I find that beer temperatures vary by the location. When we lived in Brazil, the beer was so cold that ice was often inside the bottle. In Europe, it’s always been on the warmer side. Cold beer somewhere in between these two was the standard in the States for years. Then came the craft beer boom, and with it, the understanding that some beers are best served at warmer temperatures.
But until we made it Poland, I had never had hot beer.
These savory snacks make a great start to holiday meals. Their rich, earthy flavors are an ideal match for the Cabernet Franc I received from Cultivar Wine.
The idea of snacks for Thanksgiving day seems a little absurd. It’s not like we really need to include more food in the celebration. And having snacks around certainly isn’t because we need to satisfy hunger. If you are like me, hungry won’t even be a part of your vocabulary for at least 36 hours.
Yet there is something about little bites to kick off the celebration that feels like a necessity. All that cooking makes you want to eat. Why not take things over the top? It is Thanksgiving after all.
This recipe takes an ordinary sandwich and makes it worthy of an excellent wine pairing! It comes from Chad Hendrickson, Executive Chef for The Hess Collection. A special thank you to The Hess Collection for sponsoring this post.
Sandwiches are casual. When we don’t want to have a fancy meal or invest too much time in the kitchen, we go for a sandwich.
They are convenient and familiar, but many lean a little towards boring and monotonous. That is, until you start considering whether the lowly sandwich could possibly pair with wine. Not just any wine, but a syrah that boasts black and blue fruits with a subtle touch of spiced vanilla and cedar. Before you know it, you have a duck breast sandwich on your hands that also happens to be layered with bacon and Cambozola cheese.
Concord grapes are in a league of their own. I don’t put them in the same category as the red and green seedless table grapes that are common, regardless of the season.
Their flavor and texture sets them apart. The tart skin busts open in your mouth leading the way to a sweet, gummy bear-like pulp inside. I enjoy these qualities so much that I can easily overlook the pesky seeds.
As a member of the Cultivar Wine Bloggers club, I receive quarterly shipments of their outstanding wines to pair with my recipes. This month I took things outdoors with grilled pizza and the 2014 Cultivar Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc. 
If you told me I could only grill one thing for the entire summer, my pick would be pizza. I might miss the grilled vegetables, maybe the meats, and most definitely the fruits, but having grilled pizza in front of me with the smoky, slightly crisp crust and the bubbly cheese would make it all better.
We only just began grilling pizzas a few years ago and it was love at first slice. Since then I’ve experimented with different whole grain crusts and garden-fresh toppings as well as the best way to cook it.
While I’m a huge fan of the traditional with tomato sauce and mozzarella, I also like to step out of the box with some more original combinations.
Truth be told, I had no idea what a shim was.
A shrub? Yes. I’d actually made some shrubs at home.
So when I was invited to a shims and shrubs workshop, I jumped at the chance, assuming that the shrub I knew had to be somewhat related to a shim that I was unfamiliar with.
Plus, this workshop was at the Healdsburg SHED. I literally had just discovered this place no more than a month before this media workshop invitation arrived in my inbox. The moment I saw it in some of my travel research, it immediately went on my must-visit list. This seemed like the perfect excuse to take the short drive up to California wine country.
Food, drinks, and beautiful views. Just a few of the reasons why even the most touristy of locations can’t ruin a trip to Maui, Hawaii.
“Yeah, it’s a bit of a touristy area, but it will be fine. It’s a quick trip and Hawaii is so close now. We’ll be back.”
Famous last words when travel planning.
When we decided we would visit Maui, I spent some time researching accommodations. Our first thought was to get a remote rental where we could relax and cook a little using local ingredients.
Then when booking our direct flights from Oakland we got swayed by the great package deals, so we went ahead and added the hotel, too.
So with our tolerance for crowds way up, we arrived on the island, eager to finally see Hawaii.
This spicy noodle bowl is topped with turkey sausage, mustard greens and garlic. It’s vibrant flavors pair well with the 2014 Cultivar Rose that I received as part of the Cultivar Wine Bloggers!
Growing up, like most people who come from the middle portion of the U.S., comfort food was defined by things like mashed potatoes, pot pies and biscuits and gravy. Heavy, nap-inducing and delicious.
Fortunately, travel has introduced me to a few more things that define comfort food for others around the world. Feijoada in Brazil, fish and chips and pastries in Europe, but nothing can compare to noodle dishes in Southeast Asia. They have redefined comfort food for me.
This Meyer lemon bourbon cocktail is the best way to get through a cold winter night! It combines the fresh flavor of seasonal citrus with warming spices and Kentucky bourbon.
Let’s be clear. It’s not cold here. If I were to utter the phrase, “I’m cold,” I’m certain it would be met with a bless-her-heart chuckle and an eye roll from just about everyone Colorado and eastward. Those being pounded with snow would likely close the browser window, never to return.
So it’s not cold, but it does get cool and there are distinct differences between winter, spring, summer and fall here in the Bay Area. Thank goodness, because I do love the four seasons. They just aren’t nearly as extreme as other places I’ve lived.
That being said, I still love the comfort foods and drinks of winter — a steaming bowl of soup, rich pot pies, and a warm bourbon drink — just as much as a person digging out from the snow.
We might not have freezing temps, but one thing we do have in the winter is citrus! And you are probably well aware of my love for it.
When we moved into our apartment here in 2012, I immediately purchased a small dwarf Meyer lemon tree from the local farmers market. I read up a little on growing them in pots and this tree already had a few lemons on it when I bought it so I thought, this is going to be too easy.
Special meals don’t have to be complicated. These beef medallions are quick and easy. They pair so well with the excellent 2012 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon I received from Cultivar Wine.
Fancy is not a word that I would use to describe my cooking. Most often from scratch, sometimes simple, other times complicated, but not exactly fancy.
But every now and then I get the opportunity to make something a little special. Like when you receive an elegant, yet approachable bottle of fine wine.
