Although no one knows how or where cheese making originated, the earliest references describe its solid parts as nutritious and satisfying.

References dating from biblical times speak of “slices of milk” and how convenient it is to have solid “milk” for food that can be stored and conveniently transported.
In Latin-based languages, the word “cheese” derives from Latin caseus. The French call it fromage, Italian formaggio, and the Catalan fromatge.

Cheese makers everywhere create firm, and solid products that can be stored and sliced when needed. Pre-sliced cheese dries out quickly, and loses flavour even when packaged tightly.

The firmness of cheese is achieved during the maturation and aging process that dries the mass and concentrates nutrients, as well flavour.

During maturation sugars are converted by bacteria to short chain proteins, fats change structurally, and flavours start to emerge.

Cheese also becomes more digestible, and vitamins emerge.

Roman philosopher, writer, and naturalist, Pliny the Elder (23 – 79 AD) described cheeses available to the population. Wealthy Romans valued cheese for its versatility, mobility, and nutritional value.

Wherever Roman soldiers went, they introduced cheese making, if locals did not know about it.

Below, I have listed several cheeses, many of which are available in large European, and North American cities. It should be pointed out that the best selections of a country’s cheeses are in that jurisdiction’s large urban centres.

Some cheeses are expensive to transport, and become too expensive once they arrive in a distant city.

I selected cheeses with diversity and style in mind. Practically all are available in Toronto, Montreal, and more in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago,
Smaller cities in Canada seldom offer more than a few due to demand.

Alpkase, Appenzeller, both from R. Beeler, Switzerland; Amarello de Beira, Damar, Portugal; Aged Gouda, Thunder Oak Dairy, Canada; Belle d’Auvergne, Brillat-Savarin, both from H. Mons, France; Brunet, Langa, Italy; Bluebrie, Agropure, Canada; Bleu Benedictine, Abbaye de St. Benoit du Lac, Canada; Bayley Hazen Blue, Jasper Hill Farm, U S A; Camembert, Le Chatelaine, France; 3 – 5 year old Cheddar, Balderson, Canada; Comte, Fort St Antoine, France; Cru des Erables, Parmalat, Canada; Crottin de Chavignole, Jaquin, France; Crater Lake Blue Cheese, Rogue Creamery, USA; Ciel de Charlevoix, Agropure, Canada; Clos St Ambroise, Laiterie Chalifoux, Canada; Cendre de President, Fromagerie Le Detour, Canada; Double Gloucester, Quickes Traditional, UK; Emmenthal, Bieler, Switzerland; Epoisses, Berthaut, France; Elk Mountain, Pholie Farm, USA; Ermite, Fromagerie La Station, Canada; Fourme d’Ambert, H. Mons, France; Fiore Sardo, Savello, Italy; Garrotxa, J. Cuixart, Spain; Aged Gouda, the Netherlands; Humboldt Fog, Cypress Grove, Haysack Peak, Heysteck Mountain, both USA; Jarlsberg, TINE Ab, Norway; Idiazabal, Queserias de Araia; Ibores, La Serna, Mitica, all from Spain; Làmuse, W. Wide; Langres, Chalancy, Le Chevrot, Seve et Belle, Livarot, Graindorge, all from France; Le Riopelle de l`Isle, Damafro, Lèmpereur, Fromegerie FX Pichet, both from Canada; Mahon menorca, Coinga, Manchego, Don Juan, Murcia, Coinga, all from Spain; Manchester, Bardwell, USA; Migneron de Charlevoix, Fromagerie Lehmann, Oka, Agropur, Quatorze Arpent, Fromagerie Le Detour all from Canada; Rogue River Blue, Rogue Creamery, St Pete`s Select, Fairbonet Dairy Co. both from USA; Truffle Cheddar, Triple Cream, both from Agropur, Canada; Ubriaco, Latteria Perenzini, Italy; Vermont Ayr, Crawford Fan Farm, USA; Victor et Bethold Classique, Canada; Vacherin Fribourgeois, R. Beeler, Switzerland; Valencay, Jaquin, France; Windgo, Balderson, Canada; Zamorano, Spain.

Matching Wine and Cheese

The fat in cheese coats the tongue and makes the wine appear smoother than it actually is. Many consider cheese the ideal partner to wine and distinguish which type goes best with what type of wine.

However, there are many people who claim cheese not particularly appropriate for wine pairing.

For strong red wines i.e cabernet sauvignon, syrah, blends of MSG (mourvedre, syrah, grenache), carmenere, Brunello di Montalcino, and Amarone manchego, two or three year old cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano are recommended.

For high alcohol white wines from Sonoma County, or Napa Valley, or Australia, or even Languedoc try Triple Cream, Brie, Valencay, Camembert, or Torta di Mascarpone.

Goat cheese goes well with Sancerre, pinot gris, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc from New Zealand.

Alpine cheeses like Gruyere, Tete de Moine, Alpkase, Emmental go best with Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Riserva or Chianti from estates that blend sangiovese with a little cabernet sauvignon, Barolo, Cotes du Rhone.

For washed rind cheeses like Epoisses, Langres, Livarot, Morbriere, Tallegio, Oka choose pinot noir, cabernet franc.

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Nuts are popular with the majority of the population, but for vegetarians they represent a welcome textural, nutritional, and flavour change.

Generally, nuts grow in tropical and subtropical climates, contain significant amounts of fat and are best to buy unshelled.

Due to their high fat content, nuts are often roasted and salted. Nut aficionados prefer to buy their favourite food in the shell and to enjoy them at their best.
Shelled, processed, and packaged nuts tend to turn rancid, particularly if they are stored in warm environments (storage and retail stores).

North Americans consume peanuts, almonds, filberts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts and chestnuts in large enough quantities to warrant wide distribution.
Young people turning vegetarian help increase nut consumption and wider availability. For vegetarians, nuts are important. The body produces naturally, most but not all the essential amino acids. Meats provide all, and do some nuts.

Peanut (arachis hypogaea) (ground nut, earthnut) is technically a legume but regarded as a nut. These nuts contain more protein, minerals and vitamins than beef liver and are fatter than heavy cream.

The pods ripen underground and are commonly 25 – 50 mm long with two to three seeds in them, oblong, roughly cylindrical with rounded ends. The shells are spongy. Native to tropical South America, peanuts were introduced to China, West African countries, India and the U S A by missionaries, adventurers, conquerors, and entrepreneurs looking for profitable crops.

West African countries and the U S A produce significant amounts of peanuts on sandy, well-drained loam soils.

Peanuts are grown mostly for oil extraction. Peanut oil has a very high smoke point, and thick texture, which Chinese chefs like for wok frying. Peanuts are used in bakery products, candies, and as snacks. They are marketed salted and roasted in the shell, roasted and salted, honey roasted, and in form of peanut butter.

Some cattle ranchers feed peanuts to their animals, and in Georgia pig farmers allow their animals forage on harvested peanut fields. Pigs, ‘finished’ by eating peanuts yield extraordinarily flavourful hams for which Smithfield in Georgia is famous.
A relatively large percentage of the population is allergic to peanuts.

Almonds (prunus dulcis) are native to southwestern Asia and may be sweet or bitter. The almond three grows larger than the peach tree, lives longer and is beautiful in its fine green-white leaves. Sweet almond trees thrive between latitudes 28 – 40 N and 20 – 40 south.

Jordan and Valencia in Spain are famous for their tasty almonds, but the U S A, Spain, Italy, Iran, Portugal, and Morocco are large exporters.

Manufacturers use bitter almond oil as a base for flavouring extracts and liqueurs. Almonds contain small amounts of protein, iron, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B and high amounts of fat.

They are available fresh, ground and mixed with sugar in almond paste, slivered, slivered and toasted, whole, roasted and salted, salted and skinned, and covered in sugar paste.

Buy almonds in the shell for freshness. Shelled California grown almonds are fine if purchased from stores with a high turnover. Classic French recipes use almonds, as do many Asian cuisines. Almonds are considered to be the tastiest and most nutritious of all nuts.

Almond oil is used in perfumes, soaps, and as food flavouring.

Filberts (hazelnuts) are native to the North Temperate Zone. The tree grows up to 36 metres in height, but today commercial growers restrict growth to three to six meters for ease in cultivation and harvesting. Filbert trees grow best on well-drained soils and require abundant sunshine.

The brown roundish or oblong nut is generally one to four centimetres long and may be marketed in the shell, shelled, shelled and skinned, shelled, skinned, salted and roasted, and roasted.

Europeans produce hazelnut butter sold under the brand name Nutella.

Turkish hazelnuts from Trabezun on the Black Sea coast and from around Barcelona in Spain are considered the tastiest and used in fine chocolates. Oregon in the U S A is a large filbert producer and exporter. Hazelnuts are used in pastries and for out of hand eating.

Brazil nuts (paranut, butternut, cream nut, castanea) is the edible seed of a large South American tree and one of the major traded nuts in the world. The hard walled fruit is eight to 18 centimetres in diameter and globular in shape. The woody capsule contains eight to 24 nuts, arranged like the sections of an orange. Each is covered by a very hard, thick, brown shell and triangular. Brazil nuts are very high in fat and proteins. Ripe capsules fall to the ground and are easy to harvest. Nuts are removed, dried, washed and shipped. The Brazil nut tree can reach 45 metres or more in height.

The nut is best purchased in shell. Those shelled and stored in warm storage rooms have a rancid taste. The pecan (carya Illinoinensis) tree belongs to the walnut family and is native to the temperate North America. Occasionally the tree reaches a height of 50 metres with a trunk measuring two metres in diameter.

The nuts have brown mottled shells and vary greatly in size from 100 – 500 per kilogram. Shape varies from long, cylindrical with a pointed apex, to short, and roundish.

Pecan possess a rich a distinctive flavour and texture with a high content of fat of any plant reaching levels of close to that of butter.

The U S A is the largest pecan producer in the world (Texas, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi). South Africa and Australia also grow pecans, but only for local consumption.

Pecans are widely used in pastry production, pies, candies and confections.
Walnuts are native to southern Europe, but grow in North and South America and the West Indies. Black walnuts (jungland nigra) grows in eastern U S A and England whereas junglans regia (common walnut) in the Caucasus including Persia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia and Italy.

The Black walnut tree is 20 – 30 metres in height with a 60 – 90 centimetres trunk diameter.

The nut contains a sweet, oily seed and is enclosed in a yellow green husk. The tree matures slowly (many take up to 150 years) and can live up to 250 years. It needs fertile, well-drained soil.

Walnuts are marketed in the shell, shelled as nutmeat and in pieces.

Walnuts are used in pastries, ground in cakes, may be dipped in caramel, and pressed for fine-textured oil mostly used in salad dressings.

Walnuts should be stored in cool areas to prevent rancidity.

Cashew nuts are appended to the cashew apple. This subtropical evergreen tree likes fertile soil and high humidity, and can reach 12 metres in height. The half moon shaped, bean thick nut appended to the cashew apple can reach two-and-a-half centimetres in length.

Native Central and South America, the cashew tree was transplanted by Portuguese missionaries to East Africa and India in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The fruit is pear-shaped and the nut grows at the end of the fruit which is three times bigger than the nut. The rich and distinctively flavoured oily nut must be salted, roasted and/or dried for preservation. Cashew nuts feature frequently in Indian chicken and vegetarian dishes for flavour and textural contrast. Chinese cooks also use cashew in a number of chicken dishes.

In western cuisines, cashew nuts are seldom, if ever, used, but people eat them out of hand, particularly in roasted and salted form while enjoying beer.

The pistachio tree or shrub belongs to the cashew family, and is considered to be at home in Iran. Commercial pistachio (pistacia vera) are used for food, and grown in warm and temperate climates. Pistachios grow from Afghanistan to the Mediterranean.

California is a large producer of pistachio, but the best tasting specimens originate in Persia.

The tree grows up to a height of nine metres. The white fruit grows one-and-a-half to two centimetres long; they tend to split at one side without discharging the nut, a greenish kernel in a thin, tightly adhering reddish skin. Female and male trees are planted in a 1:5 ratio to ensure adequate pollination.

For most, pistachios are the most refined of all nuts in taste and texture.

They are marketed in the shell dyed red, or not, shelled or ground. Pistachios are used in fine pates, baklavas, in pastries, candies, and in some Italian sausages.

Pistachios contain high amounts of fat, and must be stored in cool areas. It is best to buy pistachios in shell.

Chestnuts are native to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, and can reach a height of 30 metres. European chestnuts native to Eurasia and Northern Africa are called sweet or Spanish or Eurasian chestnut, as distinct from Chinese chestnut which can reach a height of 18 metres and grows up to an altitude of 2400 metres. The bur-like fruit contains two to three nuts, enveloped in a shiny, thick brown inedible skin which can be removed after boiling or roasting.

Most chestnuts consumed in North America are imported from Italy (Abruzzo), and only in season November to December.

In Europe, chestnuts are candied, pureed, ground to flour, roasted or boiled. Chestnut puree is used in soups or pastries. The flavour and texture of chestnuts are pleasant, distinct, mild and floury. Best season in Europe is from October to January.

Macadamia an evergreen tropical ornamental tree originates in the coastal rain forests of north eastern Australia, but today grow in South Africa, Zimbabwe, South and Central America. Hawaii is a major producer.

There are two species (smooth and rough shelled). Macadamia trees like rich, well-drained soils, and require a minimum of 130 centimetres of rain annually. Macadamia trees can reach a height of 18 metres.

Ripe nuts fall to ground, harvested, machine hulled, dried, roasted and salted for preservation. Macadamia’s contain high levels of fat and must be marketed roasted and salted for wide distribution. The nuts contain high levels of calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B, and 73 percent fat.

They are difficulty to grow, slow to bear and with limited range of suitable terrain. These nuts are in short supply and high in price.

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At first blush it seems sacrilegious to parallel Christianity with the history of Guinness, the world-famous stout beer brewery of Dublin. The author has been able to write a book about Arthur Guinness, an 18th century entrepreneur, who not only was able to brew ad market a sensational beer, but also accomplish significant charitable work for his employees and motivated his off springs to do likewise. Arthur Guinness was a great man of faith, an audacious entrepreneur who, at age 29, signed a land lease for 9000 years in 1759 and started a brewery whose product is enjoyed, more than 11 million pints a day, worldwide in 150 countries, and brewed in 49.

Arthur Guinness and his descendants understood that an entrepreneur must treat his employees well in order for them to do the best for the employer, a principle most companies seem to forget nowadays.

Amassing fortunes on the backs of needy people never helps societies to advance, and the Guinness clan did a lot to further education and health for the Irish people then and now.

Guinness founded the first Sunday schools in Ireland, fought against duelling (a wide practice in the 18th century Europe) and chaired the board of a hospital for the poor. At the beginning of the 20th century, a brewery employee enjoyed full medical and dental care, massage therapy, reading rooms, subsidized meals, a fully funded pension plan, educational benefits, and much more, plus two pints of beer daily. These are benefits the majority of employees do not enjoy today in the 21st century.

The company grew, and grew, and now owns a Scotch distillery, another brewery specializing in lager-style beers, and thriving. Today, Guinness is a publicly owned company under the umbrella organization called Diageo, the world’s largest alcoholic beverage conglomerate and marketer of fine potent liquids. The philosophy of Guinness is to grow by being research=oriented, innovative, and paying attention to detail, so much so, that at one time two full time inspectors travelled the world to report problems in transportation and distribution of beer in distant countries. They also made recommendations to eliminate these problems I order to deliver a fine bottle of beer to retailers. Quality reigns supreme in Guinness philosophy, and to this the management does everything possible to ensure that a bottle of Guinness meets quality and consistency objectives all the time. To achieve this, it is brewed under licence in 49 countries.

Harry Grattan Guinness used to say: “ Gentlemen, find out the will of God for your day and generation, and then as quickly as possible, get into line”.

The amount of charitable work the Guinnes s family did and continues to do is truly astounding including renovating churches, contributing to hospitals, education needy children, and much more.

Guinness follows sound management principles – whatever you do, do it well and consistently. Think in terms of generations to come, master the facts before you act, support and research and development, and follow God’s way.

Highly recommended for entrepreneurs, history enthusiasts and the general public.

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Renowned wine expert and educator Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the world Complete Wine course is one of the best selling books of the genre in the world. (Three million copies sold to date). The expanded and updated 25th Anniversary Edition contain defined maps of wine producing countries, regions, brand recommendations, how to taste, a list of descriptive terms, and valuable advice on how and where to purchase wine, in free-enterprise alcohol distribution jurisdictions.

The books starts with a chapter titled Prelude to wine explaining where grapes grow, species, ad wine making techniques, followed by white wine s of France, then goes on to white wines of California, wines of Washington State, Oregon, and New York, red wines of Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone, and California.

Chapter seven deals with Spain, and Italy, eight Champagne, Sherry, Port, nine Australia, Hungary, Greece, Austria, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, Chile and Argentina.

A self-administered test at the end of each chapter helps you determine the knowledge gained about the specific topic.

The author travelled to eighty countries to visit wineries and taste their wines, to observe their technology, and update available information.

This is a fine introductory book that explains every aspect of wine including tasting, buying, storing, and service.

Each chapter also includes a list of wines to taste, if available locally.

There is sufficient information to help readers to make intelligent evaluations and form an opinion about the wines of different regions ad each wine tasted.

At the end of each chapter the author recommends at least one source to consult in connection with the regions or country covered fur further study.

One of the key chapters in Windows on the World Complete Wine Course is “The Physiology of Tasting Wine” and what the author calls “the olfactory chapter”, where he explains that one of the most interesting aspect about wine and wine tasting is the way it heightens awareness of the senses.

This book deserves a space on every wine enthusiast and beginner’s library for immediate reading and for reference.

Student of hotel and restaurant management schools would benefit immensely, also food and beverage managers who like to train their service staff in matter of wine service, taste, airing with food and selling.

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Wojcieck Jagielski is a savvy reporter with a sharpened mind and unbending will to describe the Chechen struggle to gain freedom from the Russian government of today. He does not shy away from the complexity and bleakness of the Chechen predicament. The history of Russia in the Caucasus is long, convoluted, cruel, and largely untold in the West.

The author makes it his business to travel to Chechnya, for a reliable guide and “facilitator”. And live there for a while to see firsthand how the Russian army destroyed and pillages villages, and Grozny, the capital of the country.

The result of this stay and interaction with Chechens in their homes, markets, their politicians, and guerrillas, is a crisp, evocative, and devastating portrait of people, rural Chechnya, and a time that remained hidden largely misrepresented for too long.
The West rarely hears of an honest, and long report how Chechens fight, fought and continues to struggle to gain their political and religious freedom. What we hear is always a “doctored” report of how aid workers and foreign journalists are taken hostage and traded for large sums, but never against Chechen guerrillas in Russian custody.

The Russian government in the past (under Stalin) and today inflicted upon this fierce and resistant nation unspeakable deeds by deporting them by the millions to Siberia to eradicate them.

Today Russian politicians try to destroy Chechnya economically; their soldiers pillage, not only villages, but also, in the middle of the night, break into the homes of innocent farmers, take away their young daughters ostensibly with the claim for interrogation. In reality, the purpose is quite sinister. Sometimes the victim simply disappears, at other times upon return cannot stop crying, or suffers from severe depression.

All these and much more is revealed by the author intimately familiar with the environment, the people and politics.

The author is an astute observer and determined to display the strengths and weaknesses of the Russian army. This he achieves and beyond, by interviewing Chechen politicians including one of the presidents, and registering their answers to his questions.

Towers of Stone should be required reading literature for all preparing for a military career, as well as the general public, to learn how news are bent and twisted for western consumption.

Interestingly enough, the Russian public also does not hear the true story, and when a few courageous reporters try to tell the truth they are murdered.
Highly recommended!

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Overflowing with irresistible recipes using bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate, cacao nibs, and beans, this book is a delight to read, and make use of the recipes it contains. Do you know who invented milk chocolate: read page 14. This invention catapulted chocolate consumption to unprecedented heights. Still today, most chocolate consumers prefer milk chocolate to others, although the taste of dark and bittersweet chocolate is much more intense according to the author, and this reviewer.

Chocolate, if consumed in small quantities and regularly, offers health benefits, much like wine. Both should never be abused for they turn to “poison”.

In the chapter for chocolate terminology the author explains all details and meaning of frequently used terms like chocolate butter, chocolate liquor, cacao nibs, bloom, tempering, tirinitario, criollo, forastero, and white chocolate, to mention just a few.

The chapter on baking tips and deep dark chocolate secrets provides information about purchasing, melting, tempering, and what to do before attempting a recipe.

Many chocolate lovers who also like to bake will benefit from this book immensely. It is true that many, if not most people prefer to buy anything baked, but the truth is, baking gives satisfaction, the aromas emanating from the oven are absolutely delightful, and the art of baking is sensual.

This boo provides recipes that can be attempted easily by anyone with the right equipment, and a little interest in the subject matter.

There are recipes for cookies and brownies, cakes, pies, puddings, custards souffles, desserts, ice creams, breakfast pastries, small bites, and drinks, all containing chocolate.

This a chocolate lover’s book. (There are millions of chocolate aficionados and the number is increasing every passing year).

Thousands of people like to bake and this book will fill a gap.

Sara Perry is a columnist for the Oregonian and authored more than a dozen books, and the photographer France Ruffenach is renown for her artistic talent both in the U SA and elsewhere in teh world.

This book is not only a handy recipe reference, but also a source that can be consulted confidently whenever the need arises.

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Home baking seems to be an activity practised less and less. For most homemakers, time is valuable and while baking may involve lengthy preparations, the results of practised baking are rewarding, and cost much less than store bought merchandise. Every day brings opportunities for baking something delicious, and this book provides ample recipes to pursue something as enjoyable as baking.

In this book Flo Baker, veteran homemaker and baking teacher, past president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, offers more than 200 recipes. All come with exact measurements (in American and metric) and detailed instructions that can lead to success, but only if you follow her instructions and are familiar with the fundamentals of baking Recipes are divided into cakes, cookies, pastries and more.

Port one outlines all procedures, techniques, the importance of accurate measuring, and quality of ingredients, equipment, and all baking fundamentals.
This lengthy chapter is well worth the price of the book.

Recipes are a bonus.
Part four of Baking for All Occasions provides a list of specialized companies throughout the U S A and their web sites.

Baking is an old, and honourable art and science. Bakers in old-world counties are highly respected professionals and bread represents a large part of the diet. But not only are bakers respected, pastry cooks too enjoy an exalted reputation. Their craft is regarded as artistic and appealing both to the sight and palate. In pastry making all recipes are more equations than recipes, and everything must be measured or weighed very accurately to achieve good results, but then the artistic part comes in for decorations, selecting colours, fillings and shapes.

Flo Baker has thousands of fans (her present and formers students), and all rave about her ability to teach and create recipes that work.

In her recipes all ingredients are available in most grocery stores, and for very special ingredients you can confidently use the sources provided in the book.
Her sweets and treats are well-conceived and relatively easy to master with a little effort and baking expertise.

In the end, baking becomes perfect with practice and will delight friends, family, and students with rewarding creations.

This book provides opportunities to create them.

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This extraordinary book was created using the episodes in each season of the TV reality show programme of Top Chef, hence the name. Any reader who thinks this to be a frivolous book is wrong. It is a book of young ambitious, and eager cooks and executive chefs who lie to compete in one kitchen set-up for them and cameras to record their activities. They are given themes, or set in unusual situations where they must decide how to proceed, or decide what to do to accomplish the task at hand.

Several things become clear while reading this colourful book. Americans have become interested in fine food, imaginatively presented, they have acquired sufficient culinary experience to decide what tastes good, and what is terrible, they understand food combination, texture, colour, and nutrition.

Young cooks and chefs constantly try to introduce foods that enjoy little popularity or are totally unknown, they are passionate about cooking; they are fearless in combining ingredients that classically-trained old-world European chefs never dared to put together and they know how important it is to interact with guests to explain how they created a particular dish, or specialty, or their “signature” recipe.

The text is entertaining but explains exactly how contestants acted on the set, or reacted after it was all over.

The text writer also included tidbits about the comments of judges including the head judge.

Each dish was presented to the judges for them to taste, evaluate, comment, and critically analyse and to decide who should be eliminated.

The photography is masterful and worth the price of this hard cover book.
Some of the recipes provided are simple enough for anyone to replicate. A few require more skill, but manageable by any interested home cook, yet a few others require considerable cooking skill and talent, but after a few tries and sufficient effort any amateur will be successful.

This days when big grocery stress have created departments offering fully prepared dishes from marinated artichokes to zabaglione it is refreshing to note that there are enough people who like to shop for food, prepare it, present it in an appetizing fashion, and enjoy it.

This book is a welcome addition for any food lover, and professional who want to try quinoa or pheasant, or quail, or falafel, just to provide some samples.

You can feed a family with bland, unimaginative foods, and people will survive, but if you want your friends and dependents to enjoy food, you should get Top Chef the Cook Book and read carefully to select recipes and try them.

Of course any young and ambitious chef must get it and immerse into all recipes, select those that are feasible in his/her restaurant, and put them on the menu!

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Jamie Oliver is a young and unpretentious chef with a noble mission. He wants people of all walks to enjoy simple, well prepared, and natural food. His idea is brilliant and hopefully catches on. As he recommends in this book, everyone who prepares at least one recipe from this book must teach it to at least two, preferably to four, and those who have learned must repeat it in turn to 16 and so one. This will become thousands in a few rounds.

Soon millions will be able to cook home cooked, even if not perfect food, at a fraction of the cost of take-out, delivered or restaurant food.

All recipes are relatively easy to prepare provided ingredients are at hand, and can be cooked in less than 30 minutes, except some of the desserts that require baling.
This is laudable, as in most western, industrialized countries people simply succumb to convenience foods’ appeal, just buying it to take home and either put it on a plate or microwave it.

There are millions of young and old men who do not know to boil an egg, and occasionally brag that they have never done so, since someone in the family has always cooked, or they go to fast food establishments to buy food.
While here is nothing to say against convenience foods, most, it not all, contain preservatives, and even if they do not, they have been cooked for at least a few days before you purchase it!

There is nothing better than expertly prepared, fresh food. The French saying “You must wait for good food, good food never waits for you!”.

This book, compiled from recipes demonstrated in one of Jamie’s classes in an elementary school, even has testimonials from people (pictures included) who proudly state how they started appreciating well prepared, tasty food, and are now cooking for themselves and/or for their families.

This book belongs to the bookshelf of every single individual, or those who plan to marry and never cooked, and old widowers who never had to cook.

Help Jamie realize his dream for millions of people enjoying lovingly prepared good food in highly industrialized western societies where fresh food is available in profusion. It is a shame that grocery stores in such countries offer many aisles of frozen prepared foods at exorbitant prices.

Highly recommended!

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Tony Aspler has been writing about wine for more than three decades, and is today, one of the most widely respected wine writers in Canada. His integrity and impartiality are well known amongst his colleagues. The witty prose flows beautifully in the inimitable way he writes. This book has been long overdue, because now, in at least four provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec) more and better wines are available. People have acquired a lot of knowledge through their travels, formal education, and in restaurants where sommeliers also contribute to education, but the most important contributor, I believe, has been writing about wine and all other contributing factors in enjoyment of this noble beverage.

The Internet is full of wine blogs; almost every large-city newspaper features a weekly wine column, millions of people enjoy a bottle with dinner. Overtime, homogenous wines from many countries become tiring, and discerning consumers start looking for more interesting libations.

I believe we are at this stage now, most fine wines must be cellared properly to appreciate them to their fullest.

This is the point where cellar planning becomes important, and the author explains all the crucial steps before deciding about location, dimension, size, temperature control and humidity, cost, and more to the point, the wines that deserve to be treated with due respect.

He has put his intimate knowledge acquired over decades into this book, which deals with setting up space for a wine cellar, from a humble corner in an apartment bedroom, to completely renovated basement, to a fully planned, elaborate air conditioned space.

He recommends specific brands from different regions around the world, with a sample chart to make it easy to compare wines, including a chapter on matching food and wine, a valuable “tool” for every wine consumer. The brands recommended are very fine to outstanding wines that you can attempt to acquire if you have the means. Some of the brands are not available in Ontario but may be in Quebec or Alberta, and possibly through the Vintages division of the
L C B O in the future.

There is also a wine description vocabulary to complete this valuable book.

Tony explains the reasons and purpose of a well conceived and planned cellar, how contractors should be evaluated, whether you should buy wine as an investment or to drink, and how you can accomplish both and much more.

This book belongs to the library of anyone interested in wine, or is beginning to get enamoured with the pleasures of wine consumption.

Highly recommended.

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If you like financial history and European history then this is a book you. R.A. Goldthwaite, a leading historian of the Italian Renaissance, has spent his career studying the Florentine economy. In this magisterial opus, he brings together a lifetime research and insight on the subject, clarifying and explaining the complex workings of Florence’s commercial, banking, and artisan sectors.

Florence was one medieval Europe’s most industrialized cities; thanks to its thriving textile industries and silk weaving.
The necessity of importation of raw materials required the establishment of banks and other enterprises that extended far beyond the boundaries of this wealthy city.
Even today, a visitor to Florence will see edifices that were the results of the profits from textiles and banking.
The book is extensive and the narrative extremely well researched, with details nowhere in English literature to be found
The good professor was able to capture the long history in two parts and seven chapters.
The introduction alone provides sufficient information about commerce in Italy up to the end of 13th century, trade with eastern Mediterranean countries, and links to the north.
Part one deals with the development of banking, and how Florentine trade expanded to the west and north of Italy. The reader should remember that in the Medieval era there were city states what is today Italy,
Florence, Genoa, Venice and Milan were some of the most powerful city-states, and had many commercial contacts in the east, west and the north.
This part also deals in detail about Florentine textile and silk industries and the workforce that contributed to quality and successes of all entrepreneurs.
The guilds, which eventually evolved into unions in England much later are also mentioned and described.
Bankruptcies also occurred in banking and there the good professor writes about the practice of lending money to feudal landowners, who had to maintain their own army for defence, and papacy. Often, landlords were in need of funds, although they had substantial and worthy landholdings.
They also suffered, much like today, from lack of liquidity.
Part to explains how governments got involved in the economy, urban geography, agriculture, social mobility, and wealth distribution.
The chapter on the conclusions of the author about the period are revealing.
This is a tome for financial history buffs, students studying economics and students of the era.
The general public will be able to get a glimpse how the foundations of modern commerce and banking were laid.

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Young and old people seem to be travelling more than ever. After visiting Europe, including the Untied Kingdom, and many of the states un the U S A, where else should you travel and get bargains to boot? If you are looking for exciting and affordable destinations, you must get this book. It lists the best places to go, and things to do, all around the world at prices that are lower than five years ago during the boom of economies of many industrialized countries.

Tourism-linked third world countries benefited a great deal from wealthy western travellers and often ever charged for their services. But all these have changed with the onset of a serious recession in 2008 mainly caused by unscrupulous American bankers.
Now, overprices destinations like London, Moscow, Tokyo, Reykjavik, and many others have had to revise their prices and the beneficiaries are travellers with money to send.
Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 outlines the top ten countries, top ten regions, top en cities in the coming year.
Each brief article s written by contributors who know the destination well and provides sources to obtain more and valuable information.
In addition to all the above, this book provides a list of the best open-air entertainment such as live music clubs, Bamako, in Mali, or Calgary Stampede, Calgary, in Canada or the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Australia just to name a few, then there is a list of all cities offering reasonably-priced medical treatments; a list of places where you can attempt to launch a musical career, best values (i.e. Iceland, Thailand or Mexico) list of best cycling rotes, list of ten hedonistic cities.
In short, this handy book is for the young and old looking for interesting and exciting destinations offering bargains.
Even if you do not have plans to travel in 2010, read this entertaining and enlightening book to make arrangements for the coming years.
Highly recommended.

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When I started teaching at a university, the term “fine Ontario wine” was an oxymoron, and only 10 minutes of the entire course were devoted to review the industry. Some of my students were offended and complained, but there was little to say about Ontario wine then. Now 37 years later, a book is written about the evolution of the industry. Linda Bramble PhD, has done it, and did it very well. She must have spent considerable time interviewing people, and even more time examining archival documents. The time was overdue for someone to write about how the wine industry of this province has come such a long way in such a short time.

In Europe it took centuries, and untold amounts of trial and error to determine what works in viticulture and viniculture. Here, it took only approximately four decades to achieve a high degree of expertise.
Granted, many immigrants helped the process by ignoring what scientists were telling them. Scientists were convinced that vitis vinifera could not be grown in Ontario successfully, but European immigrants proved them wrong.
In Europe winemaking started on a small scale, and most wineries were family operations that grew over time, then eventually they started exporting, particularly after the invention of bottles. Prior to that, wine was transported in barrels or containers and not for very long distances.
L. Bramble has managed to capture the essence of Ontario’s wine history well by focusing on individuals who have been instrumental in revolutionizing the industry.
While in Europe winemaking was a family affair and on a small scale, in North America and in Ontario it started on an industrial scale, mainly because by the time vineyards were planted there was already a substantial amount of information available and entrepreneurs wanted to get richer quickly. They preferred to produce a lot and sell at low cost taking advantage of volume sales
We can safely say that Ontario winemakers and winery owners today have taken advantage of the accumulated wisdom. They have also added to the treasury of wine growing and winemaking. This book tells the story, and tells it very well.
Anyone who drinks wine should read it to understand the intricacies of growing grapes, the politics, and how progressive thinkers managed to change the direction of winemaking in Ontario.
Even if you do not drink Ontario wine, all the more reason to read this book for it will convince you that a lot of Ontario products deserve the patronage of the citizens of Canada.

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This precious, healthy, ancient oil has been the cooking staple of Mediterranean cooks and housewives for millennia. It was not only used for cooking, but also as medicine for constipation, skin diseases, and body maintenance, to name just a few functions. Olive oil is a natural juice that preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and other properties of the olive fruit (drup). It is high in antioxidants, and monounsaturated fats, enhances the immune system, controls blood pressure, helps prevent gallstones, and is high in oleic acid (omega9).
Despite all these proven attributes for unexplainable reasons North American health authorities have never allowed these claims to be placed on back labels of olive oil bottles.
In Northern Europe, and generally in countries with cool weather, butter replaced, and still replaces olive oil with negative health consequences, if used liberally.
In Finland cardiovascular diseases are extremely high due to the diet of the population that prefers butter and cheese to olive oil.
Olive oil became popular in the 1970’s in North America with a study conducted by Italian scientists, and widely distributed by agencies promoting olive oil. The study linked high incidents of cardiovascular diseases to butter, or more generally saturated fats that were preferred over other fats including olive oil.
Since then, olive oil consumption in North America and in north European countries has increased significantly.
Olive oil is produced in temperate-climate regions namely the Mediterranean basin, Australia, Chile, the U S A, and Peru.
Italy is considered one the best olive oil producing countries in the world.
North American importers bring in enormous quantities of olive oil from Italy, but according to experts, this country’s total production is much too small to export such quantities, and satisfy internal demand.
Consumers should know that Italy is one of the biggest olive oil importer in the world importing in bulk form Greece, Tunisia, Turkey, and others inexpensive sources.
Italy also produces some of the best and most memorable estate olive oils in Tuscany, but for a price. If you are addicted to Italian olive oil, and some people are, first study the labels – it must contain the words Made in Italy or Product of Italy NOT imported from Italy; the name of the estate and the address, and a lot number. Without all of this information on the label you can safely say that the oil is not fully made of Italian grown olives. Needless to say the bottle must sport an official seal.
The best way to judge the quality, and taste of olive oil is the “drink” it by slurping so that air can run over the liquid to “liberate” the flavour and to create the all important retro-nasal effect.
Then evaluate the flavour on your tongue and pay attention to the finish after you swallow.
At first the ordinary consumer may not be able to detect any flavour nuance, but after tasting a few different oils, differences become obvious.
Some oils taste slightly bitter, others like green tea, hay, chilli peppers, cucumber, mint, artichoke, or tobacco leaf.
Caramel or coffee tastes indicate that the oil was “burned” during pressing, acquired unnatural flavours like bacon, salami or blue cheese. All indicate faults and are the results of either faulty manufacturing processes and/or storage shortcomings.
Unfiltered olive oil has more depth than those filtered; but should be consumed within a year of pressing.
The taste of olive oil, much like wine, depends on terroir) combination of soil, climate, and aspect of the olive grove). Mediterranean oils are grassy and more aromatic, those from North Africa more viscous and sweetish. California olive oils then to be sweet and soft, i.e lacking acidity.
High-quality olive oil has a complex and satisfying taste.
Look for extra virgin, and cold pressed oils. Price is a good indication for quality, but there are always exceptions. Those that are least expensive should be viewed with suspicion. The best way the judge quality is to taste.
Do not forget to explore Spanish, Australian, Chilean, Lebanese, Tunisian or Greek oils. Some are extraordinary and well worth the attention of gourmets everywhere.

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Conciencious cooks regard their knives as essential, and important asset. They select them with due care regardless of cost. A good knife is a lifetime investment; its selection and purchase should be based on quality and suitability, and regardless of cost.
A properly manufactured knife, sits well in the hand.
Before selecting, one must know what is available and what to look for.

The History of the Blade

The quality of the blade is very important. About 4000 years ago when man discovered iron and its properties, the foundation of the evolution of the blade was laid. Iron is melted at high temperatures, formed and cooled. Iron rusts and if not properly cooled will be too soft and if cooled too quickly too hard.

Steel is a mixture of about 80 percent iron and 20 percent other metals. Various knife manufacturers have their own secret formulae for their blades and the cooling. Carbon steel is an alloy of carbon and iron. It is the preferred metal for French knives, which are inflexible but sturdy. High carbon containing stainless steels is manufactured by the addition of four to five percent chromium and/or nickel to the base alloy. Super-stainless steel knives are too hard to sharpen and are not recommended.

Carbon steel has a sharp edge and holds it for a long time but it corrodes, is brittle and impractical for acidic foods.

Stainless steel resists abrasion, and corrosion, but is difficult to sharpen and does not maintain the good edge well.

High carbon stainless steel takes a good edge, resist rust and can be used in humid climates, and needs to be sharpened before every use.

Blade lengths

Blade lengths vary depending on intended use. A small paring knife will be no more than 10 cm. (4″) in blade length, whereas a carving knife can be as long as 40 cm (16″). Frequently used chef’s knives are available in blade lengths of: 20 cm (8″), 25 cm (10″), 30 cm (12″), 35 cm (16″). The most popular blade length is 25 – 30 cm (10-12″).

Professionals use the following knives frequently:

• Paring Knife (to peel vegetables)
• French Chef’s Knife (to cut and dice hard vegetables, meats)
• Filleting Knife (to filet fish, very flexible)
• Boning Knife (to bone large meat cuts containing bones)
• Carving Knife (to carve large roasts)
• Serrated Knife (to slice tomatoes)
• Bread Knife
There are many other knives such as butcher-, curved paring knife etc..
Generally, a good quality French chef’s – , a paring- , a boning- and a serrated knife are sufficient for home use.

The Parts of a Knife

A knife consists of a blade and a handle. The blade has a point, tip, back, cutting edge, bolster and heel. The handle is held in position with rivets. Nowadays there are one-piece plastic not riveted handles, but once they crack or become damaged they cannot be replaced, whereas a riveted handle be replaced.

Handles

The proper handle of a knife is as important as the blade. There are various handle types and materials.

Handles can be full-, three-quarter, half- or rat-tail tang. Full tang extends to the very end of the knife. It provides a good balance is sturdy and highly recommended. Three-quarter tang, half tang and rat-tail tang are proportional to length of the handle. Most professional cooks prefer full tang handles. The shape of a handle should be simple and sit in the hand comfortably without sharp edges. The best material for handles is Brazilian rosewood, but other impregnated woods can be good substitues.

The Balance of a Knife

A well designed knife is balanced, with a straigt blade and sits comfortably in hand.

Care of knives

Knives must be properly cared to last a lifetime. A knife must be used solely for cutting, never soaked, especially if it has a wooden handle or sanitized in a dishwasher. The intense heat in the dishwasher changes the molecular structure of the blade. After cutting simply wipe with a damp cloth from the back of the blade. If soapy or detergent water has been used, the blade should be dried immediately. Stains on the blade can be removed by using a slice of lemon, which has been sprinkled with salt and rubbed on the blade. After the removal of the stains the knife must be rinsed with soapy or hot water and dried immediately.

Storage of Knives

Knives should be stored to protect the blade and safety. They can be properly protected and stored in a specially designed portable case, tool box, wooden block, wooden holder or a board with magnetic holder. The later is convenient but has shortcomings.

Safety in Handling Knives

A knife is a sharp instrument and deserves respect. The edge of the knife should be kept sharp at all times. A dull knife is more dangerous than one that is sharp. For safety reasons the sharpness of the edge should never be checked by running a finger along it. It is extremely dangerous to attempt to catch a falling knife. Knives should never be hidden under food or cutting boards.
The appropriate knife should be selected for the task on hand. Always cut away from your self and protect your fingers. When feeling drowsy or not well it is inadvisable to utilize a knife.
When passing a knife from one person, always lay it down and let the other person pick it up by the handle. Always put the protective sheath on the blade when not in use and carry it with the tip pointing down. Never run when carrying a knife.

Sharpening a Knife

Sharpening a knife can only be undertaken using a sharpening stone. Sharpening steels help keep a sharp knife sharp . Sharpening stones can be medium or fine or glued back to back. The sharpening of a knife must be undertaken with either mineral oils or water.
There are various techniques used in sharpening knives. The most appropriate method depends on each individual.

Regrinding should not be confused with sharpening. When a blade is totally dull it must be reground on a special stone. This operation must be undertaken with great care and knowledge.

Steels

Steels keep a sharp knife sharp. Every cook should have a good steel and when shopping for one, should consider the following points. The shaft of the steel must be harder than the metal or blade to be sharpened. The grain of the shaft can be course or fine or may be a combination of both. The handle and guard are very important. The handle should be of a non-slip material and the guard between the shaft and the handle should be long enough to protect the user. There are steels with round-, flat -, or oval shafts. The round shafted steel is considered to be more functional. The shaft lengths vary from 28 cm (11″) to 7 cm (2 3/4″). The length of the shaft will depend on the length of blade of the knife to be sharpened. Actually the term to “True the Edge of the Knife” is more appropriate than saying “Sharpening”.

Manufacturers of Knives

There are many reputable and well-known professional knife manufacturers, some of which are listed below. (This list is not complete or in order of preference’)

J.A. Henckels (Solingen) Germany (This Company has two subsidiaries one in Portugal the other in Brazil. Their products cost less but are of inferior quality)

F. Dick (Solingen) Germany

Wusthoff (Solingen) Germany

Victoria (Luzerne) Switzerland

Sabatiere Pere – France

Prices of Knives

Price is a function of quality and value of the currency. Shop around for the best price, once you have chosen the manufacturer and type. Occasionally deoartment stores run sales and offer good deals. Compromising price for lower quality should be avoided.

Cutting Boards

Cutting or chopping on metal or ceramic surfaces is dangerous. Always use a cutting board. There are several types. The plastic cutting board has little or no resilience, develops ruts, tends to dull the blade, and eventually chips.
The hard rubber board is resilient and has grooves. It is workable but does not allow quick chopping. The wooden cutting board may be of hard- or relatively soft wood. IHard wood is more expensive but lasts much longer. Usually strips of wood are electrically connected with very strong glues. They must be cared for appropriately, stripped and sanded to prevent ruts and nicks. Also, they may be infested with food debris and germs, thus are unsanitary.

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Written in elegant prose and filled with beautiful, original art, this keepsake volume examines 75 unusual and eminently beautiful and attractive vegetables. The author examines the history of each heirloom, vegetable he describes, and recommends their cultivation. He is so knowledgeable about growing these vegetables that he even tells the reader at what time of the year to plant indoors and when to replant in the garden, providing measurements between each plant.

He even offers recipes for many of them, and mentions what type of poultry, or fish the vegetable is question would complement.
Jacob Straub is passionate about the subject and a practitioner to boot.
This is a book for passionate gardeners who like to plant heirloom vegetables, and enjoy their looks, and taste.
All illustrations are so pretty that one could frae them for use as decoration in offices or recreation rooms.
The author is to enthusiastic that he mentions and describes five heirloom tomatoes, several lettuce varieties, peppers, carrots just to mention a few.
This is book written by a gardener fascinated with heirloom vegetables for passionate gardeners.
Highly recommended for all interested in vegetables and concerned about the loss of all heirloom species.
If you want to know where to get the seeds for these rare vegetables, just refer to the extensive resource section.

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Almost monthly, we read a new study about the health benefits of daily moderate red wine consumption. In particular, reseveratrols (a phenol found in red wines, but particularly in pinot noir and according to some in cabernet sauvignon), among other phenols, has been studied at length. Resverastrol was first discovered in 1950’s in Japan, and now American researchers and scientists are trying to produce it in form of a pill to prolong life.

The good doctor explains in great detail the benefits of red wine consumption and reseveratrols, but also stresses the fact most studies fail to point out. The amount of resveratrol that is needed on a daily basis, and that this phenol behaves differently when ingested in the form of a pill.
What he says is accurate, and extremely well said.
According to the good doctor, wine is food as the populations of most European wine producing countries have known for centuries, but in North America health authorities have never acknowledged the benefits of wine.
Wine is ideal for old people, and protects the brain, is a claim that is well substantiated in this gem of a book.
This book is about healthy living and gives sound, advice what to consume, how much, and the reasons for consuming wine.
What strikes me as a very curious is that long studies in Denmark established that wine drinkers are smarter than the average individual, but it does not establish whether smart people drink wine or wines makes them smart.
This book belongs on the shelf of every wine drinker, and even those who do not drink wine!

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