Beverages Books

Betty Rosbottom delivers again! This is a wonderful little book. I made the cream cheese brownies to rave reviews and have other recipes tabbed to try. I suggest to anyone reading this review that any Rosbottom cookbook is a resource you will come back to over and over again.

This is a gorgeous little book that could serve quite well as a gift. The photos are eye-catching, delectable, and frequent. The recipe layout is clean, simple, and easy to read. Directions are easy to follow, and there are no unnecessarily complex recipes in here.

The book starts off with a modest amount of information aimed at helping you to produce a wonderful cup of coffee. (This is largely information such as different brewing methods, a few notes on different roasts, and a page of tips and hints.) This is followed by 'recipes' for the basic coffee drinks that everyone loves. However, the book swiftly moves on to the recipes you won't find in every other book; this seems to me to be a very good compromise.

'Coffee' includes recipes for new and different coffee drinks (one of my favorites is a coffee-based ice cream soda), tidbits to enjoy with your coffee (such as a fantastic pastry to dip in your coffee that's easily assembled from a sheet of puff pastry and some crystallized ginger), and coffee-flavored treats. We made an ice cream recipe from this book that was out of this world. If you're feeling adventurous you could make a coffee-flavored cake with coffee-toffee icing, or you could keep things simple (yet impressive) with java jolt truffles or coffee caramels. Every recipe we tried came out beautifully, and the directions were detailed and easy to follow.

My copy of this cookbook has become dog-eared, torn, stained, and nearly stolen by past roommates, but it remains my foolproof guide to getting "oohs" and "ahs" from my guests. Who am I kidding?! I make stuff out of this book for myself just as much as for guests! Many cookbooks are flashy but not all that useful; this is an exception. It is my single most-used cookbook.

There are coffee cakes (of course!), scones, muffins, biscotti, pastries, cookies both elegant and down-home, tortes and tarts, and a couple oddities made with coffee like beef stew and red-eye gravy. The real show-stoppers are the sweets, of course. I've found things here for brunch, afternoon tea (coffee!) parties, or dinner desserts, both fancy and casual. Some of my favorites are orange pecan sticky-buns, Canadian scones, persimmon bread, Great Granny's Vanilla Crisps, hazelnut truffles, Cozy Coconut Cookie Cake, finger frets...I could go on. The authors drew on an impressive list of both professional and home cooks, and each contributor shares their memories and reflections on the pleasures of coffee. Even if you're not a java junkie (I can't live without it, myself!), you will nevertheless find tons of irresistable goodies in this book.

During the past five years of graduate school, I have had the good fortune to live in a house with a copy of this cookbook. The one request I have before leaving for Australia - a copy of my own. Every recipe I have made, from the Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake to the Blueberry Cream Pie, has been a success. I would recommend this book for every home cook as an invaluable resource for perfect coffee-friendly delicacies.

If you wonder what XO or Fine Champagne stands for this book is for you. The Cognac Companion provides helpful information on how to read Cognac labels, what glassware to use, and if your favorite Cognac house accepts visitors. The Cognac house listing is a great way to expand your knowledge beyond what you might find in your local retailer. I would recommend this book to the casual consumer as well as the connoisseur.

I love this book! Cognac is my favorite drink and this little book packs so much info. I love reading about the popular AND obscure cognac houses. The pictures are great and I would like to use it as my tour guide for France one day!

Stephen Brook released the first part of this book, which was devoted to Médoc and Graves, in 2006, and it won the André Simon Award. This volume includes that material and also includes material on Sauternes and the Right Bank. Currently, this is the most comprehensive and most up to date reference book covering the wines of Bordeaux.

There are over 700 pages of densely printed type, with about a thousand detailed profiles of estates. Brook has visited many of the estates, and he conveys love and enthusiasm for the wines, the people, the vineyards and the geography of the region.

The book begins with a very good chapter on `The Land' (including terroir, grape varieties and vititulture), a helpful chapter on `Winemaking and Style' and an excellent chapter on the Bordeaux wine market.

In the main section, Brook describes the important appellations with a general introduction, followed by a description and assessment of each of the estates covered in the book, including statistics, contact details and websites. Here Brook cautions the reader: "[T]he statistics - even when obtained directly from the estates - can be wildly unreliable...."

Brook does not provide formal tasting notes: "other writers - notably Robert Parker, Clive Coates MW, Michael Broadbent, Michel Bettane - have already done so. ... I have, in the case of important properties, given a more detailed account of the vintages I have tasted, so that the reader can gain some notion of what the wines are like to drink."

In a recent interview he described his general approach: "Existing books on Bordeaux, such as Robert Parker's or Clive Coates's, were focused on tasting notes of individual wines, and paid little attention to lesser known areas of Bordeaux which offer good value to consumers. My book was intended to rectify that by including all regions of Bordeaux, as its title suggests. Many winelovers who might have bought Bordeaux routinely in the past may have become disillusioned by the soaring prices of the top growths, and it was part of my intention to discuss the vast number of excellent wines that remain eminently affordable." The entire interview appears on intowine.com and provides a very interesting expansion of Brook's views on the wines of Bordeaux.

(Brook is referring to Bordeaux: A Consumer's Guide to the World's Finest Wines by Robert Parker and The Wines of Bordeaux: Vintages and Tasting Notes 1952-2003 by Clive Coates.)

Brook's text is very well written, but the color illustrations add little of value. The maps for Médoc and Graves are quite good, but those for the Right Bank are tiny and hard to read, especially with the topographical shading.

"Decanter Magazine" also pointed out that "The two Graves maps are misplaced (and one is mistitled) within the text, and there are a fair number of inaccurate locations: Léoville-Las-Cases, Gruaud-Larose, St Pierre. ... There are also some needless errors: Mouton Rothschild was not a first growth until 1973, Yquem is a premier cru supérieur, not a premier grand cru. Details maybe, but in an authoritative reference book they matter."

The criticisms are minor; this is currently the leading reference work on Bordeaux and its wines.


Robert C. Ross 2007 2008

The Complete Bordeaux: The Wines*The Chateaux*The People (Mitchell Beazley Wine Library)

Whilst Stephen Brook is not the best known author in the world of fine wine, his recent book is certainly likely to put him irrevocably on the best seller list in this field. Whether read by the novice or professional, the reader cannot help but be informed as never before on the fascination of wine as it is in Bordeaux. Massive, previously unknown detail contains a veritable mine of invaluable information on properties, production methods, vintages and personalities. The seven hundred pages are crammed with interest from beginning to end. The only downside is that the type size is too small for those inclined to short-sightedness. Buy, buy, buy!!

Thers two things you need to know. First, this is a great guide to spirits and how their made, my personal favorite. Second, the books still in print and you can get it for 10 dollars at borders instead of paying 150 dollars.

This book has got great info inside. Where the drinks were first made to when they were made. It's a great little book for ideas, because it has what flavourings are in each drink so you can kind of make up the drinks for yourself but cheaply.

this is a great book for anyone wanting to grasp the basics of wine, not knowing where to start! I feel like the author doesn't talk down to readers who might not know alot about wine already. She explains things thoroughly, so you get involved in chapters, but it's not overwhelming, esp. because of the helpful summary of key info at the end of each chapter. The setups for the winetastings were really helpful when I had a winetasting party, everyone could participate, have fun, and learn something.

This was my perfect first book on wine, after this one I can now chose and read the others. In particular guided tastings are what I will be looking for when I will dig deeper into any given continent, country or region. Main chapters of this book are the 4 or 5 most known varietals for white and red. This way at your own pace you get to know the basics. This book will also help "red wine only" drinkers to discover the world of whites and, why not, vice-versa. I also liked the fact the author gave excellent suggestions to save money where possible. There is also information on different styles (like sparklings or porto for example), accessories and basic notions (one getting closer to this world would need to know something about how wine is produced). Great hints on organizing guided tastings, purchasing at the stores or reading wine lists at the restaurants.

I highly reccomend this cookbook. We have made 15-20 of the recipes over the years and they are consistently good. This is the first cookbook we go to if we want to make something special.

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.

This is a neat little book. It starts out with hisory of tea, some definitions, etc. Then there are recipes - good ones too. Some ingredients have been a little hard for me to find (like elder flowers). Then there are specific descriptions with neat folk lore of 10 different herbs (chamomile, fennel, ginger, hyssop, lavender, lemon balm, licorice, peppermint, rosemary). Fir the bakerm there are some recipes on different cookies, scones etc to go with your tea. Then there are recipes for medicinal teas (coughs, fatigue, fever, etc). I also like how there are little side bars on almost ever other page with a nice quote about tea or the differnt herbs. Really a special little book. Definitely recommend it for the tea enthusiast.

I thoroughly enjoy this book and have re-read it several times to memorize recipes. It opened my senses to the enjoyment of herbal teas. I could easily find the herbs I needed to make most of the teas in this book. The tea time treats look scrumptious as well. The medicinal teas have been beneficial and the folk wisdom enlightening. I only wish this book was longer!

While I do not disagree with the previous review, I felt the need to point out that illegal immigrants are certainly NOT the only ones forming the backbone of the workforce at these rural meatpacking plants. Indeed, in the small Midwestern town in which I grew up, meatpacking is just about the only job that pays something resembling a living wage for those who choose to stay in the rural Midwest. And from observing the people I knew who worked there, believe me, it's not exactly living high on the hog. In my opinion, these blue collar workers are being squeezed just about as hard as they can be, and not enough light is shed on that fact. But for many people who choose to live in the place of their birth (or a place they've come to call home), they don't have much choice when it comes to where to work.

If you're not already aware of the heroic struggle immigrants undergo as they pursue the American dream, this book will clue you in.

We've all heard xenophobes rant about immigrants taking jobs away from American workers. Now meet the immigrants who sign on to jobs Americans won't touch -- the ones with no safety nets -- low wages and no benefits, i.e., no paid vacations, no profit-sharing, no health insurance (despite dangerous working conditions), no compensation for loss of limbs, no pension plan, no social security contributions.

One's perspective is changed with the realization that these new Americans are proud to be working at a place where the hourly wage is a whopping $7-8/hr. If this is the American dream, imagine what life must be like at home!

Fink goes to work in a meat-packing plant in Iowa for an up-close look at the conditions and environment in which immigrants (mostly from Mexico and Central America) toil to support families both here and in their homelands. Her sensitivity to the workers' pride and plight, and her empathy with their every-day existence is remarkable for an American. She is to be commended for her courage in wading into a stark and noisy reality -- one not altogether known by many U.S. citizens -- while retaining her writer's objectivity.

This book is highly recommended.

Over 400 pages of tips, techniques, a massive section on drinks (with pictures), spirits reviews and a guide to the worlds best cocktail bars. Heavy enough to qualify as a weapon in most jurisdictions, it is solidly bound, well laid out, and printed in a large format. So unlike most drinks books, it is easy to read, nicely indexed in various ways, and can be used as a reference for years to come without falling apart.
As a repository of all cocktail knowledge and wisdom it easily surpasses the Mr. Boston Bartenders Guide (long considered an industry standard manual and now in its 66th edition), in quality, depth, breadth and sheer numbers of cocktails. If you are going to buy any cocktail book, this is the one to have.

This is an excellent guide to making drinks, and with 2250 of them, there are plenty of drinks to make. Unlike many other cocktail recipe books this one sets itself apart by having each drink rated on a 5 point scale, has a short comment about each drink, and has a color photo of every single drink in the book right next to the recipe. Compared to #6 there are more drinks, including drinks using very recent ingredients such as St. Germaine Elderflower liqueur. You will quite likely not have the ingredients to make a large portion of the drinks in this book, but it will give you ideas on what to pick up the next time you're at the liquor store. An excellent book if you are mostly looking for a huge list of recipes. The index by ingredient is also very useful, and there is a small section on how to mix drinks and a list of good bars in some cities.