The Vintner’s Table Cookbook

Recipes from a Winery Chef

By Mary Evely

Published by Simi Winery
P. O. Box 698, Healdsburg CA 95448
Tel: 707 433 6981 Fax: 707 433 6253

Edited, designed and manufactured in the USA by Favorite Recipes Press
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville TN 37214

In her foreword to ‘The Vintner’s Table Cookbook’, Zelma Lang, Winemaker and President of Simi, pays tribute to the years of dedicated work which Simi Chef Mary Evely has put to good use in this out-of-the-ordinary cookbook. The observation that ‘The serious study of how wines pair best with different foods has, for the most part, been undertaken either haphazardly or intuitively.’ will find a sympathetic chord in the hearts of many wine lovers.


Chef Mary Evely acknowledges in her preface the early influence of James Beard and Julia Child, who inspired her love of food. This, in turn, led her to become curious about wine and the interaction of the two, and eventually to Simi winery, where she created a food and wine program called ‘The Vintner’s Table’. This book shares her findings. It is a cookbook that puts wine equal, if not first, when planning the ingredients of a meal.

Chapters are arranged according to varietal and recipes grouped to suit. Whether you want to serve one wine with a relatively simple meal, or several to accompany a lavish banquet, the pairing is there for you. Some recipes are described as ‘chameleon’, and like that endearing creature they can ‘change color’ and work with more than one varietal with just slight alterations. These include Pizza Niçoise on Puff Pastry and Mary’s Barbecued Spare Ribs, recipes which don’t sound dauntingly complex to those just beginning to embark on the joyous journey of the palate.

Each chapter begins with some useful, general comments on a specific varietal and on why their flavors and/or acid content make them a good match for certain foods. Thus Zinfandel is ‘a lush, fruity red wine’ and its berry flavors mean it ‘can handle a little bit of heat in the spice department.’ Recipe suggestions include Tomato and Black Olive Risotto and Roasted Tomato Soup. A more daring and for me, very enticing, pairing is in the chapter on Cabernet Sauvignon, where Mary Evely suggests tuna steaks, cooked rare, with a Cabernet/Cassis sauce and lavender!

For reference purposes the book is arranged in what could be described as color-coding. The chapter on Sauvignon Blanc is a gentle shade of green, Blush is –naturally – rose colored and Cabernet a delicate mauve. Attractively presented and easy to follow, ‘The Vintner’s Table Cookbook’ is an intriguing and informative addition to the shelves of anyone interested in enjoyable dining.

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