As with any list that claims to be comprehensive, Neil Beckett’s compendium of 1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die (Universe, $36.95) is bound to create controversy and spark debate. Is Champagne better than sherry? Does one great vintage trump centuries of vinicultural excellence? This book aims to create exactly these conversations. The editors attempted to cobble together a list composed not strictly of the best wines but of the most complete range of tastes and styles. Though most of the choices are based on vintage, this book offers insight into the global wine industry in all its facets—from rare wines, only found at auction, to familiar mass-produced grocery-store brands
James Beard’s classic The Fireside Cook Book (Simon & Shuster, $30) is now available in a 60th- anniversary edition. It’s a classic for a reason: Beard’s recipes and explanations are simple without being patronizing. It’s the perfect cookbook for someone who is new to cooking or who doesn’t want to be the next Top Chef but who wants to make good food. The easy-to-follow recipes are accompanied by a series of variations, so you can tailor a recipe to suit your specific tastes or needs. But perhaps the best part of this book is the quirky illustrations throughout. The entire book has a light, almost whimsical feel. And, of course, the recipes are great.
Ina Garten’s new cookbook, Barefoot Contessa: Back To Basics (Clarkson Potter, $35), joins recent works by Jamie Oliver and Alice Waters that advocate a return to the essentials of cooking. Garten talks about the choice of ingredients, instructs in techniques for food preparation, and presents a hundred new recipes. For experienced cooks, this is a master class with a great chef. For new cooks it’s an invaluable resource for developing and improving their skills. It also provides an inimitable look into Garten’s thinking about food preparation and the choices a good cook makes when setting out to prepare a meal.
