Food

Chestnut Ravioli With Brown Butter Sage Sauce I toasted the chestnuts in the oven, then peeled and chopped them. You could however simply use chestnuts from a can or jar which would eliminate that step for you. I combined the …

Trevi Black Celery Pesto & Sausage Pasta   I have been posting celery recipes recently, which is a direct result of our visit to Trevi and the Sagra di Sedano Nero, or black celery festival held there a couple of …

Monterey county might be California’s most overlooked wine county. Not only is it in the shadow of Napa/Sonoma for bay area wine spots, but its southern boundary sits right up against the Paso Robles AVA. So hot right now, Paso. …

What do the “experts” really talk about when they ramble on about the qualities of a wine varietal.  You’ve heard the drill on the language of wine-speak: “crispy, grassy, oaky, velvety, smooth, tannic, spicy,” etc. etc.   In the effort …

Napa Valley accounts for less than 4 percent of America’s total wine production. Yet it’s the country’s best-known wine region.   Napa rocketed to the forefront of American winemaking in 1976, when British wine merchant Steven Spurrier organized a wine …

I’m a long-time member of a worldwide organization dedicated to preserving the culture and life-style of Italy, and attend meetings and events at the North San Diego County Lodge of the Sons of Italy.   Among the adventures some of …

My favorite time of the year is within reach, when the food and wine community reaches out and sets the table with special occasion dinner and wine parties and giving programs for the needy.   The West Restaurants & Inn …

The wineries and the community of Temecula are opening up their hearts and wallets to Marine Corporal Juan Dominguez who chose Temecula to be his home after suffering a triple amputation of both legs and an arm in combat in …

Two “shout out” restaurants have opened recently in Escondido and Hillcrest amid great praise for their strategic use of wine with their impressive food service.   Vintana and 100 Wines are the latest creations of the Cohn Restaurant Group, now …

This is the first interview in a series that will focus on the winemakers of Paso Robles, where I recently spent a weekend exploring.   Paso, with a few outstanding exceptions, is a land of Zins and Rhône blends (Note …