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FOOD & WINE

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!

Wine With Lamb

The best wine with lamb truly depends on what you are serving it with or how you are serving. If serving the lamb as in a tagine with saffron and spices and raisins, try to pair the wine with a rust but full bodied Côte Roti (from the Northern Rhone valley). These...

THE LATEST & GREATEST

Truffle Pasta Dough

Truffle Pasta Dough

Truffle pasta may sound like a lot of work, but I promise it's actually quite easy. And no - you don't need a stand mixer, or a food processor, or even a pasta machine to make it! You can use those things, of course, but not required. The thing I love about homemade...

Alexander Valley Cabernet : Jordan 2008 Wine Review

Alexander Valley Cabernet : Jordan 2008 Wine Review

Alexander Valley may not be the first place you think of when you hear "California Cabernet Sauvignon." Typically, one's mind most naturally thinks of Napa Valley. However, today we are going to take a look at an exceptional winery in Alexander Valley, in Sonoma...

Peruvian Chicken Skewers and Basil Chimichurri

Peruvian Chicken Skewers and Basil Chimichurri

These Peruvian chicken skewers have a bit of a back story. In October I'm cooking for some amazing clients. They booked me for their wedding weekend to prepare and serve food at their home for three different days: a wedding kick-off evening, breakfast and lunch for...

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

Chicken chili can sometimes take the back seat to the classic beef chili, but I'd like to propose a recipe to counter even the best beef chilis out there (sorry, mom!). Not that it will replace them - after all, there's a time for chicken chili and a time for beef...

Barbera, Barbaresco and Barolo: How They Differ

Barbera, Barbaresco and Barolo: How They Differ

I am pretty excited about this Barbera post because I think there's a ton of confusion about Barbera. It's sort of pushed to the side and forgotten, seen as the "lesser" sister from the famous land where big brother and sister, Barolo and Barbaresco (the King and...

Steak Au Poivre: Steak & Sherry Cream Sauce

Steak Au Poivre: Steak & Sherry Cream Sauce

Steak Au Poivre is a black pepper-crusted steak that comes with a sherry cream pan sauce. You cook the sauce in the same pan that has the "fond" (those black bits stuck on the bottom from pan-searing the steaks) which adds so much incredible flavor! I've added in a...

Dairy Free Cilantro Lime Crema

Dairy Free Cilantro Lime Crema

My Cilantro Lime Crema first appeared on my post about my favorite recipe for Fish Tacos. That one does include sour cream, but you can definitely omit it and use the key ingredient I've switched it for in this recipe instead. My husband, Ian, and I try to stay away...

End of Summer Wine List: Transition to Fall

End of Summer Wine List: Transition to Fall

With labor day around the corner, I felt it was high time for an end of summer wine list. It's nearly September, but some of us are a little weary of stepping into fall. We're slowly transitioning from light meals to heavier ones, incorporating pumpkin spice into...

Priorat Wines: 2014 La Petite Agnes

Priorat Wines: 2014 La Petite Agnes

Priorat makes some of the most concentrated wines in the world. Did you know that Priorat has some of the lowest density plantings of anywhere else in the world? Priorat's climate is incredibly hot and dry. This means that the vines struggle during the growing season,...

Spicy Crab Spaghetti with Lemon & Asparagus

Spicy Crab Spaghetti with Lemon & Asparagus

Let me first say that this recipe is inspired by one of my family’s favorite restaurants, Ciao Bella in Minnesota. This recipe is also coming from a place of nostalgia…