Great Tastes Made Simple: Extraordinary Food and Wine Pairing for Every Palate

The author of Great Wine Made Simple now adds great eating to her repertoire, showing how to enhance the flavor of even the most casual meals with winning wine selections.

Most wine experts advice on wine and food pairings consists of rigid rules that apply largely to haute cuisine and luxury wines. But, in her trademark accessible style, Andrea Immer now takes the mystery out of choosing wine for foodand vice versa. Great Tastes Made Simple unlocks the secrets of basic food tastessweet, earthy, savory, buttery, tart, and spicyand their particular wine affinities.

Giving even ordinary meals extraordinary flavor, Immer shows readers how to bring the flavor alchemy of wine to everyday fare from burgers (with Zinfandel) to macaroni and cheese (with Rioja Crianza). She calls Pinot Grigio her tuna helper and likes barbecued brisket with Valpolicella. Theres also plenty of more sophisticated eating, including smoked salmon and Riesling; asparagus hollandaise and Champagne; wild mushroom risotto and California Pinot Noir, to name a few upscale matches. In fact, there isnt a food or category of foodincluding a panoply of cheeses, ethnic foods, and dessertsfor which Immer doesnt provide a match and the reasons why they work so well. Chart of mouthwatering pairings and an easy-to-use index make finding wonderful wine and food combinations a snap.

Zeroing in on wine-loving foodthose flavors, textures, and cooking techniques that truly dazzle when paired with wineImmer demonstrates how to get the maximum enjoyment out of every food and wine encounter. A selection of twenty recipesLow Country Shrimp and Grits (think Chardonnay), Beet Risotto (Pinot Noir), Short Rib Rag (brawny reds), and Warm Chocolate Torte (Madeira)provides delicious examples of wine-loving dishes and cooking techniques that will become part of every wine-loving cooks repertoire.

Invaluable in restaurant settings and at home, this innovative guide can make every meal a cause for celebration.