Dean & DeLuca: The Food and Wine Cookbook
When they opened their first store in 1977, Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca's mission was to spread the gospel of good eating. Today the very name Dean & DeLuca conjures up visions of the holy land for seekers of fine cheeses, charcuterie, and fresh-baked artisan breads. InDean & DeLuca: The Food and Wine Cookbook, D&D; wine director Jeff Morgan celebrates the sublime marriage of D&D;'s original old-world concept--offering top-quality international culinary selections--and the influence of California's diverse wines. Beginning with a veritable "California Wine 101" course, Morgan details a concise history of California winemaking from pre-gold rush days through the dry gulch of Prohibition and onward to glory in the 1980s. Also included are primers on the chief varietals and the basics of pairing wine with food. The recipes, which range from uncomplicated to fairly ambitious, and from economical to downright indulgent, are both inventive and inviting. Simple dishes like Chilled Yellow Tomato Soup with Guacamole, and Fish Soup with Artichoke Hearts and Artichoke Aioli highlight the best of California's bounty, while Lobster, Cabernet, and Shitake Soup, or Caviar Soufflé provide opportunities to revel in the elegant. Clever twists on more usual dishes are also well represented: Chile-Pecan Chicken Breasts with Honey Mustard Glaze, Garlic Pork Chops with Sauvignon Beurre Blanc, and Saffron Chardonnay Risotto offer welcome variety. Not all of the recipes include wine as an ingredient, but each includes helpful  wine-pairing suggestions. All in all, this book provides a handy recipe for embracing the good life by celebrating the best of food and wine.--Robin Donovan