Wine Pairings: What to Serve on Thanksgiving
Filed Under Kitchen Tips, Special Occasions, Wines & Spirits USA
You've got your table set and your menu planned. The bird is thawing, or brining, or waiting for its turn in the oven. The pies are baked and cooling. Now it's time to think about drinks, especially the wine. With an array of food on the table, from sweet potatoes and green bean casserole to stuffing and turkey, you’re going to want a versatile, all-purpose wine with higher acidity and… Read
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Food & Wine Tours: Wine Tasting Do's and Don'ts
Filed Under Travel Tips, Wines & Spirits
Wine tasting is a popular culinary activity everywhere wine is made: who wouldn't want to try out and compare the various varietals and vintages to find out which one you like best? But have you actually ever done a wine tasting? Did you know how to swirl the wine in the glass? Did you know how (or where? or whether?) to spit? Today we'll break down the "do's and don'ts"… Read
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Wine Lovers' France: All about Languedoc Wines
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips, Wines & Spirits France
The region of the Languedoc is often overlooked in favor of it's neighbor, Provence. But there's many reasons to visit this off-the-beaten path region, and not just because tourists don't typically flock here. For starters, there's the beautiful landscape; the Languedoc borders the Mediterranean Sea as well as Spain, and goes up to the Montagne Noire (the Black Mountains). Cathar castles dot the countryside, as do Roman ruins that date… Read
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How to Make a Wine and Cheese Course
Filed Under Food History, Kitchen Tips, Wines & Spirits
Everyone loves a cheese plate, so today we'll talk about how to put one together and how to pair it with wines. Both endeavors can be complicated: there are plenty of categories of cheese and wine to make the whole process seem overwhelming. But if you remember a few simple guidelines, and keep in mind that you will be serving two incredibly tasty items so are almost assured of success,… Read
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Olives and Wines: The Perfect Pairings
Filed Under Food History, Kitchen Tips, Wines & Spirits
The olive may be a small fruit, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in variety and flavor, which makes the topic of olives and wine pairing especially complex and interesting. All the different flavors are due to a number of factors: from how the olives thrive in many climates and soils (from Morocco to California) to how they're cured. And when it comes to curing, there… Read
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Calvados, Normandy's Apple Brandy, and Calvados Cocktail Recipes
Filed Under Destination Features, Recipes, Wines & Spirits France
Normandy is famed for many gastronomic delights, from its cheese and dairy products, to its meat and mussels. It is not known as a serious wine-producing region, but when it comes to beverages, the apple reigns supreme! The Basse-Normandie region has been rife with apple orchards since the time of Charlemagne, and the making of Calvados apple brandy and cider has been going on for many centuries. Book a culinary… Read
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