Ghost Wineries of the Napa Valley or Anatomy of Dessert

Ghost Wineries of the Napa Valley: A Photographic Tour of the Last Century

Author: Irene Whitford Haynes

A fascinating photographic tour of historic Napa wineries, more than a dozen of which have come back to life. Extensively researched by a resident grape grower. The historical details and photographs of more than 65 wineries bring visions of the vibrant California wine industry of more than 100 years ago. The roots of many of today's great vintners are exposed in these photos and historical tidbits.

Go to: 7 Weeks to Safe Social Drinking or The Top 100 Zone Foods

Anatomy of Dessert: With a Few Notes on Wine

Author: Edward A Bunyard

"Filled with quirky surprises and things you would have never thought to ask, Bunyard's celebration of fruit is endlessly entertaining."
- Mark Kurlansky, author of Salt, Cod, and The Big Oyster

When we think of dessert, our mind's eye sees cakes, pies, and pastries. Yet the truly creative palate imagines things even more tempting, decadent, and, yes, sinful. So claims Edward Bunyard in this delectable paean to the wonderful fruits of the vine, from apples and apricots to gooseberries and strawberries, from pears to the grapes that give us wine.

Bunyard, a nurseryman at the turn of the last century, lovingly devotes a chapter to each fruit, sharing a heartfelt disquisition on the many types of strawberries, in which bigger is not always better; revealing how denizens of cooler and warmer climes differ in their perceptions about grapes; and asserting that "immoderate indulgence" in melon has toppled great dynasties and changed the course of history. Bunyard even offers advice on the most delightful wine and fruit pairings, and settles once and for all the debate that has raged for nearly three millennia: Which are tastier, hothouse figs or the outdoor variety.

Introduced by Michael Pollan, The Anatomy of Dessert is a cornucopia of wisdom that's never out of season. It is time again to savor this classic work, first published in 1929, that gives above-the-title billing to the myriad foodstuffs we often refer to as "afters." So come and partake in the fruits of Edward Bunyard's labor of love.

Library Journal

American audiences may be fooled by the title; "dessert" is here used in the British sense, referring exclusively to a course of fruit served after dinner and not to the pastry, pie, or cake that most of us have in mind. First published in 1929, this book is part of a series of reissued food classics. Bunyard, an English nurseryman and fruit connoisseur, devotes each chapter to a different variety of fruit-such as apples, cherries, peaches, pears, and grapes-and that fruit's significant cultivars. He praises varieties primarily of European origin and waxes lyrical about crunch, crispness, and seasonality. Written in an era when gardeners grew fruit for the wealthy on their estates, this work intersperses technical comments with opinionated remarks and witty social commentary. Even in the 1920s, Bunyard lamented the decline in growing one's own fruit and the practice of growing fruit first for looks and only second for taste. Those interested in the recent resurgence of heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables will especially appreciate these comments. Libraries with strong horticultural and culinary history collections should consider adding this book; for most others it is an optional purchase.-Pauline Baughman, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.