Synopses & Reviews
Hailed by the New York Times, Esquire, and the Atlantic Monthly as one of the best delicatessens in the country, Zingermanand#8217;s is a trusted source for superior ingredients and#151; and an equally dependable supplier of reliable information about food. Now, Ari Weinzweig, the founder of Zingermanand#8217;s, shares two decades of knowledge gained in his pursuit of the worldand#8217;s finest food products.
In this fascinating resource guide, he tells you everything you need to know about how to choose top-quality basics that can transform every meal from ordinary to memorable: oils, vinegars, and olives; bread, pasta, and rice; cheeses and cured meats; seasonings like salt, pepper, and saffron; vanilla, chocolate, and tea.
How do you tell the difference between a great aged balsamic vinegar and a caramel-flavored impostor? How do you select an extraordinary olive oil from the bewildering array of bottles on the grocery shelf? Which Italian rice makes the creamiest risotto (and what are the tricks to making a terrific one)? Is there a difference between traditionally made pastas and commercial brands? How do English and American Cheddars compare? How do you make sense of the thousands of teas in the world to find one you love? What should you look for on the label of a good chocolate?
In Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating, Ari Weinzweig provides the answers -- and includes approximately 100 recipes, many collected from artisan food makers, from Migueland#8217;s Motherand#8217;s Macaroni to and#147;LEOand#8221; (lox, eggs, and onions) to Funky, Chunky Dark Chocolate Cookies.
This book is not only an indispensable guide to pantry essentials, itand#8217;s an enthralling read. Youand#8217;ll visit artisan food producers, learn fascinating facts, find sources for the best brands and food suppliers, and get valuable advice that will change the way you cook forever.
Review
"In this marvelous book, the great food importer Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman's draws on his great depth of knowledge about the many fabulous new culinary ingredients now suddenly available in the U.S.A. For anyone serious about food, this book will be a treasure." Paula Wolfert, author of Mediterranean Grains and Greens
Review
"What a massive and wonderful book. It'll be a cherished resource in our library forever. Ari Weinzweig is our Indiana Jones, intrepid and wise, as he takes us to the heart of honest, delicious craftsmanship. Peppering Ari's chronicles and clear advice are concise, approachable recipes." Rick Bayless
Review
"This book is brilliant and so well informed that it only adds to the allure of the fundamental foods we love. Certainly anyone who seasons with salt, cooks with olive oil, bakes bread, or loves chocolate should have this in the kitchen." Deborah Madison, author of Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets
Review
"Ari Weinzweig is my favorite go to source for every single great gastronomic treasure on the planet, both for information and the actual stuff itself. Zingermans is the mecca for all foodies who really know that taste is not about fashion or style, but about flavor and impact. This book is the New Testament for the religion of the palette and should be used with a certain sacrament and a pinch of the profane." Mario Batali
Synopsis
How do you tell the difference between a great aged balsamic vinegar and a caramel-flavored impostor? Which Italian rice makes the creamiest risotto? How to do judge the bewildering array of extra-virgin olive oils on the shelf and choose an extraordinary one? (And what's an "extra-virgin" anyway?)
For top-quality food products and unparalleled expertise about how to enjoy them, people from all over the United States turn to Zingerman's, a legendary food-emporium-cum-deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It has been hailed by Esquire, the Atlantic Monthly, and other publications as the best in the country.
Now, in an all-in-one resource guide, Ari Weinzweig shares the knowledge he has accrued during two decades of food scouting and tasting, so anyone, from the home cook to the professional chef, can make intelligent choices. Everything food lovers need to know about pantry essentials can be found in this book: how they are made, how to shop for them, what to look for when tasting them, how to store them, and how to cook with them. Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating is more than just a buyer's guide, however. It is a highly informative home reference to top-quality food products that is destined to shuttle between the kitchen counter and bedside table. It's crammed with savvy opinions and buying recommendations, entertaining anecdotes and travel tales, and up-close-and-personal looks at traditional foods and artisans. Concise explanations of little-understood but common terms; practical, humorous sidebars; and the many simple recipes found in Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating (from Risotto with Fontina Cheese and Wild Mushrooms to Funky, Chunky Dark Chocolate Cookies) make this book a call toculinary action for food lovers everywhere.
Synopsis
Hailed by the New York Times, Esquire, and the Atlantic Monthly as one of the best delicatessens in the country, Zingermans is a trusted source for superior ingredients and an equally dependable supplier of information about food. Now, Ari Weinzweig, the founder of Zingermans, shares two decades of knowledge gained in his pursuit of the worlds finest food products: oils, vinegar, and olives; bread, pasta, and rice; cheeses and cured meats; seasonings like salt, pepper, and saffron; vanilla, chocolate, and tea.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [455]-457) and indexes.
About the Author
Ari Weinzweig is the founding partner of Zingermans Community of Businesses, including Zingermans Delicatessen, Zingermans Creamery, and Zingermans Bakehouse.
Table of Contents
Contents A Personal Preface Ix Introduction Xiii 1. Oils, Olives, and Vinegars Olive Oil 2 Olives 44 Nut Oils 59 Balsamic Vinegar and Wine Vinegars 66 2. Grains and Rices Bread 94 Pasta 123 Polenta 145 Italian Rices 158 Spanish Rices 175 REALLY WILD Wild Rice 187 3. Cheeses A Guide to Buying Cheeses 202 Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese 215 Cheddar Cheese 226 Mountain Cheeses 236 Blue Cheeses 252 Goat Cheeses 269 4. Meat and Fish Prosciutto 280 Serrano Ham 291 Salami 299 Smoked Salmon 308 5. Seasonings Pepper 322 Sea Salt 335 Saffron 349 6. Honey, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Tea Honey 364 Vanilla 383 Chocolate 399 Tea 421 Mail-Order Sources 446 For Further Reading 455 General Index 458 Recipe Index 475