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...
Wine Review: Willm Gewürztraminer Reserve and A Bit About Alsace
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?...
Wine Review: Sumarroca Cava Reserve D.O.
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: Beronia Rioja Crianza 2017
Wine Review and a bit about how to read a Spanish Wine Label
Music & Wine Pairing Part 1
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...
3 Quick Wine Pairings For Your Next Happy Hour
So good and so easy – very little to no cooking involved!
Why Wine & Food Pairings matter
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!
COMING SOON: Terr-what?
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.
COMING SOON: France – Bordeaux Everyday Drinking Wine
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.
FOLLOW US
THE LATEST & GREATEST

Homemade Ladyfingers or Sponge Cake
Homemade ladyfingers are quite easy to make. To make things even easier, I take this recipe and spread it out onto a prepared 1/2 sheet tray. This way you don't need a piping bag or tip. You can cut squares using a knife, or cut with biscuit cutters to fit whatever...

The Best Easy Pizza Dough
Easy Pizza Dough? Is there really such a thing? Nancy Silverton talks in her Chef's Table episode about how she spent 10 years perfecting the Mozza Pizza Dough.... so can it really be easy? (PS if you haven't gone to Mozza in LA -- add it to your bucket list). While...

Cinnamon Ice Cream
This is a classic cinnamon ice cream. Egg yolks and a mix of heavy cream and half and half make this rich and decadent. So I'm giving you the disclaimer now: if you're the type of person that likes the "light" or "fake" ice cream stuff -- go get some fro-yo. This...

Review of Martha Stewart Wine Co
As a wine educator, Martha Stewart Wine Co sounded really interesting to me for a number of reasons. I'll let you know that I am an affiliate with Martha Stewart Wine Co, but I only started recommending her products after going through this experience. This blog post...

Portuguese Wine Travels: Villa Rosa Bairrada Baga Wine Review
Portuguese Wine is some of the best and most memorable wine I've ever tasted. One of the most memorable experiences I've had was perhaps at a Michelin Star restaurant, at The Yeatman, in Porto. Every course was served with a Portuguese wine to match. And every wine...

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake
If you're looking for an easy flourless chocolate cake recipe, look no further! This dense and fudgy cake is best served cold with a light dollop of sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries. A client of mine asked for this as an add-on to a wine tasting and tapas...

Fall Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato
Sometimes I just crave a good, hearty fall kale salad. Do you? This salad is paleo-friendly, gluten-friendly, dairy-free, allium-free, and grain-free. Whew! That's a lot of "free's" If you want to spice up the salad - I won't be offended, see below for my...

Viura: Spanish White Wine Intro
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 & Squash Soup with Bacon and Ricotta
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: The Middle Child of Burgundy
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...