Oregon Wine + Food: The Cookbook

The combination of regional wine history, recipes with wine pairings, and interviews with local winemakers makes this cookbook by Centoni (Just a Spritz) and Newberry an engaging one. The book begins with a classic underdog story of the early figures in the Oregon wine industry who took risks growing grapes in the untested region. They incorporated sustainable practices into their vineyards, using sheep for weed control and bees for pollination, and worked collectively with other wineries to grow the craft and the industry. The early Oregon vintners’ collaborative spirit and focus on the environment is carried throughout the book’s profiles of founders of numerous wineries across the state and shows up in the recipes themselves—many of which are based on what the winemakers grow on their own properties or can source locally. Each recipe was created by one of the featured winemakers and is paired with a bottle from that particular winery. The dishes cover all courses, including elevated meat, seafood, and vegetarian options. The accompanying photographs are vibrant and prominently feature the prepared dishes.