Food

I have a food blogger confession. Truth be told, I used to be terrified of the spaghetti squash. I would gracefully cast my eyes aside as I passed them in the market figuring if I didn’t see them, well then, …

Between the Central California coastal city of Lompoc and the town of Buellton, just west of the 101, lies 30,700 square acres of the Sta. Rita Hills.  This pristine, peaceful land is located in Santa Barbara County and is part of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA. ( American Viticulture Area) …

Oxtail ragù is a speciality dish of Rome and is frequently paired with semolina gnocchi, also a Roman speciality. Italians use the word “coda”, which simply means “tail,” to refer to oxtails.  When I traveled to Rome in October, this …

The 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, biggest of its kind, saw some 6,000 entries from over 1,500 wineries from all over America gather for the massive task of choosing the best of the best in blind tasting with 65 judges …

Nine years, but who’s counting.  This is column # 463 for TASTE OF WINE and it seems like yesterday only because there is so much yet to know about this vast wine world. Can’t wait to taste what’s around the corner. And …

Since the beginning of my wine writing journey, I have been fascinated with the increasing number of wine blends released by creative winemakers. Such legendary stalwarts as Opus One, Insignia, Rubicon and Isosceles are but a few from respected wine …

In the wine tasting world, if you have a wine that starts with the letter A, you have a distinct advantage. Tasters have a “clean” palate and are starting fresh. J Vineyards starts and ends with one letter, J, and …

Brunch is one of my favorite meals. There is nothing more comforting than long, lazy mornings loafing around in your pajamas while whipping up a dish or two to be enjoyed over long conversation and a pot of coffee (or …

A leading wine publication, Wine Enthusiast, has revealed its Top 10 Wine Travel Destinations for this year, and many are real eye-openers.  It based the choices on international wine countries, extraordinary food and cultural points. Italian locations could have taken up …

Frank Mangio loves his job.  First of all, he describes his office as a “cozy wine bar,” complete with overstuffed furniture, walls covered with photographs and several coolers housing more than one hundred bottles of wine. Not a bad place …