| Book Reviews |
| Written by Eric Brown |
| Monday, 23 June 2008 01:29 |
 Wiley Paperback Hoboken, N.J. 2007 ISBN-13: 978-0-471-79386-1, 336 pages, $18.95 Reviewed by Michael Eady Napa County, the crown jewel of the California winemaking industry, has somewhere in the neighborhood of 475 wineries. The seemingly Sisyphean task of cataloging, visiting and reviewing each of these has been cheerfully undertaken by authors Rick Kushman and Hank Beal with their new book, “A Moveable Thirst.” The bona fides of the authors are more than sufficient to the task. Since this is also a buddy story one is tempted to pigeonhole them with a simplistic Abbott and Costello-like characterization, but that would be inaccurate because they make a formidable team for their purpose. Kushman is the Sacramento Bee television columnist who brings his extensive journalistic credentials to the table. Beal is the head wine and liquor buyer and for the Northern California Nugget Market chain. Kushman has the role of the wine novice whose thirst for all knowledge wine related is steadily quaffed as Beal, the straightman, parses out the knowledge in satisfying portions. The first half of the book explores the Napa Valley itself, physically and culturally, devoting chapters to each of the 11 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) that lie within Napa. These are officially designated regions that have been determined to possess growing conditions that produce uniquely identifiable wines. The second half is the nuts and bolts portion listing wineries by region with salient information visitors will need to know when paying a call. The book offers a lot of tips and useful tidbits that will help visitors prepare for a visit and choose where to go. Guidebooks have an inherent drawback in that the “use by” date often passes quickly after publication. Given the explosive growth of the wine industry and the attendant tourism in Napa this could prove problematic for such a guidebook. But that would be to miss the point since the book offers much more than maps and vital statistics of wineries (those can be found at the Convention and Visitors Bureau). Kushman’s self-deprecating perspective is front and center here and it works because most of us fall into his camp, that is, we arrive armed mostly with ignorance. It is also reassuring to those who might otherwise be intimidated by the thought of tackling the mysterious and venerated world of wine. Again, Kushman’s light touch delivers the appropriate irreverence necessary to remove the intimidation of the subject brought on by the fatuous wine writing with which most people are familiar. Kushman strips away the chimera of pretentiousness and replaces it with the useful idea of learning and having fun. One criticism I have here is that the book tends to be too generous in its appraisal of the serving staffs at wineries, too often describing them as knowledgeable and well-grounded in wine. My own experience is that, while that may be true of the mom-and-pop wineries, the larger places are geared to serve a multitude of visitors and their servers are inclined to engage in patter that is too practiced and comes off as programmed information rather than genuine knowledge. One comes away from “A Moveable Thirst” with an appreciation for the manners and mores of the wine culture of the Napa Valley. More importantly, they remind us that it is supposed to be fun and interesting. Although our intrepid authors did indeed undertake a Sisyphean task, they reveal the slope to be not too steep after all. Editor’s note: Readers planning to do some winetasting in the Napa Valley may want to check out the Resource Directory of Taste California Travel. The directory has links to the websites of every one of the wineries, as well as links to hundreds of nearby lodging and dining options.
By Lanny Kilchrist Lanny Kilchrist has lived in California for quite a few years, but he’s still Cajun.
His book is subtitled “A Collection of Recipes by Lanny Kilchrist,” and while there are recipes attributable to him, there are also many from relatives and friends. His book is really an homage to his Cajun heritage. References to his parents, Frank and Rubie Kilchrist, and grandparents, Eunice and Edger Kilchrist and Dalton and Gladys Guidroz are here, as well as recipes from their kitchens. Included in the Lagniappe section is a salute to “The Ladies That Help Make A House A Home.” Kilchrist calls these African American women “the very backbone of our families” and calls their culinary expertise “unquestionable!” He says his respect for these women and the family and friends he grew up around inspired him to publish the recipes, lest they be lost over time. A portion of each sale is donated to people of Louisiana still suffering the effects of Hurricane Katrina. The author did graduate study in art at Cal State University, Sacramento and that experience led to his founding a business dealing with glass temperature monitors. His wife Sally, also a native of Lafayette and a graduate of Louisiana State, teaches junior high school in Sacramento and is the source of some of the recipes. The word Cajun has been subjected to many more lengthy and scholarly explanations, but briefly explained, the term refers to people who emigrated from France to eastern Canada (Acadia) and eventually pushed southward to settle in Louisiana. Along the way these Acadians became known as Cajuns as language evolved or corrupted. The recipes in California Cajun are put forward in straight forward and easy-to-understand English. Kilchrist is never far from his southern Louisiana roots, though, and can segue to reminiscences in dialect when the mood strikes. Included one page before a Wine Tasting Glossary is a list of malaprops compiled by Betty Vigorito. These include (First: as spoken by at least one Cajun and Second: standard English in parentheses): Hears Hard (Hard of Hearing) Dementia Republic (Dominican Republic) Decliner (Recliner) Allergy on the River (Algae) Very Close Veins (Varicose Veins) Creative users of the English language, Cajuns are also creative in their preparation of food. Their Louisiana pantry included cultivated crops, but also the bounty of the diverse wild plants and animals available to people living in rural areas. Couple those conditions with the food consciousness of their French ancestors and you have the elements for an innovative and very tasty cuisine. A few of the 150 recipes are typical of an era when not every ingredient was freshly sourced. Lanny’s Asparagus Casserole, for instance, includes canned asparagus, crushed Ritz crackers and a can of mushroom soup. However this might sound to trendy Californians, the Cajun transplant insists the dish is not only simple to prepare, but that it really does taste good. Though other recipes are more sophisticated, the techniques are fairly simple and most of the components are available in parts of the country outside Louisiana. A roux, for instance, requires only two ingredients; flour and oil, but being a cornerstone of Cajun cooking, merits preparation instructions and commentary taking all of page 105. Among the recipes that caught the reviewer’s eye were these two: Duck Gumbo3 lbs duck, (3 to 4 large ducks like Mallard or 5 small ducks like Teal or Woodduck) Place ducks and rest of ingredients in a large pot and cover ducks with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. Remove ducks and set aside to cool. Discard liquid. When ducks have cooled remove skin and debone. Gumbo¾ to 1 cup roux Make roux according to recipe in This and That section. When roux reaches desired color, add chopped vegetables and cook until they start to wilt. Add broth or water and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Add seasonings and simmer for 20 minutes. Add duck meat and sliced sausage. Cook on low heat for 40 to 50 minutes. Adjust seasonings according to taste. Recipe Note: Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onions. Some areas of Southern Louisiana serve potato salad with this gumbo. --Ellin Busch Gus’ Oyster Stew 2 green bell peppers, grated Grate bell pepper and onions and place in pot with the water and boil until wilted. Remove and drain, save water. Oyster Stew5 qts. half and half Bring half and half and milk to simmer; be careful not to boil. Add vegetables and seasonings and cook for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and Kitchen Bouquet and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Add drained oysters and cook until they curl. Adjust seasoning, if needed. Remove from heat and serve with green onion tops and parsley. Recipe Note: This will feed several people. If desired, the recipe can be reduced proportionally for smaller quantity. --Gustavia McZeal Cooking with the California Cajun, 125 pages, is printed in hard cover/loose leaf format and priced at $19.95. Published by Morris Press Cookbooks, it is available from L K Enterprises ($23.75 including tax and shipping), 5643 Camellia Avenue, Sacramento, Ca 95819, (916) 451-0211.
Reviewed by Mike Petersen The editor requested that I review this book during the 2006 campaigns but I was involved in them and the week after the election I was in no mood to review any book with politics in the title, even a cookbook. One political commentator has observed that with the announcement of sundry that they are running for president or exploring running for president the next election has begun. For the commentator it was a matter of joy. For the rest of us it is a matter of pain to have the campaigning staring all over again a mere two months after the last national election. Now I have the time to review Politics & Pot Roast and the presidential aspirants of all parties have made it election season again. So the book is topical again. Americans do not like politics and easily ignore it in the good country in which we live. According to the numbers most eligible people take a pass on voting. Many of us enjoy eating. Some of us like to eat. Fewer still buy and read cookbooks. The author has provided us some interesting recipes over the 200 plus years of the presidency because the focus of the book is favorite foods and recipes of the presidents of the United States including the current incumbent. All presidents are included so there is no political, let alone partisan, bias to the book. Ms. Salomon reports that the inspiration for her book was a simple dinner party that she held for thirty women at her home in Washington, D.C. She started with U.S. Grant Roman Punch. “The dishes were labeled with their names and creators, which kept the conversation lively.” Perhaps, the Roman Punch had something to do with the energy of the conversation. It contains sherbet improved with rum, Cointreau and Champagne. Just enough sugar to hide the alcohol. Her approach to the book was to use original recipes, if available, such as Elizabeth Monroe’s Rose Syrup. If they were not available, she tried to make connections between the Presidents and the chosen dishes. Ms. Salomon used state dinner menus and contemporary cookbooks for recipes. She modernized old ones to reflect modern techniques and conventions of recipe writing, although including the old recipe to allow the reader to fashion a version of the dish. This is surely for the good when old recipes she includes describe measurements qualitatively not quantitatively, such as, “enough” flour or bake “until enough.” The book is interesting for the light it sheds on food tastes throughout the last 200 years. Even the President who had staff and the White House kitchen was subject to the inconveniences of the foods, techniques and appliances then in use. Be thankful that you have temperature controls and a range that is instantly on as opposed to having to light a wood fire to build up heat while preparing the food to be cooked. This book is fun and meant to be so. The author wrote so the recipes can be used for cooking. In addition, the accompanying text and illustrations cause grins, chuckles and a laugh or two as well. One of my favorites was the reference to, and quotation of, the Etiquette Rules for State Dinners taken from The White House Cook Book, 1887. “One’s teeth are not to be picked at the table; but if it is impossible to hinder it, it should be done behind the napkin.” Oh yes, there is an appropriate cartoon by the illustrator. Too bad there is no reference to mobile phone and personal assistant device (Blackberry) use at meals, state dinner or not. The author opens another possibility for a fun evening at dinner in your home. Gather a mixed group of partisans both Democrat and Republican. Prepare dishes from this book favored by presidents of both parties and label them so. Provide a score sheet, which includes each dish and spaces for rating and commenting on them. Ask the gathering to rate the dishes. You will have insights into the quality of the food and of the senses of humor of the guests. See how the Reagan admirer liked a Jimmy Carter recipe. Did the Clinton fans enjoy their Nixon Omelettes? The possibilities are there. What are the hosts communicating when they serve LBJ Chili to anyone? Politics & Pot Roast has good recipes, interesting history and good humor as well. ______________________________________ Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
Reviewed by Mark Webb Hippocrene Books deserves kudos for its extensive cookbook library, of which Brazil – A Culinary Journey is a part. The publisher has managed to develop an extensive array of cookbooks focusing on less published cuisines, such as “Estonian Tastes and Traditions” and “My Mother’s Bolivian Kitchen.” As is the case with many modern cookbooks, the first-hand experience of the author while living in the country whose cuisine is being featured adds both a personal and cultural perspective that aids the reader and cook in the preparation and presentation of the food. Clearly, Cherie Hamilton has a profound affinity for the cooking of Portugal, which has manifested itself in cuisines from Asia (Macau) to South America (Brazil). If there is any doubt of her expertise, she lists her bibliography in the preface. While interesting, it is a lengthy effort at reciting credentials that is unnecessary. Embracing the cuisine of another country – or even in one’s own – is equal parts training and passion. It is those credentials that should be established in a cookbook such as this. No better example of this is “The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking” (Evans, 1965) by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz. What follows is an invaluable Introduction that is a geographic, cultural, and historic roadmap of this largest nation in South America and how these various factors influence the diverse cuisine of Brazil. Additional context is provided by the short introductions that precede each of the regional sub-sections of the book. The recipes are easy to follow and well laid ou, even if not all recipes are easy to prepare given the sometimes exotic ingredients. It is also very helpful that the author provides some representative menus for each region near the end of the book, adding to the ability to navigate some of the less familiar recipes with relative ease. The publishers did a disservice to the readers by not including web addresses for suppliers in the “Ingredient Sources” section at the back of the book. Additional research would likely have made the ingredients necessary for some of these dishes more accessible for readers across the United States. The recipes themselves are fascinating, especially when viewed within the regional context the author sets out in each of the regional sub-sections. The grilled steaks from the Center-West area are straightforward and easy to prepare, as one would expect from a recipe from the rural areas of that country. The idea of marinating beef in melted butter, vinegar, garlic, onions and salt and pepper may cause your cardiologist to intervene, but is so wickedly tempting as to be irresistible. You can almost taste the richness of this grilled beef just by reading the recipe. Reflective of the incredible diversity of this nation, the São Paulo – style Shrimp Couscous reminds you of a dish that should be cooked up in a tagine in North Africa rather than in South America. The author also provides regional appetizers and desserts for a complete dining experience. There are also many unique recipes in this book that would be the talk of any dinner party. Mato Grosso-Style Fish, for example, utilizes a fruit sauce with bananas and pineapple over fried fish fillets. While this sounds relatively straightforward, this intriguing sauce also uses onion, green onion, black olives, parsley, palm hearts, tomatoes, and tomato puree. If you have access to some of the more exotic ingredients necessary for many of these recipes, then the options truly expand when planning what would be a unique culinary adventure through this country. This is a book that should be in the library of any cook who periodically seeks to do something different. The style of cooking is a reflection of the many and varied foreign influences that have made their imprint in this country over the centuries. The publisher would have served the public better had it been more determined to provide easy access to some of the ingredients necessary for many of these dishes, but there still remains a wealth of unique recipes that would make for an entertaining and satisfying dining experience. ______________________________________________________
Reviewed by Mark Webb Many modern cookbooks go to great lengths to describe the culture and history of the country or region from which the recipes originate. This is a valuable aspect of learning how to prepare cuisines from different lands, especially for those of us who do not plan to go to Provençe or Spain or Italy or Thailand anytime soon. There is something that enhances the ability to create and present a dish when a carefully crafted cookbook evokes the history, sights, sounds, and aromas of distant lands. Cookbooks that highlight a restaurant, as does this of César - a tapas bar in Berkeley, California - add to this cultural immersion personal notes, explaining the hard work and dedication as well as the sense of purpose that goes into creating a successful restaurant. The authors - Olivier Said, managing partner of César, James Mellgren, writer and expert on Spanish food, and Maggie Pond, César’s executive chef - have gone one better with this collaborative cook book. Not only does it literally take the reader from concept to construction to opening of their restaurant in its amusing and sentimental introduction, but they also share with you every aspect of what a tapas bar is supposed to be, which more than anything else is ambience. In many aspects, this cookbook is more like a menu with instructions. All that is missing is the crowded intimacy that comes from being there yourself. The foreword by Jackson Browne draws a carefully arching line from Barcelona to Berkeley, leaving no doubt about your departure point or your destination on this culinary journey. As would be expected of a tapas bar, much of the first part of the book is devoted to both traditional Spanish and modern American libations. The opening section on sherries was particularly welcomed. If the traditional start to an evening of tapas is not the direction in which you want to head, the authors go through an extensive array of cocktails covering all the modern trends in martinis, rum drinks, and tequila creations. Clearly, after going through this section, the reader can quickly lay claim to being an expert mixologist. While it was consistent with the concept behind the book, I was nevertheless disappointed with the terse discussion of wines, which primarily was a quickly listing of regional reds and whites and an interview with one of the other partners at César, Dennis Lapuyade. Frankly, it really doesn’t add to the book or to the knowledge of someone trying to replicate the food and beverage of this fine restaurant to know that he buys between twenty and twenty five cases of wine a week – unless the reader really parties at home. A more extensive explanation of how the regional Spanish wines pair up with the tapas offered at César, or some basic distinctions between Spanish and American wines, would have been more valuable than the note at the end of this section that basically states everything goes with everything and don’t worry about it. That may work in a restaurant, but not every person hosting a dinner at home can buy flights of Spanish reds and whites for the four guests coming over to make sure there is a functional wine list. Of course, the most significant part of any experience at a tapas bar is the tapas. In this regard, the people at César do not disappoint. The authors start with a brief description of the essentials for the Spanish pantry, a concept that many other cookbooks would do well to emulate. From there, they go through a litany of soups, salads, vegetable, meat and seafood tapas, and even sandwiches. The variety in the offerings is at least in part an acknowledgement that more substantial fare may be necessary at home when planning a dinner. That is unfortunate, since part of the art of serving tapas is in its diversity. Care has to be taken to read the directions carefully, since more than a few of the intriguing recipes are made to serve eight, which might require some awkward paring down if you are planning an intimate dinner with that special person in your life. Of the many interesting recipes in this book, I was especially intrigued with the Poached Salmon with cilantro and cumin vinaigrette. Its liberal use of jalapeños should make this a dish that is hard to put down even as the temperature is rising. If heat is what you like, I would also recommend the Gambas a la Gallega, which with its liberal use of pimenton is certain to slap around even the most jaded palate. For those who feel that eggs can be eaten any time of the day - and for a good contrast to many of the other meat, seafood, or vegetable dishes in this book - I’d recommend the Migas which, as the authors state, is somewhat of an Old World equivalent of huevos rancheros. More than anything else, César – Recipes from a Tapas Bar, made me want to hop on a plan, fly to Oakland, and go spend the evening sampling all that this restaurant has to offer. While good for business, it is not necessarily the objective of a cookbook. For the uninitiated, many of the recipes border on unapproachable. Part of the challenge to doing justice to tapas at home is being able to prepare relatively small portions of many dishes. Once again, the authors fail to recognize that most kitchens do not have this capability. A little more direction and a little less narcissism would go a long way to make this book a must have on any culinary shelf. ______________________________________________________
Reviewed by Mike Petersen The author dedicated this book to the daring restaurateurs who have placed their hearts and fortunes on the line to build their city’s exciting and vibrant dining scene. I like to cook, share meals with others and look at cookbooks for new recipes. Once or twice I have read a cookbook entirely. In recent years San Diego has been the home of my daughter, son-in-law and grandson so I visit there often. The editor/publisher said, “I have a cookbook that you might enjoy reading and reviewing.” “OK let me see it” was my reply. Maybe the book would help us find a good restaurant or specialty food shop? Might it have a recipe from a restaurant dish we had enjoyed? What should a cookbook do? The book should provide good recipes explained well. Drawings or photos or the ingredients, utensils, process and the finished product are helpful. It helps that the book presents a style of food or regional specialties. Sometimes a good one features the cooking of a famous chef or school of cooking. Good and interesting cookbooks might be printed and sold for a good cause or a charity. I search for a copy of the Ida Grove Farmers and Swineherds Auxiliary cookbook frequently but unrequitedly. You know the kind produced on a mimeo machine by one of the members and assembled on one of those snap rings that opens for the holes in the pages. Who could refuse a chance to see real Iowan farmers’ wives’ recipes? Pork chops, summer sausage, pound cake or head cheese anyone? How about a book of the recipes of the various home cafes or eats places that graced small town America before major leagues expanded? This book is organized by appetizers, first course, soup, salad, pasta, fish, crustaceans, poultry, meat, dessert, breakfast and brunch, growers and vendors. The author informs us of the background of the chef or the restaurant which is the source of the recipe. The recipes are the restaurants and Ms. Croce tells us so that we make the adjustments in amounts for the home kitchen. Many of the recipes are rather appealing. Their scope across many ethnic and American styles of food illustrates the variety that one finds and enjoys in San Diego’s restaurants. Unfortunately, this volume, which gives the hope for much, delivers less. This book has many recipes and some of them read well and might be good to make and eat. There is a dearth of photos that matter in a cookbook -- pictures of ingredients or what the finished product should look like when completed. The book is replete with photos. There are photos of restaurant front doors, dining rooms, tables, staff, chefs and even a stove with pots and pans on it. However, few of them are of the food that using the recipes would produce. There are good photos of outside scenes of San Diego and nice shots of view from restaurants. Of the more than 100 photos in the book less than two dozen of them show any food or product cooked or raw. When photos of them are in the book they most often introduce one of the sections: poultry, pasta, meat, dessert, etc. Why are not the photos of the foods those for which you have printed the recipes? The San Diego Restaurant Cookbook is a good looking volume, which provides insights into what is available in San Diego’s restaurants. www.sandiegorestaurantcookbook.com
Review by Christina Hamlett Back in the days when I used to run a touring theater company, cast parties were not only frequent in number but also easy to plan because (1) everyone brought something and (2) everything bought at a grocery store was thrown into the oven, taken out of the refrigerator, or tossed onto a serving platter. Such a cavalier approach to home entertaining, however, didn’t lend itself as easily to the orchestration of formal dinners or holiday gatherings for relatives. The amount of time I found myself deciding on the perfect menu was matched only by the amount of time I spent away from my guests doing the preparation and serving. No wonder I was always exhausted and fading out by the time the dishes were finally cleared! While New Zealand author Annabel Langbein’s latest release came out 30 years too late for me to effortlessly dazzle my former in-laws and long ago business associates, “Cooking to Impress Without Stress” is a welcome addition to the cookbook collection of anyone in this fast paced day and age who wants to be able to participate in and enjoy his or her own dinner parties. “Feeling relaxed and comfortable in someone else’s home and enjoying the food they have prepared (no matter how simple) is one of life’s great pleasures,” Langbein begins. She follows this up with what she calls The 12 Commandments of getting organized, setting the scene, and choreographing a memorable brunch, luncheon, dinner or special event. Among them:
How many cooks have you known, for instance, who use their guests as unwitting guinea pigs for a complex and untried recipe, aren’t aware if their visitors have food allergies or dietary restrictions, chase helping hands out of the kitchen, or consume one too many adult beverages in order to calm their nerves? Langbein’s dozen commandments alone are worth photocopying and taping up in sight. She also emphasizes that “elevating an everyday meal to a special occasion doesn’t demand a departure to complicated dishes…it’s the ambience you create that allows people to feel relaxed and spoilt.” To that end, she introduces a number of eye-catching and savory starters that set the scene for a dining experience that will be long remembered. The recipes throughout the text are designed to accommodate 4-6 people but can be adjusted up or down depending on whether you’re dining intimately with your significant other or having friends over for an after-concert buffet or show-stopping desserts and coffee. It’s also interesting to note that Langbein includes metric measurements and displays cooking temperatures in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. What I especially like about this book is that it is written to be sensitive to the amount of time the cook actually has to prepare the meal. Regardless of the length of time involved in assembling the ingredients, however, all of the dishes are readily approachable. A quick dish, such as the Pasta with Salmon, Capers, and Arugula (page 100), for example, can be fixed in less than 15 minutes but promises to be a delightful and flavorful meal that will look as if it took much longer. Langbein also introduces a Fish and Scallop Pie with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Caper Crumb that can be assembled up to 12 hours prior to the arrival of one’s guests, then slipped into the oven for baking. And let’s not forget the obvious bonus that all evidence of that preparation will have been run through the dishwasher and stored away long before the doorbell rings! On the other end of the spectrum, the almost decadent Roast Leg of Lamb with a red currant or quince jelly jus is remarkably easy to prepare even if it takes hours to cook. In addition, the author provides the cook with creative options for side dishes and preparation of the main meal that encourages experimentation and variations on the central theme. The above referenced Roast Leg of Lamb, for instance, contains recipes within the margins of the same page that will turn it into a Moroccan-style feast or a North Indian Cardamom and Chilli dish. Various sauces, dips, and preparation pointers add a wealth of opportunities for preparing that special meal and contribute greatly to this being a top shelf resource for your cooking education that doesn’t require you to go strictly "by the book." A resident of Auckland, Langbein is the author of ten prior cookbooks including the popular Savour series. If the rest of them are as inspirationally tasty and fun to read as this one, you’ll want to add them to your library. They’re guaranteed to make your dining room the most comfy and inviting restaurant in town!
Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. Her credits to date include 22 books, 118 plays and musicals, 4 optioned feature films, and columns/interviews that appear throughout the world. She and her gourmet chef husband, Mark Webb, reside in Pasadena, California.
In 1950, a country bumpkin named Igor Straminsky answered his country’s call to duty and, as an unwitting Army private, soon found himself in the most hostile environment that the planet could ever serve up. No, we’re not talking about Korea. We’re talking about the men and women of the 4077th, who queued up three times a day with plastic trays, growling stomachs, and growing suspicions that they’d more likely meet their deaths at the inept hands of their new cook than they ever would in confrontations with the enemy they’d come to fight. “Dear Ma,” Igor wrote home, “Instead of letting me work at something I’m good at, they’re gonna make me do a job I don’t know anything about! Radar, the company clerk here, told me that he thinks the Army does that on purpose.” Still, a job was a job and the beleaguered young private wasn’t going to let the ongoing sarcasm of Captain Hawkeye Pierce dampen his spirits. Hawkeye: “It’s inhuman to serve the same food day after day. The Geneva Convention prohibits the killing of our taste buds.” Suffice it to say, Igor had plenty of time to hone his craft (such as it was). His stint in a mess tent chef’s hat, in fact, lasted 8 years longer than the actual Korean War. When the hit television series M*A*S*H finally bowed out in 1983, almost 125 million viewers tuned in to say goodbye, the largest audience ever for a TV show. “Ma! I’m sure you’ve heard the news…IT’S OVER! I’ll probably be home by the time you get this letter but I wanted to write it anyway. I’ll make everybody dinner when I get there but could somebody else please serve it?” Fortunately, Igor’s efforts to please the palate weren’t left behind on a helicopter pad. His alter ego—Hollywood actor/writer/entrepreneur Jeff Maxwell—has compiled the best of Igor's mess tent magic into a hilarious book entitled “Secrets of the M*A*S*H Mess: The Lost Recipes of Private Igor.” Testimonial from Colonel Potter: “There seems to be a misconception here—those recipes weren’t lost! We did our best to hide them.” Within these wacky pages--which are replete with black and white production stills, “dog-tag” quotes, and letters home—the author not only gives us generous dollops of homegrown culinary advice but demonstrates a talent for memorializing his Army experiences and friendships with his own brand of signature recipes:
Igorism: “Hawkeye told me he went to school for twelve years to be a doctor. I trained in boot camp for eight weeks to become a soldier. It sure takes a lot more time to learn how to save a life than how to end one.” As clueless as Igor seemed to be whilst unveiling inventive concoctions such as “Cream of Weenie Soup” or “Hot Potato Pucks”, he shows remarkable clarity in laying out instructions that are fun and easy to follow. Whether you’re mustering your troops off to work or school with “Frontline Flapjacks with Chocolate Gravy”, settling in for an evening flick with “Movie Night Popcorn Shrimp,” or dazzling your next book club group with “Forward Marsh Melts”, there’s no denying that Igor knows what it takes to please picky eaters. Igor: “Peas or carrots, Sir?” He has also included a short section on drinks, including “Pre-Op Novocaine Shake”, “Swamp Swill Martini” and “Suicide is Painless”, the latter popularized in song for both the original film and the TV series. Testimonial from Hawkeye Pierce: “Can’t wait to try the recipes. There are several people I’m trying to kill.” In real life, by the way, Maxwell is the inventor/purveyor of a kicky Bloody Mary Mix called Chico Rico™ which won a People’s Preference Award in the 2003 International Zesty Foods Show. The mix, which he describes as “Lip Smackin’ Fire & Spice”, is available at Bristol Farms or through his website at http://www.chicorico.biz/order.html. While dinner is cooking, TV trivia fans will find themselves well entertained with Maxwell’s behind-the-scenes anecdotes, as well the convoluted journey that took this affable actor from the bowels of the Print Department at 20th Century Fox to stand-up comedy to the elation of playing a character with an actual name on a hit series instead of just a credit as “Soldier 1”. The proliferation of candid shots suggest the slap-dash happiness of an overgrown kid who has not only found himself at the summer camp of a lifetime but in the thick of new friendships destined to last forever. Hotlips: “I thought you might enjoy being the Charity Officer for me. You’d be so good at it.” Last but not least are the bittersweet tugs of nostalgia which remind us that the 4077th wasn’t just Igor’s family and his home-away-from-home but a weekly part of our own family as well. “Dear Ma, We all just found out that Colonel Blake gets to go home. Lucky guy—sure wish I was gonna be on the plane with him!” In the third season finale, "Abyssinia, Henry", marking actor McLean Stevenson’s departure from the cast, viewers will recall the heart-stopping moment when a stunned Radar announced that Colonel Blake’s plane had been shot down en route to Japan. There were no survivors. It was moments like this that reminded us of what good writing can be. And it’s books like “Secrets of the M*A*S*H Mess” that demonstrate Private Straminsky has a definite calling in top brass cuisine.
Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. Her credits to date include 22 books, 118 plays and musicals, 4 optioned feature films, and columns/interviews that appear throughout the world. She and her gourmet chef husband, Mark Webb, reside in Pasadena, California. The Presidents’ Cookbook Review by Christina Hamlett Party politics aside, there’s one thing that over two centuries of elected officials who have resided at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue can agree on: the enjoyment of a well cooked and satisfying meal. The Presidents’ Cookbook, released in 1968, is a vintage gem that invites readers into the White House dining room to break bread with every president from George Washington to LBJ. And what a treat that is! Often referred to as life in a fish bowl, America’s First Families have been the precedent-setting hosts of many a social gathering revolving around excellent food, exemplary service, and cognizance not only of foreign dietary customs but sensitivity to the protocol of smart seating arrangements for fostering good will. As early as 1789 when the first official White House chef was hired, George and Martha took pains to craft an ad that would attract only the finest candidates: A COOK is wanted for the family of the President of the United States. No one need apply who is not perfect in the business, and can bring indubitable testimonials of sobriety, honesty and attention to the duties of the station. The common assumption that our founding fathers were simple meat ‘n’ potatoes folks who noshed on whatever they could kill or grow is quickly dispelled in the opening chapters. Jefferson, for instance, took advantage of his years overseas to enthusiastically collect recipes and fine wines for what would be considered radically eclectic dinner parties by the standards of the day. Records reveal that during his stint as president, his wine bill alone exceeded $10,000. Dolley Madison, of course, is legendary for making sure that no one ever went home hungry and was known to use any occasion—even a casual drop-in visitor—as a good reason to see that her kitchen whipped up memorable refreshments. Widower Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson may have had a backwoods upbringing but wasted no time embracing the soufflés and crème brûleé served up by the French chef whom John Quincy Adams couldn’t take with him when he left office. Anecdotes abound throughout the lively text, providing little-known insights on presidential taste buds (Ulysses S Grant liked his steaks burned to the consistency of charcoal), regional influences on the preparation of menus (Zachary Taylor’s fondness for Creole cuisine), decorating trends (Caroline Harrison’s decision to have a china cabinet installed and display all of her predecessors’ dinner plates), the consumption of spirits (Harding and his wife Flo deemed themselves exempt from Prohibition), and cost-cutting measures to set an example for the rest of the country (Mamie Eisenhower declared that leftovers—no matter how small— were not to be thrown out). It’s not just the history buffs who will be entertained by these chapters, however. Ten or more recipes have been resurrected from each administration and, for the most part, utilize modern ingredients (just in case you were worried you’d have to run out and bag an elk or fry up a couple chipmunks), easy measurements, and utensils and cookware that are on hand in most kitchens. The names alone are worth a look:
The most surprising revelation? Presidents throughout history seem to have supported something that contemporary nutritionists have been saying all along: breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. For those who love to plan parties around brunch (and that goes for baby and bridal showers, too), there’s no shortage of waffle, pancake, muffin, and crumb cake recipes as well as fruit cobblers, punches, and pies for every season. It’s also interesting to note how early administrations prided themselves on strict punctuality when it came to mealtimes. For Martha Washington, this not only applied to when her guests sat down for a White House supper (Democrats were never high on her invitation list) but when they were expected to leave and go back to their own homes. At one particular dinner party, she rose from her place and bluntly announced, “The General always retires at nine, and I usually precede him.” Much more direct, one thinks, than stifling yawns or trying to artfully nudge guests toward the front door after a long evening. As of this writing, The Presidents’ Cookbook is out of print. Used copies, however, can be found at Amazon as well as used bookstores and would make a wonderful addition to the shelf of anyone who loves presidential trivia as much as they love culinary adventures. Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award winning author and script coverage consultant for the film industry. Her credits to date include 22 books, 118 plays and musicals, 4 optioned feature films, and columns/interviews that appear throughout the world. She and her gourmet chef husband, Mark Webb, reside in Pasadena, California. At Mesa’s Edge Reviewed by Dan Clarke Eugenia Bone is a New York writer with heavyweight credentials (Saveur, Food & Wine, Gourmet, etc.). In At Mesa’s Edge she has created an intriguing memoir and cookbook. When her architect husband decides that there’s room in their urban life for a part-time existence in Colorado’s North Fork Valley, Eugenia packs kids and cooking supplies to spend a summer in the West. Ranch property has been purchased, but it needs work. The theme may seem familiar, but who of us hasn’t daydreamed of moving—at least on a temporary basis—to someplace completely different? Crawford, Colorado isn’t Italy or southern France, but it might be as different from New York City as those locales. In addition to tending sick children and rehabbing the long-abandoned ranch house, she must deal with snakes, skunks, feral cats and neighboring cattle wandering through her vegetable garden. As the newcomer ingratiates herself with the locals, she finds a substantial number who’re deeply food-conscious. The area has long been famed for its fruit production and seems to have a significant number of latter day specialty food producers. Her recipes acknowledge shared experiences with newly-found Colorado friends and acquaintances, as well as the contributions of family and friends in New York who shaped her love for food and her cooking style. Marilee Gillman’s Tortilla Soup includes broth from her own pheasants, but chicken broth will suffice, says Bone. Asparagus Vinaigrette is a treatment of this basic vegetable dish as prepared by French-born Yvon Gros, who with his wife Joanna, runs the Leroux Creek Inn in Hotchkiss. Bone uses purchased asparagus stalks as well as wild examples found growing in area ditches. The recipe for Fettucine with Wild Mushrooms is from the author’s brother, Cham Giobbi, who discovered Porcinis growing wild in the nearby West Elk Mountains. Leek and Cilantro Pesto Tart is a recipe the author says she took to “a potluck winetasting at Ela Family Farms on Rogers Mesa.” Bone’s intimate introductions to the recipes makes them seem all the more appealing. Anecdotes from the preceding narrative are in a style similarly personal. Bone’s recollection of little details when old Greek men barbecued lamb at the home of the uncle of her friend painted a vivid picture. Her story of taking a hunter safety class with 12-year old boys to qualify for a Colorado license was funny—and provided a window to a western ethos untroubled by political correctness. Pocket Dictionary of Ethnic Foods Reviewed by Dan Clarke Who hasn’t seen phrases on a restaurant menu that seemed familiar, yet not entirely so. Béarnaise and béchamel are both classic French sauces, but are you sure which one you would want on a steak and which one might be appropriate for seafood? Marsala is a dark, sweet Italian wine. Masala can be either a spice mixture or a general category of Indian dry curry with a spicy sauce. While they do sound alike, they certainly don’t taste alike. Pad kana or pad prik? They’re both Thai dishes but which one is likely to require a bottle of Singha to put out the fire? While dining out can be an exciting adventure, it shouldn’t have to be just because you’re worried that you’ll get stuck with something you didn’t really want. Or, worse yet, that you’ll order for tablemates and have them waiting for you to visit the restroom so that they’ll have opportunity to hide some of your wretched selection in a napkin and insist later that they really did like their dinners. Daniel Blum’s “Pocket Dictionary of Ethnic Foods” will go a long way to save readers from such disasters. Just about the size of a checkbook, it easily fits into a purse or a jacket pocket and contains 1400 brief definitions. Of course, it could also be useful in the home, but it’s in the restaurant setting that critical mistakes can be made. It saves diners from having to admit they’re not as knowledgeable as they’d like to be in front of difficult waiters. It also allows double checking the explanations given by uninformed waiters who try to bluff their customers. At ten bucks, this little book is invaluable. The Food of Fisherman's Wharf: Cooking and Feasting from San Francisco to Monterey Reviewed by Dan Clarke To this third-generation San Franciscan, the name Fisherman’s Wharf conjures just a limited strip of that city that borders the Bay. That’s a parochial view, though, and limiting. Countless settlements on the water must have their own fisherman’s wharves and Monterey, some 115 miles south of San Francisco on the Pacific, would be one of them. Many of the restaurants profiled by A. K. Crump would be on or near the fisherman’s wharves of these two cities. Others in the book are not, but are near water and would certainly be encompassed by the subtitle “Cooking and Feasting from San Francisco to Monterey.” Over 300 color photographs give the reader a good feel for the restaurants featured and for the 24 recipes that are included. “The Food of Fisherman’s Wharf” might be a worthy souvenir for tourists who have visited the area or dined at any of the restaurants featured. It might also whet the appetites of out of state residents contemplating a visit. Recipes included concentrate on—but aren’t limited to—fish and seafood themes. They seem fairly straightforward and are all credited to restaurants in the area, if not always to their specific chefs. Such references provide the home chef with opportunity to try signature dishes—or adaptations of them—from some very popular restaurants. Florida Spring Training: Your Guide to Touring the Grapefruit League By Alan Byrd  Published by The Intrepid TravelerSoft Cover. 224 Pages $15.95 ISBN 1887140476 Reviewed by Michael Eady “Florida Spring Training” by Alan Byrd should prove to be an indispensable companion to any baseball fan or traveler who might wish to visit the spectacle of baseball spring training in Florida. The thought of “traditional” spring training evokes nostalgic memories of old ballparks populated with hard core baseball fans sunning themselves in the mild spring climes and watching the new prospects show their stuff. Thanks to television and the insatiable appetite for money professional sports has, this annual rite has transformed from that traditional one of pastoral serenity to one of high energy marketing. The changes that have taken place in the spring training experience are drastic and not altogether very old. In days of yore -- and by that I mean 1987-88 -- in Scottsdale, Arizona, the San Francisco Giants played their exhibition games in rickety old Indian School Park. I had seats about ten feet from then general manager Al Rosen and the rest of the Giants management brain trust. The perimeter of the park was a fence of tall plank boards where passersby could literally watch the action through a knothole in the wood. Nobody did though because the ridiculously cheap tickets (I believe ours were $8) provided incentive enough to go inside. The park itself and the operations were run by a local beneficient organization called the Scottsdale Chorros and a lot of the money they made supported local charities. Visitors to spring training in those days arose each morning and scanned the paper to see who was playing whom and where. One decided which game to see and went to the park where good seats were almost always available. The lone exception to this rule was old Ho Ho Kam Park, home of the Chicago Cubs. It was always crowded and tickets went fast. The crowd was the most partisan as well. In a very short period of time spring training bid adieu to Norman Rockwell and howdy-do to Mickey Mouse and his corporate sponsor pals. The resulting change from staid tradition to sports marketing dynamic is what has created a need for a book like this one and Alan Byrd fills the need exceptionally well. The book is logically organized, each chapter devoted to one of the spring training venues found in Florida. Each chapter is then divided into sections covering everything from directions to the park, to ticket prices, to what to do before and after the games. Individually each park is appraised as to various amenities. This appraisal is thorough, critical and objective. Chapter six, for example, is devoted to the Cleveland Indians training base in Winter Haven. First a synopsis of the history there and an overview of what the visitor should expect from his visit. Following this are directions to the park and information on parking. The next section covers tickets – prices and availability, followed by a review of the game program. Food & drink information is to be had along with information on seats, shade and a schematic of the stadium. Byrd also includes observations on one important staple of spring training, the likelihood of obtaining players’ autographs. This is a key aspect to the experience of spring training. Finally, the chapter concludes with listings of bars, restaurants and attractions in the vicinity to see before and after the game. At the end of the book each park/team is ranked and graded on a scale of 1-10 in five categories. How did the Cleveland Indians do? A lukewarm overall rating of 32. They rated an 8 in both “Intimacy” and “Comfort” but a below average 4 in the “Food & Drink” department. “Autographs” and “Style” were each rated at 6. I was amused at the correlation between the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and their spring training site, Progress Energy Park, in St. Petersburg. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, since their inception, have had the crappiest record in the league, play in the crappiest stadium and have the crappiest attendance. The spring training acorn, it seems, doesn’t fall far from the tree. The Devil Rays spring training facility was far and away rated the worst. A badly-run organization has a badly-run spring training facility. Quelle surprise! According to author Byrd, the best of all the Grapefruit League venues is the Vero Beach home to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fortunately the book is updated annually and this is good because dynamics of what is now big business for the ballclubs and their host cities provide a constant state of flux and fans can no longer rely on the stasis that once enveloped spring training. As a lifetime San Francisco Giants fan and denizen of the left coast I would like to see Mr. Byrd take his efforts to the Cactus League in Arizona. The Culinary Institute of America’s Gourmet Meals in Minutes Makes 8 servings / preparation time: 45 minutes
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Place the parsley, garlic, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade and pulse until evenly minced and well blended.
Combine the butter and flour together.
The Dancing Gourmet, Recipes to Keep You on Your Toes!
ICON: ART OF THE WINE LABEL
The Home Exchange Guide
Spinning the Bottle
Chalk Hill Winery Sommelier Guide To Restaurants in America
Chocolate French reviewed by Dan Clarke Quirky but appealing, “Chocolate French” is part cookbook, part travel book. And it’s all paean to the charms of chocolate. Filled with reminiscences and personal observations of chefs, celebrities and chocolate fans, “Chocolate French” isn’t X-rated, but it’s for adults, not children. The subject is sweet, but not simple. English-speakers who’ve traveled in France or those with a background of school-days French language study will enjoy the observations written first in French (and generally translated to English). “Prenez du chocolat afin que les plus méchantes compagnies vous paraissent bonnes.” from a Marquise de Sévigné letter to her daughter in 1672, seems to be advice both loving and practical. (“Take chocolate, so that the most unpleasant company seems good to you.”) And the observation of Brillat-Savarin, “Les personnes qui boivent régulièrement du chocolat se distinguent par leur bonne santé et leur résistance à toutes sortes de maladies mineures qui troublent la sérénité de la vie.” is comforting to a current generation constantly being told that anything that tastes or feels good probably shouldn’t be indulged in. (“People who regularly drink chocolate are distinguished by their good health and their resistance to all sorts of minor illnesses that disturb the serenity of life.”) There are 52 recipes—a cooking adventure for every week of the year. Some are from France, but most are the submissions of American-based chefs, some of French heritage, others not. They’re all presented in English and ingredient quantities are American/English measured, rather than metric. Many black and white pictures are included. They seem to evoke a mood, rather than illustrate literality. Some, like the aerial view of the Port in Monte Carlo or the jazz band in Nice, appear to have no direct relationship to the topic. Others, such as the shot of the shopfront of chocolatier Debauve & Gallais in Paris, are obvious in their relevancy. Some will appreciate the two pictures of a young Brigitte Bardot, regardless of their attention to the little four-lines of translated poetry linking her with the subject. Those with general culinary interest will find Chocolate French worthwhile, as will those who enjoy a vicarious trip to that Gallic country. For the many with a more specific obsession for chocolate, the book is a must. As Miranda Ingram is quoted as saying, “Ne croyez pas que le chocolat soit un substitut à l’amour . . . L’amour est un substitut au chocolat.” (“Don’t believe that chocolate is a substitute for love . . . Love is a substitute for chocolate.”)
Mountain Vines, Mountain Wines
Reviewed by Dan Clarke Wine should be a joyous subject. Too often, it’s not—at least not in this country. In Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers, Malcolm Kushner offers levity, instead of tedium. Organized into 13 chapters, the collection features writings of the author/editor, quips from persons well known and otherwise, and some anecdotes and jokes that may have been rewritten to make the situation fit in a wine context. Sometimes this doesn’t work, as in the case of the reference to a pricey old bottle of “Mouton Lafite Rothschild” found in storage in the Chicago Cubs clubhouse (presumably waiting forever for a pennant winning celebration). However, there are plenty of comments on wine and drink not lost in non sequitur. Champagne references I liked were: “The House of Lords is like a glass of Champagne that has stood for five days.” “You’ve forgotten those June nights at the Riviera . . . the night I drank Champagne from your slipper—two quarts. It would have been more but you were wearing inner soles.” Some of the comments are more fun for those who have some wine knowledge: “The wine seems to be very closed-in and seems to have entered a dumb stage. Sort of a Marcel Meursault.” Some have some depth or pith: “I’ve taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has ever taken from me.” “Not all men who drink are poets. Some of us drink because we aren’t poets.” Others just made me laugh: “A mind of the caliber of mine cannot derive its nutriment from cows.” “Every time I learn something new it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Like that time I took that home wine-making course and forgot how to drive.” “My uncle was the town drunk and we lived in Chicago.” Longer pieces don’t lend themselves to description here. Some of them were pretty funny; others seemed to be trying too hard. A wonderful touch is the inclusion of many cartoons on the subject from The New Yorker. There will be some who take offense at parts of his collection of wine-related humor, and not just at the jokes that involve drunkenness. Those people would be the ones with little sense of humor. What’s funny to one person may not be so to another, humor being a very personal matter. It gave me enough amusement to easily justify its price. Ten bucks could otherwise buy you a fairly pedestrian bottle of Chardonnay. And how many smiles would that put on your face? Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers is available at Amazon.com, Reviewer Dan Clarke writes about wine and food and appreciates a good laugh about either.
Reviewed by Lanny Kilchrist Cooking with Cajun Women is a wonderful book. I am extremely proud of my Cajun background; our food is becoming recognized around the country in a very positive light, as it should be. This cookbook gives a short history of our plight and background which is so necessary to the reader’s understanding of the evolution of our kitchen. I am also a graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL). The author of this cookbook is one of many people associated with ULL who is working hard to promote and preserve our heritage. Food is always the window to a group of people, in this case hot and spicy food! The Cajun people are descendents of French immigrants originally from the northwestern part of France. They left their home country due to political and religious pressures. They are European in all senses of the word and French as much as French can be. The recipes that are in this cookbook accurately show this French/European thinking. You will find that certain dishes are given different interpretations. For example, recipes for etouffe or gumbo are similar, but different for each individual who prepares them. This to me is one of the exciting and interesting things about our Cajun kitchen. I especially enjoy the quotes that accompany the recipes. They give an insight to the person and show the color of our way of life. The tight knit family unit is still alive and well in South Louisiana. I will never forget our family’s mandatory Sunday dinner at grandma’s house on the farm. I was not especially receptive to this mandatory family get together, but I can tell you now that I would give anything to sit at that wonderful oak table and enjoy the magnificent meal that this old and wonderful woman could put together. Grandpa was no slouch in the kitchen, either. In fact, he could prepare Cajun food as well as his wife and he was very responsible for teaching me to cook. Cooking with Cajun Women tends to let the reader feel that the women were more responsible for the meals than the men. Well, this not entirely correct. The Cajun men that I grew up with certainly could cook and did quite well. Cajun men are more into cooking today than ever before and certainly share the duties in the kitchen and are proud of their fixins! The depiction of the Cajun has often suffered in accuracy, but this cookbook does a great job of helping folks understand and appreciate what we have in South Louisiana. You will enjoy this book. These words were common to hear while around our Cajun tables, “manger, manger, manger”(eat, eat, eat). Lanny Kilchrist has resided in Sacramento, California, since he was assigned to teaching duties at Mather AFB at the conclusion of an Air Force career which included 210 combat missions in a B-52. After completing a master’s degree in glass art at California State University Sacramento, he founded L K Enterprises, a company which manufactures computerized temperature controllers for glass. Lanny recommends readers visit the Cajun land of Louisiana to experience the wonderful food and hospitality firsthand, but cautions that a trip in the spring or fall will avoid also experiencing the summer’s very hot, sticky, and humid climate.
Sharpshooter reviewed by Dan Clarke Sunny McCoskey is the owner of Wildside, a Napa Valley restaurant. She also solves murders. At least in the pages of Sharpshooter, she does. In what the publisher defines as the first mystery in a Sunny McCoskey series, the chef/sleuth jumps into a murder investigation when her friend, winegrower Wade Skord, is arrested for the murder of Jack Beroni. Beroni was in the process of inheriting control of the most substantial winery in the area. Many of the locals had reason to dislike him, and maybe even murder him. In any case, someone who was a pretty good shot with a rifle drilled him in the heart one night as he awaited at meeting at the garden gazebo adjacent his vineyard. Gordon portrays the late Mr. Beroni as an aggressive proponent of a plan for wholesale presticide spraying to thwart the pending invasion of the Glassy Winged Sharpshooter. That sharpshooter is the vector of Pierce's Disease, a real-life threat to the wine industry. The double entendre is the most obvious of many details designed to give a feeling of authenticity—an insider's view—to the reader. For the most part the author succeeds, although vineyardists and winemakers may be amused at her heroine's measurement of the sugar level of friend Wade Skord's ripening Howell Mountain Zinfandel. Chef McCoskey gets readings of 17 degrees Brix and decides that the grapes would reach the desired level of 24 degrees after a couple more warm days. This is a process that would take weeks, not days. Other details are more credible and Gordon's descriptions of Wildside certainly make it seem that it could be a real café in St. Helena or any other Napa Valley location. How many Napa Valley murders can be devised as fodder for subsequent books in this series-to-be remains to be seen, but Sharpshooter is worthy on its own. The details and the setting create a book that's fun for wine and food buffs and probably for many mystery devotees, as well. Reviewer Dan Clarke writes about wine and food. He has worked at a vineyard on Howell Mountain. The Fire Never Dies Reviewed by Mike Petersen The Library of Congress summarizes this book as about anecdotes concerning food and travel. OK, but is it? The title teases us. What is that fire? Is it hungering for food? Or is it another primal need? The cover art shows an Asian woman dressed in a red dress that barely holds in her bosom sitting at a table with some plates of food. It is the sort of book cover (and book) that a junior high school boy would have had to sneak into his room to read. The book's cover still caused many people to question a bald guy in his fifties about the book. Without telling the "best" parts, what is in the book? This book is a collection of essays about Richard Sterling's adventures from military service in Vietnam to a millennial new year's celebration in a remote village in Baja California and covers a lot of places and activities in between. There are mentions and short discussions of food and even some of cooking in the book, but that does not seem to be what the book is about in chief. The author includes an essay about eating large insects in a restaurant in Cambodia where the only other diners or customers are a French couple. Sterling tells us about the preparation of the local specialty a large insect. However, this story, as it develops, seems not about the food so much as about the showdown between the author and the Frenchman. Will the effete Frenchman eat the insects since his wife apparently finds eating bugs disgusting? Another story is about feeding rescued Vietnamese who fled their country in April 1975. The Vietnamese, although hungry, would not eat American beef stew provided by the crew of a U.S. Navy ship. Fortunately, someone decides that Vietnamese might prefer rice. At least in this story Sterling gives us some interesting thoughts about how familiar foods are important to our sense of self and home. They are all the more important in times of stress. Consider the reports of increased comfort foods consumption by Americans after the 9-11 slaughter. But it appears to me that the real focus of the essays in this book is something else. One story is about the specialized male entertainment venues that existed around and near U.S. military installations in the Philippines. I missed the military and the Philippines. Sportsmen and servicemen I know who have been to the Philippines indicate that these entertainment places did exist. The reports by Sterling more than likely are accurate, given their consistency with other stories. But how is this about food or adventure? It seems pretty well known world you could encounter there. The armed services had films about that at least a generation before. On a ship between Philippines and Vietnam the author has a strange encounter with the woman who is the barber on that ship. In still another essay some locals in Baja help the author and his friends when one of their four-wheel drive vehicles breaks down hundreds of miles from spare parts and mechanics. Sterling drinks beer with the natives in various mostly tropical locales. Sterling's stories entertain some times, and at other times infuriate. Presumably for most of us, Sterling tells about places and activities that we will not experience. However, the focus of this publication is wine and food. All things considered, that does not appear to be the focus of this collection of essays. Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be. The Mystique of Barolo Reviewed by Darrell Corti This is quite an accomplishment as a book. It sets out to deal with the ancient, recent and modern history of one of Italy's iconic wines. It succeeds fairly well. If the reader is interested in knowing about Barolo, this is a terrific overview and compendium. There are the labels of most of all the producers: the famous, the infamous, the not so famous and the up-to-now, unheard of producers. One very useful part to this book is the map of the subzones of Barolo, the so-called "cru." It is this notion of sub zones of production that has led a lot of small grape growers to now start selling their own production in bottle rather than selling grapes as was done as recently as the late 1980s. There are historical facts in abundance and bits of historical minutia that warm the cockles of any wine geek's heart. It is a substantial and substantive book. However, there are some shortcomings. Some are of historical interest: The Marchesa Giulia Vittorina Colbert of the Marchesi di Barolo, was from Normandy, not Paris. I don't think that Thomas Jefferson was a native of South Carolina. Some of the etymological discourses seem to go off in unrelated fashion to the topic at hand. Nebbiolo in north-eastern Piemonte is nicknamed "Spanna," not for the reason given in this work. The term refers to the length of the cluster, the "span" of a man's hand, not the growing length of the vine. The use of dialectical words is nonexistent. Piemontese is a written dialect of Italian, having a good sized body of literature. The word "Chiaretto in Italian is the "vin ciaret" in Piemontese, clover to "clairet" of the English claret. Wines in the 18th Century were like much lighter in color than now, hence the popularity of the word. Sometimes it is still used by small producers to distinguish their production. Technology is not this book's strong point. I doubt very much that a nebbiolo wine that had not undergone malolactic fermentation would go sour over time. It may referment, break bottles, if bottled, but sour? Possibly volatile, but sour? It is stated the General Pier Francesco Staglieno, working for Camillo Benso, count Cavour, in 1836, was the first to use closed vat fermentation (I wonder how he did it?), sulpher, and different sized casks. However, the history is interesting and shows that we are not too far away from wine making prehistory if all of the history of making Barolo begins early in the 19th Century. Even the founder of Italian Swiss Colony winery in California, Pietro Carlo Rossi, gets mentioned. Better knowledge of both viticultural and enological technology and terminology would stand this work in good stead. An example: The term "mildew" is quite specific in viticulture. There is both powdery and downy mildew. In English, devatting is commonly called "racking." It probably is a question which has more to do with which English speaking country is being addressed. I also doubt whether or not that the early attempts in 1908 at protecting the name Barolo really did lead to the creation of the DOC system of appellation control which was instituted in 1963. Translations into English leave something to be desired, as do proof readings. A Cantina Sociale is not a "Social Cellar." It is a cooperative cellar. Grenache is translated as "grenage." The family name of Mirafiore is generally misspelled Mirafiori. This is a shame, since it appears to be a hyper correction. It is also one of the most famous names in Barolo, since it belonged to the last private owner of Fontanafredda. The vicissitudes of nebbiolo and Barolo are well documented: its poor color, excessive tannin, late ripening and general difficulties of production. The "tricks" of the trade are described by some producers, merely hinted at by others. Photographs of the soil and vineyard exposures show the labor intensive viticulture necessary for the production of Barolo, both today and yesterday. The interviews with the 35 producers who represent the flower of Barolo production are the highlight of this work and its greatest achievement. The interviews really show how some want to continue in a traditional mode; others to become more "international." However, one thing that is really pervasive is the fact that Barolo is a special wine with special characteristics and possibly not for everyone. Fair enough, all wines do not have to be the same, with the same characteristics and taste. Some can be different. It is the drinker who has to come to the wine, not the wine to the drinker. Otherwise, what would be the use for appellations, notions of "terroir," and the reason for having wine growing areas? Everything could come out of the same pot, so to speak. Some of the verities spoken in the interviews are wonderful. Angelo Gaja, probably the most dynamic of the producers, comes out with a zinger. "Never forget what Enzo Biagi said of the Italian people. 'They forgive everything but success.' " From the promotional, technical and historical work done in the late 1970s by my old friend Renato Ratti, sadly missed these days, to the traditional methodology explained by Bartolo Mascarello, and the newest Bordeaux styling used by Elio Altare, The Mystique of Barolo shows a wonderful wine in all of its lights: good, bad, indifferent, warts and all, humanizing it and showing that wine is more than a grape, soil technology. It is a culture; a way of life; a philosophical ideal and can be a delicious tasting experience. Adventures in Wine, True Stories of Vineyards and Vintages Around the World Reviewed by Mike Petersen Imagine that you had never drunk a glass of wine with friends or traveled to a place far away. If you are reading this review, that may be a bit much to ask, but you can do it. You would easily spend the few hours that it will take to read every essay and, indeed, every word in this book. Your interest in wine and travel would have been aroused by these stories. They are not just about wine and travel. They speak to the need to experience new tastes, events and places. On the other hand, if you are a savvy traveler, you will find stories about things you have not experienced. Some of them may even inspire you to do something you had not done before or to re-live an old adventure. Whether you are inexperienced or a veteran, this book has stories for you. The essays portray the diversity of experiences of wine lovers, famous and not. Renowned authors write about their enjoyment of wine. New writers do the same. Prominent wine producers and merchants tell their stories. A psychiatrist from the San Francisco Bay area who makes wine at home writes his story. That man tells us he carried the Chardonnay he made with him to Italy. He traded it for the wine made by the owner of the agriturismo where he stayed outside of Radda. Jan Morris, the well-known historian, gives us some thoughts about loving wine. Kermit Lynch, the Californian importer and merchant of European wines, tells us how dealt with unacceptability of credit cards in a rural French restaurant with a world-class wine cellar. Tim Russo, who worked in developing democracy, describes a political meeting in the Republic of Georgia. "Every political meeting there may potentially end in a supra: a grand, traditional Georgian meal complete with vast quantities of local wine." The authors led me back to my past and, I hope, my future, with wine. Perhaps you will recall a kind and knowledgeable professor who took the time to explain that good wine was better to drink and more enjoyable than the stuff you sneaked into the dorm and shared with your undergraduate classmates. I did. As you read through the book maybe the first time you had real wine with good food and friends old and new will come to mind. What were you celebrating? Will you remember being asked, "What is that dark brown wine with your dessert?" by a table of French tourists next to you in a restaurant in the Juderia of Cordoba? Likely not, but similar things may have occurred in your time with wine. If they have, you will enjoy reading about such episodes others have experienced. Most of these essays make me think that an undergraduate education followed immediately by law Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be. Life’s a Fish and Then You Fry Reviewed by Mike Petersen For your consideration: a cookbook by a man who consults on hazardous waste cleanups in the state whose seafood he recommends for use in most recipes. Bayliss begins the first section of the book by discussing the health benefits of eating seafood. He follows through by encouraging the reader to eat seafood and provides quite a few good recipes. The book has more than 200 recipes for all manners of dishes featuring wild pacific salmon, halibut, crab, mussels, and squid. The recipes are simple and straightforward. Most follow the rubric: when you have excellent ingredients let them shine in the dish. He includes dishes that are from Mexican, Asian, Native Alaskan, Scandinavian, French, Italian and other cuisines. Although the author emphasizes the health benefits of seafood and olive oil, he suggests storing garlic cloves in olive oil. Bayliss writes, "Since most olive oil recipes also call for garlic, store peeled garlic cloves in olive oil. The oil picks up the flavor of garlic and garlic cloves store well, ready for other uses." He also advises readers not to refrigerate olive oil. These appear to be very odd practices to include in a book which so emphasizes health. Why does it seem odd? In 1989 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged consumers to discard garlic-in-oil and similar products. Firms were told to stop making any such mixes which require refrigeration for safety. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/NEW00120.html Health Canada has written, " Garlic in oil is a popular home prepared food item which can present a health risk, if stored incorrectly. Improper storage of food products is a frequent cause of food poisoning in Canada. These illnesses can range from relatively mild discomfort such as cramps or upset stomach, to life threatening. One of the most serious risks is that of botulism. Non-preserved garlic in oil (that is, containing no preservatives) is a food that is known to present such an extreme risk and must therefore be handled properly… Non-preserved garlic in oil products are mixtures of vegetable oil and whole, chopped or minced garlic. For safety these products must be continuously refrigerated, from the time of preparation, and should be used within one week." http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/mh-dm/iyh-avs/e_garlic_in_oil.htm. The Calaveras County California Extension Service has a wealth of information about garlic handling and storage at http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/garlic.htm Bayliss’s suggestion of storing garlic in olive oil astounded me. This book is hard to figure on food safety issues. The author makes his garlic suggestion and a similar one about storing basil leaves in olive oil. On the other hand, he tells us how important it is to avoid harvesting mussels in tidal areas affected by red tide algae. Does he really think that more people will be getting their mussels at the shore than at the market? Why include this warning? On another strange issue, he is at pains to let us know "don’t eat bait quality herring." Thanks, Bayliss, but I do not do any shopping for my table at the bait shop. Oh, and did I mention the kelp foraging advice complete with illustrations to help us recognize good Alaskan kelp on the beach? All in all, this book is strange. Perhaps, I am just not "in on" the idea or joke that is essential to understanding it. Sare these oddities the one part Hunter S. Thompson in the book as the cover notes suggest? May be the book is just intended for Alaskans. I’m from Chicago and live in California. Thanks be to God. Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be. Alligator Dreams: The Story of Greenwood Ridge Vineyards On a ridge named for an early American explorer of California and the west, Caleb Greenwood, Alan Green grows grapes, makes wines and lives among the vines. Author Richard Paul Hinkle tells us that Green realized early that he couldn't support himself growing grapes, but could by growing grapes and making wines. The author and Alan Green have cooperated to make not only technical, but also lyrical observations about the grapes and wines of Greenwood Ridge -- bits of brix talk here and there, but a lot more about the love of grape growing and wine making and enjoying them. Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be. In the Devil's Garden - A Sinful History of Forbidden Food I received the book from the publisher and at first glance found the title intriguing, "The Devil’s Garden." More seriously, the Library of Congress categorized the book as "1. Gastronomy—History, 2.Food habits—History, 3. Cookery—History" and perhaps hopefully, "4. Menus." Not only is this book is an amusing look at historical foods prohibitions and attitudes, it’s topical, too. That topicality was immediately apparent. The California Legislature and Governor have recently forbidden selling candy and fatty snacks to children in schools; another bill would have taxed sweetened soda pop. The "evils" of fast food and too hot coffee have been litigated. One California city is considering banning sales of coffee made from beans which do not meet its fair trade and environmental standards. Those are relatively recent occurrences in the long history of legal or religious authorities and food. Human history started with "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." King James Bible, Genesis Book 3, Verse 17. We all know how that warning turned out. On the other hand, Adam and Eve’s failure to heed the warning led us to our relationship to each other and food. If it’s forbidden, doesn’t that make it more interesting? Allen tells the history of how certain foods became forbidden. He does it in a way that the reader participates in how the history was uncovered. On his way to a remote monastery in Greece he and his guide become lost in a snowstorm and happen upon the hut of two religious hermits one of whom offers an apple to the lost travelers. The hermit delivers a short speech on how the apple can be seen as a representation of the evil female genitalia. After laughing that this is only taught by the Roman Church, the hermit says it is just an apple so eat it, advice probably gratefully taken after having been hungry and lost in the snow. However, Mr. Allen does not let us wonder whether the hermit was right. He tells us how and when apples were declared out-of-bounds. Why had apples and cider been written out by the Catholics from below the Alps? Because they were much beloved of the Celtic Catholics whose pagan forebears treasured the apple and its products. A political, doctrinal and liturgical issue takes shape in an attack on the apple. Is this why we are taught that Eve bit the apple in the Garden of Eden and started all humankind on its way? The book has a chapter devoted to each of the deadly or capital sins -- pride, gluttony, avarice, lust, sloth, blasphemy and anger. Just in case someone reading the book hasn’t sinned to a deadly extent Mr. Allen produces a menu which represents each of the sins. At least as far as food may help you get there. Some of the menus may actually be included for mockery of the cook and the eater such as the gluttony menu which features a pie of songbirds called ortolans which were reputedly served to the late French President Mitterand. There are limits even for the French. Allen tells us eating these songbirds is contrary to French law. In this and the other chapters the author gives us historical anecdotes about why and how a foodstuff or a preparation was forbidden to some. Even into the present, Indians eschew cooking with basil. Fortunately, the same is untrue of Italians. In Aztec culture the only time commoners were allowed chocolate was when it was mixed with human blood, and if that wasn’t bad enough you only got that treat before you were sacrificed to the gods. Tomatoes, which are commonplace in the contemporary American kitchen and garden, were once feared as poisonous. Allen tells this story well. Tomatoes have a strong botanical relationship to nightshade and mandrake whose alkaloids make those plants deadly poisonous. Was that the reason or was it because the tomatoes were a representation of body parts and acts, which we are not supposed to discuss? There are also recipes for some dishes from across the world’s cuisines. They are an indication of the wanderings and varied tastes of the author. Is seared foie gras your taste? Perhaps Five Angry Vegetables done in Chinese style? More to my taste, how about Crostini di Fegato a traditional Tuscan style liver pate on toast? The range of the recipes from poached eggs done in the style of the ancient Romans to the modern Hudson Valley foie gras gives you a good notion that this author loves food -- no matter whether in the garden, on the table, or in a story well researched and told. In spite of the menus and recipes, this is not a how-to book. It is an interesting look at how the powerful have tried to limit the behavior of people in their realms, temporal or spiritual, throughout human history. On something as important and fun as food our behavior can be manipulated. Sometime people of political and religious power tell us what to do with our food as related in Mr. Allen’s book. On occasion, other authorities including ourselves can be manipulated into certain attitudes about food which have little or no basis in science or reality. Look at the contemporary view that fatty foods can cause fat and cholesterol to increase in the body. Is it based on faith, manipulation or science? "In the Devil’s Garden" is a book that is fun and thought provoking. Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be. The Cafes of San Francisco Reviewed by B.J. Shepherd Subtitled "A Guide to the Sights, Sounds, and Tastes of America’s Original Cafe Society," The Cafes of San Francisco satisfies on several levels. Six authors are credited with its reviews of countless cafes. Two other writers are listed as having provided "other text." Beyond that, comments from observers of the café scene, past and present, San Francisco and beyond, are included. Crack open this book with a frame of mind too literal and logical and things may seem unfocused. Descriptions and great photos of cafes in San Francisco proper and the surrounding Bay Area provide solid foundation. Additional text, including celebrity quotes, recipes and several days entries in a café habituée’s diary may seem extraneous at first, but their presence goes a long way toward painting the big picture for the reader. Primarily organized by San Francisco neighborhoods, The Cafes of San Francisco gives back-of-the-book listing of all its cafes alphabetically and by specialty. Live music in general, jazz, Bohemian atmosphere, poetry, dinner service and other emphases all find their own sub-listings. Just what a café is may not be defined precisely in these pages, but plenty of individual interpretations are exposed. The gamut ranges from four Peet’s Coffee & Tea locations to Plumpjack and Zuni, which are much more restaurants than coffee vendors. Ten food recipes are included in a Cafe Cuisine section—hardly enough to be comprehensive, but they may add to the reader’s enjoyment generally and, in some way, to his overall feel for the café environment. San Franciscans are frequently accused of an infatuation with their city and themselves. Quotes in these pages from Oscar Wilde ("It is an odd thing, but everyone who disappears is said to be in San Francisco. It must be a delightful city, and possess all the attractions of the next world." --Lord Henry in The Picture of Dorian Gray), and Rudyard Kipling ("San Francisco is a mad city—inhabited for the most part by perfectly insane people whose women are of a remarkable beauty.") tend to support that view, but they’re fun just the same. Also included is a less flamboyant commentary—and certainly a more contemporary one--from Spencer Christian, long-time national television personality who in recent years has relocated from New York City to the San Francisco Bay Area, "San Francisco has the best cafe culture that I’ve personally experienced outside of Europe. In fact, I have often found that the only one I can really compare it to is the cafe culture in Paris, which I often do. You can simply stroll down so many of San Francisco’s sidewalks and find cafes, unknown and unadvertised, where you are able to drop in and have a very nice time." And what could be wrong with having a very nice time? The Cafes of San Francisco provides entertaining preface to such endeavor. Buy "The Cafes of San Francisco" now from Amazon.com Passover Cookery Reviewed by Robert Guildner Ph.D. Joan Kekst has many years of experience teaching and lecturing on Kosher and Jewish holiday meals. She has a B.A. from Notre Dame College in Home Economics Education and a M.A. in Judaic Culture from Cleveland College of Jewish Studies. She has also has also attended the New York Cooking School and LaVarenne Paris. She works as a Cleveland food columnist and has free-lanced for national Jewish publications. With a sound academic grounding and over twenty years of experience, Joan is especially qualified to deliver a book intended to equip the reader -- whether neophyte or maven to prepare a memorable Passover for the family. Passover Cookery contains recipes for first courses, soups, kugels, vegetables and salads, main courses and desserts. Detailed and easy to follow guides for setting the Seder table begin the book. The ritual course of the meal and the food cues for each stage are explained. The book is well laid out with easy to read text which is garnished throughout with color photographs and rich graphics. Much appreciated is that each recipe is on one page. I propped the book in the kitchen book holder and did not have to stop and turn back and forth between pages and risk leaving a sample of the ingredients on the pages. The author includes tips on how to make the holiday specific to your family and shares traditions from her own. While Ms. Kekst gives an overview of the dietary laws and Biblical injunctions that pertain to making a meal that is "Kosher for Passover", the scope of her book extends beyond what at first blush appears to be a rather narrow focus. My family and others can enjoy any of the recipes throughout the year. In fact, several are destined to become " Old Favorites." Moreover, the audience is not limited to homes that keep kosher or even Jewish homes. Gentile readers will find much to reward them in this book as well. The only thing missing from Ms. Kekst's plate is a more thorough discussion of wine. While the author mentions the place of wine in Passover, there is no discussion of food and wine pairings. The thought of a kosher wine usually conjures up the image of an overly sweet wine with little to recommend it. That may be historically accurate but great strides have been made in recent years. There is no reason why the grape varieties, science and skills of great wine makers found in the general viticultural world cannot be addressed to crafting fine kosher wines. Kosher wines are made in many parts of the world and here in California, we are lucky to have several wineries producing a wide variety of fine kosher wines. There is Gan Eden (www.ganeden.com), Baron Herzog, Hagafen (www.hagafen.com) and Weinstock, for example. So, I encourage the reader to explore kosher wines for Passover as well as those other times wine and food can be enjoyed together. The central motif of Passover is the Seder. Rich with ritual and teaching aids, e.g. the Seder plate, the meal serves as an annual tutorial for Jews to think about our escape from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land and the meaning of freedom for all of the peoples of the earth. Far more than a collection of delicious recipes Passover Cookery is a heuristic for the Passover season leading the reader not only through cooking the meals but also making the home Kosher for Passover. Our modern lives are very busy ones and this season and its demands can loom as an overwhelming task. Joan Kerst provides highly effective methods for enlisting the help of family members and articulates a model example of Critical Path Management with her "Six Week Countdown to Passover". These two items alone are worth more than the price of the book and will lead many from the slavery of holiday preparation to promised land of holiday enjoyment. Buy "Passover Cookery" now, from Amazon.com Robert Guildner Ph.D. is the President of Wolff Solutions, an Information Technology consulting firm in Sacramento, California. He may be contacted at 916.448.1598 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Zinfandel: A Reference Guide to Zinfandel Reviewed by Mike Petersen As a kid I often looked for a series of books in the local public library called "All About" books. They were good for the beginner introducing himself to a subject but were written with a scrupulous attention to the technicalities that gave texture and structure to the subject as well. This book works similarly. If not "All About" Zinfandel, then it is a very good step toward All About. What does this book say about Zinfandel? Organized alphabetically by winery the author tells us the name of the winery, its history, ownership, winemaker and winemaking philosophy. She sets out vintage notes for the 1998 vintage as applicable to the winery and its wines. The book lists for each wine discussed: appellation, composition, vinification and, if applicable, the vineyard. She sets out next, the alcohol percentage, residual sugar, brix at harvest, harvest date, bottling date and production data. The winemaker’s notes let the maker tell us what he wants us to know about the particular wine, well probably just some of it. Some winemakers are generous enough with their knowledge of their wines to include suggestions for food pairings. As a courtesy to the winery and help to the reader, the author provides winery location, information about visiting it, website and telephone number and a list of the winery’s other wines. Ms. Francisco writes a glossary. If you have heard a certain term and wondered what it might mean, whether the term is an artful one such as "bouquet" or technical and scientific like "carbonic maceration", the glossary is helpful. By doing this she provides help to getting at both the magic and science of winemaking. As a further aid she discusses blending varieties in a separate section called A Guide. She names various blending grapes and describes them in terms of what winemakers think they may contribute to a zinfandel. She includes the places of origin or common use of these varieties so the reader can do more research about their attributes. Ms. Francisco gives us a good introduction to tasting wines featuring those grapes. She also provides a guide to American Viticultural Areas or AVAs. She tells us the origin of the terms in Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms regulations and its legal definition. The author tells us a bit about each California AVA and what it means for the grapes grown there and the wines made from them. In addition, she describes the requirements for the use of certain terms such as "county", "vineyard" and "estate" on labels. The author succeeds in giving a reference guide to zinfandel and much more useful information about wine. Buy "Zinfandel" now, from Amazon.com The Eclectic Gourmet Guide to Los Angeles, 3rd Edition Reviewed by Mike Petersen California is thought of as the state where seemingly few people are natives. People in California want to enjoy a taste of home, which could be almost anywhere else and probably is. The climate and the work of California farmers produce so many foods that all sorts of plain and exotic foods are available. What is not grown can become available through commerce. Los Angeles with its vast population and numberless restaurants is a great place to taste this treasure trove of food and drink. Over 15 years ago I came to Los Angeles from Chicago to visit a couple of friends who are Chicago transplants living in Pasadena, a Los Angeles suburb. A few years later I moved to the Pasadena area. Now once again I go to Los Angeles as a visitor. Having dealt with trying to find good restaurants and being limited by the morass that is Los Angeles area traffic I can recommend this book. Finding the right restaurant in LA can be a daunting task for a resident let alone a frequent visitor or the first time tourist. As Ms. Bates observes, LA offers myriad styles from all over the world—from American diner food to Shanghai-styled Chinese. In what other city can you find a restaurant with Korean flank steak and a selection of tapas? Ms. Bates has written a guide that displays and encyclopedic knowledge of what is available in LA and where and how you can find it. She makes keen observations and easily appreciated comments about the best dishes and wines. Her wit shines through in asides such as describing the ambience of one place as "Mafia meets your packrat Aunt Mildred . . .," presumably with no offense meant to capos, aunties or the rats. The author identifies restaurants by name, cuisine, star, price, quality, service, friendliness and value ratings and zone. Areas of Los Angeles and Orange Counties are divided into zones, which are listed in the text and shown on an included map. Each reviewed restaurant’s hours, reservation policy, credit card acceptance, dress, phone and address are listed. Separate lists allow searching by cuisine or zone. With all of that very useful information given you are missing only a companion to dine with and a driver to get you there. Imagine wanting a steak or a burger or a taco or Sino-Italian food and being able to find them and have a knowledgeable person to tell you how good they will be and how much they would cost. This is a useful book that should help many people make sense of eating well in LA and environs. Buy the "Eclectic Gourmet" now, from Amazon.com Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be. Napa Valley: Land of Golden Vines reviewed by Dan Clarke Although "Napa Valley, Land of Golden Vines" has some disquieting inconsistencies and inaccuracies, it’s probably the best and most comprehensive guide to the area. Wineries are the main attraction, of course, and the book lists locations, phone numbers, varieties produced, open hours and all the other relevant details for most of those that are open to the public. Each winery also receives a couple of paragraphs of narrative to flesh out the basic details that otherwise are available in many free periodicals available to tourists. Restaurants, lodging and points of interests are also covered as the authors take the reader on a trip up the Napa Valley. Beginning with the Carneros region and moving northward through the city of Napa, the communities of Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, and then the towns of St. Helena and Calistoga at the valley’s northern end, the progression is logical and detailed. However, "Napa Valley, Land of Golden Vines" does contain a number of errors and ambiguities: The authors tell us that Marilyn Monroe "used to visit the Calistoga baths when hubby Joe DiMaggio was off playing baseball . . . ". The Yankee Clipper retired after the 1951 season. He married Marilyn in 1954. On page 87 Beaulieu Vineyards is said to be "the oldest continuously producing winery in the Napa Valley." On page 139 Beringer Vineyards is called "the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley." The bistro Bouchon "was created by the Keller brothers of the French Laundry (Yountville) and Fleur de Lys (San Francisco)." Thomas Keller is the chef/owner of the French Laundry in Yountville. Hubert Keller is the chef/owner of Fleur de Lys in San Francisco. They are not related. Certainly one would think such inaccuracies wouldn’t be found in a second edition. Still, the amount of information in the book is substantial and many of the detailed topics are completely accurate and would likely be fascinating insight for most visitors. A 30-page history of the area is included, as are a smattering of vineyard and winery-supplied recipes. While I’m surprised at a number of inaccuracies, they don’t make the book less valuable as a tourist resource. Perhaps an analogy applies—that of a goalie who makes great saves all night, but leaves the fans remembering the few times a puck went past him. Authors Kathleen and Gerald Hill did have a pretty good game in goal and I would commend "Napa Valley, Land of Golden Vines" to California wine country visitors. Buy "Napa Valley" now, from Amazon.com Reviewer Dan Clarke writes about wine and food. He doesn’t know much about ice hockey but likes his analogy, nonetheless.
How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine Reviewed by Steve Graham My Christmas wish for 2001 is that every customer would receive a copy of "How to Taste." Instead of hearing "I only drink Cabernet" or "They make a red Zinfandel, too?" it just might be "I’d like to compare a Marlborough with a Sancerre!" Jancis Robinson’s "How to Taste, A Guide to Enjoying Wine" is a perfect gift for the wine novice who wants to increase his knowledge and enjoyment of wine. This book strikes a nice medium between the intimidating "THE OXFORD COMPANION TO WINE" that Robinson edited and the popular wine/travel/seen-and-be-seen wine magazines. I would highly recommend "How to Taste" to those who are new to wine and to my wine clients who are very savvy in certain areas of wine—those very comfortable with a few varietals, but who need to stretch their comfort zone to get a full appreciation of the world of wines. "How to Taste" takes the reader through a well-constructed wine course that puts the importance on doing, or tasting in this case. Each point in the book is discussed in theory and then applied in practice. The information at the beginning of each subject gives an excellent base on which the practice builds. Those new to wine will appreciate the easy to understand descriptors of each varietal that will make their reading of subsequent publications more enjoyable. Robinson also addresses subjects such as TCA (the foul-smelling compound trichloroanisole given off by wines stoppered with a tainted cork), storage, serving and judging the overall quality of a wine. Even the well-seasoned wine veteran will learn something new. While not as comprehensive as "The Oxford Companion to Wine," "How to Taste" will make a great resource for any future future wine questions. As she states repeatedly, tasting is what it is all about. After the theory is a highlighted section on practice. Whether with a group of wine professionals or just the gang over for the evening, "How to Taste" will encourage lively discussion, as readers will discover new facets of their own palates. The emphasis of the practice is to have fun while learning about the wines and improving the ability to assess wines, all the while removing the mystique of wine and making it an everyday addition to the table. The final chapter discusses food and wine pairings, the rules and how to break them, and a concise glossary that gets the beginner up to speed without approaching wine geek-dom. Professional and to the point, this guide to enjoying wine will make an excellent addition to any wine library. "With How to Taste," Jancis Robinson confirms her place as one of the premier wine writer today. Buy "How to Taste" now, from Amazon.com Reviewer Steve Graham is a wine merchant for the Nugget grocery chain in Sacramento, California.
Poco Pane, Poco Vino: a little bread, a little wine
Reviewed by Mike Petersen After I returned from a recent vacation in Italy a friend pressed this book upon me requesting that I review it for the journal he owns, writes, edits, and manages. Cynicism and skepticism in full flower after having savored the wonderful ingredients and cuisine in Italy, I read the book as an obligation to a friend. Now I owe him a favor for having introduced me to such a great book. After reading the book in full and being charmed by its every aspect: art, stories and recipes, I tried some of the recipes. Man is endowed with five senses: sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. This book is a delight for the eyes to behold just for its wonderful drawings. The recipes and text conjure the wonderful aromas one could expect from the tales told, ingredients described and directions given. When cooked, the recipes enchant the nose. The recipes, when tasted, delight the tongue. But perhaps best for the senses and the heart, is eating these foods with others and hearing the appreciative comments of those with whom you share them. As I understand the Italian approach to food it is something to be enjoyed and shared, not something which tries to attain the perfected essence of any product or ingredient. The point in using wonderful ingredients to their advantage and yours is not to change them. Gigli succeeds, in my opinion, in getting at the philosophy of the Italian table. A plus is that you do not have to shop at markets in Tuscany to achieve those goals. Mr. Gigli’s recipes use Californian and American ingredients that are readily available. It means, quite simply, that these wonderful recipes can be made without ordering exotic ingredients from far away places at great expense. Sonoma Jack Cheese is recommended, not some hard to find expensive cheese. The wines paired are Californian varieties. California extra virgin olive oil is recommended where appropriate. Produce available in California shops and elsewhere in the United States is included in the recipes. You do not have to go out and hunt for tagliatelle in some store or pasta shop. There are simple directions for making it at home. And, if it does not work out as as quite well as if you had done it in a restaurant in Bologna or Florence a thousand times, "no problem"--you have just learned how to do it yourself. However, you could also follow the author’s suggestions and buy the "fresh" pasta at your local supermarket. In either event you will enjoy the recipe produced. Serious and beginning cooks with an interest in making good Italian food can use this book to advantage. I especially like the way the book can be used as a guide for the fundamentals of Italian cooking. Techniques for baking your own bread, toasting crostini, making your own fresh pasta, preparing the sautéed vegetables to go into the soup or stew are all laid out for you to do by the authors. More sophisticated preparations, which combine these and other recipes, are also in the book. The most important lesson is cook and eat well. As a good friend with some experience with cookbooks said, "The recipes are each on a single page." For any cook that is a great benefit. You just know that was a conscious choice of the authors. This is another way that the book makes it easy for you to make and enjoy great food. Poco Pane leaves one envious and joyful that this husband and wife have worked together to craft this book with such style. Here is hoping there is more to come. Mike Petersen is an attorney employed at the state capitol who travels whenever he can to try new foods and wines in California and Europe. He especially enjoys cooking and eating Italian, Spanish, French, German and other dishes that he has sampled with the locals here and abroad. Mike is a founder and chair of Mr. P’s Wine Club, a no-load wine club whose members love trying new wines and foods. He also searches for Chicago-style, kosher hot dogs wherever he may be.
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A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Kilchrist graduated from The University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette). He settled in Sacramento after being exposed to the area while teaching at nearby Mather Air Force Base. The man knows food in the many definitions exhibited in his adopted state. He’s also a talented home winemaker.
Published 2005, Hippocrene Books, Inc.
2005 Avalanche Records and Books
Published 2003, Graphic Arts Center Publishing
Published 1997, Cumberland House
Houghton Mifflin Company
Word Craft Publishing
TCB-Café Publishing
Few areas of endeavor depend on public relations as much as the American wine business.
Photographs by Ken Dawes
Hippocrene Books, October, 2002. Hard cover, 330 pages. $24.95
April 2002, 304 pages, $17.95
Second Edition, First Edition self-published 1999 as Fear and Poaching: Eating Southeast Alaska
