What to Drink with What You Eat

June 19, 2006
Dornenburg and Page, authors of Becoming a Chef
and Culinary Artistry
, demystify the challenge of food and beverage pairing in this exhaustive, accessible resource. Believing that the best matches create peak experiences, the authors consult with the world's most discriminating palates, who see food and drink as inseparable. With stories from such noted chefs as Daniel Boulud, Traci Des Jardins and Patrick O'Connell and a host of top sommeliers, this comprehensive collection provides a wealth of guidelines for pairings, not only by specific food, but by food type, time of day, characteristics, season and personal mood. From fast food to ethnic cuisine, they include unlikely entries such as Kentucky Fried Chicken (Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer), oxtails (Barolo), moussaka (Retsina, Rioja), potato chips (beer, champagne) and saag paneer (Pinot Gris). While focusing primarily on wine, the authors include matches for a variety of other beverages, including tea, water, coffee, beer and spirits, and offer the pairings in reverse—what to serve if you've already selected your beverage. This encyclopedic collection is highly recommended for those who give serious thought to the flavor of each dish. 70 full-color photographs.

Starred review from November 15, 2006
Coauthors Dornenburg and Page ("Becoming a Chef; Dining Out") again prove their immense knowledge of and love for food and drink harmonization. They establish the foundation for this topic by explaining the purposes and potential outcomes for suitable matches. After perusing the drinks for food pairings ("Acidic Foods to Zucchini Blossoms"), readers can change perspective with the food for drink pairings ("Acidic Wine to Zinfandel"). The delineation of combinations for individual cheese varieties is particularly exceptional. Among the array of pairings lie recommendations and advice from experts like Joshua Wesson, as well as several recipes. The vastly informative text suits every palate and diet. Though the authors include a fair discussion of beer and touch on nonalcoholic beverages, they focus primarily on a variety of wine and food pairings. Nevertheless, the immense quantity of food and drink combinations, expert recommendations, tantalizing recipes, and clear discussion of wine fundamentals make this book a thoroughly satisfying reference for all oenophilic and culinary sections. Essential for all strong and budding cookery collections.Meagan Storey, Virginia Wesleyan Coll., Norfolk

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