History in a Glass or Essentials of Roasting

History in a Glass: Sixty Years of Wine Writing from Gourmet

Author: Ruth Reichl

When Gourmet magazine debuted in the 1940s, America’s wineries were still reeling from the lingering effects of Prohibition and the loss of wines from war-torn Europe. But for every closed door, there was an open bottle: The bleak postwar years were actually a prelude to today’s unprecedented and widespread appreciation for the grape. New York Times bestselling author Ruth Reichl reread sixty-five years of wine articles in Gourmet to select the best for History in a Glass. The result is a rollicking tale of great meals, great walks, and wonderful drinks as Americans discover the pleasures of wine.
These marvelous essays were written by men and women who were not only on hand to witness wine’s boom but, in many cases, helped to foster the environment that made it thrive. The early days after World War II provided a great opportunity for James Beard and Frank Schoonmaker to reacquaint oenophiles with the joys of European wines. Through tireless dispatches from the Continent, they inspired American vintners to produce world-class wines on their own rich soil.
In subsequent pieces, an impressive, surprisingly diverse roster of writers revel in the sensual and emotional pleasures of wine: the legendary Gerald Asher reflects on the many faces of Chianti; Hillaire Belloc dispenses bits of wisdom by the glass to his niece on her wedding day; the science fiction titan Ray Bradbury rhapsodizes about the earthy pleasures of dandelion wine; Kate Colman explores the moral quandary surrounding a friend’s unintentionally generous gift of a rare Bordeaux; Hugh Johnson reports on Hungarian varieties during the height of Cold War tensions in the early 1970s; evenGourmet’s current spirits editor, James Rodewald, reminisces on the first time he fell in love–with a bottle of Pinot Noir.
With an Introduction by Ruth Reichl, and covering more than six decades of epicurean delights, History in a Glass is an astonishing celebration of all things good and grape.

Publishers Weekly

Gourmet's editor-in-chief peers into the archives for an intriguing perspective on wine-making history since the magazine's 1941 founding. Reichl culls from a cornucopia of famous food writers-Gerald Asher, James Beard, Frank Schoonmaker-and bares an unabashed boosterism for American wines. As Schoonmaker notes in a series of shimmering early pieces, American vintners had a grand opportunity for growth during the war years, with eminent French chateaux under German control, and yet American viticulture was still reeling from the abuses of Prohibition. Moreover, American vintners resisted using indigenous grape varieties, ignoring "the greatest natural grape-growing area on the earth's surface." With time, the second "American Revolution" was achieved, as Hugh Johnson and Frederick S. Wildman Jr. note enthusiastically in articles from the 1960s and '70s. Meanwhile, Gourmet's bon vivants traveled from France's Bordeaux, Burgundy, C te d'Or and Rh ne regions to Germany's Rhineland, Hungary's elusive Tokay and Spain's Sherry capital, Jerez de la Frontera. Hugh Johnson's supercilious essay "The Wines of Italy" (1972) asks sneeringly, "What great wines, if any, are there in Italy?" thus demonstrating the occasional datedness of the pieces. Wines of Chile, Australia and New Mexico have also inspired these literary oenophiles, happily so. (On sale Mar. 7) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

This sampling of columns from the past 60 years in Gourmet magazine touches on many aspects of wine and winemaking. Arranged by topic rather than chronologically, the signed and dated columns are not particularly in-depth but offer enjoyable eyewitness snapshots from a particular time and place. Their authors range from Gourmet's own columnists to notables like Ray Bradbury and James Beard. The first chapter focuses on the devastating impact of Prohibition on American winemaking and its struggles to recover in the late 1930s. Subsequent chapters cover everything from winemaking around the world to the impact of California wines. Editor Reichl (Tender at the Bone), who is currently editor in chief of Gourmet, contributes an introduction (which was not included in the proofs). Public libraries with strong wine history collections should consider adding this book; for all others it is an optional purchase.-Andrea R. Dietze, Orange Cty. P.L., Santa Ana, CA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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Essentials of Roasting: Recipes and Techniques for Delicious Oven-Cooked Meals

Author: Williams Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Roasting includes everything you need to know to roast successfully, from how to season food before cooking to how to test when food is perfectly done. More than 130 delicious recipes for starters and small plates, a variety of meats and poultry, fish and shellfish, and vegetables and fruit, all with clear directions, encourage you to put your newfound knowledge to work. Beautifully photographed, this comprehensive teaching volume and recipe collection will be an "essential" addition to your cookbook shelf. A chestnut-brown turkey with garlic and herbs hidden beneath its crisp skin. A whole sea bass perfectly cooked inside a coarse-salt crust. Thick, Caribbean-inspired pork chops basted with a tropical blend of lime, brown sugar, and dark rum. Slender fingerling potatoes shiny with olive oil and flecked with fresh herbs. Warm, tart apples spiced with cinnamon and served with a silky creme anglaise. The secrets behind roasting these tantalizing dishes and dozens more can be found in Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Roasting.

This information-packed volume opens with a brief history of roasting and a discussion of the many ways that this technique transforms and enhances food. Comprehensive descriptions cover the types of roasting and explain every stage of the roasting process, from preparing the food to properly testing the food for optimum doneness, providing all the knowledge you need to roast even without a recipe. Detailed instructions and step-by-step photographs show how to make accompanying sauces and gravies. Roasting pans, thermometers, and other equipment and tools are clearly described and pictured. Five chapters, with more than 130 traditional and innovative recipes, offer a broad range of irresistible ideas for preparing starters and small plates and for roasting fish and shellfish, poultry, meats, and vegetables and fruits. The chapters begin with advice on buying and preparing their subjects, and the recipes, each handsomely photographed, balance everyday fare, such as winter squash soup, meat loaf, and spareribs, with special-occasion dishes, including Christmas goose and standing rib roast with Yorkshire pudding. Delicious recipes for seasonings, sauces, and both savory and sweet accompaniments to roasted foods; illustrations and descriptions of beef, pork, and lamb cuts; instructions on trussing and carving; and an informative glossary complete this indispensable volume, leaving you fully prepared to turn on the oven and start roasting.

Table of Contents:

	Preface	6
	Roasting, Past and Present	8
	Types of Roasting	11
	Equipment for Roasting	14
	Roasting Basics	18
	Starters and Small Plates	26
	Fish and Shellfish	60
	Poultry	94
	Meats	158
	Vegetables and Fruits	232
	Basic Recipes	278
	Basic Techniques	282
	Beef, Lamb, and Pork Cuts	288
	Glossary	294
	Index	298