Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0195372123, Hardcover)

The Oxford Companion to Wine
With more than 3,000 entries on every aspect of wine from vine pests to specific grapes, this hefty tome has something for both the seasoned connoisseur and novice alike. Edited by one of today's premier wine columnists, the work covers all aspects of wine, travelling back in time to early Greece to examine wine's role in Dionysian revels, then returning to today's wine centers to explore all aspects of wine appreciation. A full third of the book is dedicated to specific wines and wine-producing regions. All those technical terms you've heard and puzzled over at tastings are clearly explained, making this the perfect reference for newcomers to the world of oenology.

The Oxford Companion to Food
Alan Davidson's Oxford Companion to Food has been over 20 years in the making, but here it is; and it is superlatively worth the wait. A huge and authoritative dictionary of 2,650 entries on just about every conceivable foodstuff, seasoning, cuisine, cooking method, historical survey, significant personage, and explication of myth, it is supplemented by some 40 longer articles on key items. Davidson himself contributes approximately 80 percent of the 2,650 entries, with his trademark erudition, readability, and deadpan wit. This new edition alerts readers to new avenues in food studies: food in art, film, literature, and music; globalization; neuroanatomy; and the Silk Road are covered for the first time. Absorbing new articles on confetti, cutlery, doggy bags, elephant, myrrh, and potlucks have also found their way into the Companion.