Review by Barb & Ron Kroll

Cookbook Title:

Dean & Deluca, The Food and Wine Cookbook
(Chronicle Books) ISBN 0811832139

Theme:

Eighty recipes confirm that, whether cooked together or served together, food and wine make a sublime marriage. The book promotes the "essence of fine dining" by demonstrating "that eating well can be as easy as selecting a few simple provisions." Lovers of fine cuisine will also find recipes for creating delicious home-cooked meals, while filling their cellars with California wines.

Sample Recipes:

Lobster, Cabernet and Shiitake Soup. Wild Mushroom Ragout. Saffron Chardonnay Risotto. Garlic Pork Chops with Sauvignon Beurre Blanc. Flourless Chocolate-Walnut Torte with Pinot Noir-Laced Strawberries and Whipped Cream.

Notable Elements:

Introductory chapters include tips on pairing food and wine, how to serve and store wine, and the history and geography of California wines. A glossary of culinary and wine terms follows the recipes.

Tone / Style:

Chapters, ranging from appetizers and main dishes to cheeses and after-dinner treats, feature wine suggestions for each course of the meal and for specific recipes. Charts describe varieties of olives, cheeses, salad greens and other ingredients.

Visuals:

Beautiful color photos illustrate recipes and California wine country.

Contents:

• Introduction
• California Wine: History and Geography
• The Marriage of Food and Wine: Eating and Drinking Well
• Appetizers
• Salad, Soup and Vegetable Dishes
• Pasta, Rice, Polenta and Couscous
• Seafood
• Poultry and Meats
• Cheeses
• Desserts
• After Dinner
• Basics
• Index
• Table of Equivalents

Author:

Jeff Morgan

Claim to fame:

Morgan is wine director for Dean & Deluca, one of the world's finest food emporiums. He was the West Coast editor for Wine Spectator for five years.

 
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