Doris Muscatine,Writer on California Wine & Food

[Gifted Gourmet]

article from NY Times

Mrs. Muscatine began writing about food and wine in the 1960's, before anyone knew a pinot noir from a merlot or had ever heard of Alice Waters, Chez Panisse and the new American cooking. Her writing helped introduce California cooking, with its emphasis on fresh, locally grown ingredients, to the rest of the country.

"Doris was a good kind of critic, looking for the positive things," said Ms. Waters, the executive chef and owner of Chez Panisse, in Berkeley. "She was able to sort them out. She was never into the kind of superficial things about food and wine. She wanted to know about the person who ran the restaurant, its history, not just recipes. And that connects to her interest in history."

from San Francisco Gate .. more ...

Are you familiar with her writings?

[Carlsbad]

I have her book, A Cook's Tour of San Francisco, which a friend gave me back in 1974. It was originally published in 1963, but I have the 1969 edition. It gives a good history for the restaurant scene in San Francisco from the Gold Rush days to the publication date. Few of the restaurants described remain (Tadich Grill, New Joe's, and the places on the Wharf for instance) and the recipes are dated, but it's always fun to bring it out and go back to the time of Ernie's, The Blue Fox, and La Bourgogne, Trader Vic's, Des Alpes and the Restaurant de France.

[MaxH]

Are you familiar with her writings?

Yes indeed Melissa, and she is at least as well known for her wine writing as food writing. Various articles came out over the years. Muscatine was a US food-wine writer of depth and standing, as few have been (MFK Fisher, Richard Olney come to mind). I have not read the linked article yet but I assume it mentioned this.

She was senior editor (with professor Maynard Amerine and wine writer Bob Thompson) of the landmark University of California Book of California Wine, 1984 (ISBN 0520050851), a large volume, 44 authors and 53 chapters, from history to corkscrews. This book was talked up at the time in wine publications and columns, and printed in such quantity that it still crowds the used-book market. California wine saw notable overview books in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, etc., but none as large or authoritative as that one, a record that might still hold, though the industry itself has evolved further as always.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Carlsbad and MaxH, I appreciate your filling in the gaps in my knowledge about this seasoned writer and food afficianado, Doris Muscatine ... She seems to have been quite a worthy 'precursor' to many of the California food writers whom we read so voraciously today.

[marlena spieler]

i'm very saddened.

Doris was indeed, a grand voice, eloquent and elegant, a passionate observer and note-taker of whatever caught her interest, a classy act in the bay area food arena.....

i loved her book about the restaurants of sf area, i think it was called cooks tour. i just loved it!

marlena

[MaxH]

... She seems to have been quite a worthy 'precursor' to many of the California food writers whom we read so voraciously today.

Yes. I'd go further, because she is not only a precursor but also one of those people read today. In my experience, most wine enthusiasts and professionals with a depth of interest in California wines (beyond the fad of the month, say) have a copy of Muscatine's Book of California Wine, which remains a useful reference.

Just as US cooking enthusiasts continue to read Mary Frances Fisher and Richard Olney, whose books remain in print after the authors are gone. Outlasting fashion and marketing.