While killing some time between meals the other day, I finally turned up a copy of “The Natural Cuisine of Georges Blanc” at a used bookstore in Berkeley. It was a nice find, and one of the best discoveries that I’ve recently made “in the field” (as opposed to trolling eBay for such an item). Originally published in 1987 — just six years after the eponymous author earned his third Michelin star — “Natural Cuisine” earns its stripes for its lavish photography, with the pictures outnumbering the recipes by almost three to one. Although long out of print, the [... read more ...]
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I'm still due for a trip up to Diamond Mountain, although Sonoma is more likely in my near future. I'm working on all kinds of different projects, and should hopefully deliver something five days per week through the summer. Do stay tuned.   |
Studying for the Certified Wine Educator (CWE) exam has required me to dust off a few of my old favorites, though unfortunately, I’m talking more about books than bottles these days. Certainly, the one book that really helps to jog my memory about Italian wine is 2005′s “Vino Italiano,” which was authored by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch. Folks who are Food Network junkies may have already seen Bastianich on his mother’s cooking series, “Lydia’s Italian Kitchen” (Bastianich usually appears at the very end of the program, just in time to taste the food and recommend a wine — [... read more ...] I once had an English professor at UCLA who claimed that the purpose of being an English major was to learn how to write essays about books that you’ve never read. This comment was as cynical as it was correct: I winged way too many midterms on a plot summary and a prayer. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t. Frankly, I was far more interested in devoting my time to the student newspaper, writing stories for a sports section that always garnered top national awards (I was surrounded by super-talented folks, and will only take a minimal share [... read more ...] Much better than my wishy-washy review, but still… From time to time, I’ve mentioned a few of the “secret handshakes” that can easily distinguish the wine aficionado from the casual drinker. The term “phylloxera” definitely belongs in this category, since few people would ever encounter this word without reading about the history of wine. On the other hand, phylloxera has had such a profound impact on the modern wine industry that it has also become one of the first terms that people learn when they decide to look beyond the bottle and into a book. In author Christy [... read more ...] It’s been over a year since I reviewed “The Billionaire’s Vinegar” by Benjamin Wallace, and so when I learned about Michael Broadbent suing Random House for libel this week, I had to revisit my notes on this best-selling book. Although many details of the text remain a bit hazy, I certainly don’t see what the 82-year-old Broadbent stands to gain from this lawsuit, nor do I see how he can possibly win. From what I do recall, “The Billionaire’s Vinegar” seemed extremely well-researched and impeccably thorough. I would certainly recommend the book to anyone who has not yet read [... read more ...] |
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