The Perfect Cheese and Charcuterie Board Paired with Sparkling Wine
A cheese and charcuterie board is the perfect start to any get-together, especially for this holiday season. There are very few hard and fast rules with charcuterie, so you can be as creative as you like. That said, there are some guidelines regarding the best approach. Cheese There are a few rules of thumb to […]
Butternut Squash and Mushroom Risotto Pairing with Pinot Noir
Paired with Baldacci Carneros Pinot Noir Serves 4 Ingredients Risotto 1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli Rice 3 to 4 cups chicken stock. If using store-bought stock, check the amount of salt, and adjust your salt addition appropriately. Assorted sliced mushrooms – I favor Chanterelles, Morels, Maitake, and Trumpets ½ medium yellow onion, minced 1/3 cup […]
Pan-Seared Lobster Tail with Tropical Fruit Salsa
TIP FROM THE CHEF | This recipe is part of a five-course progressive dinner. If you are using this as a stand-alone dinner, I recommend doubling the portion size. Substitutions or omissions can be made to create a gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan option. I recommend preparing the tropical fruit salsa and pomegranate gastrique in the […]
Chill Out!
How Chilled Should My Wine Be? It’s the debate that has persisted since the dawn of wine: what is the optimal temperature to drink wine?Getting wine to an ideal temperature is an important part of bringing out the maximum potential a wine has to offer. Think of a fresh steak coming off the grill – […]
Wine Vs. White Claw – Which is the Healthier Option?
The Hard Seltzer Trend Hard seltzer continues to make waves in 2024 as a leading choice in the alcoholic beverage market. After a staggering 202% growth in recent years, it’s clear that this trend is here to stay. Major players like Sam Adams and Anheuser-Busch have diversified into the seltzer market, but what’s behind this […]
Wine and Love: The Perfect Couple!
At the Intersection of Red Wine & Love Wine and love go together like UGG slippers and cold feet…a soothing comfort that makes everything so much better. I think the best part about being in love is sharing a day, together, doing something new. In our case, it’s typically related to an outdoor activity. This […]
Nothing like the tradition of family…
Christmas Eve at my Grandparent’s home is the tradition that I look forward to every year. Having my entire family under one roof during the Christmas season is a Christmas blessing that we do not take for granted. With 19 grandchildren, 12 aunts and uncles, and my grandparents, it is tough to get everyone on […]
50 Ways to Leave Your Turkey
Well, maybe not 50…more like 4 and it’s about the day after, anyhow. I love Thanksgiving! For some reason, I never cook a turkey at any other time of the year. I think the overall size of the bird is just too intimidating. Yet, the largesse is exactly what makes the day after so appealing. […]
Pass the cheese, please!
This month, our food feature is all about the cheese. I started thinking about how my appreciation for cheese has been shaped by travel. I remember my first trip to France as a solid swiss and cheddar gal, and suddenly, the evening meal that was finished off with an extraordinary wedge of brie…soft, melt-in-the-mouth buttery […]
Music to My Ears
Art. What is it? Is it a beautiful picture painted by a wonderful artist? Or the more modern form which oddly enough involves chairs more often than not… Art takes many forms, the one that I enjoy the most is music. I think that musicians and bands in particular are the ultimate artists. Creating […]
