Why are people with obsessive natures often drawn to both wine and art? How does strategic snobbery create deliberate barriers to entry into the art and wine worlds? What does it mean to stay in the work or to stay with the wine?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Bianca Bosker.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Bianca Bosker's terrific new book Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

Which cities has Bianca visited so far on her book tour?

What has Bianca found to be the top marketing strategies for her book?

Are art-world people more or less obsessive than wine-world people?

Why are people with obsessive natures drawn to art and wine?

How did getting into artists’ studios transform the way Bianca looks at art?

What does it mean to “stay in the work”?

How does strategic snobbery create deliberate barriers to entry into the art and wine industries?

Is there really a need for complex terminology and flowery language in describing wine?

How has art speak evolved to become less descriptive and more exclusionary?

Why does Bianca differentiate between the logic behind wine descriptions and art speak?

What’s behind the art world’s suspicion of beautiful things and are there parallels in the wine world?

How do art and wine help us to discover and appreciate beauty in the everyday?

Key Takeaways

Bianca observed an all-consuming passion and intensity in both worlds. As she says: "I'd never met a group of people willing to sacrifice so much for something of so little obvious practical value." They are both in their own way, hedonistic. They really sort of involve all of us - our minds, and our bodies.

Strategic snobbery creates deliberate barriers to entry into the art and wine worlds. Bianca explains that it exists to keep out the "Joe Schmoes." The language is one of these constructions that exists to distinguish you as someone that does or does not get it.

Bianca advises to slow down and absorb your experiences. It's also what I teach my online wine and food pairing students. Think about what you're experiencing and what you're tasting.

About Bianca Bosker

Bianca Bosker is the author of the New York Times bestselling books Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See and Cork Dork. A contributing writer at The Atlantic, she has also written for publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Her work has been recognized with awards from the New York Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists, and more, and has been included in The Best American Travel Writing.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/285.

Why do Spanish wines pair well with earthy, savoury dishes? How does food photography affect the cost of a cookbook? How can you set yourself up for success as an aspiring food or drink writer?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Barbara Scott-Goodman.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Barbara Scott-Goodman's terrific book Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine.

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

What are Barbara’s three favourite wine pairings?

Why is food photography so expensive and how does it affect the cost of a cookbook?

Do photographs of the dishes enhance or detract from restaurant menus?

What are Barbara’s favourite cookbooks and why?

How has the cookbook market evolved over the past 10 years and what are some of the trends Barbara sees now?

What were some of the most interesting cocktails Barbara came across while writing Brooklyn Bar Bites?

Which marketing channels were the most successful for Wine Bites and Wine Time?

How can you set yourself up for success as an aspiring food or drink writer?

Which chef and musician would Barbara like to share a bottle of wine with?

What makes a summer afternoon outdoors the perfect setting to enjoy a glass of wine?

Which simple high-low food pairing should you try next?

About Barbara Scott-Goodman

Barbara Scott-Goodman is an author, art director, and designer of cookbooks for many publishers. Her most recent book is Wine Time ((Chronicle Books, 2021). Other books include Cake (Penguin Press, 2018), a collaboration with writer and illustrator Maira Kalman, Delicious Dessert Cocktails (Bluestreak Books, 2018), Brooklyn Bar Bites (Rizzoli, 2016), Happy Hour at Home (Running Press, 2013), and Wine Bites (Chronicle Books, 2011).

Her work has been featured in publications in print and online, including Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Publishers Weekly, Food52, and Sweet Paul. Her books always emphasize the importance of warm and intimate gatherings and eating, drinking, and living well in this era of non-ostentatious, casual entertaining.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/284.

Can you pair pickled foods with wine, or will their vinegarized flavours ruin the wine? Which wines pair best with soft-shell crab? What goes into great food photography, whether in a magazine or cookbook?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Barbara Scott-Goodman.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Barbara Scott-Goodman's terrific book Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine.

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

How did Barbara’s passion for creating recipes develop?

Which are the best wines to pair with soft-shell crab?

What was Barbara’s most memorable wine moment?

When did Barbara realize she wanted to transition into a writing career?

Why are book covers often like a political landmine?

What are the key elements of a good cookbook cover?

How did Barbara decide on the cover design for her book, Wine Time?

What makes great food photography?

How did the art of pickling surprise Barbara while researching Wine Time?

Can you pair pickled foods with wine?

Key Takeaways

Can you pair pickled foods with wine? As Barbara observed, contrary to popular belief, these vinegarized foods don’t always wreak havoc on wine. Riesling actually works very well with its own natural acidity, as do other acidic wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Gruner Veltliner.

Which wines pair best with soft-shell crab? Barbara would go with a chilled pinot grigio, or if she’s feeling extravagant, a white burgundy, which is an opulent French chardonnay.

What goes into great food photography, whether it’s in a magazine or cookbook? Barbara says there's a lot going on behind the scenes. You need to have a good food stylist and a good prop stylist. Most of us don't realize that there are people who get paid to shop for the right linen, the right glass, the right cup, and it's very subtle, but you look at it, you go, wow, that photograph is so good. It's because this team is thinking about it. And that's the magic of food photography.

About Barbara Scott-Goodman

Barbara Scott-Goodman is an author, art director, and designer of cookbooks for many publishers. Her most recent book is Wine Time ((Chronicle Books, 2021). Other books include Cake (Penguin Press, 2018), a collaboration with writer and illustrator Maira Kalman, Delicious Dessert Cocktails (Bluestreak Books, 2018), Brooklyn Bar Bites (Rizzoli, 2016), Happy Hour at Home (Running Press, 2013), and Wine Bites (Chronicle Books, 2011).

Her work has been featured in publications in print and online, including Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Publishers Weekly, Food52, and Sweet Paul. Her books always emphasize the importance of warm and intimate gatherings and eating, drinking, and living well in this era of non-ostentatious, casual entertaining.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/283.