Phew - that title was a mouthful! Welcome to the beautiful Italian language. The wines, the people, and the views are always spectacular so there's a lot to be appreciated about Italy. Especially in the Chianti Classico region! Can we say GREAT VALUE?! I'm a bargain...
Alsace. It's one of my favorite wine regions. Someday I will take a trip to this dry and sunny region. Did you know that Colmar, a major city of Alsace, is one of the sunniest places in all of France! So you may be thinking, what's up with this Gewurz-thing?...
It's Cava a Big Deal Time for another review and a bit more info about Spanish wines. (Yay, Spain!) In case you missed my last wine review, I talked about Spanish Rioja and one of the aging categories (Crianza) and the types of grape varietals that are in the blend....
Wine Review and a bit about how to read a Spanish Wine Label
I attended the Culinary Institute of America’s Beverage Professional Summit a few weeks ago and there was an incredible workshop based around music and wine pairings. There was a guided session followed by a “silent disco” where we could walk around and try wines with...
So good and so easy – very little to no cooking involved!
Why is pairing food and wine such a big deal? Does it really even matter? Yes, and no. If you want to drink whatever you want because you feel like it — you go, no judgments. However, if you want to learn a little bit more about how it can enhance a meal or your experience with wine and what all the wine lovers out there are so obsessed with, I hope this gives you some ideas!
Terroir (tehr-waar) – a word that has no exact English equivalent and has caused much debate between scientists and winemakers for centuries. Simplistically, the idea of terroir is a taste of place. Regarding wines, where the grapes are grown affects how they taste.
When some people think “Bordeaux” they think of the big names, Chateau La Pricey. However, while these wines are beautiful and outrageously expensive, there are plenty of fabulous everyday wines for around a $20 value.
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Viura (also known as Macabeo) is a native Spanish white grape that has quite a history! In Penedes, and a few other areas of Spain, this grape is known as Macabeo. You can also find Macabeo in Rousillion, France! In Valencia, Rioja, and Rueda, this grape is called...
Apple and Squash Soup means that fall is HERE y'all! I'm going to be honest with you for a minute. Soup gives me a bit of PTSD. Is that odd? Sous Chef Jobs Here's the deal though. When I was a Sous Chef at a restaurant (that shall remain nameless) I had to make two...
Aligoté is the "other" Burgundian white wine. Simply enough, when you typically see Burgundy white wine it's 100% Chardonnay. If you're waiting for the other shoe to drop, thinking, "That's way too easy" -- you're right. Depending on the region, vineyard, and...
Sometimes you just need some classic beef chili. This is a no-frills, flavor-packed, delicious, old-school chili. Most importantly, this is the chili my mom taught me to make. I've adapted slightly and moved some of the steps around, but for the most part, it's the...
I am obsessed with these healthy seed and nut bars! They are packed with tons of nutrients, protein, good fats, and just the right amount of sweetness. I like to cut these up into smaller cubes and keep them in the freezer to keep on hand. You can be flexible with the...
I came up with these paleo pumpkin spice muffins, that are also nut free, for some very special clients of mine. In a previous post (on Peruvian chicken skewers), I mentioned that I have been hired to cook for some clients in October with a lot of different dietary...
This Grillo from L'arca was the first bottle of wine I tried from Martha Stewart Wine Co. Sicilian White Wines You Need to Know: Grillo We’ve already done a post about an intro to Sicilian reds, covering Frappato, a native red grape. Later this month I will also be...
These accidental pound cake bites came about because it's The Somm Chef's birthday month, my birthday month, and the anniversary of Ian and I moving down to FL (and sort of the anniversary of The Somm Chef inception). In short - September of last year was quite the...
Chateau Montelena may not be a name you're too familiar with. However, you may have heard of the movie "Bottle Shock" with all-star cast Chris Pine, Alan Rickman, and Bill Pullman. This film is (loosely) based around the blind tasting in 1976 called the Judgement of...
Carbonara is an awesome meal for those nights when you don't feel like cooking and when you're out of groceries. Bon Appétit says that it's the perfect "no food in the house" dinner, and I completely agree. So what is Carbonara? Carbonara is an egg-based sauce that...
