Book Review:
Culinaria Spain
Edited by Marion Trutter
Photos by Gunter Beer
published 2007
This is a large (488 pages) coffee table style book on food and wine from Spain, with roughly 1300 photos and illustrations. I actually purchased it new (maybe $10-$20 at Costco) near release, and misplaced it during a move, only sort of finding it a year or so ago, and reconnected with it. Although this is intended to a be cookbook, it’s really more of a celebration of Spanish food, wine, and their overall lifestyle. The actual recipes, despite the food stylists’ pictures, are rather vague in preparation. But in any case, don’t look for this book for recipe insights - it’s excellent for beautiful pictures of wine, associated activities (cork production, barrel making, sherry soleras etc.) and is worth a slot on the shelf.
The book seems to be German, and was likely translated from that, and has a structure with a central editor and (Valencia based) photographer, with regional authors who contribute to each of their own sections. Some authors cover multiple zones. So there can be a slightly different feel to each area’s prose, but the magnificent pictures and overall editing keeps it all together. I think most oenophiles would not really read this book anyways, but just keep it in a bath or on the coffee table while gawking at the pictures. They have other books in this series, and I have the ones on Germany as well as Greece, but they are not as good IMO.
Not only does it cover wine, and sherry/brandy/spirits/mineral water and more libations, it also covers topics like cheese, sausages, fish, truffles, herbs and so on.
I could wax on, but I’ll share some pictures instead, to show what I mean. It’s lavishly illustrated on every page.
For enthusiasts of Spain, I’d consider this book to be a solid A, and its available for a song. Used copies are sub $10 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Culinaria-Spain-Celebration-Food-Tradition/dp/3848008181 That is NOT an affiliate link or anything like that.
Despite the age, I recommend this.