| I first saw this little book on the shelves at my local library. When I got it home, it was obvious that all Ms Mansfield had done was travel from tasting room to tasting room, meet with the marketing staff, and collect the recipes they provided. (Each recipe has a copy of the wine's label facing it so there is no doubt where it came from.) Instead of a bound book, CelestialArts could have gone to Kinkos and had the whole ensemble published/stapled for a lot less. * sigh * That being said, the recipes themselves are fairly easy for an experienced family chef (read Mom) or anyone who loves to cook and knows the difference between saute and sauce. The pasta dishes are elegant and the ingredients can be picked up at the local market. There is no nutritional analysis information available, but reading through the recipes one notices lots of cream, butter and soft cheeses so it doesn't take a Susan Powter to realize these dishes should be reserved for an occasional, special meal. I decided to buy the book just for that reason- these recipes (there are no photos of the finished victuals)are good ones to have in your repertoire (filed under "dinners that Wow 'em"). As much as I disliked all the obvious gushing over the winemakers, the recipes sound wonderful and I will probably cook lots of them! |
