Which came first: the chicken or the Eglise-Clinet? Well, if you're a disciple of author Sid Goldstein--and you will be--you've had that Bordeaux decanted long before you even thought of shopping for those Cacciatore ingredients. And "wine-first" cooking is precisely what Goldstein--vice president and director of marketing communications at Mendocino, California's Fetzer Vineyards--so ably demonstrates in The Wine Lover's Cookbook, soon to become indispensable to anyone who has ever chosen the wine first and the groceries second. In 100 easy-to-follow-yet-impressive-as-heck recipes, Goldstein shows you how to exquisitely match the tastes and textures of wine varietals to food. In fact, if you want to find specific recipes, you have to look in the back index; the chapters themselves are divided into grape types! Serving a Chardonnay? Chapter 7's Spinach Fettuccine with Sea Bass and Lemongrass-Coconut Cream Sauce is seamless. Pinot Noir? Coffee-and-Spice-Rubbed Lamb with Coffee-Vanilla Sauce shouldn't work; and yet lamb marinated for hours in mint, pepper, red wine, freshly ground coffee beans, and rosemary, then grilled and sauced with a combination of honey, brewed coffee, shallots and vanilla bean--any one of which elements should have bullied a Russian River Pinot--provides a tightly woven hammock on which the wine can luxuriate.

Chapters discuss the grape variety and list "Base Ingredients"--the main medium of the dish (Game Hen and Rabbit are a couple for Sangiovese)--as well as "Bridge Ingredients"--those connectors of food and wine (Plums, Fennel, and Green Peppercorns among those for Syrah). This "wine-first" regimen is not without pitfalls: it's fine to decide that tonight is Riesling or Pinot night, but if you can't find radicchio or pomegranate, you might as well skip a few pages. Yet if you've ever been made to feel immoral by cookbooks that give you the recipe first, then deign to suggest a "perfect" wine pairing beyond your means, let Father Sid absolve you of all your Zins (or Merlots or Viogniers). After all, the Bible talks of wine 650 times; food barely rates a mention. Perhaps if they'd had The Wine Lover's Cookbook in the Garden of Eden, Adam wouldn't have wasted all that time trying to pair ribs and an apple with a Sauvignon Blanc. --Tony Mason


Publisher's Weekly
In a simpler time, we knew that red wine was meant for meat and white was to be served with fish. But now, as explained in this handy cookbook and reference tool, all bets are off because so many influences are at play in transforming American cuisine into a global smorgasbord. Using color-coding, select recipes and ample photographs, Goldstein leads readers through food wine and pairing in a systematic fashion. Even as the database format of this book proves Goldstein to be an exacting connoisseur, the variety of these dishes show him to be a multicultural man for all seasonings as well.


From the Inside Flap
It's time to pull the cork on that special bottle of wine. The food you serve with it will playa crucial role in your enjoyment of the wine, helping to bring out its very best qualities. In this breakthrough book, wine expert and award-winning cookbook author Sid Goldstein takes the Mystery out of pairing food with wine, offering clear, lively descriptions of more than a dozen of the most popular varieties, from crowd-pleasers such as Merlot and Chardonnay to up-and-comers like Viognier and Syrah. Each chapter begins with a flavor portrait of the featured wine, including typical aromas, styles, flavor characteristics, and primary source regions, followed by an easy-to-read list of base and bridge ingredients that help connect the wine with food. Then, of course there are the recipes-a delicious compendium of simple and elegantly stylish dishes created to balance or contrast with each wine. Been saving a great bottle of cabernet sauvignon? Make a toast over New York steaks with gorgonzola-walnut "butter." Curious to try a glass of Viognier? Surprise your guests with crunchy little wontons stuffed with smoked oysters and cream cheese. Bring the evening to a sweet conclusion with a glass of late-harvest riesling and a serving of peach and banana bread pudding. From Champagne to Zinfandel, The Wine Lover's Cookbook makes any meal an occasion for a perfect glass of wine.


About the Author
Sid Goldstein is the co-author (with John Ash) of "American Game Cooking" and " From the Earth to the Table," which won botht eh Julia Child "Best American Cookbook" and "Coobook of the Year" awards from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). He directs marketing communications at Fetzer vineyards in California's beautiful Mendocino County. Paul Moore is a San Francisco-based still life photographer specializing in food. His award-winning work has been exhibited in the United States and Europe.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

It's time to pull the cork on that special bottle of wine. The food you serve with it will play a crucial role in your enjoyment of the wine, helping to bring out its very best qualities. In this breakthrough book, wine expert and award-winning cookbook author Sid Goldstein takes the mystery out of pairing food with wine. Offering clear, lively descriptions of more than a dozen of the most popular varieties, from crowd-pleasers such as Merlot and Chardonnay to up-and -comers like Viognier and Syrah. Each chapter begins with a flavor portrait of the featured wine, including typical aromas, styles, flavor characteristics, and primary source regions, followed by an easy-to-read list of base and bridge ingredients that help connect the wine with the food.

Then, of course, there are the recipes— A delicious compendium of simple and elegantly stylish dishes created to balance or contrast with each wine. Been saving a great bottle of cabernet sauvignon? Make a toast over New York steaks with Gorgonzola-walnut "butter". Curious to try a glass of Viognier? Surprise your guests with crunchy little wontons stuffed with smoked oysters and cream cheese. Bring the evening to a sweet conclusion with a glass to late-harvest Riesling and a serving of peach and banana bread pudding From Champagne to Zinfandel, The Wine Lover's Cookbook makes any meal an occasion for a perfect glass of wine.

SYNOPSIS

The Wine Lover's Cookbook demystifies the art of pairing wines with food and offers 100 mouthwatering recipes designed to bring out the best in any bottle. Whether you're a dedicated oenophile or a beginning wine enthusiast, author Sid Goldstein will lead you on a fascinating trip through the flavor profiles of the most popular varieties and tantalize you with great dishes to accompany them—grilled sea bass with mango— roasted red pepper relish; duck breasts with honey, ginger, and lavender; chicken cacciatore with Kalamata olives and fennel; and many more. You'll find tips for successful food and wine pairing and discover why the classic matches work. From Syrah to Sangiovese, Pinot Noir to Pinot Grigio, The Wine Lover's Cookbook is an indispensable guide to increasing your enjoyment of both food and wine.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly