Tasting the Past: The Science of Flavor and the Search for the Origins of Wine


Kevin Begos - 2018
    What he discovers is a whole world of forgotten grapes, each with distinctive tastes and aromas, as well as the archaeologists, chemists, and botanists who are deciphering wine down to molecules of flavor. The characters in The World in a Glass of Wine include a young Swiss scientist who set out to decode the DNA of every single wine grape in the world; Middle Eastern researchers who seek to discover the wines that King David drank; and a University of Pennsylvania academic who has spent decades analyzing wine remains. The science illuminates wine in ways no critic can, and demolishes some of the most sacred dogmas of the industry: well-known French grapes aren’t especially noble.   This alternative history starts in the Caucasus Mountains, where wine was domesticated 8,000 years ago. Then we travel with Begos along the original wine routes—down to Israel and across the Mediterranean to Greece, Italy, France, and finally to America, where California and Vermont vineyards are creating new wines by letting native and European grapes breed together—it’s a literal melting pot of new tastes and possibilities. As he samples these wines, Begos offers readers tasting suggestions that go far beyond the endless bottles of Chardonnay and Merlot found in most stores and restaurants.   From this combination of journalism, history, science, and adventure travel, readers will learn the multicultural roots of wine while enjoying a full-bodied story with a rich, nutty bouquet and plenty of subtle nuances that will linger.

What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained


Robert L. Wolke - 2002
    Chemistry professor and syndicated Washington Post food columnist Robert L. Wolke provides over 100 reliable and witty explanations, while debunking misconceptions and helping you to see through confusing advertising and labeling.

Little Black Book of Cocktails


Virginia Reynolds - 2003
    Glossary covers spirits from A to Z. Anecdotes about famous drinks, drinkers, and watering holes! Indexed.

The Useful Idiot: How Donald Trump Killed the Republican Party with Racism, the Rest of Us with Coronavirus, And Why We Aren’t Done With Him Yet


S.V. Date - 2021
    

Life Is Meals: A Food Lover's Book of Days


James Salter - 2006
    Life Is Meals is rich with culinary wisdom, history, recipes, literary pleasures, and the authors' own memories of successes and catastrophes.For instance: The menu on the Titanic on the fatal night? Reflections on dining from Queen Victoria, JFK, Winnie-the-Pooh, Garrison Keillor, and many others? The seductiveness of a velvety Brie or the perfect martini? How to decide whom to invite to a dinner party?and whom not to? John Irving's family recipe for meatballs; Balzac's love of coffee? The greatest dinner ever given at the White House? Where in Paris Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter had French onion soup at 4:00 a.m.? How to cope with acts of God and man-made disasters in the kitchenSophisticated as well as practical, opinionated, and indispensable, Life Is Meals is a tribute to the glory of food and drink, and the joy of sharing them with others. "The meal is the emblem of civilization," the Salters observe. "What would one know of life as it should be lived, or nights as they should be spent, apart from meals?"

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science


J. Kenji López-Alt - 2015
    Kenji López-Alt has pondered all these questions and more. In The Food Lab, Kenji focuses on the science behind beloved American dishes, delving into the interactions between heat, energy, and molecules that create great food. Kenji shows that often, conventional methods don’t work that well, and home cooks can achieve far better results using new—but simple—techniques. In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more.

Fancy AF Cocktails: Drink Recipes from a Couple of Professional Drinkers


Ariana Madix - 2019
    Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval, two of the show’s stars, fell in love on the show and have stuck together through it all. They've been talking about writing a cocktail book on the show for a few seasons, and now they're finally delivering the goods with this book that has drinks for every situation. It features a mix of classy cocktails for fancy special occasions and trashier recipes for those times when you just have a few random ingredients in your kitchen and want to keep the buzz going. Shots and recovery recipes are also included, so your pregame and morning after will be covered too. Woven throughout are brand-new photos and behind-the-scenes stories crafted with the help of Bravo insider and co-author Danny Pellegrino, making this a true must-have for fans of the show.

Colonial Spirits: A Toast to Our Drunken History


Steven Grasse - 2016
    The book features a rousing timeline of colonial imbibing and a cultural overview of a dizzying number of drinks: beer, rum and punch; temperance drinks; liqueurs and cordials; medicinal beverages; cider; wine, whiskey, and bourbon—all peppered with liquored-up adages from our founding fathers. There is also expert guidance on DIY methods for home brewing. Imbibe your way through each chapter, with recipes like the Philadelphia Fish House Punch (a crowd pleaser!) and Snakebites (drink alone!). Hot beer cocktails and rattle skulls have never been so completely irresistible.

The 12-Bottle Bar: A Dozen Bottles. Hundreds of Cocktails. the Only Guide You Need for an Amazing Home Bar


David Solmonson - 2014
    

Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan's Food Culture


Matt Goulding - 2015
    In this 5000-mile journey through the noodle shops, tempura temples, and teahouses of Japan, Matt Goulding, co-creator of the enormously popular Eat This, Not That! book series, navigates the intersection between food, history, and culture, creating one of the most ambitious and complete books ever written about Japanese culinary culture from the Western perspective.Written in the same evocative voice that drives the award-winning magazine Roads & Kingdoms, Rice, Noodle, Fish explores Japan's most intriguing culinary disciplines in seven key regions, from the kaiseki tradition of Kyoto and the sushi masters of Tokyo to the street food of Osaka and the ramen culture of Fukuoka. You won't find hotel recommendations or bus schedules; you will find a brilliant narrative that interweaves immersive food journalism with intimate portraits of the cities and the people who shape Japan's food culture.This is not your typical guidebook. Rice, Noodle, Fish is a rare blend of inspiration and information, perfect for the intrepid and armchair traveler alike. Combining literary storytelling, indispensable insider information, and world-class design and photography, the end result is the first ever guidebook for the new age of culinary tourism.

Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram


Iain Banks - 2003
    A tour of Scottish distilleries explores the history, personality and mystery of the water of life.As a native of Scotland, bestselling author Ian Banks has decided to undertake a tour of the distilleries of his homeland in a bid to uncover the unique spirit of the single malt.Visiting world-famous distilleries and also the small and obscure ones, Iain Banks embarks on a journey of discovery which educates him about the places, people and products surrounding the centuries-old tradition of whisky production.Using various modes of transport -- island ferries, cars across the highlands and even bicycles -- Banks’ tour of Scotland combines history, literature and landscape in an entertaining and informative account of an exploration in which the arrival is by no means the most important part of the journey.

The Elusive Benefits of Undereating and Exercise: from Why We Get Fat (A Vintage Short)


Gary Taubes - 2017
    Likewise, exercise, however beneficial it may be to fitness, only increases appetite and so often hinders weight loss. In this sharp and persuasive piece, acclaimed and bestselling science writer Gary Taubes exposes erroneous nutritional guidelines and finally provides evidence to curb misguided “calories-in, calories-out” model for why we get fat. A Vintage Shorts Wellness selection. An ebook short.

The Grand Tour: The Life and Music of George Jones


Rich Kienzle - 2015
    Kienzle meticulously sifted through archival material, government records, recollections by colleagues and admirers, interviewing many involved in Jones’s life and career. The result: an evocative portrait of this enormously gifted, tragically tormented icon called “the Keith Richards of country.”Kienzle chronicles Jones’s impoverished East Texas childhood as the youngest son of a deeply religious mother and alcoholic, often-abusive father. He examines his three troubled marriages including his union with superstar Tammy Wynette and looks unsparingly at Jones’s demons. Alcohol and later cocaine nearly killed him until fourth wife Nancy helped him learn to love himself. Kienzle also details Jones’s remarkable musical journey from singing in violent Texas honky tonks to Grand Ole Opry star, hitmaker and master vocalist whose raw, emotionally powerful delivery remains the Gold Standard for country singers.The George Jones of this heartfelt biography lived hard before finding contentment until he died at eighty-one—a story filled with whiskey, women and drugs but always the saving grace of music.Illustrated with eight pages of photos.

Mexican Made Easy: Everyday Ingredients, Extraordinary Flavor


Marcela Valladolid - 2011
    Now, Marcela shares the fantastic recipes her fans have been clamoring for in a cookbook that ties into her popular show.  A single mom charged with getting dinner on the table nightly for her young son, Fausto, Marcela embraces dishes that are fun and fast—and made with fresh ingredients found in the average American supermarket. Pull together a fantastic weeknight dinner in a flash with recipes such as Baja-Style Braised Chicken Thighs, Mexican Meatloaf with Salsa Glaze, and Corn and Poblano Lasagna. Expand your salsa horizons with Fresh Tomatillo and Green Apple Salsa and Grilled Corn Pico de Gallo, which can transform a simply grilled chicken breast or fish fillet. For a weekend brunch, serve up Chipotle Chilaquiles or Cinnamon Pan Frances. Delicious drinks, such as Pineapple-Vanilla Agua Fresca and Cucumber Martinis, and decadent desserts, including Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding and Bananas Tequila Foster, round out the inspired collection. With 100 easy recipes and 80 sumptuous color photographs, Mexican Made Easy brings all of the energy and fresh flavors of Marcela’s show into your home.  Chipotle-Garbanzo Dip makes 3/4 cup 1 (15.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained2 garlic cloves, peeled1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chiles) plus more for serving2 teaspoons sesame seed paste (tahini)1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for servingSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantroTortilla chips Put the garbanzo beans, garlic, lemon juice, adobo sauce, and sesame paste in a food processor and puree until nearly smooth; the mixture will still be a little coarse. With the machine running, add the olive oil and process until well incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the dip to medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and a few drops of adobo sauce and top with the cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains


William F. Drannan - 1903
    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.