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Arkansas Democrat Gazette, May 26, 2010

Reading Nook

Exploring the various flavor options when it comes to pairing food with wine can be quite the adventure for diners, drinkers, or cooks new to the task. And sometimes it isn’t necessarily a fun adventure. But “100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love” by Jill Silverman Hough ($16.95, Wiley) aims to take some of the unknown out of the great adventure.

As Hough writes in the introduction, the book is “decidedly not written for food and wine geeks.” Hough “cuts to the chase,” allowing readers to pick a wine (each chapter of the book is devotes to a different wine) and find a basic description of the wine, general pairing guidelines, and selection of recipes (between 7 and 10) that pair well with that wine. One thing we particularly like about Hough’s pairings is that she does not recommend wines from specific wineries or years. As for the 100 recipes, they range from simple (white cheddar with wine-soaked cherries and herbs with merlot) to more labor-intensive (Mediterranean meze plate with homemade tabbouleh and hummus with rose), but all are written in an easy-to-follow style with tips, alternate ingredients, and variations.

The compact size (approximately 5 1/2 by 9 inches) makes it ideal to take on trips to the wine or grocery store.

— Kelly Brant