Great Read: PAIRED – Champagne and Sparkling Wines Cookbook

PAIRED Champagne and Sparkling Wines is a gorgeous cookbook by Australian Photographer Fran Flynn and Wine Expert David Stevens-Castro. The book is filled with tons of information on champagne and sparkling wines and how to pair food and recipes accordingly.

They break up the book into different sections based on the different types of wines (Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, New World Sparkling Wines, etc.) with a background on how the wines are made, from what regions, the differences between them which make it easy to understand.

Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and New World Sparkling Wines all have different fermenting processes from different regions (France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand) with varying bubble sizes, flavors and characteristics which is absolutely fascinating! They review the wines at a glance describing the different classifications of sparkling wine, what grapes are used, flavors and types of wine. Then they go into more detail with each type of wine suggesting cheeses and recipes that pair well with each based on their flavors.

The food photography by Fran is absolutely gorgeous and mouthwatering, and the way they match the recipes to the different types of sparkling wines is brilliant and well thought out based on matching and balancing flavors of the food with the qualities of the champagne and sparkling wines (sweet paired with sweet, salty paired with sweet, reds vs. roses vs. whites, spicy paired with Asian, tangy paired with dry, etc.)

There are delicious recipes for cheese and charcuterie boards, appetizers, main dishes, salads and desserts, and I love how they also created specialty tasting menus at the end to help the reader plan a party pairing different wines with different foods for a unique experience – Light and Luxurious Lunch, Rich and Decadent dinner, All that Sparkles, Distinct Pleasures and Latino Influenced.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about Champagne and Sparkling Wines and to refer to it for their next tasting adventure and party or gathering with family and friends. And it’s perfect for the holidays where bubbles are celebrated and enjoyed the most!

Get the book online here