Drink to me only with thine eyes
The autumn traditionally sees a rash of new drink books hitting our local bookshop's shelves, and I get some advance warning - so I thought I'd pass it on.
All you sommeliers out there might be interested in Hamish Anderson's recent activities on this score. The Tate Galleries' wine buyer, who started life as a commis waiter at London's Bibendum restaurant, has been rather busy of late. As well as building up the cellar for the Tate Modern's restaurant, Anderson has been furiously writing about wine.
Vino is published by Century on 2 October (£20) and brings wine "up to date with the exciting and innovative movements that have transformed the world of food", says the enthusiastic PR blurb.
Divided into three sections (regions, wine and food), it also promises quick solutions to a whole host of culinary dilemmas, such as: What wine should I serve with my Sunday roast? How long should I leave wine for the best flavour? What wines go best with pork crackling? And what goes best with lean pork?
Mitchell Beazley is a giant among wine book publishers, so it is no surprise that it has a few more books up its sleeve for the coming season. One I'll be buying is Wines of South America, by Monty Waldin (£25). For starters, Jason Lowe is the man behind the lens - and this is breathtaking wine country.
South America is moving forward on the wine front at breakneck speed, and this is the first time its progress has been mapped out in quite such detail. Waldin travels from Venezuela to Argentina, from Chile to Brazil (yes, there are vineyards in Brazil), recounting the diversity of climates and terrains that he encounters, while introducing the reader to the wines - from the Bordeaux-style Cabernets of Chile to the violet, mulberry and black cherry-scented Tannats from Uruguay.
Vodka is the world's number one spirit, but what do we really know about it? Ian Wisniewski comes to the rescue with Vodka: Discovering, Exploring and Enjoying, published by Ryland Peters & Small (£8.99). As well as looking at vodka's traditional homelands and leading distilleries, the author explains how it's made and what you eat with it.
In fact, publisher Ryland Peters & Small appears to be going for some of Mitchell Beazley's major drink book action with a whole host of new publications, including After-dinner Drinks by Andrew Jefford (£8.99).
Start making your Christmas list now.
Shorts
A rum business Bacardi has come up with a new spin on rum and Coke with its Bacardi Vanilla Coke - "to meet the continually evolving tastes of the British palate". According to the producer, it is only the second change to the world-dominating Bacardi and Coke since it was first mixed in a bar in Havana, Cuba, in 1898.
The marketing men say: "Bacardi rum enriches and complements the depth of flavour of Vanilla Coke." I say: "Oh no, not another alcopop."
Les Caves goes Kiwi One of London's principal restaurant wine suppliers, Les Caves de Pyrène (01483 538820), has been expanding its New Zealand portfolio. If you thought it was a French regional specialist, think again. Over the past couple of years, it has been quietly building its links with the Kiwis. The latest addition is Central Otago's Mount Maude and Danny Schuster's Canterbury wines.
Wine buyer Doug Wregg has just got back from a buying trip to the Antipodes. He says: "The Pinots really impressed on this trip, and Stelvin will improve the quality of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon. The potential is great."
To show how much faith it has in the country, Les Caves de Pyrène will feature a New Zealand wine promotion in October, with discounts for wines by the glass in restaurants. But if it is oddball French wines you want, it has also just started listing new wines from Savoie and Jura.
Whisky tutorial for £2 If you want to learn more about whisky, log on to www.whiskytutor.com, where, for £2, you can download a malt whisky tutorial.
The brainchild of whisky lecturer Gordon Muir, it was developed in response to requests from bar staff. "I present lots of malt whisky tastings, usually in hotels," says Muir, "but I'm forever being told by bar staff that they just can't get a handle on malt whisky. So that's what my tutorial gives them."
Included in the online class is how malt whisky is made, and tips on the language used to describe the varieties. Buy the six malts he recommends and take part in a tasting, with Muir guiding you through the smells, tastes and textures of the malts.
Sherry and food Fino sherry and croquetas are one of the world's best food and drink combinations, so I had to share this recipe from the maker of Tio Pepe - guaranteed to improve your fino sales. For chicken croquettes, make a b‚chamel sauce using 125g butter and 200ml olive oil, adding thyme and 2½ pints of milk. Add 850g cooked chicken, seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour into an oiled container and let sit overnight in the fridge. Roll into balls the size of damsons, roll in flour then beaten egg, and finally breadcrumbs, then deep-fry until crisp.
