Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice For Partnering Wine With Food

"This well researched and organized book will make your life easier, your food more enjoyable, and the conversation around the table more spirited."--Jacques Pepin
"I was crushed when the seminal California restaurant Square One closed its doors in 1996. The animated culinary dialogue between Joyce and Evan Goldstein - she with the whisk, he with the corkscrew, was always surprising, generous, and delicious beyond belief. "Perfect Pairings revives that spirited magic so that any of us can learn to do it at home. I'm feeling better already!"--Danny Meyer, co-author of "The Union Square Cafe Cookbook
"It doesn't get much better than this. . . one of America's most influential chefs and one of the most important wine educators of our time conspire on the glorious subject of food and wine pairing. "Perfect Pairings is valuable for the professional and layman alike, with expansive information presented in straightforward terms. This book will now be mandatory reading for all of my staff!"--Charlie Trotter

As thousands of wines from around the globe enter the marketplace and the American palate continues to adopt flavors from a range of cultures, the task of pairing wine and food becomes increasingly complicated. No longer is the choice simply red or white, or wines from California, France, or Italy. The typical shopper today has access to wines from those regions "plus "South Africa, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia. If that isn't confusing enough, Asian, Latin American, and Creole dishes might find their way onto the same table. "Perfect Pairings," by well-known Master Sommelier and respected restaurant industry veteran Evan Goldstein, provides straightforward, practical advice for choosing the right bottle for each meal. The quintessential resource for matching wine and food, this book includes 58 companion recipes developed by celebrated chef Joyce Goldstein that showcase each type of wine.
"Perfect Pairings" combines in-depth explorations of twelve grape varietals, sparkling wines, and dessert wines with guidance about foods that enhance the wide range of styles for each varietal. Whether the Chardonnay is earthy and flinty; rich, buttery, and oak-infused; fruity and tropical; or aged and mature, Goldstein explains how to match it with dishes that will make the wine sing. His clear, educational, and entertaining approach towards intimidating gastronomical questions provides information for "all "readers, professional and amateur alike.
* 16 full-color photos
* Six seasonal and special occasion menus
* Tips for enhancing food and wine experiences, both at home and in restaurants
* Glossary of wine terminology
* Overview of the world's primarywine-growing regions
* Recommendations of more than five hundred wines, ranging in price from everyday to splurge