If any book deserves to be part of the Holiday Gift Guide here at The Classy Chics, it’s Wine Country Table: With Recipes that Celebrate California’s Sustainable Harvest by Janet Fletcher in collaboration with Wine Institute (Rizzoli New York, April 2019)! This gorgeous book is way more than a cookbook; with its beautiful photographs and stories about California and the people who produce its bounty of crops and wine, Wine Country Table would be equally at home on the coffee table or the kitchen counter of any foodie or wine aficionado on your gift list.

* Complimentary book received for review. This book is featured in the TwoClassyChics 10th Holiday Gift Guide. Post may contain affiliate links.

Reading this lovely book, you’ll tour 23 of California’s farms and wineries, meeting the farmers and vintners and learning about their businesses and products. You’ll find that sustainability and love for the land are the guiding principles these dedicated people work and live by. You’ll also be entranced by the beauty of the region captured in photographs by Robert Holmes and Sara Remington, from a close-up of autumnal grape leaves dripping with morning dew, to a swarming hive of bees in a plum tree, to workers harvesting cut flowers in the desert hills, to a sweeping view of a Malibu vineyard with the Pacific in the background.

The photographs of Wine Country Table’s recipes will not only make your mouth water but will have you making a shopping list so you can get busy in the kitchen. The recipes all reflect Californians’ penchant for seasonal dishes using fresh, local ingredients. As you might expect, most recipes have a suggested wine pairing—California wines, of course.

Here’s a few of the 50 recipes in the book:

• Potato Focaccia with Olives and Rosemary
• Roasted Tomato Soup with Tortilla Crisps
• Shrimp, Artichoke, and Farro Salad
• Grass-Fed Burger with Avocado and Chipotle Mayonnaise
• Red Wine-Braised Duck Legs with Dried Plums
• Almond, Orange, and Olive Oil Cake
• Farmers’ Market Berries with Late-Harvest Wine Sabayon

You’ll notice that the stars of those recipes are products of California farms, orchards, and vineyards. It’s fascinating to read about the crops and the care that goes into growing, harvesting, processing, and ultimately eating them. For example, the Bartlett pears grown at Henderson Valley Farms on California’s North Coast are hand-picked in August, just before they ripen. “Experienced harvesters know to start at the top of the tree and work down, so the bag gets heavier as they descend. They don’t use knives; the pear, stem attached, releases readily when lifted.” Such detail really brings the process to life!

Personally, I find the sections describing individual fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other products to be particularly helpful, with information on the peak season, selection, and storage as well as helpful kitchen tips, interesting tidbits, and ideas for use. You can check out the Discover California Wines website too.

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Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win a copy of Wine Country Table for themselves or to gift their favorite foodie. Good luck!

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the US ONLY age 18 and over. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering. This giveaway will close on November 5th, 2019 at 11:59 pm EST time. No purchase necessary to enter or win.

Disclaimer: A. Bailey received a complimentary product for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. Please read the blog’s terms of service policy before entering any giveaways. The Classy Chics are NOT responsible for prize fulfillment or shipping of any items won from this blog. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we may or may not make a small commission which helps to support this website. Thank you!!!