Cooks, critics and lovers of Italian cuisine have a new, invaluable resource: John Mariani's "Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink". The renowned food writer from Esquire and Wine Spectator presents an entertaining and useful A to Z guide to recipes, ingredients and more. Get more information and find out how to order this new book. FUSION FOODS Napa Valley Verjus by David Duckhorn Duckhorn Vineyards' newest venture is Fusion Foods Napa Valley Verjus (pronounced vair-ZHOO), the unfermented juice of unripe wine grapes, has been the secret ingredient in French regional cooking for nearly 800 years. It is used in sauces, marinades, and mustards as a wine-friendly alternative to vinegar. Verjus emerged in the winegrowing regions of France during the medieval era. Traditional verjus, literally "green juice", is pressed from immature grapes thinned from the primary crop at veraison (the time during late summer when grapes gain color). Our proprietary Fusion Foods Napa Valley Verjus is made from red and white varietal wine grapes harvested at 10 to 12 brix. The tartaric and citric acids that give verjus its balanced tartness are the keys to the versatility of this ingredient. With its delicate floral, fresh grape and apple aromas, Fusion Foods Napa Valley Verjus contributes a subtle note of acidity to food, heightening flavors and refreshing the palate. At the same time, it is complementary to wine - unlike vinegar, which overwhelms wine with its acetic acid. Fusion Foods, based in the Napa Valley, is a cooperative venture between chef Jim Neal, Marc Mondavi of Charles Krug Winery, and Duckhorn Vineyards. The goal of Fusion Foods is to revitalize traditional cooking products of the world's winegrowing regions and introduce them to American chefs and consumers. Enjoy Fusion Foods Napa Valley Verjus in salad dressings, sauces, marinades, condiments - in any preparation which needs a wine-friendly hint of acidity. Specifically, in your favorite recipes, reduce the oil by 1/3 and replace vinegar with twice as much verjus. Keep an eye on this venture; we expect to produce other high-quality food products that enhance the great alliance of food and wine Pommes frites to go. Need a gift idea? You name it. The world is our oyster. There are so many beautiful things. We'll look for information that will help you know about the latest products and accessorites on the market today. And along the way, you'll be able to find out where to get the best vales in online shopping, too, right here. This area is still under construction. So, please drop off a suggestion as to the kind of products and services you would like to or do buy online. Jwdineline@aol.com. Cookware? Kitchen Accessorites? Cookbooks? Stemware? Good Life Products like, Cars? Jewels? Trips? Clothing? Let us know! Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. All Rights Reserved. The interactive components of this site require that you use a current browser version of Explorer; be sure to maximize your window out so you can see the entire page. This page was created by Inter Active Media Solutions.