100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love [Hardcover]

Jill Silverman Hough (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 2010

The ideal pairing guide for wines of every kind

100 Perfect Pairings shows you how to spice up your anytime gatherings with delicious, creative small plates that make perfect companions your favorite wines. For anyone who ever wished that they had more options to go with their Chardonnay or Merlot than just a cube of cheese, this book presents 100 cosmopolitan, yet accessible recipes that put typical finger foods to shame.

From food writer and recipe developer Jill Silverman Hough, this book is packed with enticing appetizer options like Green Apple Caesar Salad and Peppercorn-Crusted Tuna. Organized by common wine varietals and illustrated with 40 lush color photos, 100 Perfect Pairings makes it a snap to match the perfect appetizer with your favorite wine.

• Includes 100 sophisticated and satisfying recipes without fancy jargon or hard-to-find ingredients
• Packaged in a small format that makes it perfect for gifts and for taking with you when you shop for food and wine
• Offers pairings for perennial favorites like Chardonnay and Merlot, as well as lesser-known varietals like Voignier and Gewurtztraminer

Whether pairing with a white, a rose, or a red, 100 enticing recipes offer exciting alternatives to the run-of-the-mill cheese plate.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

You love food. You love wine. To serve them together, with confidence, this is the perfect cookbook for you.

Sensational food and wine pairings don't require a sommelier's expertise. 100 Perfect Pairings makes them simple with a wide range of deliciously sophisticated but amazingly easy-to-make small plates to complement your favorite wines.

Written for everyday wine lovers, this savvy, friendly cookbook features 100 recipes organized by twelve popular varietals. Want to know what to serve with Chardonnay? Or Merlot? Or Zinfandel? Just turn to that chapter, make any one of the creative, delectable snacks and appetizers you find there, and serve it with your favorite wine. It's that easy.

Enjoy Smoked Trout Salad on Pumpernickel Toasts with Sauvignon Blanc; Gouda and Chutney Quesadillas with Gewürztraminer; and Pizza with Salami, Mozzarella, and Fresh Herbs with Syrah. But don't stop there—basic pairing advice is peppered throughout the book, so you can even develop your own perfect pairings.

Whether you're serving Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir, hosting a big party or simply sharing a bottle of wine with friends, 100 Perfect Pairings delivers incredible dishes that make every pairing perfect!

From the Back Cover

The cookbook that makes pairing food and wine simple, enjoyable, and delicious.

Spice up your parties and get-togethers with delectable, creative small plates that make perfect companions for your favorite wines. Whether you're serving Chardonnay, Cabernet, or any of ten other popular varietals, these recipes offer enticing alternatives to cheese and crackers.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470446315
• ISBN-13: 978-0470446317
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Meals > Appetizers

More About the Author

Jill Silverman Hough is a food writer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor whose specialty is making food and cooking simple, special, and satisfying. Her work has appeared in Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, Country Home, Clean Eating, and Napa Sonoma magazines. And her cookbook, "100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love," premiered in April 2010, with "100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with Wines You Love" released in April 2011. Jill also developed the recipes for "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch," a New York Times Best Seller, and contributed to Weight Watchers and JCPenny's cookbooks. A regular and popular presenter at Ramekins Sonoma Valley Culinary School, Jill lives in Napa, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Creative small plate recipes, solid pairing advice, April 16, 2010

By 

K. Lisson "15K Runner, Wine Teacher, eCornell... (Albany, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love (Hardcover)

I really missed California as I was thumbing through Jill Silverman Hough's book,'100 Perfect Pairings.' Hough, a teacher and food writer from Napa, CA, has put together a book featuring dozens of easy yet artful recipes and provides just enough wine pairing information to enable a food lover to select a wine with confidence.

The recipes that caught my eye were my kind of food - simple to prepare, but had just one or two ingredients that vaulted them from "that tastes good" to "ooh, what's in there." The fresh corn with citrus butter, a match for Sauvignon Blanc, adds the zest of an orange, lemon and lime to unsalted butter. Cinnamon cream cheese sandwiches are recommended as an afternoon pairing with a glass of Gewurztraminer. Syrah is a match for a salami, mozzarella, walnut and herb topped pizza.

The recipes are the star of this book, but I absolutely loved the way the author presented several essential food and wine pairing tips in the sections 'A Really Brief Discussion of Food and Wine Pairing,' and 'Fine Tuning Tips.' This part of the book, just a short four pages, gives food and wine pairing novices many of the tools I teach at my food and wine pairing classes.

The book is small enough to keep in the kitchen or bring to the grocery store. 100 Perfect Pairings would make a great gift for a new bride, a housewarming gift for a friend who loves to entertain, or a solid culinary addition to a wine lover's bookcase.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food Lover Review, June 13, 2010

By 

Louise A. Yenovkian "Food Lover" (Fresno, CA, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love (Hardcover)

I decided to purchase Jill's book while attending a cooking class given by her. I learned about the chemical changes that can occur between various wines, salt, sugar and acids. I was fascinated by the way ingredients in food could change my enjoyment of various wines. A group of friends gather once a week for a sampling of Jill's recipes and wine pairings. I am also thrilled with the small portion recipes that are well suited for 6 or less guests. I have been able to adapt the recipes to accommodate a larger party. The photos are stunning. The recipes are precise and easy to follow. The ingredients are not overwhelming and can be easily found in my pantry or at the grocery store. I have since purchased two more copies to give as gifts for family and friends who also enjoy food and wine. 100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love is a thumbs up!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Addition to my Kitchen, June 12, 2010

By 

Wendy T. Carroll (Fresno, Ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love (Hardcover)

When I first get a cookbook - I sit down with a pen - and scrawl the word "try" near the recipes that intrigue me. I have to admit - that I have totally defaced Jill Hough's wonderful "100 Perfect Pairings." I can't wait to make my way through her book.

That said - here is my full disclosure!! I recently had the pleasure of taking a cooking class from Jill. The class was based on this little book and sprang from her love of food and wine - and the way they complement one another. Taking no credit for the idea - some foodie friends of mine and I decided to cook our way through Jill's book. We meet regularly and have tackled the recipes one-by-one starting with the very first recipe in the book.

Thus far, we have had a deliciously educational time. And for these reasons - the recipes are well-crafted and easy to read. They are not complex - but lay a foundation for further creativity. Jill spurs this on!! And the acid test?? The end product is reliable and delicious.

We took Jill's class - and bought the book to unravel the art of pairing wine and food. I have always thought of it as a mystery and a hard to learn skill. With Jill's guiding hand - we have learned what works, what doesn't work, what we like and most importantly, why we like it.

Love the book and recommend it as an addition to any cook's shelf. What a great gift for a young couple exploring the world of wine and food. On the other hand - I am a tried and true cook, caterer, cooking teacher and personal chef - and have found the book to be a very tasty morsel.