Drinks of Thailand on a Cooking Vacation with TIK
Filed Under Destination Features, Recipes, Wines & Spirits Thailand
In Thailand, as in most of Southeast Asia, wine is still a rarely-consumed libation. But that doesn't mean you can't consume some wonderful alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) drinks on a Thai culinary vacation. Quite the contrary, as beer and spirits are popular accompaniments to meals and social gatherings. Perhaps one reason for the popularity of lager-style and other blond beers is how well they pair with the Thai cuisine and climate.… Read
Post
Discovering Tuscan Wines at Tenuta Argentiera
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips, Wines & Spirits Italy
The western part of Tuscany, known as the Maremma region, is a quiet place, surrounded as it is by rugged nature. But the wine scene here is anything but quiet. Super Tuscans produced and bottled in the region took the wine world by storm decades ago, and these international blends didn't follow DOC or DOCG rules or regulations. Even so, the high quality of the wines changed things, and a… Read
Post
Spain Culinary Trips: Wine and Tapas Pairings
Filed Under Destination Features, Kitchen Tips, Travel Tips, Wines & Spirits Spain
Tapas is a wonderful Spanish phenomenon that has become popular around the globe, and with good cause. What could be better than delectable small plates of Spanish food, paired with good wines and friendly conversation? On our Spain wine tours in Barcelona, for instance, hopping from taberna to taberna for a taste of the local wines and a few tapas plates with one's friends is part of the culture, and… Read
Post
How to Make a New Year's Toast
Filed Under Kitchen Tips, Special Occasions, Wines & Spirits
New Years around the world means a lot of good food and drink, and of course a special New Year's toast. Here is a quick cheat sheet on what to serve and how to ring in the New Year! In Spain, the sparkling wine of choice is Cava. Most of it hails from the Catalonia region of Spain, home to Barcelona and a part of Spain that certainly knows how… Read
Post
A Vin Chaud, or Hot Spiced Wine, Recipe from France
Filed Under Food History, Recipes, Wines & Spirits France
This holiday season, cozy up next to the fire, and warm up with a hot spiced wine. Spiced, or mulled, wines are popular throughout much of Europe, particularly in the West and North, and they go by the name of everything from glogg to Glühwein, depending on its country of origin. In France, it goes by the name of vin chaud. The French will say to use a cheaper wine… Read
Post
Holiday Drink Traditions
Filed Under Special Occasions, Wines & Spirits
Holiday recipes abound this time of year, as across the globe people are gearing up to celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year's, and more. And the recipes aren't just limited to what to serve for the holiday lunch, brunch, or dinner: holiday drink recipes are also a staple of December. What are the traditions of holiday drinking in other countries? Are there holiday drink recipes that cross the oceans to… Read
Post