Can you pair pickled foods with wine, or will their vinegarized flavours ruin the wine? Which wines pair best with soft-shell crab? What goes into great food photography, whether in a magazine or cookbook?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Barbara Scott-Goodman.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Barbara Scott-Goodman's terrific book Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine.

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

How did Barbara's passion for creating recipes develop?

Which are the best wines to pair with soft-shell crab?

What was Barbara's most memorable wine moment?

When did Barbara realize she wanted to transition into a writing career?

Why are book covers often like a political landmine?

What are the key elements of a good cookbook cover?

How did Barbara decide on the cover design for her book, Wine Time?

What makes great food photography?

How did the art of pickling surprise Barbara while researching Wine Time?

Can you pair pickled foods with wine?

Key Takeaways

Can you pair pickled foods with wine? As Barbara observed, contrary to popular belief, these vinegarized foods don't always wreak havoc on wine. Riesling actually works very well with its own natural acidity, as do other acidic wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Gruner Veltliner.

Which wines pair best with soft-shell crab? Barbara would go with a chilled pinot grigio, or if she's feeling extravagant, a white burgundy, which is an opulent French chardonnay.

What goes into great food photography, whether it's in a magazine or cookbook? Barbara says there's a lot going on behind the scenes. You need to have a good food stylist and a good prop stylist. Most of us don't realize that there are people who get paid to shop for the right linen, the right glass, the right cup, and it's very subtle, but you look at it, you go, wow, that photograph is so good. It's because this team is thinking about it. And that's the magic of food photography.

About Barbara Scott-Goodman

Barbara Scott-Goodman is an author, art director, and designer of cookbooks for many publishers. Her most recent book is Wine Time ((Chronicle Books, 2021). Other books include Cake (Penguin Press, 2018), a collaboration with writer and illustrator Maira Kalman, Delicious Dessert Cocktails (Bluestreak Books, 2018), Brooklyn Bar Bites (Rizzoli, 2016), Happy Hour at Home (Running Press, 2013), and Wine Bites (Chronicle Books, 2011).

Her work has been featured in publications in print and online, including Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Publishers Weekly, Food52, and Sweet Paul. Her books always emphasize the importance of warm and intimate gatherings and eating, drinking, and living well in this era of non-ostentatious, casual entertaining.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/283.