Book ‘What to Drink With What You Eat’ a handy guide

Title: “What To Drink With What You Eat.”

Quick Look: This comprehensive guide, a companion to all cookbooks, dishes expert advice on ideal food and beverage pairings – from aquavit to zinfandel, artichokes to zucchini blossoms. Based on suggestions from chefs and sommeliers at dozens of America’s best restaurants, it’s easy to read, educational and incredibly useful.

What’s Inside: “Drink is inseparable from food,” write the husband-and-wife authors of this best-selling bible of food and beverage pairing. Published in 2006, the award-winning volume remains relevant, proving particularly helpful when it comes to entertaining. Heading into the holiday season, it’s worth another look as a reference for planning parties or as a gift for foodie friends and relatives.

Champagne toast? Serve caviar canapés, oyster shooters, sushi rolls. Christmas cookies? They go well with muscat, ice wine, and – of course – milk and coffee.

There are more than 12,500 listings in more than 1,500 categories, with recommendations for what to drink with Indonesian and Vietnamese food, ice cream, cheese, sushi, Swiss chard, caviar, sea bass, scallops, polenta, posole, pork chops. Search by food – particular dishes, ingredients and types of cuisine – or by beverage – spirit, sparkling water, wine, sake, beer, coffee, tea, juice. There’s even a “when in doubt” entry as well as notes on matches to avoid. And, if you’ve been wondering what will best wash down White Castle hamburgers, Domino’s pizza, KFC fried chicken, KitKat bars, even Twinkies, this book tells you.

Pages are peppered with quotes from restaurateurs, winemakers, cheesemongers and other professionals. There are sections on selecting and serving, recommendations for particular courses, and pairing menus from some of America’s finest restaurants. At the back of the book, the authors ask experts to list their top 12 desert-island selections, an exercise that’s interesting, fun and informative.

What’s Not: The book doesn’t come with its handy app, available on iTunes for $2.99 and ideal for on-the-go info. Look up and bookmark favorite pairings at the wine shop, a friend’s kitchen or favorite café or restaurant.