Stewarthill UK

Menu

Holiday Food and Wine for Chefs and Foodies

Gift Ideas for Foodies: Cookbooks from World-Renowned Chefs and Wine Experts

Christmas setting with food and wine, a fireplace and decorations to delight with candles and white linen

Our Secret Santa tells us we will be thrilled with this year’s Holiday Food and Wine Surprises!

The holidays are the perfect time to thrill and inspire the culinary enthusiast in your life with a gift to add joy to cooking and entertaining throughout the year.

We found some great and classic cookbooks for food and wine combining to make every meal extra special.

Julia Child – Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Julia Child’s timeless book is a must-have for anyone passionate about French cuisine. Known for her love of pairing French dishes with exquisite wines, this book brings a masterful touch of elegance to any festive gathering.

 

Jacques Pépin – Essential Pépin

Celebrated for his masterful French cooking techniques, Jacques Pépin also delves into wine pairings, making this book a perfect gift for anyone who wants to enjoy their French-inspired meals with wine.

Ina Garten – Barefoot Contessa 

For those who love entertaining, Ina Garten’s approach to hosting with delicious recipes and thoughtful wine pairings is ideal. This book is perfect for anyone looking to throw a sophisticated yet warm gathering.

Nigella Lawson – Nigella Bites

Whether it’s a holiday feast or a cozy dinner, Nigella Lawson’s recipes with wine suggestions make for delightful and accessible entertaining. Her book adds both flavour and flair to any occasion.Wine Folly learn about wine book

Bobby Flay – Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction

Bobby Flay’s cookbook focuses on grilling and barbecue, offering a blend of bold flavors with suggested wine pairings, perfect for a chill yet indulgent holiday feast.

Mario Batali – Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking

Mario Batali’s easy Italian recipes come with complementary wine pairings, making it an excellent gift for those who love Italian cuisine and are looking to bring pzazz to their holiday celebrations.

The Perfect Gift for Wine Lovers: Books on Cocktails and Wine

For those who appreciate a great glass of wine or a meticulously crafted cocktail, these books are the ultimate gifts for enhancing their drinking experiences.

  Chefs writers food and wine for entertainment  Karen MacNeil – The Wine Bible

A comprehensive guide to the world of wine, this book offers expert advice on pairing wine with food, making it a go-to resource for anyone looking to become a true wine connoisseur.

Jancis Robinson – The Oxford Companion to Wine

Jancis Robinson’s extensive wine knowledge makes this book an essential gift for any serious wine enthusiast. It’s filled with in-depth descriptions, historical context, and expert wine recommendations.

David Wondrich – Imbibe!

For cocktail lovers, David Wondrich’s exploration of the history of cocktails and wine-based punches, is an insightful and fun read. It’s perfect for anyone looking to shake things up at their holiday party.

The billionaires vinegar book for wine and champagne drinkers gift food and wine

Gary Regan – The Joy of Mixology

Gary Regan’s authoritative guide to cocktails is not just about the drinks, but the culture and artistry behind mixers. This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys cocktails at home.

Victoria Moore – The Wine Dine Dictionary

This book offers practical advice on wine and food pairings, helping hosts make perfect choices for their holiday meals. It’s a great way to make sure every dish has a matching wine that elevates the dining experience.

Bookjacket style cookery for christmas party

Holiday Entertaining: Mixing Wine, Cocktails, and Delicious Dishes

When planning your festive gatherings, it’s important to think about both food and drink. Combining recipes with wine pairings or cocktails will ensure your celebrations are truly memorable.

Chefs Who Blend Cooking and Cocktails

These chefs take it a step further by combining the art of cooking with cocktails, ensuring both food and drink are seamlessly integrated into every meal.

Table food and wine tasting entertainment party

  • Anthony Bourdain – Appetites: A Cookbook Anthony Bourdain’s book is a celebration of food and drink, with a focus on pairing meals with drinks, including wine and cocktails. His personal insights and recipes make for a perfect gift for anyone who loves both food and drink culture.
  • Giada De Laurentiis – Giada’s Italy A blend of authentic Italian recipes and aperitivo suggestions, Giada’s cookbook offers the ideal recipes for festive occasions. From pasta to cocktails, every dish has a wine pairing suggestion that will impress your guests.
  • Michael Chiarello – Bottega: Bold Italian Flavors Michael Chiarello’s cookbook brings together bold Italian flavors with wine pairings, perfect for creating an unforgettable holiday meal that celebrates both food and drink.

Festive Wine and Cheese Pairing Ideas

For a more relaxed and enjoyable holiday gathering, consider creating a wine and cheese tasting station. Here are some of the best food and wine to enchant your guests:

Food and Wine Pairing for entertaining and tasting

Brie with Champagne

  • Cheese: Creamy Brie
  • Wine: Champagne or sparkling wine
  • Why: The effervescence of Champagne cuts through the richness of Brie, creating a luxurious pairing.

Gouda with Chardonnay

  • Cheese: Nutty Gouda
  • Wine: Oaked Chardonnay
  • Why: The buttery texture of Gouda pairs beautifully with the creamy notes of oaked Chardonnay.

bigwinetheory.com combining foods and wine for taste and entertainment

Grenache Rosado from Stewarthilluk.com perfect full bodied rose wineBlue Cheese with Grenache Rosado

 

  • Goat Cheese with Sauvignon Blanc
  • Cheese: Tangy Goat Cheese
  • Wine: Sauvignon Blanc
  • Why: The crisp acidity of Sauvignon Blanc enhances the tangy notes of goat cheese, making for a refreshing combination.

Parmesan with Chianti

  • Cheese: Aged Parmesan
  • Wine: Chianti or Sangiovese
  • Why: The acidity and structure of Chianti stand up to the intense flavour of aged Parmesan, creating a bold and flavourful pairing.

 

 

 

 

Entertaining with Mindful Food and  Wine Pairings

 

Personally preparing your holiday festivities, the love you put into food and wine makes memories people will share and enjoy for years to come.

Whether you’re hosting an intimate dinner party or a larger gathering, these books, gift ideas, and wine pairings will ensure your guests leave with full hearts and satisfied palates. So, raise your glass to the season of togetherness, warmth, and great food. Cheers to a festive and delicious holiday season!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top

Ben Salisbury

Ben Salisbury, Founder and President of Salisbury Creative Group is a consultant, coach, content creator, public speaker, thought leader, subject matter expert, and entrepreneur for the wine and spirits industry.

His expertise in sales and marketing strategy has accumulated over four decades of work with some of the largest adult beverage companies in the world, including Ste Michelle Wine Estates and Constellation Brands.

Ben’s approach is to disrupt the status quo of how wines and spirits are marketed and sold, to challenge outdated practices, and to provide innovative solutions to help wineries and distilleries sell more products.

Ben frequently speaks at industry conferences, creates original content on his blog and YouTube channel, and has contributed articles to Wine Business Monthly.

Visit his website here.

Manuel Urcelay

Manuel has over ten years of experience in international business, in which he has developed a strong expertise in sales, business development, marketing and business strategy across diverse industries and regions, including wine and food. He has advised more than 30 companies on joint business plans, marketing implementations and supply chain management strategies in Asia, USA and Latin America, generating consistent revenue growth for all parties involved.

Manuel has recently completed his MBA at Imperial College Business School, where he expanded his knowledge and skills in innovation, marketing, operations, strategy and leadership. Manuel has made invaluable contributions to Stewart Hill’s Business Strategy and Planning”.

Rick Anderson

Rick is our Edinburgh-based Digital Design consultant, working remotely on everything from branding and label design to web and motion graphics.

Visit his portfolio site here.

Veronica King

Veronica is a Social Media Strategist and Business Consultant based in London.

Andrea Midas

Born in London, based in Spain with over 20 years of experience in Marketing and CRM for business development.

Graduate from LSE London with Branding, Sustainability and research qualifications in UK and Spain.

Bilingual English and Spanish.

Patricia Harvey

Patricia is a former, credit controller and worked for 15 years for one of the UK’s leading financial handling insurance including freight.

She has always had a passion for wine and have been for the past 4 years worked with us learning the wine trade. Pat recently participated in our exhibition at USATT Chicago.

Her role at Stewart Hill is to handle and develop our logistics.

Lucilda Stewart

Managing Director & Founder

Lucilda is the managing director and founder of Stewart-Hill Wines.  She manages general day to day running of the business, as well as key relationships with both key personnel and a dedicated team of consultants.  Lucilda also travels to overseas destinations to meet with distributors, wholesalers and retailers.  She commends the evolution of her wine journey, to her dedicated team of professionals and strong family ties.  The accolades by the US Wine Ratings 2023, which led to silver awards for their Orchida Negra (Crianza), Malbec labels and a silver award for their Rose by London Wine Competition, demonstrates the integrity of their wines and Lucilda’s indomitable will to succeed.

Lucilda studied at the Inns of Court School of Law and graduated from UCL London University in 1992.   She is a former lawyer,  who created her own legal niche company, working as an intermediary in accordance with the Bar Council’s direct public access to barristers scheme.  Her interest in wine, began many years earlier from casual tastings, training culminated in a Department of International Trade visit to Rioja Spain where she commenced discussions with wineries and honing her skills in wine exporting.

In 2014, Lucilda developed her own private label wine brand, working and investing in award winning wineries in Argentina and Spain.  Her dedication over the last 10 years, has led to award-winning varietals for B2B exports.