Wine & Cheese Pairing

Salmon and Dijon mustard go together like peanut butter and jelly—it’s a marriage made in foodie-heaven. When you combine the Dijon mustard with the pungent taste of the capers and the tartness of the lemon, it kicks up the salmon to 9.9 on the flavor scale. Dijon...

Anchovies are widely consumed in Europe but outside of the ever-popular Caesar Salad, North Americans haven’t embraced this oily little flat fish with as much gusto as Europeans. Hopefully this blog post will change your mind. Anchovies are cured with salt for up to...

Most of the time I choose wine to match my food, but with ice wine, I choose the food to match the wine. Ice wine is made from grapes that have literally frozen on the vine. As soon as the grapes are frozen, a horde of workers have to go pick the grapes--usually in...

This is the perfect weeknight meal. It is healthy, flavorful and pairs beautifully with an Oregon Pinot Noir. Air Fryer Salmon with Quinoa 4 salmon steaks (about 5-6 ounces each) 1 cup white quinoa, washed and rinsed 2 cups chicken broth 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper...

An occasion isn’t special unless I celebrate with bubbly. Sometimes I want French champagne, but a high quality yeasty champagne isn’t always food friendly. Prosecco is fruitier than champagne and can taste slightly sweet. This makes it the perfect pairing for Thai...

I get as excited to go to new restaurants as most people get when they go to a live concert or sporting event. I had been following Chevre Panama, a new restaurant and cheese shop, on Instagram, and was looking forward to trying it. Normally we go out once or twice a...

I recently opened a coveted bottle of wine--the 2004 Amon Ra Shiraz. I had friends in town and we were filming one of my weekly YouTube videos. (Click here to see the video.) When I opened the 2004 Amon Ra, I knew I had to pair it with lamb chops... or what I like to...

          I live on the beach in Panama where wellness is on everyone's mind. But even when I didn't, January always marked the start of "Get In Shape for Bathing Suit Season." This is hard when you're a wine-loving foodie, so...

I’ve always loved tomato basil soup, but most recipes call for too much cream. If I’m going to add that many fat calories to my day, it’s going to be with something decadent like Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. In my mind, when I’m eating something that is chalk-full of...

This is NOT a hot creamy dip that you’ll get as an appetizer at a chain restaurant. This is an dip that you’ll find in Mama’s house in Italy. It is served at room temperature, and is simple, elegant, and tastes like summer in the Mediterranean. Once you try it, you'll...

I don't remember the first time I ate hummus, but I do remember the first time I tried Loaded Hummus. I was trying a new restaurant with friends in the late 1990s, and we thought it would be fun to share their specialty hummus. It was like nothing I'd ever tasted!...