Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors

Small plates. Appetizers are the new entrees. . . . Call it the age of the do-it-yourself tasting menu." --New York Magazine

* Imagine any-occasion entertaining made easy. Replace the tired entree with refreshing small-plate options and wine pairings.

Small plates in the form of Middle Eastern mezze, Spanish tapas, Mexican antojitos, and Venetian cicchetti are usurping traditional entree-driven meals by offering greater selection and gastronomic fulfillment. To satisfy this growing niche, cookbook author Lori Lyn Narlock presents 50 delicious small-plate recipes and complementary wine pairings from the culinary experts at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center, including celebrated chef Justin Wangler and winemaster Randy Ullom.

* In addition to specific chapters on salads, vegetables, meat, seafood, and desserts, Narlock includes sample party menus accompanied by preparation plans, as well as tips on buying and serving wine, planning and executing entire menus, sample table settings and presentation ideas, and more. More than 50 appetite-inspiring four-color photographs illustrate Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors.

* Instead of languishing in a culinary quandary this holiday, consider flavorful pairings like Asparagus with Melted Brie served with sauvignon blanc or Duck and Spinach Empanadas with Persimmon Chutney complemented by a glass of pinot noir.

Lori Lyn Narlock is the author of more than 10 cookbooks, and her writing appears in "Fine Cooking," the "San Francisco Chronicle," and the "San Francisco Examiner" magazine. She lives in Napa Valley, Calif.