A Great Book: What to Drink with What You Eat

My friends and family know all about this blog, and I'm proud to say that I have recruited several to the "Life Should Be Beautiful" philosophy. So it's not surprising (and welcome in my eyes) that some of my Christmas gifts have a food, wine or cocktail theme.

If you've been reading this blog for any time at all, you know that I am big proponent of wine (and even cocktail) pairings with food. So I was delighted to get a new book from some good friends of mine. What to Drink with What You Eat, written by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, says that it's "the definitive guide to pairing food with wine, beer, spirits, coffee, tea--even water--based on expert advice from America's best sommeliers."

That's a confident claim that deserved some testing. The book is arranged into two main sections--one which lists food and then drink pairings and one which reverses that, listing beverages and the foods with which to pair them.

I cracked the book open to two pairings that I knew should be listed as classics. Sure enough Chianti was listed with lasagna and both Champagne and vodka with caviar. And some of the alternate non-bold choices were intriguing as well. Led me to trust the authors' instincts.

So I'll explore some of the other pairing suggestions they make, including Beaujolais with salads and sweet Sherry with creme brulee. And I think the extensive section with suggested pairings for cheese will come in handy.

And while most of the listings are for wines, there are interesting pairing ideas for coffee (Italian roast with antipasto) and cocktails (oysters with gin) that are worth a look.

It's definitely worth adding to your kitchen resource library.