The Independent On Sunday

A new book on food and wine matching is reviewed by RICHARD EHRLICH. Matching Food and Wine (20; Weidenfeld & Nicolson) by Michel Roux Jr 'is organised as a cookbook, with recipes both for fancy cooking and for humble home or bistro dishes'. Ehrlich delights in Roux's 'latitudinarian approach', and a potentially tricky match for smoked eel with beetroot and horseradish cream is conquered with Savennires and Aquavit. For cheese-and-ham fritters, Roux suggests pink Champagne, a Rhine Riesling Sptlese, or white lager. For cheese, Roux says: 'Some matches are made in heaven, while others leave your mouth feeling like you have bitten into a piece of willow bark with a spoonful of washing-up liquid for good measure!