I never knew I liked rice. Then I discovered authentic Indian cuisine with its basmati and jasmine rice, quite a contrast to the glop served up in 1950’s America when I was raised. Next, I discovered ...
When I travel, I love to experience a local cooking class to get the full immersive experience into the culture and food of the places I visit. Last month, I had a blast with my family at a cooking ...
Of all the great gigs I’ve enjoyed as a consultant to the culinary industry (including The Chopping Block, of course!), there’s been none better than representing Wine & Food from Spain. I got to ...
How to Make the Most of Summer Without Dying of Heat Stroke
Now that we’ve arrived at high summer and the temperatures in much of the country are soaring past records, the time has come to rethink summer activities. Don’t get me wrong - swimming, grilling, ...
The birds are chirping, the masks are off and the wine sales reps are rolling their insulated bags loaded with samples across the U.S. In the wine biz, “back to normal” means Spring wine list ...
We Fell in Love with Pinot Noir, but Will the Sideways Affair Last?
It’s almost impossible to pinpoint the start of a major cultural shift. What work of art begins the Italian Renaissance, for instance, or on what day did the Jazz Age start? But there’s no doubt that ...
With current health trends, a lot of people are looking for any and every way to cut their caloric intake. Many have joined the lifestyle of veganism and if not completely, some have opted for ...
People ask me all the time: What can I do with a wine that’s going bad? And I say, Freeze it. Or: The wine my family prefers is too dry, and I say, Add fruit juice to yours. When warm wine is ...
Like geese are drawn southwards for the winter, when the temperature plummets my instinct pulls me into the kitchen to roast a passel of vegetables. And since I’ve given up trying to enjoy any dish ...
Slipping into a silky robe on a hot summer day is a feeling we can all dream of during Chicago’s icy blast. Now we’re bundling up in wool scarves and coats. But how would we feel about a wool scarf ...
After college graduation, I moved to New York City, where a classmate offered a patch of her studio apartment to me until I found my own crib. At her door, she greeted me, “I have good news and bad ...
