What to Drink with What You Eat

by Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page, Michael Sofronski (Contributor)

<!--StartFragment-->Winner of the 2007 IACP Cookbook of the Year Award

Winner of the 2007 IACP Cookbook Award for Best Book on Wine, Beer or Spirits

Winner of the 2006 Georges Duboeuf Wine Book of the Year Award

Winner of the 2006 Gourmand World Cookbook Award - U.S. for Best Book on Matching Food and Wine<!--EndFragment-->


Prepared by a James Beard Award-winning author team, "What to Drink with What You Eat" provides the most comprehensive guide to matching food and drink ever compiled--complete with practical advice from the best wine stewards and chefs in America. 70 full-color photos.

Genres: Food, Cookbooks, Wine, Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference, Food and Drink

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 2, 2006

About the author

Andrew Dornenburg is a James Beard Award-winning author whose influential work in culinary literature has helped shape modern American food writing. Alongside his wife and writing partner, Karen A. Page, Dornenburg has co-authored numerous acclaimed books, including Becoming a Chef, Culinary Artistry, The Flavor Bible, and What to Drink with What You Eat. Their books have garnered numerous accolades, including honors from the James Beard Foundation, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. A former marathon runner and Culinary Institute of America honorary ambassador, Dornenburg is known for his thoughtful approach to the intersection of food, flavor, and the dining experience. Despite living with dyslexia, he has built a celebrated career in publishing. Dornenburg and Page live in New York City, where they continue to influence chefs, sommeliers, and home cooks around the world.

Reviews

[Lauren Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had just the right balance of theory and suggestions. I feel like it gave me both a place to start trying new drink pairings, and also the know-how to branch out with my own ideas.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The single best wine + food reference I have read. Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page- a husband and wife power duo with heaps of experience in and accolades from the world of fine wine and dining - want nothing more than to evangelize the joy of beautiful food and drink, in combination! They make the pairing experience accessible and fun, but still challenge the reader to experiment, to break out of the "white wine with fish, red wine with steak" rut.

This is an indispensable reference, divided into two primary sections: What to drink with what you eat & What to eat with what you drink. Their approach is incredibly comprehensive, but the editorial content is engaging and demystifying. This will be my go-to guide professionally and personally. And for $2.99 on i-tunes, there IS an app for that!

Well done!

[Tanmay Jadhav · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the expense of possibly sounding very snobbish, this book is an excellent resource for understanding the world of wine pairing. This is by no means a quick read but more so a reference book that you must pick and choose from.

For the novices, there are quite a few wines in here, which are not standard household wines, but don’t let that scare you. It has definitely made me want to explore more white wines, partly because of the type of food that it goes with and also because of people in my life who like it.

[Happyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by the authors of Culinary Artistry, this is a great reference for finding appropriate wines for your favorite foods and foods for your favorite wines. The pairings are not rigid and are based on recommendations from top sommeliers as to what will best enhance certain flavors.

While I'm partial to reds, I was happy to see that Reislings, the wine of my people, are such a great all-purpose choice. The wine of my people has been vindicated and needs to be promoted more.

If you love wine and food, this is a great reference to have handy.

[Lori Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the BEST resource ever for wine lovers! It has a two-way index: you can search on a food to figure out what wine to drink with it, or you can search on wines to figure out what food to make with it. Unbelievably helpful. My husband calls it "The Bible." We refer to it at LEAST once a week.

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The food pairing bible. Very useful and easy to use; written in an engaging and interesting style.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my "go to" reference book for which wine to serve with dinner. It has a place of honor on my kitchen bookshelf.

[Yaaresse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the premise of the book, but the format doesn't make it easy to look something up quickly. An app based on the tables would come in handy for those times when you are just out of dinner ideas.

Some of the content is identical to their other book I read (can't recall the name and am too lazy to look it up right now) and many of the examples now feel dated. This doesn't mean it's not useful, but it does mean you have to read for overall idea and not get your mouth set for the specific wines that are talked about with such fervent longing by some of the soms.

My biggest disappointment with the book is that the subtitle specified it would include "beer, spirits, coffee, tea -- even water" and it didn't deliver on that promise. Several menus list beer and sake, but nowhere is there any real detail about the types or why X goes with Y. Coffee got maybe four paragraphs of extremely basic (and not particularly helpful or accurate) info. Tea got even less than that. There was actually more info on waters than coffee or tea, come to think of it.

There's a bit of showing off by some of the people interviewed for this book, especially in the last chapter where soms were asked to comprise a fantasy case to take to a deserted island along with food pairing for those wines. Most of them couldn't resist listing rare and exorbitantly priced wines and foods. I get it: it was supposed to be a fantasy exercise, but it really got ridiculous. The only person they talked to I'd even consider allowing on my deserted island is the som from Per Se and the French Laundry. His list read like stuff he'd actually eaten enough to be familiar with and not just a culinary wet dream. After spending several hundred pages trying to convince the reader that they should not be intimidated by a wine list or pairing food with wine, this "fantasy list" chapter was counterproductive because most of their readers will never have a chance to taste 99.9% of what was listed. Either it's no longer available, or it's cost prohibitive. Stop showing off. It's obnoxious.

In short, there's some useful into in this book, but finding it when you want/need it would be more trouble than it's worth.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read this quite a while ago, when we were only beginning to be wine snobs. The coverage of coffee is brief, but the principles of the book have stayed with us and allowed us to make pairings that are not specifically included. For example, if one of the expert bakers in my church prepares a dessert, I can bring a coffee that makes it EVEN better.

[Lili · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I checked this book out from my local library because it claims to be the definitive guide to pairing food with loads of different drinks, including tea! I am a tea drinker, I was excited to see a food pairing book that was about something other than just wine. Well, the title is a bit misleading, it is mostly about wine...every type of wine imaginable with little nods at other drinks.

The book is probably the best I have seen on the subject, and I really appreciate the nods to other drinks, I was just hoping for a little more variety. Sadly with the focus being on wine, it was no use to me since I do not drink.

It is a beautifully put together book and I certainly recommend giving it a read if you are looking for an immensely detailed book on pairing wine (and some other tasty sippables). I really enjoyed how it was divided into 'what to drink with what you eat' and 'what to eat with what you drink' it is a very useful resource. I just really wish it had more focus on other drinks.

[Eva Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

An VERY in-depth reference - say you're eating spicy shrimp and want to know what to pair it with, its there. For beer, wine, spirits, tea etc. It also works for pairing your wine with a good menu - say you get a nice long island red wine, half merlot, half cab franc from Rhonda - also lists the options available to you. For this wine, it recommends strong-flavored goat cheese, roasted lean beef, duck, mushroom, bell peppers, grilled salmon, sausage, thyme, tarragon, and roasted vegetables. Some entries even have foods to avoid with your drink, which is a nice addition.

Since my father can not drink alcohol, this is perfect for when we have him over for dinner and want to serve him something other than de-alcoholized wine or water. I use it more than once a week.

[Kira Sloop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps the most consulted reference book in our home! LOVE THIS BOOK. I have given it as a gift so many times that Amazon thinks I am related to the author. I think the reseracher in me appreciates the organization of what is really a meta-analyis of subjective, qualitative data. But I haven't been steered wrong, yet!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on food/wine pairing I've found to date. Andrea Immer's "Great Tastes Made Simple" is worth owning, but presented more like a narrative than a reference book (like the Dornenburg and Page work).

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book!

[Camilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few months ago I went to visit a friend at one of my favorite local tasting rooms, I. Brand & Family. I was picking Erin's brain about what wines to pair with our Moroccan Thanksgiving feast. And she introduced me to this book: What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. Well, she introduced me to the app on her phone. But, since I don't have a smart phone, she told me about the book which I immediately went home and ordered.

This is a resource I've been dreaming about for years. I just didn't know it existed.

I've only had this book for about two months, but I grab it off the shelf with alarming regularity. You can look up by foods. When I looked up "Spinach", it lists possible pairings that include a red (Beaujolais), whites (no oak Chardonnay), and even a non-alcoholic option (lemonade, sparkling water with lemon).

You can also look up by grape varietals to get suggestions. Now I know that wine pairings aren't hard and fast rules...at least I don't think there are hard and fast rules. This book gives you a range of ideas from which you can read what might work well. And of the dozen or so pairings I've tried, each have been a homerun.

[Renee Alarid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book - this is an excellent resource for anyone looking to dive deeper into wine pairing. The wine world is more about how wine works well with food instead of sticking with the wine you like. I cannot wait to create some of the pairing menus in this book. There is also an entire chapter dedicated to pairing the right beverage with what you are eating.

Anyway, this is a great reference, and it is for anyone who wants more out of their eating experiences.

[Martha Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to Drink with What You Eat is a great reference guide for pairing food & wine, or food with pretty much any other kind of beverage. I love the quotes and suggestions from the experts that are sprinkled throughout the book. I also love that you can look up pairings either by the drink or by what you're eating. I love it in general!

[Rona Maynard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The resident sommelier (aka my husband) is a hard guy to shop for. I nailed his birthday gift with this book--beautiful enough for the coffee table, but never there because it must be within arm's reach. After a lifetime of pairing food with wine, my husband counts on this book for new ideas that work. If beer, spirits or even Coke are more your thing, you won't be left out.

[Lesley Hartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference for deciding which wine to serve with which food. Gets very detailed - even suggests different wine for different brands of fried chicken for those of us in the American South. With KFC - they suggest a Gewurtztraminer and Popeye's - sherry or dry Spanish. Excellent recommendations for all kinds of foods.

[Tamra Lagrone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most people have not a clue of what wine or beer to drink with what type of food. This book solves that problem. Also you know what you want to cook and eat but not what to drink. Again this book has the answer. Food to wine or Wine to food. This book is a must have for Food & Drink lovers

[Yves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reread this book because it is a treasure.

IMHO no serious amateur cook can be without it, to best pair wines from a good cellar with specific foods.

The Chef’s stories & Sommelier tales make this a deep dive read where you emerge smarter AND entertained.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent pairing advice, whether you're starting with the food or the beverage. Available as a (somewhat clunky) app.

[Burcu · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice reference book, especially for readers living in the US.

[Randal Meske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stuck on which Wine pairs best with which meal? Fret no more with this great reference book. ...a must have for every kitchen.

[Darby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publishers Description (I am abbreviating it as it was a little long)

"The most comprehensive guide to matching food and drink ever compiled, by the James Beard Award winning author team of Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, with practical advice from more than seventy of America’s leading pairing experts...

Exceptional in its depth and scope - with over fifteen hundred entries - What to Drink with What You Eat is based on the collective wisdom of experts at dozens of America’s best restaurants, including Alinea, Babbo, Bern’s, Blue Hill, Chanterelle, Daniel, Emeril’s, French Laundry, Frontera Grill, Inn at Little Washington, Jean Georges, Masa’s, The Modern, Per Se, Rubicon, Tru, and Valentino.

You’ll find authoritative recommendations for stocking your cellar and kitchen with must-have beverages, from wines to waters. You’ll also learn what to drink with everything from French toast to Chinese food, and what to eat with everything from Pinot Noir to green tea, to create mouthwatering matches. Follow the authors three simple Rules to Remember when making a match - or just dive into the wide-ranging listings in chapters 5 and 6. "

I really really want to have this book on my bookshelf. It is amazing. It made me feel so much more at ease about pairing food with not only wine but tea, beer and other beverages. It mostly talks about wine though. It is put together in a way that makes it easy to follow - very user friendly. It is an essential reference for serving wine with a meal.

It not only goes in how to pair food and wine but a little bit of history, geography of wine such as what areas produce what types of wine, it gives how to actually taste wine and other expert techniques.

They had 3 simple rules to follow to when starting out...
1 - Think Regionally: If it grows together, it goes together.
2 - Come to your senses: Let your five sense guide your choices
3 - Balance Flavors: Tickle your tongue in more ways then one.

Of course they explain those rules indepth in the book. And make the process as easy as possible for those of us new to pairing beverages with food or foods with beverages. And it does go both ways in this book to make it very easy. Lets say someone gave you a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and you want to make something to go with it. You would look up Cabernet Sauvignon in the book and it has a list of food that go well with it. It has a list of herbs, meats, cheese, veggies, legumes, fruits and just everything you can think of but not only that it also tells you how to cook. Such as it said that Cabernet Sauvignon is good with grilled meats such as hamburgers and beef - braised, grilled, roasted or stewed. It also works the other way if you are serving chicken in cream sauce then it tells you what wine or beverage goes good with it it (Chardonnay - especially a full bodied California). It lists things in general too so if you aren't sure what you are going to do with the chicken yet. I just really loved how easy it was to follow.

As I said above I think this is an essential book for those of us serving wine with a meal.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. It's got a great tone from the onset, and it's scattered with great quotations from those in the know. For the most part, pretentiousness is avoided. Dornenburg and Page really want you to be happy and comfortable, and the information and advice is presented in a very easy to read format. The book works both ways, as well, first matching drink with food pairings, then matching food with drink pairings, so whether you know you're having the lamb, or whether you want something to nosh while drinking an IPA, this book's got you covered.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know anything about wine before receiving this book as a gift but now I feel decently informed enough to comfortably pair wine with food. It is organized as a reference book, food-to-wine in front and vice versa in back. For example, look up PECANS and it will tell you that (esp in dessert) Champagne is good, Muscat is great, but Port, esp Tawny, is a fantasic pairing. It is also peppered with expert advice from soms and MS, all of which give some more depth to the choices in the pairings.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It is fantastic! I received this as a gift when I first started to explore the world of food and wine pairing and I still use it as a reference now and then. I have even brought it out for friends to brosws durring dinner parties or when they mentione being confused over what beverages to serve or consume with dinner. It is easy to use and even goes beyond wine to include other beverages such as tea, beer, sparkling water and soda. Great reference!

[Darcie K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I need! This tells you what to drink with any given food item and why--even distinguishing between "sweeter" American-style pizza and traditional Neapolitan pizza. I need this because, to be perfectly honest, I'd almost always rather be drinking Fresca.

(Note: This just went on my "to purchase" list!)

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to Drink with What You Eat is a great reference guide for pairing food & wine, or food with pretty much any other kind of beverage. I love the quotes and suggestions from the experts that are sprinkled throughout the book. I also love that you can look up pairings either by the drink or by what you're eating. I love it in general!