Cuisine of California Book

More than 100,000 copies of Diane Rossen Worthington's Cuisine of California have been sold since its release in 1983. In the ensuing years, the flavors and style of California cooking (a.k.a. nouvelle cuisine) have permeated the nation's eating habits, influencing everything from the products stocked on supermarket shelves, to the popularity of fish and seafood, to the greater availability of vegetarian entrées. And the United States is a healthier nation because of it. Now, the cookbook that helped launch a national trend toward fresh ingredients and scaled-down portions (few of us need lumberjack-size servings anymore) is available in a new edition with the original, time-tested recipes. Generally speaking, this is not family fare: Grilled Lobster with Garlic Butter best serves two, as suggested. As before, all the recipes include recommendations for the ideal California wine to enhance the flavor of the food (a Napa Valley chardonnay with lots of body, fruit, and oak with the lobster). Steamed Sea Bass and Fresh Spinach with Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce goes well with "one of the lighter, silkier versions" of cabernet sauvignon, naturally. A compact book printed with a modern aesthetic and fairly light, curvaceous fonts, Cuisine of California is for more advanced or adventurous cooks and those who entertain regularly. Most of the recipes are for four to six servings. --Brenda Pittsley Read More