The Vikings called North America 'Vinland', the land of wine. Giovanni de Verrazzano, the Italian explorer who first described the grapes of the New World, was sure that 'they would yield excellent wines'. And when the English settlers found grapes growing so thickly that they covered the ground down to the very seashore, they concluded that 'in all the world the like abundance is not to be found'. Thus, from the very beginning the promise of America was, in part, the alluring promise of wine. How that promise was repeatedly baffled, how its realization was gradually begun, and how at last it has been triumphantly fulfilled is the story told in this book. It is a story that touches on nearly every section of the United States and includes the whole range of American society from the founders to the latest immigrants. Germans in Pennsylvania, Swiss in Georgia, Minorcans in Florida, Italians in Arkansas, French in Kansas, Chinese in California - all contributed to the domestication of Bacchus in the New World. So too did innumerable individuals, institutions, and organizations. Prominent politicians, obscure farmers, eager amateurs, sober scientists: these and all the other kinds and conditions of American men and women figure in the story. The history of wine in America is, in many ways, the history of American origins and of American enterprise in microcosm. While much of that history has been lost to sight, especially after Prohibition, the recovery of the record has been the goal of many investigators over the years, and the results are here brought together for the first time. In print in its entirety for the first time, "A History of Wine in America" is the most comprehensive account of winemaking in the United States, from the Norse discovery of native grapes in 1001 A.D., through Prohibition, and up to the present expansion of winemaking in every state.

New Orleans Creole cookery melds a fantastic array of influences: Spanish spices, tropical fruits from Africa, native Choctaw Indian gumbos, and most of all, a panoply of French styles. Assembled at the turn of the 20th century by a Crescent City newspaper, The Picayune, this volume is the bible of many a Louisiana cook and a delight to gourmets everywhere. Hundreds of enticing recipes include fine soups and gumbos, seafoods, all manner of meats, rice dishes and jambalayas, cakes and pastries, fruit drinks, French breads, and many other delectable dishes. Introductory material explains the traditional French manner of preparing foods, and a selection of full menus covers both everyday and festive meals. Unabridged reprint of the classic 1901 edition.

Hundreds of easy-to-scan tips in everyday language let time-starved readers find quick answers.
Most people who enjoy wine would like to know more about it, to feel confident in what they like and why, to know the "lingo." Wine lover and writer Wes Marshall helps readers explore the world of wine, offering plainspoken explanations to wine questions that most people have but are hesitant to ask no question is too simple, no answer too advanced.
Like earlier titles in the series, such as the best-selling "What's a Cook to Do?," this book offers empowering information in question-and-answer format with pronunciation guides, charts, maps, and step-by-steps plus the best-bang-for-your-buck wine recommendations from well-known experts. Is Barolo a grape or a place? What do wine scores mean? What about sniffing the cork and which glasses to use? In this newest book in the "What s a to Do?" series, Wes Marshall presents his years of wine experience and insider tips in everyday language that makes wine approachable and knowable.

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At one time, Italian wines conjured images of cheap Chianti in straw-wrapped bottles. More recently, expensive "Super Tuscans" have been the rage. But between these extremes lay a bounty of delicious, moderately priced wines that belong in every wine drinker's repertoire.
Vino Italiano is the only comprehensive and authoritative American guide to the wines of Italy. It surveys the country's wine-producing regions; identifies key wine styles, producers, and vintages; and offers delicious regional recipes. Extensive reference materials--on Italy's 300 growing zones, 361 authorized grape varieties, and 200 of the top producers-- provide essential information for restaurateurs and wine merchants, as well as for wine enthusiasts.
Beautifully illustrated as well as informative, Vino Italiano is the perfect invitation to the Italian wine experience.

"From the Hardcover edition.