Customer Reviews

Pairing Wine and Food: A Handbook for All Cuisines

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was pleasanlty surprised by this book. I was just looking for guidelines in paring food and wine, but what I got was the most comprehensive, information on grape varieties, styles of wines, wine making, tasting guidelines, and more. The Taste of Wine section was so chock full of information, it covered more than I got from the 10 or more wine books I currently have in my library. I never knew there were so many varieties of wines! The Wine and Food section is exhaustive and a must for any foodie. I feel so much more informed on my favorite subject(s). I liked this book so much I just purchased a second copy for a friend. This book will benefit any budding oenophile or experienced wine lover, not to mention foodie. Hats of to Ms. Johnson-Bell

The sections on pairing wines with food and pair foods with wine are good -- simple tables that make it easy to look things up. The categories are just the right size (some other books are either too broad or too detailed). However, the reasoning at how to pair without a table is only so-so. The author goes to great extent (too far?) pointing out her qualifications and experience with doing this, but is it necessary? A good one-third of the book could be dropped without noticing. I would only keep the one-third with the tables. Regardless, it is one that I will continue to refer to when I want new ideas or confirmation.

The Good:
1) The tables showing food and wine pairings are well organized and generally useful.
2) The author is knowledgeable about the topic of pairing food with wine. I did agree with most (but not all) of her pairings.
The Not So Good:
1) Way too Francocentric. Most of the food and wine pairings are based on French wines while wines from the New World and elsewhere are given short shrift. Many of the French wines she mentions are very expensive and/or difficult for most North Americans to obtain. They are therefore unlikely to be a frequent accompaniment to a meal.
2) There are some factual inaccuracies. Her description of where we experience different flavors on the tongue is wrong. For example, we do not experience bitter tastes on the undersurface of the tongue, they are primarily experienced at the back (posterior aspect of the oral part).
3) The author's voice as a writer often seems somewhat snobby and self important.
Despite these shortcomings, I gave it four stars because of the value of the tables.

This is one book that does not live on the book shelves, it lives in the pantry and is used all the time. Not only was it an interesting and informative read, it's incredibly helpful in planning meals and parties. Love it!

This is hands down the most useful wine and food pairing book I have ever read. If you have a recipe for the dish, the wine match is in this book.

must have near your wine cellar! each time i cook a dish or even having a take out, i can look up appropriate wine for it in just few seconds without needing to read several pages why and how to match them. The reference in the begging is there in case your wondering how these matches were made, but if u r in a hurry to match wine and food and start enjoying them, it is a good book.