Happy Announcement: My First Book, Wijnboek Voor Foodies, Is Out!

It’s been a long time in the making, but after many years of drafting, rethinking, learning, writing, editing and more, my very first book has been published. It is written in Dutch, called Wijnboek voor foodies (= Wine Book for Foodies), and I couldn’t be more proud of it. 😀

I feel lucky to have been able to work with the many talented people of Pelckmans Publishers here in Belgium, and with stellar food photographer Wout Hendrickx and food stylist Debby De Mangelaere of Les Filles Rouges. Without any of them, the book would not have been as amazing as it is now. (Yes, proud book mum here!)

What is Wijnboek voor foodies about?

The book is quite literally what the title says: a wine book for foodies. Meaning: food-loving amateurs as well as professionals. People who have an interest in wine, but not necessarily a lot of background knowledge or much prior wine training. Because Part One of the book covers the basics: everything you, as a food lover, need to know about wine to move with confidence in the wider wine world. To achieve this, I start from the knowledge you already have: if you’re interested in food, you already know a lot about ingredients, about where they grow, how they ripen, and how to recognise (or create) balance and flavour in a dish. Most of this is relevant for understanding wine, so this is what I tap into.

These basics serve to prepare you for Part Two of the book, which is all about pairing food and wine. Readers with a substantial wine background could technically skip to Part Two straightaway, but I would still advise to leaf through the first part, because I do focus on a number of topics that aren’t always covered thoroughly in wine training or literature. Such as: the links between origin, climate and what you taste in the glass; what (or who) determines wine quality; where wine aromas come from and how we smell and taste. I also debunk a few persistent myths – and share anecdotes to help you remember – along the way.

For more details, see the Table of Contents below, and click on it to see the first 30 pages as a review copy on my publisher’s website. For an English translation of the table of contents, just scroll a bit further down here, it’s right below the photo.

Part One: The Basics: what you, as a foodie, need to know about wine.

• Where in the world can you make wine?
• Wine, weather and climate
• Where do wine aromas come from?
• Grape varieties and blends
• Wine types and colours
• Sustainable, organic, biodynamic or natural?
• Good and bad wine
• Storing and serving
• Wine faults
• Wine knowledge, now what’s next?

Part Two: Wine and Food: the 3-step method

• In the beginning …
• The 3-step method
• Analyse your wine: one, two, three … wine styles
• Analyse your dish
• Perfect your pairing: aroma bridges between food and wine
• Perfect pairings

Where is the book for sale?

In book shops and the regular online channels in the wider Dutch-speaking areas of Flanders, Belgium and The Netherlands. But also in a selection of food and wine shops. For a full list, see here.

Are there any book launch or signing events planned?

I’m glad you ask: yes! See the current list here, and more will be added in the coming weeks and months.

Does the book exist in English yet?

Unfortunately not yet, but I own the translation rights, and I am planning to translate the book into English in the near future. As the book, its examples and insights are relevant worldwide, I am open to any tips or suggestions regarding international publishers and translations into other languages. So, if you or anybody you know has an interest, do get in touch!