled halibut with summer salsa; ham rapure; herb and potato-crusted
oysters; hearty braised pork; maple and cider-glazed braised pork
belly.
The downside to this book: it is such a lovely book, I wish it could
have been done up as a hard case-bound book. 
The upside to this book:
Quality/Price Rating: 90.
 
Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com

Saturday, January 14, 2012

DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH -- Unquenchable

UNQUENCHABLE; a tipsy quest for the world's best bargain wines
(Doubleday Canada, 2011, 357 pages, ISBN 978-0-385-66848-4, $29.95 CAD
hard covers) is by ubiquitous Natalie MacLean, author of the award-
winning bestseller "Red, White and Drunk All Over" and a colleague of 
mine within the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada. There's some log
rolling from Kermit Lynch and Francis Mayes. It's an honest book,
seeking honest answers to the best wines in the world at bargain
prices. She's traveled around Niagara, Germany, Australia, Italy, South
Africa, Argentina, Portugal and France (eight regions in all) in search
of values. In each, she visited 30 to 40 wineries, and tasted a range
of wine in all of them. But as she's said countless times over, the
best wine depends on what you are eating, with whom, and what the
occasion is. A lot of the book is tied into her website. You can go to
www.nataliemaclean.com and do wine-picking with her top-value choices
(which include tasting notes, scores, bottle shots, and food matches).
There are also website addresses, contact information, pictures,
recipes for the dishes she recommends, landscape photos, discussion
points for book clubs, and the like. This is good integration with the
convergence of static print and electronic websites. So: to cheat a
bit, I'll list her recommendations for Australia – choose from Wolf
Blass, Penfolds and Henschke. From Argentina – choose from Catena,
Norton, and Zuccardi. You cannot go wrong with any of their wines
priced around $15 and up. All of her wine writing is sensible and
conversational, so I'm still not sure why the quest has to be "tipsy"
or why the illustration on the dust jacket has to be as it is.
Audience and level of use: wine drinkers and wine readers, those
looking for bargain wines.
Some interesting or unusual facts: Most people believe that they can
taste the difference between a wine priced at $5 and one at $50….It
gets trickier when the difference is between $15 and $30…Rich, layered
experiences hold our attention."
The downside to this book: call me old-fashioned, but as I said in my
review of Red White and Drunk All Over, I just don't like the idea of
linking wine writing with overindulging. It makes light of a serious
subject, for we wine writers all expectorate when tasting. But then,
those feelings are just me. I may be wrong.
The upside to this book: I like the lists at the end of each chapter,
the field notes. Hey, and I just bought some clothes at Guy's Frenchys
in August!
Quality/Price Rating: 90.

Some interesting new cookbooks --


MAKE THE BREAD, BUY THE BUTTER (Free Press, 2011; distr. Simon and
Schuster, 296 pages, ISBN 978-1-4516-0587-7, $27.99 US hard covers) is
by Jennifer Reese, a former book critic for Entertainment Weekly and
now teaches cooking classes. She deals with the issues of food
processing, natural foods, and agricultural processing – all important
topics. She makes the case that you don't have to make everything from
scratch, but you do need to be careful about what you buy. You should
be able to make your own pancakes, chocolate cake, guacamole, eggs
benedict, hummus, cured meats, braised beef, and bagels. It is always
cheaper, you spend less money, to make your own. You could also, with a
bit more time, make your own pasta, chocolates, graham crackers,
applesauce, mayonnaise, tortillas, and roasted chicken. But it pays (at
least in time) to buy baguettes, sashimi, burritos, English muffins,
and other items. Read the book to find out why. Certainly, you'll need
to make your own croissants! Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Each of the 120 recipes gets a slight cost-benefit
analysis.
Audience and level of use: home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: everyday bread; rye bread;
yogurt; croissants; duck egg ravioli; orange-apricot preserve.
The downside to this book: with just a little more effort and
appreciation from the home front, home cooks could be making more
recipes than Reese proposes.
The upside to this book: nice idea.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
 
 
 
4. HOW TO MAKE BREAD; step-by-step recipes for yeasted breads,
sourdoughs, soda breads and pastries (Ryland, Peters & Paul, 2011, 176
pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-140-7, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Emmanuel
Hadjiandreou, who learned his craft in a German bakery and then went to
work for Gordon Ramsay. He's an award-winner, currently teaching bread-
making in the UK. It's a typical technique book, outlining more than 60
varieties of artisanal bread. Wheat-free and gluten-free preps are also
included in their own chapter. Recipes scaled, for weight: preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The photos
are stunning – all breads look so natural and rustic, chewable.
Audience and level of use: breadmakers looking for new breads.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: wholegrain fruit soda bread;
multi-grain seeded bread; ciabatta; pecan raisin bread; tsoureki;
Armenian flatbreads; polenta sourdough.
The downside to this book: not only is the typeface for the index
small, but the print is on grey-brown paper stock, making it
exceedingly difficult to read.
The upside to this book: there's a gluten-free bread prep with two
variations and a gluten-free corn bread.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
5. SEE MIX DRINK; a refreshingly simple guide to crafting the world's
most popular cocktails (Little, Brown and Company, 2011, 232 pages,
ISBN 978-0-316-17671-2, $14.99 US hard covers) is by Brian D. Murphy, a
designer and banker. It's an introductory look, with large
illustrations and drawings. For example, the Negroni has a layered
glass with vermouth, Campari and gin colours and signs. There is a
calorie counter (189) to go along with proportions. There's a short
history on the name, plus a photo of the finished drink. It is really
quite simple, and works well, especially if you cannot read (or have
had too much to drink). At two pages for every drink, there's only
enough room for the basic 100 classics.
Audience and level of use: those who only want to learn the basics.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the index has a sort by name
and by calories per drink. The lowest is Black Velvet at 96, the
highest is Long Island Iced Tea at 446 calories.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 

6. 365 WAYS TO COOK (Firefly, 2011, 255 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-916-2,
$19.95 CAD soft covers) is by Eleanor Maxfield, who also was the
general editor for "1000 Recipes for Simple Family Food". Here she
turns her attention to dinners, with delicious foods that can be
customized. As the books says, choose a basic ingredient and follow
symbols throughout to find a recipe that works for you. Some of the
symbols indicate budget, stuff that kids like, entertaining friends at
dinner, weight loss, inspiration, leftovers for lunch the next day,
time saving, spicing up, and others – about 10 in all. The seven
chapters cover poultry, meat, fish, vegetables, pizza and noodles, rice
and grains, and desserts. There is an illustrated table of contents to
make it easy to select a dish. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use:  home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: there is a basic lemongrass
shrimp skewers, followed by a spiced up noodles with shrimp and bok
choy, followed by a time saving shrimp and zucchini linguine, a budget
shrimp and pea risotto, a kids special of shrimp and mango kebabs, a
left over soup with shrimp, shrimp and coconut rice for entertaining,
and more.
The downside to this book: I wish there were more preps because…
The upside to this book: …this is a pretty good idea for a book.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
7. HOME CANNING AND PRESERVING; putting up small batch jams, jellies,
pickles, chutneys, relishes and more (SkyHorse Publishing, 2011, 202
pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-355-7, $19.95 US spiral bound book) is by Janet
Cooper, who has taught home canning. It's a basic book for making
preserves all year round. The emphasis is on "small batch", which is a
bit more labour intensive but produces more variety. There are over 100
preps here. She also has a number of herb and spice blends, plus honeys
and tea blends. Certainly, there is something here for everybody.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home canners
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fig jam, six-fruit chutney,
green tomato relish, fruited mincemeat.
The downside to this book: spiral-bound, which while useful is also
subject to vandalism in libraries and book stores.
The upside to this book: the spiral-binding makes the book lie flat.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 
 
 
8. CULINARY CAREERS FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 368 pages,
ISBN 978-1-118-07774-0, $22.99 US paper covers) is by the team of 
Michele Thomas (International Culinary Institute), Annette Tomaei (food
and wine consultant), and Tracey Vasil Biscontini (head of Northeast
Editing Inc.). It's another in the career sub-series of the Dummy
guides. Its cast is American, but there is a fair bit of similarity
between the two countries so far as the hospitality trade goes, with
some variances in legislation and regulation. Preliminary pages work on
the differences between culinary schools and on-the-job training; the
better schools offer apprenticeships, as most do in Canada. There are
sections on working environments: hotels, restaurants, resorts, spas,
catering firms. There is also the specialized approach (poissonnier,
pastry chefs, personal chefs, recipe developers, scientists,
sommeliers) and non-cooking careers such as PR work and marketing.
Audience and level of use: career changers, new students in the
hospitality trade.
The downside to this book: needs more attention to Canada.
The upside to this book: top ten reasons to work in the culinary
industry, and top ten tips on gaining employment.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
9. COOKIES at Home with the Culinary Institute of America (John Wiley &
Sons, 2011, 218 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-41227-5, $34.99 US hard covers)
is by Todd Knaster, who developed all the recipes in this book for the
CIA. It's one of the new series for the CIA: some "at home" books for
the home chef which are not as detailed or as large in quantities as
for professional kitchens. So there is primer data on basic baking
equipment, ingredients, methods, décor and packaging. This is followed
by specific chapters on drop cookies, bars, rolled and sliced cookies,
molded and shaped cookies, piped, twice-baked, and savoury cookies.
There's a glossary and a resources list, and a template for a
gingerbread house. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Good pictures for techniques.
Audience and level of use: home bakers
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: black and white cookies;
milk chocolate – peanut butter s'mores bars; hamantaschen; French
macaroons; Italian taralles; butterscotch cookies.
The downside to this book: no gluten-free preps.
The upside to this book: good looking photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
 

10. THE FARMER'S COOKBOOK; a back to basics guide to making cheese,
curing meat, preserving produce, baking bread, fermenting, and more
(SkyHorse Publishing, 2011, 445 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-9, $24.95 US
hard covers) is by Marie W. Lawrence, a third generation Vermonter with
strong New England roots. Her book is about farmhouse cooking, showing
how the urban settler can do his own food instead of buying it
processed. There have been several similar books of late, and I can
only applaud them all. If you cannot grow it, try a local farmer's
market to get fresh food. This current book is organized by month to
correspond with a farmer's calendar in New England, and it covers the
gamut of food choices and availability. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table
of metric equivalents. There are two pages of "weights and measures"
but these are all insularly American – we need some metric help for
sales of the book outside of the USA. A substitutions chart here is
very useful.
Audience and level of use: home cooks who need help beyond store
processing.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roast duck with autumn berry
sauce; veggie tempura; sopapillas with strawberry apple dipping sauce;
Scandinavian mushroom turnovers; Vermont cheddar onion bread.
The downside to this book: while the food is hearty and substantial, it
would have been useful to have some spicy food now and again. Herbs and
black pepper are widely used, but not international spices.
The upside to this book: there's a recipe index by month in addition to
a general recipe index.
Quality/Price Rating: 88