FOOD & WINE
Cava, Prosecco, and Champagne
When it comes to sparkling wine, three names shine prominently on the global stage: Cava, Prosecco, and Champagne. I am often asked "What's the difference between them?" and "Why is Champagne so expensive?!" This blog post is not exhaustive for each area, but more of...
Vineyard {511} 2015 Cabernet: A Wine That Inspires
Calling all Cabernet lovers and wine aficionados alike! I recently experienced tasting the Vineyard 511 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon and I have to tell you about it. When my father-in-law asked what I thought of the wine, I told him that it was inspiring. As a wine...
A Somm’s Holiday Wine Picks
Hello Fall! Cooler breezes are starting and we're craving sweater weather, the crunch of leaves and acorns beneath our shoes, and stocking up on holiday wine picks! Fall is a transitional period. It's not quite summer and it's not quite winter, but we get days where...
Hi! I'm Sydney,
nice to meet you!
I left a marketing career in Hollywood to go to the Culinary Institute of America. After a few years of working in restaurants, I am now a private chef and sommelier in the 30a area.
Wine FAQ’s – Answered!
Curry and Wine: What Wines go well with Curry
Wine and curry can be an excellent and exciting pairing. The things to keep in mind are the intensity of the curry, and the spice level of the curry. By intensity, I mean is it a mild, simple curry with just a few flavors, or is it bold and full of a variety of...
Wine with Duck
When pairing wine and duck one should consider the seasonings and type of duck. Is this is wild duck that you recently killed on a hunting spree (likely tough, gamey, and dry -- wild animals do not keep as much fat as well as use their muscles much more so wild duck...
Wine with Pork
When pairing wine and pork one must think about the accompaniments that will also be present. Pork is a "middle ground" protein. It's not the heaviest, but not the lightest meat. Therefore, it can go well with full bodied whites as well as light bodied reds. Let the...
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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...
Classic Beef Chili
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...
Healthy Seed & Nut Bars
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...
Paleo Pumpkin Spice Muffins
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...
Grillo: Sicilian White Wine
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...
Pound Cake Bites – The Best Accident
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...
Intro to Napa Chardonnay: Chateau Montelena
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 with Pancetta: Go To Weeknight Meal
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...
