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(More customer reviews)The other reviews I saw about this book only said it was a great book and applauded Ms. MacNeil but did so without giving any specifics. Well here's why it would be a good book to own.
The menus are divided into seasons. So the food will be at its peak and then with Ms. MacNeil's wine pairings you just can't go wrong. The unfortunate thing is that she suggests specific wines. In my little town I can't find many of the wines she suggests. I try to go with a wine that is a similar grape varietal, region, etc but I've failed more than I've succeeded in this hit or miss pairing. However, it's been fun making new finds and we have found some of the specific wines that she has suggested and they were wonderful.
For the holiday dessert menu, all 4 wines that were suggested were $75+ dollars each. I would have liked to have had different price points rather than blow out my budget on one gathering. I'm sure the $75+ Port she suggests is outstanding but I still have to feed my family for the month and that's definitely a splurge rather than a frequent event.
I wanted to find a book that I could use over and over and spending that kind of money is not something I could do on a regular basis. If there had been different price point suggestions then I could purchase one bottle that's pricey but these were all pricey. Just couldn't do it. But the dessert recipes were great and it gives me ideas and encourages me to broaden my wine/food repertoire.
I made the garlic rosemary roasted chicken, spicy sweet potato wedges and then paired it with Cotes-du-rhones. I could not afford the $$$ suggestion she made of Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas. I'm sure it would have been good but $35 for a weekday dinner wine is too stiff for my budget.
The recipe for the classic french bread was excellent. I had the Alsace Riesling with it and a pork roast. It was delish but again I did not purchase the $$$ bottle she suggested but a much cheaper bottle that was just as good. So this cookbook has certainly gotten me interested and motivated to try new things and provides the food recipes to do it.
If you're looking for a book that includes recipes and wine pairings then I would suggest This Food, That Wine it had more reasonably priced wines for everyday consumption as well as everyday type meals. Wine, Food & Friends is reserved for the special occasions when you want a presentation that includes expensive food and expensive wine.
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Wine, Food & Friends: Karen's Wine and Food Pairing Guide, Plus Over 100 Cooking Light RecipesWine and cooking enthusiasts will know immediately that they have uncorked something truly magical with Karen MacNeil'sWine, Food & Friends. This book combines the culinary expertise of Cooking Light with the wine connoisseurship of Karen MacNeil, today's preeminent wine authority. Award-winning author, lecturer, and television personality, Karen is a champion when it comes to the enjoyment of food and wine, which she summarizes in "The Only Ten Principles of Matching Wine and Food You'll Ever Need." Pair Karen's zeal for the art of wine with more than 150 Cooking Light kitchen-tested recipes and you have all the ingredients you need to reach new levels of gastronomical glory. Features:* Build your culinary knowledge base by combining 30 top-rated menus and recipes with wine recommendations for every season and any occasion* More than 100 full color photographs give visual cues for presenting casually elegant dishes* Demystifies wine terms with Karen MacNeil's tried-and-true food and wine matchmaking concepts* Offers Karen's own Sip Tips—easy-to-remember wine descriptors and non-intimidating advice on buying, ordering, and serving wine
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