Blog of award-winning authors
ANDREW DORNENBURG & KAREN PAGE
2012

Named one of GourmetFood.About.com's "Top 10 Food Blogs"

Named one of The Fifty Best Links for Epicureans

Named to MUG 400 for "distinctive contribution to life in New York"

"Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page monitor the pulse of the food world like nobody's business. There's a fantastic database of restaurant reviews, too."
— Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma

"Page and Dornenburg also write one of the most informative and engaging food/wine blogs on the planet. Check it out."
— Bestselling author Michael Gelb

"If you asked me what I came into this world to do,
I will tell you: I came to live out loud."
— Critic and novelist Emile Zola (1840-1902)

"There is nothing under the sun better for man than to eat, drink, and be merry. Go, therefore, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with cheer.”
— Ecclesiastes 8:15

Looking for a more current update?
Follow us at www.twitter.com/karenandandrew or www.twitter.com/whattodrinkbook

"Who to follow: @WhatToDrinkBook: Authors Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page obsess over food and wine."
—Tara Q. Thomas, Wine & Spirits magazine (Fall 2009)

Mashable

"Tasty Tweets: 55+ Foodies to Follow on Twitter....@KarenAndAndrew — Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg are the authors of numerous books, most recently THE FLAVOR BIBLE, winner of the 2009 James Beard Award. Their tweets talk about their books, food commentary, and interesting links."
—Cameron Chapman, Mashable.com (August 13, 2009)

"9 Famous Foodies to Follow on Twitter. Hungry for some tasty tweets? The culinary community is sweeping the Twittersphere, and now you can keep up with some of the biggest names in the biz just by clicking the 'follow' button on Twitter. Here are some faves... @KarenAndAndrew: You heard of THE FLAVOR BIBLE? Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg wrote the book."
—Michele Laudig, Phoenix New Times (July 10, 2009)

 

25th Annual James Beard Foundation Awards
Monday, May 7, 2012

Thomas Farley on the red carpet at the JBFA

Karen Page with master sommelier Roger Dagorn of
Porter House New York, a star of our book TFLGTW

Eleven Madison Park's Will Guidara with
2012 JBF Outstanding Chef Daniel Humm

Karen Page, Steve Dolinsky and Rozanne Gold
in the press room before the JBFA ceremony

Fellow journalist Jamie Feldmar gamely models her tattoo

2012 Best Chef: Great Lakes Bruce Sherman of North Pond
with 12-time JBF Award winner Steve Dolinsky

2012 Outstanding Wine Service honoree
Cat Silirie with Andrew Dornenburg

Nancy Silverton with 2012 Best Chef: Pacific
Matt Molina of Osteria Mozza

Andrew Dornenburg with Blue Hill sommelier
Claire Paparazzo (The Food Lover's Guide to Wine)

The "Chef-in-the-Hat" Thierry Rautureau
with friend

Karen with wine writer Alice Feiring, author of Naked Wines

Karen with 2012 Outstanding Wine Service
winner Cat Silirie of Boston's No. 9 Park

Star of TV's "Top Chef" (and star researcher
for The New American Chef) Gail Simmons

Karen Page with Associated Press food editor Jason Hirsch

Restaurateur Danny Meyer with JBF Chair Woody Campbell

Karen with 2012 Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic Maricel Presilla,
whom we interviewed for our book THE FLAVOR BIBLE

Chef Mike Anthony in the press room moments
after being named 2012 Best Chef: New York

Georgette Farkas & 2012 Outstanding Pastry
Chef Finalist Ghaya Oliveira of Boulud Sud

Designer-restaurateur Barbara Lazaroff

Janet and Chef Norman Van Aken

Wall Street Journal wine columnist
(and bestselling novelist) Jay McInerney

JBF guest sommeliers from Aureole (l.) and
Ai Fiori Hristo Zisovski (r.)

Bayona chef-owner Susan Spicer with her team

Chef Vitaly Paley with Kimberly Paley of
Paley's Place, our favorite Portland spot

2012 Best Chef: New York Michael Anthony
of Gramercy Tavern, with his lovely wife

Garrett Oliver, editor of the 2012 JBFA Finalist
The Oxford Companion to Beer

Gary Danko with the dish of the night:
Blini with smoked salmon and caviar

Frontera Grill sommelier Jill Gubesch, Bar Boulud chef
Damien Samsonetti, and Karen Page

Joyce Goldstein, whom we first interviewed
for our book Becoming a Chef 20 years ago

The Inn at Little Washington's Rachel Hayden (far left), and
chef-owner Patrick O'Connell, with Karen Page

Author Baroness Sheri de Borchgrave, with
whom we look forward to traveling next month

2012 Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America
inductee Emily Luchetti with Andrew Dornenburg

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 — We can't imagine a more fun way to have celebrated the final night of Karen's fourth decade than at the 2012 James Beard Foundation Chef & Restaurant Awards at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, where we loved running into friends and colleagues from across the country all night long — and toasting many of their own nominations and victories! We're looking forward to toasting Karen's birthday over a very civilized dinner tonight with friends at our #1 favorite Manhattan restaurant....Guesses?

Saturday, May 5, 2012 — We happened to be among the two-thirds of 2012 James Beard Book Award nominees who didn't take home one of the 11 medallions awarded last night. So we're consoling ourselves this morning with the thought that our labor of love THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE is still one of an elite group of just 16 books to have been nominated for both of America's leading culinary book awards in 2012: the James Beard and IACP Book Awards.

Our congratulations to the entire group!

Books Nominated for Both 2012 James Beard & IACP Awards:

1. All About Roasting* Author: Molly Stevens; Editor: Maria Guarnaschelli; Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

2. American Flavor Author: Andrew Carmellini; Editor: Libby Edelson; Publisher: Ecco/Harper Collins

3. The Art of Beef Cutting Author: Kari Underly; Editor: Christine McKnight; Publisher; John Wiley & Sons

4. The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts Authors: Frederic Morin, David McMillan, Meredith Erickson; Editor: Julie Bennett; Publisher: Ten Speed Press

5. Baking Style: Art Craft Recipes Author: Lisa Yockelson; Editor: Pamela Chirls; Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

6. Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes* Author: Brad Thomas Parsons; Editor: Emily Timberlake; Publisher: Ten Speed Press

7. Cooking with Chocolate: Essential Recipes and Techniques Author: Frédéric Bau; Editor: Kate Mascaro Publisher: Flammarion

8. The Country Cooking of Italy Author: Colman Andrews; Editors: Bill LeBlond and Dawn Yanigihara; Publisher: Chronicle Books

9. THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE Authors: Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg; Editor: Michael Sand; Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.

10. The Food of Spain Author: Claudia Roden; Editor: Libby Edelson; Publisher: HarperCollins/Ecco

11. Modernist Cuisine* Authors: Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, Maxine Bilet; Publisher: The Cooking Lab

12. My Family Table Author: John Besh; Editor: Jean Lucas; Publisher: Andrews McMeel

13. Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal Author: Jennifer McLagan; Editor: Jenny Wapner; Publisher: Ten Speed Press

14. Plenty Author: Yotam Ottolenghi; Editors: Lorena Jones and Sarah Billingsley; Publisher: Chronicle Books

15. Ruhlman’s Twenty* Author: Michael Ruhlman; Editors: Bill LeBlond and Sarah Billingsley; Publisher: Chronicle Books

16. Turning the Tables: Restaurants and the Rise of the American Middle Class, 1880-1920 Author: Andrew P. Haley; Editor: Mark Simpson-Vos; Publisher: University of NC Press

*And special congratulations to the four books that actually took home both awards!

Wagner Family of Wine Dinner at Colicchio & Sons

Chuck Wagner, owner and winemaker
of Caymus Vineyards

2009 & 2010 Mer Soleil Chardonnays
served with Hamachi and Green Almonds

1999, 2005 & 2009 Caymus Special Selections Cabernet
served with 30-day dry-aged sirloin and short rib

Friday, May 4, 2012 — Wednesday night's dinner in the private dining room at Colicchio & Sons with Caymus Vineyards' owner and winemaker Chuck Wagner was a celebration of the winery's 40th vintage — and its storied history has paralleled Napa Valley's own.

The menu:

Wagner Family of Wine Dinner
Hosted by Chuck Wagner
Owner and Winemaker, Caymus Vineyards

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

First Course

Hamachi
Cucumber, Green Almonds & Salad Burnet

2010 Mer Soleil SILVER Unoaked Chardonnay
2009 Mer Soleil Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay

Second Course

Pancetta-Wrapped Monkfish
Red Pea Cake, Broccoli Rabe & Romesco

2010 Meiomi Pinot Noir
2010 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir

Third Course

30-Day Dry-Aged Sirloin
Short Rib, Oyster Mushrooms & Tuscan Kale

Caymus Cabenet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2009
Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 1999
Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Dessert

Tickler Cheddar, Scharfe Maxx & Aged Manchego

Caymus (Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon) is mentioned in the section on "California Cult Wines" (i.e. very high quality, very limited production; "prized by collectors and thus very expensive") in our new book THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE, which also mentions other Wagner Family of Wine labels such as Belle Glos (Pinot Noir and Rose), Conundrum (Blended Wines), and Mer Soleil (Chardonnay).

There is also a charming 11-minute video chronicling the winery's first 40 years that is well worth watching on Caymus Vineyards' website at www.caymus.com.

Saturday, April 28, 2012 — Last week, MSN Money ran a piece we just discovered this morning on "Famous Alumni of McDonald's." Written in the form of a quiz, clues are provided to help you guess the identities of the "Internet CEO" (Jeff Bezos), "Academy Awards Host" who recently starred in an ape movie (James Franco), and "Actress and Model" with a Souther drawl who is currently the face of L'Oreal. Can you guess the identity of the "Award-Winning Food Author"?

"Famous Alumni of McDonald's: Though they long ago traded in their uniforms, these business gurus, athletes, politicians and entertainers all worked under the Golden Arches. 1) Internet CEO. Clue: Before moving to Seattle to start his Internet empire, the college grad was working on Wall Street. His résumé includes a stint at McDonald's for a summer during high school. Who is he? A. Jeff Bezos. 2) Award-Winning Food Author. Clue: He teamed up with his wife to write award-winning cookbooks and has won this prestigious award. But his first stint in the kitchen was at McDonald's when he was 15. Who is he? A. Axxxxx Dxxxxxxxxx."
—MSN Money (April 20, 2012)

"The Nautilus Book Awards represent the highest achievement of the writer's craft. Nothing less. It's all about envisioning a better, more peaceful, more caring world — both for us and for our fellow creatures and Mother Earth."
—T.A. Barron, former Rhodes Scholar, Harvard MBA,
and Nautilus Award-winning author

Monday, April 16, 2012 — On October 27, 2011, New York Times wine writer Howard Goldberg made a bold prediction via Twitter:

"On seeing Karen Page's and Andrew Dornenburg's FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE I had the chutzpah to think 'Steve Jobs would like its look.'...Second instant impression of FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE: It seems destined to medals equal in number to what Soviet Army generals wore."

Sure enough, shortly thereafter, THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE won the Gourmand Wine Book Award - USA, and was one of four books shortlisted for the Gourmand World Cookbook Award — and in fact went on to be named "Best in the World" in its category.

Then on December 21, 2011, THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE was named the "#1 Wine Book of the Year" based on 195 year-end "Best Of" lists (including those of the Chicago Tribune, LA Weekly, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Chronicle, Vancouver Sun and Wall Street Journal) compiled by the website EatYourBooks.com.

And not long after that, THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE was named a Finalist for both the 2012 IACP Book Award *and* the 2012 James Beard Book Award (which Time magazine has called "the Oscar of the food world").

Then this morning in the middle of a wine tasting, expecting a time-sensitive email from someone else, we opened an email from Marilyn McGuire, director of the Nautilus Book Awards:

"Congratulations!," it read. "You have a 2012 Nautilus Silver Award Winner...We are pleased to let you know that our judges have presented a Nautilus Silver Award to THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE in the category of Food/Cooking/Healthy Eating."

We are thrilled by this news. The Nautilus Book Awards recognize books of exceptional quality and merit that “promote spiritual growth, conscious living, and positive social change as they stimulate the imagination and inspire the reader to new possibilities for a better world."

This is the 12th year that the Nautilus Book Awards have bestowed honors to recognize and reward world-changing books. Other winners of Nautilus Book Awards have included His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Judy Collins, Thich Nhat Hanh, Barbara Kingsolver, Carolyn Myss, Eckhart Tolle, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Dr. Andrew Weil, Marianne Williamson, Naomi Wolf and Gary Zukav.

Winning a 2012 Nautilus Book Award is a tremendous honor that affirms our original intentions for THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE beyond simply compiling what we hoped would become an enormously useful wine reference. We also consciously strived to create a book that suggests how the enjoyment of wine in moderation can be a means for cultivating mindfulness as well as spiritual upliftment.

We hope you'll enjoy THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE — as well as giving it as a gift, as it's one of the "Most Wished For" wine books on Amazon.com — from any perspective that brings you the greatest happiness.

In the meantime, you'll want to follow New York Times wine writer Howard Goldberg (@howardggoldberg) on Twitter. He seems to know things!

Sunday, April 8, 2012 — Happy Easter! Having enjoyed Andrew's first (and Karen's favorite) Passover seder ever with friends in New York City on Friday night, we're off to Ottawa today to cook lamb for dinner with friends and then to be hosted for two book events: Monday night at Play and Tuesday night at Beckta. While Tuesday night's dinner in the private room is already sold out, we hope you'll join us for wine and hors d'oeuvres at Play and get a signed copy of THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE.

For details, click here.

"FASHIONABLE FOODIES: As part of its annual conference, the International Association of Culinary Professionals opens up a discussion between the public and food writers at its 'Fashion of Food' Book & Blog Festival on Sunday. Cookbook authors and bloggers, like Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page and Alice Medrich, will be on hand to sign books and discuss recipes, accompanied by live music and other entertainment. (1:30 to 4:30 p.m.; 82 Mercer Street, SoHo; for more information: iacp.com; $10.)"
—Sally Eyre, The New York Times (March 30, 2012)

Saturday, March 31, 2012 — We'll hope to see you tomorrow afternoon at the lACP's Book & Blog Festival in New York City, which is expected to be the largest gathering of culinary authors in North America. We'll be signing copies of THE FLAVOR BIBLE, THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE, and WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT from 1:30 - 4:30 pm at 82 Mercer. Please stop by and say hello!

Monday, March 19, 2012 — We're absolutely thrilled that this afternoon THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE was named one of three Finalists for the 2012 James Beard Book Award in the category of Reference & Scholarship. Our sincere thanks to the James Beard Foundation and its Book Awards Committee — and our congratulations to all our fellow nominees!

You can find a complete list of 2012 James Beard Award nominees on JamesBeard.org. Winners will be announced on May 4th (Book & Journalism Awards) and May 7th (Chef & Restaurant Awards) in New York City. Here's the full list of book nominees: 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 — We're still re-adjusting to Eastern Time after our week in Paris, where THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE was honored with a Gourmand Book Award as "Best in the World" in its category! It was definitely a moment to receive our award on stage at the Folies-Bergeres from organizer Edouard Cointreau, who gave an absolute tour-de-force performance as host and displayed amazing mastery of the dozens of titles and authors featured during the ceremony. (After our prescribed less-than-30-seconds acceptance speech, Cointreau even ad-libbed by taking us to task for being too modest, and referenced our other award-winning works.)

Our thanks to everyone who was rooting for us — we could really feel your love!

Sunday, March 4, 2012 — We're looking forward to this week's Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, for which THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE has already won in its category for the U.S. and is now one of four books shortlisted for the "Best in the World" Award, as well as to the Paris Cookbook Fair, where we'll be speaking about our latest books on Thursday, March 8th at 3 pm.

Our trip comes on the heels of a memorable week in New York City, with events at the 92nd Street Y, Ai Fiori, the Mandarin Oriental, Buddakan and Bouley, each of which deserve mention but which will have to wait for a future post.

But as we reflect on our truly extraordinary lunch at Bouley with Winebow's Leonardo LoCascio, we'll at least share the menu for future reference:

Wines from Leonardo LoCascio Selections, Winebow
The David Bouley Chef's Pass
March 1, 2012

Aperitivo:

Zardetto, Tre Venti Conegiliano Valdorradene Prosecco Superiore
DOCG Rive di Ogliano Brut 2010

Tomato Coulis
Homemade Organic Ricotta

Forager's Treasure of Wild Mushrooms
Sweet Garlic, Special Spices, Grilled Toro

Tenuta di Fessina, A'Poddara Etna DOC 2009

Porcini Flan
Alaska Live Dungeness Crab, Black Truffle Dashi

Tasca d'Almerita, Rosso del Conte Contra di Solafani DOC 2005

Organic Connecticut Farm Egg,
Fresh Black Truffle, Comte Cloud

Organic Colorado Rack of Lamb
Baked "En Cocotte," Soubise of Cipollini, Zucchini-Mint Puree

San Polo, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva 2004

Roasted Bulger Wheat Ice Cream
Lychee, Strawberry and Raspberry Sorbets

Valrhona Chocolate Dome
Castello di Bossi, Vin San Laurentino IGT Toscana 2000

Restaurateur Danny Meyer, Karen, Terri Dial
and EMP chef Daniel Humm at a March 2009
Citymeals-on-Wheels benefit at Daniel

Andrew, Terri Dial & Brian Burry as the season's first snow
fell in the courtyard of Gilt in NYC in December 2008

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 — We're heartbroken that our dear friend Terri Dial lost her battle with pancreatic cancer yesterday afternoon. She was 62. While the business biographies on websites like Bloomberg and Fortune and The New York Times [link added 3/2/12] will focus on her extraordinary distinctions (including working her way up from bank teller to president of Wells Fargo, and later being named #73 on Forbes' list of the world's 100 most powerful women), we will also remember her as one of the most passionate connoisseurs of fine food and wine and one of our favorite dining partners.

In addition to being a fellow member with Karen of the Council of 100, a mentoring organization comprised of Northwestern University's 100 leading professional alumnae, Terri also shared our commitment to supporting New York's homebound elderly via Citymeals-on-Wheels — and we were happy to have had the pleasure of attending several Citymeals benefits with her over the years.

Why else do we love Terri Dial? How many CEOs do you know of who would take the time to send the email below to two authors?

"I was in the San Francisco bookstore A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books during a lunch break from jury duty when a youngish man asked one of the store employees about a particular book.   I always eavesdrop in the store, because the store employees are avid book readers with really good and insightful recommendations. The book in question had to do with the restaurant business (as the California Culinary Academy is nearby, perhaps the customer was a student).  The bookstore employee answered the specific question and then said, 'Have you read Dornenburg and Page's books?  They are the best there are for the restaurant industry.  I love their books.'  At that point, another woman chimed in, 'Did they write the book CHEF'S NIGHT OUT?'   And the store employee said, 'Oh, yes — everyone has that.  But read this book — it's their best,' pulling down CULINARY ARTISTRY from the shelf.  In any event, it was a breathtaking moment of pure admiration, and I thought you should know about it."
—Terri Dial, in an email to us written when she was President and CEO of Wells Fargo Bank (about 10 years ago)

We think it's a perfect example of Terri's kindness and generosity that sparked our many years of friendship.

We will miss her terribly.

P.S. Terri Dial's husband Brian Burry just announced plans to launch the Terri Dial Scholarship Fund at Northwestern University. Contributions in her memory may be made here.

Book awards won: 0 / Lives changed around the globe: countless

"It's the awards season in the food world, just as it is in film and music. The first of the competitions, from the International Association of Culinary Professionals, announced its 2012 finalists Thursday..."
—Lee Svitak Dean, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Sunday, February 26, 2012 — As the world gears up to watch the Oscars tonight, we can't help but be reminded that it's awards season. While we're thrilled that our latest labor of love THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE was one of three books named as finalists for the 2012 IACP Book Award in the category of Wine, Beer or Spirits and one of four books shortlisted for the Gourmand World Cookbook Award in the category of Pairing Food & Drink, we also can't help but keep in mind that CULINARY ARTISTRY — our most influential book to date — has never won a single award.

We've been too busy with TFLGTW's recent book tour to mark it, so we're seizing the day and letting you know that our book CULINARY ARTISTRY is celebrating its 15th anniversary year.

How do we know that it's our most influential book? We're always amazed to discover admiring readers in the most far-flung places. For example, you'll find fans of CULINARY ARTISTRY in...

Australia:

"Favourite cookbook: CULINARY ARTISTRY."
— Lachlan Colwill, chef, Grace the Establishment (Adelaide),
who was named South Australia's Best Chef - 2010

Bali:

"Epic. One that started it all."
— Chef Will Goldfarb, director of the pastry program at KU DE TA and identified in Lisa Abend’s book The Sorcerer’s Apprentices as one of the finest chefs in the world to pass through the El Bulli kitchen

Brazil:

"A book list that I judge essential to those who love gastronomy: 1) The Professional Chef; 2) The French Laundry; 3) On Food and Cooking; 4) CULINARY ARTISTRY."  
— Flavio Vitari, professional chef and columnist, Correio do Brasil

Canada:

"One of my favorite cookbooks [is] CULINARY ARTISTRY. This go-to book insightfully reminds and encourages culinarians how best to pair ingredients like no other I have read. It is a gift to chefs."
— Connie De Sousa, runner-up, "Top Chef Canada"

Chile:

"A must-have, because of the flavor combinations and the interesting opinions on food shared by many chefs interviewed by the authors."
— Carlos Garcia, professional chef in Santiago

England:

"CULINARY ARTISTRY...seemed to pull together everything that was missing in my ideology of food."
— Michelin two-star chef John Campbell

France:

"A book on culinary creativity, with super-handy lists of 'flavor pals'."
— Clotilde Dusoulier, ChocolateAndZucchini.com (Paris)

Germany:

"Reading a good cookbook — for example, CULINARY ARTISTRY — can be as entertaining as reading a good novel."
— Martin Fenner, Clinical Fellow in Oncology, Hannover Medical School

India:

"Anoop Prakash, managing director of Harley-Davidson India...swears by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page’s book CULINARY ARTISTRY, which focuses on flavour combinations."
— Rudraneil Sengupta, LiveMint.com/The Wall Street Journal

Ireland:

"My current favourites...CULINARY ARTISTRY. There are very few books that give readers a glimpse of how chefs develop their dishes. This book is one of the few to explore this. I'd recommend it to anyone wishing to learn about the creative process...A hidden foodie gem."
— Mary Carney, chef and winner of "MasterChef"

Norway:

"A book which I've found to be very useful when combining flavours is CULINARY ARTISTRY. It is the most comprehensive book about flavour pairing that I'm aware of, and I would say it is indispensible for someone who likes to cook without a cookbook."
— Martin Lersch, PhD in organometallic chemistry, on blog.khymos.org

Panama:

"CULINARY ARTISTRY is on my (and many cooks') list of favorite books because of the flavor matching reference guide."
— Elena Hernandez, owner, Academia de Artes Culinarias

Singapore:

"One of the best culinary books that I have read...It reinforced what I have always felt was important to me as a chef, and created a better understanding, awareness and appreciation for my craft."
— Desmond Foo, professional chef

South Africa:

"CULINARY ARTISTRY — what a great find that is! I also bought one to take to Jeff, my son. He was extremely pleased with that gift [and] says he refers to it often."
— Roxanne Goldman, avid home cook in Cape Town

Sweden:

"Here’s a book that I’ve read several copies of, [as] it keeps falling apart [from use]…CULINARY ARTISTRY [is] perfect when looking for gastronomic marriages and food creators' thoughts about building perfect dishes from scratch."
— Erik Videgard, on the Swedish culinary blog Det Godaste

Thailand:

"The best cookbook I've ever read."
— John D. Lee, a chef in Thailand who has opened and run three successful restaurants in the northern city of Chiang Mai

United States:

"Among all the 'cookbooks' in my collection, CULINARY ARTISTRY may well be the most beaten and battered...To this day, if I'm really stuck for a flavor pairing, I will still refer to CULINARY ARTISTRY for its charts of common, and not so common, matches."
— Michael Laiskonis, 2007 James Beard Award winner
for Outstanding Pastry Chef

So, while we'll be watching the 2012 Academy Awards tonight and rooting for our favorite nominees, we won't forget those worthy projects and talents that might have been overlooked this awards season. We hope every award shutout will soon find another way to connect with its audience, as CULINARY ARTISTRY eventually did.

Thursday, February 16, 2012 — Today the International Association of Culinary Professionals announced its nominations for this year's IACP Awards — and we are honored that THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE has been nominated for a 2012 IACP Book Award in the category of Wine, Beer or Spirits. Our heartfelt thanks to the IACP for this recognition of our latest lavor of love...and our sincere congratulations to the other IACP Award nominees, which you'll find below:

Cookbooks

American
· American Flavor Author: Andrew Carmellini; Editor: Libby Edelson; Publisher: Ecco/Harper Collins
· The Apple Lover’s Cookbook Author: Amy Traverso; Editor: Maria Guarnaschelli; Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
· The Homesick Texan Author: Lisa Fain; Editor: Leslie Wells; Publisher: Hyperion

Baking
· Baking Style: Art Craft Recipes Author: Lisa Yockelson; Editor: Pamela Chirls; Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
· Cooking with Chocolate: Essential Recipes and Techniques Author: Frédéric Bau; Editor: Kate Mascaro Publisher: Flammarion
· Illustrated Step-by-Step Baking Author: Caroline Bretherton; Editor: Rebecca Warren; Publisher: DK/Penguin Group

Chefs and Restaurants
· Home Cooking with Jean Georges Author: Jean-George Vongerichten; Editor: Rica Allannic; Publisher: Clarkson Potter/Random House
· The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts Authors: Frederic Morin, David McMillan, Meredith Erickson; Editor: Julie Bennett; Publisher: Ten Speed Press
· The Blue Tomato: The Inspirations Behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong Author: Alan Wong; Publisher: Watermark Publishing

Children, Youth, and Family
· My Family Table Author: John Besh; Editor: Jean Lucas; Publisher: Andrews McMeel
· The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet Author: Tina Ruggerio; Editor: Amanda Waddel; Publisher: Fair Winds Press
· The Family Dinner Author: Laurie David; Editor: Karen Murgolo; Publisher: Hachette Book Group

Compilations
· Fine Cooking in Season Authors: Fine Cooking Editors; Publisher: Taunton Press
· The Cakebread Cellars American Harvest Cookbook Authors: Jack & Dolores Cakebread, Brian Streeter, Janet Fletcher; Publisher: Ten Speed Press
· The Cooks’ Illustrated Cookbook Editors: Jack Bishop, Elizabeth Carduff, Lori Galvin; Publisher: America’s Test Kitchen

Culinary History
· Dying on the Vine: How Phylloxera Transformed Wine Author: George Gale; Editor: Blake Edgar; Publisher: University of California Press
· High on the Hog Author: Jessica Harris; Editor: Kathy Belden; Publisher: Bloosmbury USA
· Turning the Tables: Restaurants and the Rise of the American Middle Class, 1880-1920 Author: Andrew P. Haley; Editor: Mark Simpson-Vos; Publisher: University of NC Press

Culinary Travel
· A Family in Paris Author: Jane Paech; Editor; Ariane Durkin; Publisher: Penguin Group Australia
· Tasting India Author: Christine Manfield; Editor: Alison Cowan; Publisher: Penguin Group Australia
· Ultimate Food Journeys Author: DK Publishing; Editor: Allie Singer; Publisher: DK Publishing

First Book – The Julia Child Award
· Ancient Grains for Modern Meals Author: Maria Speck; Editors: Jenny Wapner & Dawn Yanagihara; Publisher: Ten Speed Press
· Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food Authors: Sam Mogannam, Dabney Gough; Editor: Melissa Moore; Publisher: Ten Speed Press
· The Apple Lover’s Cookbook Author: Amy Traverso; Editor: Maria Guarnaschelli; Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Food and Beverage Reference/Technical
· Ruhlman’s Twenty Author: Michael Ruhlman; Editors: Bill LeBlond and Sarah Billingsley; Publisher: Chronicle Books
· The Art of Beef Cutting Author: Kari Underly; Editor: Christine McKnight; Publisher; John Wiley & Sons
· Whole Beast Butchery Author: Ryan Farr; Editor: Lorena Jones; Publisher: Chronicle Books

Food Matters
· Good Fish: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the Pacific Coast Author: Becky Selengut; Publisher: Sasquatch Books
· Tomatoland Author: Barry Estabrook; Editor: Chris Schillig; Publisher: Andrews McMeel
· Wild Flavors: One Chef’s Transformative Year Cooking from Eva’s Farm Author: Didi Emmons; Editor: Ben Watson; Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing

Food Photography and Styling
· Cooking My Way Back Home: Recipes from San Francisco’s Town Hall Author: Mitchell Rosenthal and John Pult; Publisher: Ten Speed Press
· The Art of Pasta Author: Lucio Galletto; Photographer/Stylist: Paige Green; Editor: Alison Cowan; Publisher: Penguin Group Australia
· The Macy’s Culinary Council Thanksgiving and Holiday Cookbook Editor: Steve Siegelman; Photographer: Maren Caruson; Stylist: George Dolese; Publisher: The Book Kitchen

General
· All About Roasting Author: Molly Stevens; Editor: Maria Guarnaschelli; Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
· Essential Pepin: More than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food Author: Jacques Pepin; Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
· My Family Table Author: John Besh; Editor: Jean Lucas; Publisher: Andrews McMeel

Health and Special Diet
· Ancient Grains for Modern Meals Author: Maria Speck; Editors: Jenny Wapner & Dawn Yanagihara; Publisher: Ten Speed Press
· Food Intolerance Management Plan Authors: Dr. Sue Shepherd & Dr. Peter Gibson; Editor: Rachel Carter; Publisher: Penguin Group Australia
· The Sweet Life: Diabetes Without Boundaries Author: Sam Talbot; Editor: Pam Krauss; Publisher: Rodale

International
· Seoultown Kitchen Author: Debbie Lee; Editor: Anja Schmidt; Publisher: Kyle Books
· The Food of Spain Author: Claudia Roden; Editor: Libby Edelson; Publisher: HarperCollins/Ecco
· The Country Cooking of Italy Author: Coleman Andrews; Editors: Bill LeBlond and Dawn Yanigihara; Publisher: Chronicle Books

Literary Food Writing
· Season to Taste Author: Molly Birnbaum; Editor: Matt Weiland; Publishers: HarperCollins/Ecco
· The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: A Season in the Kitchen at Ferran Adria’s El Bulli Author: Lisa Abend; Editor: Leslie Meredith; Publisher: Free Press/Simon & Schuster
· The Table Comes First Author: Adam Gopnik; Publisher: Knopf

Professional Kitchens
· Modernist Cuisine Authors: Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, Maxine Bilet; Publisher: The Cooking Lab
· Professional Garde Manger Authors: Lous Sackett, Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gieslen; Editor: Mary J. Cassells; Publisher: John Wiley
· The Professional Chef, 9th Edition Author: The Culinary Institute of America; Editor: Pamela Chirls; Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Single Subject
· All About Roasting Author: Molly Stevens; Editor: Maria Guarnaschelli; Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
· Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal Author: Jennifer McLagen; Editor: Jenny Wapner; Publisher: Ten Speed Press
· Plenty Author: Yotam Ottolenghi; Editors: Lorena Jones and Sarah Billingsley; Publisher: Chronicle Books

Wine, Beer, or Spirits
· Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes Author: Brad Thomas Parsons; Editor: Emily Timberlake; Publisher: Ten Speed Press
· Mastering Wine for the Asian Palate Author: Jennie Cho Lee; Publisher: Asset Publishing and Research, GrapeXpectations Asia LTD Hong Kong
· THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE Authors: Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg; Editor: Michael Sand; Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.

New Media & Broadcast Awards

Culinary Blog
· 5 Second Rule (Cheryl Sternman Rule)
· Bona Fide Farm Food (Tom Hirschfeld)
· Pizza Quest (Peter Reinhart)

Culinary Website
· Chow.com
· Saveur.com
· Find. Eat. Drink.

Culinary Product or Brand Website
· Camp Blog Away
· The Official Homepage of the Idaho Potato
· Gilt Taste

Intriguing Use of New Technology
· SFA Stories, Southern Foodways Alliance
· The Informed Chef series
· BakeSpace.com's Cookbook Café

Televised Culinary Series
· Essential Pepin Host: Jacques Pepin, KQED-TV
· Simply Ming Host: Ming Tsai, WBGH-TV
· New York Chow Report Host: Alexandra Van Buren, NY1 and Chow.com

Video Series, Short Program Format
· Saveur’s Sandwich Stories
· The Perennial Plate
· EatTV.com

Audio Series (Long Format)
· Cooking with the Moms
· KCRW’s Good Food with Evan Kleiman

Audio Series (Short Format)
· Southern Foodways Oral History

Humorous Video Short
· Spaghetti with 100 Sweet Tomatoes (The Recipe Project)
· How to Peel Garlic in 10 Seconds (Saveur)
· The Good, The Bad and The Leafy (GiltTaste.com)

The Bert Greene Awards For Food Journalism

Culinary Writing With or Without Recipes
· Cherry Season (Darlene West, Leite’s Culinaria)
· For Pepin, Cooking is About Technique, Not Stardom (Michele Kayal, Associated Press)
· The Cake That Makes Our Family (Lila Byock, Gilt Taste)

Culinary Writing About Beverages
· Beer Wars (Kevin Cook, Playboy; not available online)
· Cocktail Pairings at Clyde Common (Emily Bell, StarChefs)
· Whiskey Rebellion (Rebecca Barry, Saveur)

Instructional Culinary Writing with Recipes
· The Only Cake Story You'll Ever Need (Dawn Perry, Real Simple)
· The Soup for Life (Anna Thomas, Eating Well)
· Eat Shoots & Leaves (a series by Raquel Pelzel, Amanda Cohen, Aki Kamozawa & Alex Talbot, Adam Erace, Sheri Castle; Gilt Taste)

Culinary Travel Writing or Memoirs and Personal Essays
· (Not) Ducking a Legacy (Francis Lam, Gilt Taste)
· Sibling Rivalry at the Stove (Tamar Adler, Gilt Taste)
· The Boys Club (Hunter Lewis, Saveur)
· Czech, Please (Juliet Wittman, Westword)

Culinary Writing That Makes a Difference
· Is This the Food of the Future? (John McQuaid, Eating Well)
· The Most Important Fish in the Sea (Alison Fairbrother and Randy Fertel, Gilt Taste)
· What Will Fracking Do to Your Food Supply? (Barry Estabrook, Gilt Taste)

You can read more via Paula Forbes' article on Eater.com here.

Monday, February 13, 2012 — Fourteen hours 'til Valentine's Day! That's plenty of time to allow you to participate in our special Valentine's Day promotion for THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE for our loyal readers, which you can read about in our latest eNewsletter here.

Sunday, February 12, 2012 — One thing we know for certain, without a doubt: We have the most extraordinary friends in the world, bar none.

There is a special place in heaven for Julia Davis, Laura Day, Susan Dey, Rikki Klieman, Jody Oberfelder, Steve Wilson, and others. They know why. We know why — and we're SO grateful.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012 — When did this happen? We just noticed that of Amazon's Top 50 bestselling cookbooks, only 5 are priced at $20+. Of Amazon's Top 100, only a dozen are priced at $20+. Great big hardcover cookbooks had been going up and up in price over the past decade or two, but more recently ebooks appear to have been driving prices down dramatically. Here's today's list of Amazon's bestselling Cooking, Food & Wine books priced at $20+:

1) The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook by Cook's Illustrated ($25.97)

2) Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan ($29.95)

3) Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi ($23.10)

4) Essential Pepin by Jacques Pepin ($21.96)

5) THE FLAVOR BIBLE by Karen Page & Andrew Dornenburg ($20.49)

6) Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, et al ($21.94)

7) Make it Paleo by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason ($20.58)

8) Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, et al ($22.52)

9) How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman ($21.46)

10) Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi ($20.77)

11) On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee ($26.40)

12) How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman ($23.10)

Sit-down tasting of Chateau d'Issan vintages: 2001-2009

Le Bernardin's Olive Oil-Poached Escolar with
Red Wine Béarnaise & 2000 Château d'Issan

"Château d'Issan, like all great Médocs, lies on the 'Right Bank' of the Route des Châteaux, at the entrance of the village of Cantenac, right after such prestigious châteaux as Margaux, its illustrious neighbour, Léoville Las Cases, Pichon Longueville Contesse de Lalande, as well as Latour..."
—Château d'Issan brochure

Thursday, January 26, 2012 — When we received an invitation to Monday's wine tasting and lunch hosted by noted Bordeaux producer Château d'Issan, the last place we'd expected it to be taking place was a seafood-themed restaurant like Le Bernardin.

We typically order white wine to accompany chef Eric Ripert's unparalleled seafood dishes, with our favorite new white discovered during our last dinner at the restaurant (celebrating Andrew's birthday in December) being sommelier Aldo Sohm's own spectacularly soulful Austrian Gruner Veltliner.

So while we were curious to taste these Margaux wines (a curiosity evidently shared by virually every leading wine writer on the East Coast, based on the composition of the room) — both the Château d'Issan (made from 35-year-old vines, on average), and its second-label Blason d'Issan wines (made from vines averaging half their age, and typically sold for half their price) — we were also curious to see what this vaunted kitchen would produce to pair with these Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends.

We were blown away by the olive oil-poached escolar with a red wine béarnaise that accompanied the 2000 vintage, not to mention the pairing of the two together, which worked beautifully: The wine in the sauce served as a bridge to the wine in the glass, with the wine's balanced acidity the perfect counterpoint to the richness of the fish, and we could not have imagined such a heavenly match for this elegant wine.

We can honestly say that we've never ordered lamb before at Le Bernardin — but we'd order this perfectly-cooked rack of lamb again in a heartbeat to accompany the 1995 vintage (whose earthy notes were brought out by the lamb). Kudos, too, to the affinage of the extraordinary cheeses that accompanied the 1983 vintage (whose evident age reminded Karen just how many years had passed since her college graduation). We emphasize the excellence of the food because this was a definitely a case of the pairings helping to show the excellence of the wines to their full glory.

We wish the nine wines we tasted during the sit-down vertical tasting of the 2001 to 2009 vintages had had the same advantage. Their blends ranged from 60 percent to a whopping 78 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and at just a few years to less than a dozen years in age, they were mostly wines still before their prime that — like any wine — would have benefited from a great food pairing.

Andrew brought his glass of 2004 (his favorite, and a favorite of Karen's; at $65, it represents an underrated value among the wines we tasted) from the sit-down tasting to the lunch, where it continued to open up over the next 90 minutes and showed beautifully with the food.

The famed 2005 vintage is priced at $100 (as is the lovely 2000 we tasted with the escolar), while the other vintages ranged in price from $57 to $75. What accounts for the difference? Supply and demand — which is affected by both personal taste and, notably, the influence of certain wine critics.

Our genial host Emmanuel Cruse (grandson of his namesake who originally bought the estate in 1945) pointed out that in Bordeaux, Pauillac and St. Estephe are typically more powerful than Margaux, which is about balance and elegance. Indeed, our other favorite vintages (such as the 2006, $75) were those that expressed those latter traits more than the former.

Château d'Issan
Tasting and Luncheon
Hosted by Emmanuel Cruse
January 23, 2012
Le Bernardin
New York City

Menu

Olive Oil-Poached Escolar
Red Wine Béarnaise
Château d'Issan 2000

Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Grilled Spiced Eggplant, Jus
Château d'Issan 1995

Assorted Cheese:
Comté Saint Antoine, Roomano,
Tomme de Chevre Aydius
Château d'Issan 1983

Sunday, January 22, 2012 — Now that the unseasonably balmy weather has passed and there's actual snow on the ground in Manhattan, we're keeping our apartment toasty warm by roasting chicken. It's a versatile entree for wine pairing, as it allows us to taste a broad range of wines with it.

Two wines that stood out during our most recent tasting were both sparkling wines from Argentina. The Reginato Torrontes Chardonnay ($17) sparkler was a winning match with the chicken, with the blend of 80% Chardonnay offering a classic pairing and 20% Torrontes adding a little something different — in this case, notes of flowers, peaches, and tangerines. This bubbly is made via the Charmat (tank) method (also used to make Italian prosecco).

The evening's most pleasant surprise was the sustainably produced 100% Pinot Noir Santa Julia Brut Rose ($9.95), which gives us a new way to answer our friends quizzing us for a wine we'd recommend under $10. This delightful bubbly is reminiscent of strawberry rhubarb pie in a glass!

To find any wine we mention near you, check Wine-Searcher.com.

Karen Page with Dr. Oz

Friday, January 20, 2012 — We're grateful to CBC Books for its feature today mentioning THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE as "the best wine guide of 2011." You can read the entire piece via the link here. We'd also like to congratulate Dr. Mehmet Oz on having his not-for-profit HealthCorps ("Educating American Youth and The Student Body") land Evamor as its official water sponsor — with a little help from his friend chef Rocco DiSpirito, who brought them together. You can read more about HealthCorps' mission to fight teen obesity here.

Thursday, January 19, 2012 — Our hearts are still pounding after seeing Kevin Spacey's opening night tour-de-force performance in "Richard III" at BAM last night from our front-row-center seats, which had a manic Spacey brandishing daggers and swords uncomfortably close to our faces. We're feeling the love for our generous hosts for including us in such an unforgettable evening (which included a pre-performance dinner where guests included Hugh Jackman) — thank you AJ and AG!

Lovers of Shakespeare should consider this "Richard III" as not-to-be-missed — even after loving Patrick Stewart in BAM's "Macbeth" and countless nights of Shakespeare in the Park, this was our favorite Shakespearean performance to date.

Catch "Richard III" through March 4th, and previews and ticket info online: http://www.bam.org.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 — Congratulating our friend Bill Bratton on his new book Collaborate or Perish!, which we celebrated over dinner last night with Bill and his wife Rikki Klieman (author of Fairy Tales Can Come True) after the discussion of the book led by CBS' John Miller with co-authors Bill Bratton and the Harvard Kennedy School's Zachary Tumin at Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side.

Yesterday WNYC's Leonard Lopate interviewed Bill about the book, and their conversation is not-to-be-missed: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/2012/jan/17/bill-bratton-collaborate-or-perish/

Saturday, January 14, 2012 — Congratulating 43 North Restaurant's sous chef and pastry chef Francesca Hong on being profiled in today's Wisconsin State Journal — and thanking her for the shout-out for CULINARY ARTISTRY as her favorite cookbook!

You can read Samara Kalk Derby's inteview with Francesca here.

"Brain Power is beautifully written, weaving together science, art,
and history to provide the evidence and practical tools to enhance
your brain function so that you can have a brilliant life.
Everyone should read this book."
— Eva Selhub, MD, author of The Love Response and instructor at Harvard Medical School

Friday, January 13, 2012 — We've been assured that Karen's passport renewal is being expedited in time for our visit to Italy at the end of the month (whew!), so we're happy to take a moment to congratulate our bestselling author friend Michael Gelb on his new book with Kelly Howell called BRAIN POWER: Improve Your Mind as You Age (New World Library; Jan. '12).

Michael is, of course, the author of the international bestseller HOW TO THINK LIKE LEONARDO DA VINCI, so we can think of few people we'd trust as much to have the inside scoop on making our gray matter matter more with each approaching birthday. The good news, Gelb and Howell tell us, is that our brains are actually adaptable and dynamic and capable of generating new neurons and actually improving as we age. The authors provide tools designed to "rehab mental muscles, improve memory, boost concentration, and increase creativity as you age."

We can't think of a better investment you can make toward improving your brain function in 2012 than picking up a copy of BRAIN POWER and putting its insights to work for you. (P.S. The book also includes a downloadable Brain Sync Audio program to balance your brain and optimize mental performance, which we're looking forward to trying, too.)

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 — Thanking Vancouver Sun restaurant critic Mia Stainsby, whose profile mentioning our new book THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE was featured in her online blog this week.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 — Saluting Brian Fence, a "recently-graduated bilingual Oxfordian with no money and no job" who does have a website called Pechism.org, which features a list of "Bao's Top 10 Must-Have, You-Need, Shut-Up-and-Get Cookbooks" worth reading.

Brian clearly has excellent taste in culinary literature. We wish him the best of luck with finding a job!

Monday, January 9, 2012 — After putting in a long, grueling (if pleasurable!) weekend of tasting and note-taking, we are happy to have finished a sweet wine pairing project: coming up with wine pairing recommendations for a series of chocolate desserts. We promise that you'll be hearing more about it in the weeks to come!

Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 9:35 am — The topic of tipping can be touchy. Both of us spent time waiting tables to help finance our college years (and to literally have a way to eat), so we have enormous compassion for our hard-working colleagues in the hospitality industry who depend on tips to earn their livings. And we're glad that Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema took on the topic in today's "Ask Tom" column in today's Sunday Magazine, which explores how much diners should tip on a pricey bottle of wine and paraphrases a brief deadline-driven email exchange we had last month.

It's true that many diners may not know that by law restaurants in many states* are not required to pay the full amount of the tip left by the diner for the server, and that they are allowed to subtract the credit card processing fee from that tip. However, at an average 3 percent processing fee, the actual net percentage to the service team on a 20% tip is 19.4% — not the 17% that some restaurant workers grumble about inaccurately behind the scenes that we'd quoted in our haste.

And we'll share a direct quote from our email to Tom that didn't make it into today's piece: "...For excellent service we'd personally never dream of leaving less than 20% on anything we'd ordered in a restaurant — food OR wine." We hope you'll choose to do likewise.

*For example, California appears to be an exception to this rule — and the city of Philadelphia enacted new legislation just last month.

"One of our key missions when writing [THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE] was to help turn America's most common beverage with the evening meal from a soft drink (such as Coke) to wine — any wine. With a can of soda running around $1, a bottle of wine on this list [of 150 Wines Under $15] that contains five servings might cost a dollar or two more per serving — but can improve your quality of life immeasurably."
— from p. 231 of THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE

Friday, January 6, 2012 at 5:30 pm — Especially given our mission for writing THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE, we were incredibly touched to receive this "fan email" from a reader today:

"Karen and Andrew,

I received your latest book for Christmas (the strong hints paid off).

I realize that it might be considered as a reference book, but I started at the beginning and have read it like a novel up to page 99, the start of the varietal list. Although I like to pick up a dictionary and just read words and their definitions for a while, I will not read about every varietal in sequence. I will page through the list reading the comments, sidebars and other non-list verbiage. And then I will peruse the list when I want information on specific varietals.

So far, it's all very fascinating to the point that after reading some nugget, such as the distinction between fruit and wood tannins, I will interrup [my wife], say 'Listen to this...', and read it to her. She is very patient with me at times.

Prior to reading WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT, [she] and I were basically Two-Buck Chuck wine drinkers. We started branching out and now buy very little of that. And with what I'm learning from THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE, I anticipate becoming even more knowledgeable about buying and ordering wine.

Thanks for a great guide to wine."

Knowing that our latest labor of love is starting to accomplish its mission is incredibly gratifying.

Even in these challenging economic times, wine is an affordable luxury for many, and we hope that more and more Americans will follow suit in availing themselves of its pleasures.

Friday afternoon wine tasting at The Lodge at Woodloch

Chicken Fricassee at The Lodge at Woodloch

Hiking to the waterfalls in nearby Cliff Park

Enjoying the winter beauty of nature in Pennsylvania

Friday, January 6, 2012 — We are happy to have had the pleasure of ringing in the New Year at one of our favorite places on earth: The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, Pennsylvania, which is just 90 miles from Manhattan. We teamed up with the Lodge's talented chef Peter Schott during last week's one-hour cooking demo, pairing wines to each of the three delicious dishes he demonstrated to the food- and wine-loving crowd:

Scallop Crudo with Avocado Puree and Pineapple, Cilantro Salad
2009 Laurenz Singing Gruner Veltliner

Chicken Fricassee with Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
2008 Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone

Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Gelato and Caramel
Taylor-Fladgate 20-Year-Old Tawny Port

During the rest of our visit, we explored different facets of this extraordinary place — enjoying classes with its talented instructors (including Dorothy, who seamlessly segued from Karen's first-ever Zumba class into our joint Tai Chi class that was so poignant we were both choked up by its end), hiking the stunning vistas (with waterfalls!) nearby with Jessie and John, unlocking our chi with shiatsu massages from Kirin and Eileen, learning more about the healing power of herbs from Nathaniel, and unwinding at the end of the day to the beautiful cover songs of talented guitarist and vocalist John Curtin. We're always happy to be running into the most interesting people at the Lodge — from fellow food-and-wine lovers Alexandra and Edouardo, to fellow HBS alum Lisa Bleich and her husband David, to one of the stars of "Other Desert Cities" which we'd just seen and loved on Broadway the week before Christmas.

If you're in need of R&R this year (and who isn't?), we hope you'll look into a visit to The Lodge, which has been cited as one of the world's best destination spas by Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, Travel + Leisure, and other leading media.

Web: TheLodgeAtWoodloch.com

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