2.5 stars

I generally love stories told by those in the business of food and wine, but this wasn’t exactly that and it left me a bit cold. Tim Gaiser is a Master Sommelier (there are only about 180 of these in the world, but I’ve not heard of it before, and I use to be in the alcohol business, so I’m not sure it’s something that a lot of people really focus on (though I’m sure his skills are great.). The book contains some anecdotes of his time work in restaurants but it seems a lot of his career was maybe spent freelancing, so he doesn’t really get into the real day-to-day of the business which is what I find most fascinating.

He also includes musings about life in general and some supposedly funny anecdotes (wait til you hear the one about him burning his hand a dropping his family’s chicken on their kitchen floor. Or the one where he spills his morning coffee. Anyone? No? Yeah, I didn’t think so.). He also gives some inside baseball information of wine tasting which would be great if it came with…wine.

I did like his idea of a last meal, and I especially enjoyed his inclusion of a bacon course. There is probably a decent book in Gaiser’s head, but this wasn’t exactly disappointing.