Turn the pages of The Sutter Home Napa Valley Cookbook and watch your mouth begin to water.

This is a great cookbook with fabulous recipes. But this book is also the story of the Trinchero family who purchased the Sutter Home Winery in 1948. For the Trinchero's cooking and eating have always been an integral part of life on the vineyard. Their gusto, zest and passion for life is a joy to read.

Delightful anecdotes are sprinkled in amongst the recipes like fresh basil on a plate of fettuccini. You'll read about the seasons of the Napa Valley and the European influences in their food. You'll learn how to pair food and wine. You'll visit the local market and discover how wine evolved. These delightful little anecdotes transport you to the Trinchero family vineyard and if you're anything like me, you'll feel as though you are sharing the family's life.

The stories are charming but the real test of a cookbook is its recipes. In a word, this collection is fantastic! The recipes rely on fresh ingredients and require a minimum amount of fuss. The book is divided into Starters, Pastas and Risotto, Main Dishes and Accompaniments, and Sweets. Two of my particular favorite recipes are the Lavender Gelato and the Heirloom Tomatoes with basil, feta, olives, and pine nuts.

Bob Trinchero's love of cooking and good food shines through every page of this wonderful book. He says "If I've learned anything during my sixty-plus years, it`s that good food and wine, consumed in moderation with friends and family, makes life all the sweeter."

In a world overwhelmed with fad foods and diet books, what a wonderfully sensible attitude - and what a wonderfully refreshing book!