'Flavors' Of Temecula Wineries Cookbook Will Make Ideal Visitor Gift

TEMECULA, CA — Two local authors have paired local wines with gourmet recipes in their new cookbook, "Flavors of the Temecula Valley Wineries." The hardcover cookbook, filled with over 80 unique recipes paired with local wine from 41 wineries, is available for advanced purchase online and at signing events and local bookstores.

The cookbook's journey from concept to completion has taken over four years, according to longtime friends Rebecca Farnbach, a beloved Temecula Valley historian, and Martha Culbertson, a former Temecula winery owner and culinary arts teacher who resides in Fallbrook.

Within its pages, readers can expect easy-to-follow recipes rooted in the history of Temecula Valley Wine Country.

The cookbook is organized alphabetically by winery and offers a perfect pairing of food and wine with recipes developed by Culbertson. Her resume is a who's who of California's winegrowers and international culinary notables. Culbertson has studied under Julia Child and Robert Mondavi, to drop a few names. She puts together recipes that are ideal for late afternoon or dinner parties, and many include side dishes and even desserts. All are paired with local wineries.

"I assigned two to four recipes to go with each winery and suggested wines to go with them," she said. "Each recipe was photographed beautifully for the book." Culbertson and her assistant, Jean Vesey, worked together on each recipe and prepared them for photographing. The work started at the end of 2018, and the bulk of the book was written between January and August 2019.

"It's exciting to know that the book is finally going to be available," Culbertson said of the approaching release date.

Each recipe is broken down by how many it serves, how long it should take to prepare, and the expected completion time. Her instructions are easy to understand, and each dish is captured in a photo.

An example: Akash Winery is the New York Steak with Red Wine Jus, Clery Root, and Potato Mash served with Oysters Casino. Yes, you can make that recipe. Culbertson's descriptions and imagery will show you how.

When asked, Culbertson said that her favorite recipe for the book has German and French influences. A sauerkraut dish, chouccroute garnie, paired with wine from Briar Rose Winery. Farnbach favors the butternut squash soup, which features delicious fall flavors and is perfectly paired with Bottaia's Dolcetto, described in the book as a "rustic wine with aromas of elegant fig and licorice."

A total of 41 specific wineries are featured in the book, including:

1. Akash Winery
2. Altisima Winery
3. Avensole Winery
4. Baily Vineyard and Winery
5. Bel Vino
6. Bottaia Winery
7. Briar Rose Winery
8. Callaway Vineyard and Winery
9. Carter Estate Winery and Resort
10. Chapin Family Vineyards
11. Cougar Vineyard and Winery
12. Danza Del Sol Winery
13. Doffo Winery
14. Europa Village
15. Falkner Winery
16. Fazeli Cellars
17. Foot Path Winery
18. Frangipani Estate Winery
19. Gershon Bachus Vintners
20. Leoness Cellars
21. Longshadow Ranch Vineyard and Winery
22. Lorenzi Estate
23. Lorimar Vineyards and Winery
24. Lumiere Winery
25. Maurice Car'rie Vineyard and Winery
26. Miramonte Winery
27. Monte De Oro Winery
28. Palumbo Family Winery
29. Plateau Vineyards
30. Poggio Leano
31. Ponte Winery
32. Robert Renzoni Vineyards
33. Somerset Vineyard and Winery
34. South Coast Winery Resort and Spa
35. Vindemia Estate
36. Vitagliano Vineyards and Winery
37. Wiens Family Cellars
38. Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards

The pair have planned events to promote the book's release, with two in wine country, including a benefit book signing for the Santa Rosa Plateau.

"All of my assistants from past years will be cooking recipes and offering samples from the cookbook," she said. "Funds will go toward the plateau's children's fund."

In October, Temecula's Kitchen Fantasy will host another event to showcase the cookbook, with chefs preparing samples from the pages.

A bit more about the authors...

Between Farnbach and Culbertson, the two have over sixty years of experience living and working in Temecula Valley.

Culbertson grew up on the "farm to table" concept, which fostered a love of fresh food and family gatherings, she says. A Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association 2023 Hall of Fame inductee and former winery owner, she knows what goes into creating great wine and the importance of complementing each bottle with the perfect recipe.

She has taught cooking at the Mount San Jacinto College campus and paired food and wine with dishes developed for those courses, which was later put into this book. She describes her cooking style as "home cooking using French techniques."

While Culbertson was the mind creating the recipe, Farnbach blends the history of southwest Riverside County History, giving the book balance. She is well versed in the founding families of the valley, is a founding member of the Vail Ranch Restoration Association, and is past president of the Temecula Valley Historical Society.

"'Flavors of the Temecula Valley Wineries' is written with love for the region where we live and the people who live and work here," Farnbach said. "We are blessed to live in the Temecula Valley and appreciate the opportunity to share a glimpse and taste of it with others."

A book signing and a celebration of the launch of their book is planned for Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Plateau Vineyards Winery in La Cresta.