Cooking with Wine

Wisconsin Bookwatch, Oct, 2004

Cooking With Wine

Virginia Hoffman & Robert Hoffman

The Hoffman Press

PO Box 2996, Santa Rosa, CA 95405

0962992739 $14.95 1-800-852-4890

Compiled by wine and culinary experts Virginia and Robert Hoffman, Cooking With Wine showcase 172 wine-based recipes drawn from 86 winery chefs. Of special value for kitchen cook connoisseurs is the pairing of various wine with diverse foods. After an informative essay on "Cooking with Wine Can Be Good for Your Health" and an informative introduction to "The Varietal Wines of North America", the recipes are organized into Appetizers & Light Foods; Soups; Pastas & Grains; Meats; Seafood; Poultry; and Desserts. From Vegetable Bean Soup with Pistou (with a Chardonnay); Vin Zin Pasta Sauce with Sausage (with a Zinfandel); and Herbed Lamb (with a Pinot Noir); to Sea Scallop Surprise (with Champagne); Rosemary Roast Chicken (with a Chenin Blanc); and Spiced Brandy Apple Cake (with a Moscato Canelli), Cooking With Wine is informed, informative, and enthusiastically recommended. Another indispensable Virginia and Robert Hoffman companion title is The California Wine Country Herbs & Spices Cookbook (096-2992771, $12.95) with 188 recipes contributed by 72 chefs, winemakers, and wineries.