The Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cookbook: Wine and Recipes to Celebrate Every Season's Harvest [Hardcover]

Dolores Cakebread (Author), Brian Streater (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 4, 2003

When Dolores and Jack Cakebread bought their ranch in 1972, they didn't know a thing about growing grapes or making wine. As they began building their family business one bottle at a time, they focused on one simple philosophy—that food and wine should be enjoyed in the company of good friends. Today, Cakebread wines are enjoyed in fine restaurants around the world and Cakebread Cellars is a destination winery offering award-winning labels, a series of renowned culinary events, and welcome haven for friends new and old.In THE CAKEBREAD CELLARS NAPA VALLEY COOKBOOK, Dolores and Jack team with resident chef Brian Streeter to share more than 120 seasonal recipes and wine suggestions perfected in the Cakebread kitchen over the past 30 years. Using produce plucked from Dolores's garden and featuring fresh ingredients from Napa's artisan food purveyors, the Cakebreads share such seasonal masterpieces as Sea Scallops with Sweet Corn, Roasted Peppers, and Shiitake Mushrooms, and Roast Pork Loin with Apple Brandy and Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce.Woven throughout is the story of Dolores and Jack, who along with their three sons and three daughters-in-law, managed to turn an old cow pasture into one of Napa's premier wineries. Featuring Jack's archival winery photographs and contemporary location and food photography, THE CAKEBREAD CELLARS NAPA VALLEY COOKBOOK reflects the Cakebreads' devotion to each other, to the business, and to bringing folks together to celebrate every season's harvest.More than 120 recipes and wine pairings from one of Napa Valley's venerable wine families. Includes recipes created by renowned chefs such as Narsai David and Alan Wong during the Cakebread's annual culinary program, the American Harvest Workshop.With 18 full-color food shots, archival photographs of the winery's early days, and location photography spotlighting the picturesque Napa Valley.Reviews“A remarkable tale of a pioneering life in the California wine country; Jack and Dolores Cakebread's personalities really speak from the pages and Brian Streeter's delicious, sun-drenched recipes wrap the whole thing up into a totally tasty experience.” —Martha Holmberg, publisher, Fine Cooking magazine“The Cakebread family saga is deliciously and lovingly told in this creative book. Open a Cakebread wine, prepare one of Dolores's seasonal dishes and know that life is good.” —Mike and Mary Ann Cleary, cohosts, Food and Travel Radio“The American Harvest Workshop, created by Dolores and Jack Cakebread, is singular in bringing together American chefs in a convivial, relaxed environment to explore and exchange ideas. Chefs leave the Cakebreads inspired and energized by the process. I'm delighted to see it all brought together in this new book.” —Narsai M. David, food & wine editor, KCBS Radio

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For readers interested in this 30-year-old operation, or in Napa vineyards in general, the sizable introduction to the history and growth of Cakebread Cellars will seem an asset. However, for many readers, these pages will read more like a promotional tool. The rest of the book, which is divided into eight sections-each of which is further divided into quarters based on the season-offers a significant array of familiar American bistro style recipes. The dishes, most of which were introduced to restaurant tables during the 1990s, are familiar and casual. Examples are Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Pancetta, Shaved Fennel and Sliced Pears; and Couscous with Currants and Toasted Almonds. Each section also includes a single "Workshop Recipe," named for the vineyard's annual culinary program, the American Harvest Workshop-and these recipes are slightly more lively than the rest. A wine pairing suggestion is also offered for each dish and a very basic Wine Tasting Glossary is included near the end of the book, something that some readers will find helpful, but others will view as reductive. While the recipes are competent and reliable, overall, this book comes across as a Napa Valley souvenir.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

BRIAN STREETER has been resident chef at Cakebread Cellars since 1989. After graduating from the New England Culinary Institute, he interned at Domaine Chandon under Philippe Jeanty before coming to Cakebread Cellars. Brian lives in Napa Valley.
DOLORES and JACK CAKEBREAD were high school sweethearts who worked together during peach and almond harvests on the Cakebread’s ranch in the 1940s. They bought the Sturdivant Ranch in Napa Valley for a down payment of $2,500 in 1972, and Cakebread Cellars was born. Dolores and Jack live in Napa Valley.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (September 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580085083
• ISBN-13: 978-1580085083
• Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 8.5 x 10.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #633,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Drinks & Beverages > Wine > Cellars

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars For Cooks--and for California Dreamin' December 17, 2003

By Bill Marsano

Format:Hardcover

By Bill Marsano. If you haven't heard of Jack and Dolores Cakebread it's probably because their wine is so fine it's always on allocation--there's not enough to go around, so the annual production is allocated to customers and restaurateurs who supported the Cakebreads when they founded their family winery in Napa in 1973. Still, you can get a taste of the Cakebreads and their way of life through this handsome book, written with their resident chef, Brian Streeter. One guiding principle here is the seasons: They dictate life at the winery, and so the recipes are seasonal as well. Another guiding principle is "Napa style"--the kind of relaxed elegance the area has become known and envied for. It's simple, stylish and superb. The recipes are clearly presented one to a page in legible type, and they come from many sources. Of course one expects Hispanic and Italian dishes--the Spanish discovered the place and the Italians were among the first to grow wine there. But the Cakebreads have cast their net wide to cover most of the Mediterranean basin--southern France, Morocco, Greece are also included--and there are Pacific Rim and Asian influences as well. And just for lagniappe, there are several recipes contributed by guest chefs at the Cakebreads' annual American Harvest Workshop. After a few pages of this you are going to have a powerful inclination to get yourself out to Napa. You could do worse. --Bill Marsano is a James Beard award-winning writer on wines, food and travel.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea for a Gift Basket for that Wine Lover!! October 25, 2003

By Psboston7

Format:Hardcover

SPECTACULAR PICTURES, Informative Introduction and Mouth Watering Recipes. If anyone has been lucky enough to have visited this Winery up in Napa or better yet fortunate enough to have had the pleasure of a glass of Cakebread Chardonnay (or even if you have not) this book is wonderful in presentation and perfect for a Gift no matter what the occasion. Gift Ideas; for that Boss that has everything but appreciates good wine and good food, Housewarming, Present for that Culinary Art Student. If you have friends who love to entertain and your going over during the Holidays... instead of bringing a bottle of wine (like everyone else) give this book, Holiday Gift Basket (with of course of bottle of their wine)((Smile))

I purchased this book the first day it came out and went over it with my Executive Chef; we are always looking for new ideas especially with all the Holiday parties coming up. Recipes are set for each Season throughout the year. I am only giving it 4 Stars because I would say the instructions are not for the novice cook/chef at home, I think the recipes are written as if you know (and I mean "KNOW") your way around a kitchen. The authors have tried to balance the "fancy recipes" with the easier ones to prepare and that is pretty consistent throughout the book from the Salads to the Desserts. I collect a lot of cookbooks and I am famous for collecting cookbooks that I will never use but still want them in my library(just check out my other "Listmania Lists").....I'd have to say that there are a few good recipes in this cookbook that I definitely feel confident enough to try on my own:

Phyllo Purses filled with Goat Cheese, Chives and Lemon Zest
Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Pancetta, Shaved Fennel, and Sliced Pears
Pan Roasted Halibut with Orange, Sherry and River Ranch Honey
Baby Back Ribs with Red Wine Vinegar, Rosemary and Sweet Peppers
Roast Pork Loin with Apple Brandy and Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce
Apple and Cranberry Crisp

I must add in respect to Desserts there are only 2 that are standard the rest are pretty fancy.

Respectfully Reviewed

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A little too Epicurean for me September 16, 2011

By Serene

Format:Hardcover

I am fond of cooking and cookbooks, and picked this one up sight unseen. While I enjoyed reading the recipes, I confess that the majority of meals look expensive to me and include lots of specialty ingredients that I just don't think will be easy to find or will appeal to my family. I don't cook with lamb, rabbit, or fancy seafood, duck or venison, and while reading about the recipes was different, I confess I was disappointed I was not hankering to make any.

I was able to find a few recipes in the main menu, and quite a few in the desserts section, but overall I confess the food looks a bit too epicurean for my tastes and I don't see myself using this book that often. I just don't have a lot of people who will eat "Soft Tacos with Chipotle-Braised Rabbit, Black Beans, and Pickled Cabbage", including myself.

My advice would be to check out the recipe list included before buying to see if the meals are your speed.