Authors, Alcohol & Accolades: Volume 4

"An alcoholic is someone you don't like who drinks as much as you do."--Dylan ThomasI am back with another volume in my new series, Authors, Alcohol & Accolades. Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3 each showcased four of my favorite authors, and I have returned to highlight four more, and to delve into their drinks of choice.  I have found this to provide a fascinating glimpse into the life of the writers I enjoy, and hope you like...

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Rant: Want Whipped Cream On Your Monte Cristo Sandwich?

I love a good Monte Cristo sandwich and as I have been eating them for years, I have tasted them at a wide variety of restaurants. Despite my love for this sandwich, there is an element that I dislike and fail to understand.A Monte Cristo sandwich is essentially ham, turkey and Swiss cheese between two pieces of French toast, though there are plenty of regional variations across the country. For example, the cheese might be different, the sandwich might be grilled or fried, it may contain spicy mustard, and so on. No one seems to know the...

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Port Pleasures at the Boston Wine Expo

"All wine would be Port if it could."--Portuguese ProverbThe Center for Wine Origins has declared that today is Port Day, a celebration of this unique fortified wine from Portugal. As part of my own observance for this day, I wanted to present some reviews of Ports that I recently tasted at the Boston Wine Expo. Each year at the Expo, there are usually at least a dozen Ports, from several different producers, available for...

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles: Valentine's Edition

I am here with a special Valentine's Day edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.**********************************************************1)  The Beehive, located in Boston’s South End, will be presenting “5 Days of Luv’n!” A 5-day long love fest of Valentine’s Day inspired brunches and dinners accompanied by romantic live music and menu specials including: “My Heart Beets Crab Salad” with beets, hearts of palm & sugar snap...

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Boston Wine Expo: Lambouri Winery on Cyprus

At the Boston Wine Expo, I had the opportunity to taste some wines from the island of Cyprus, located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and east of Greece. I believe this was the first time I have ever tasted wines from this country, primarily because I have not seen their wines available at local wine stores.Wine production in Cyprus has a lengthy history, extending back at least over 4300 years and possibly even over 5500 years. At least one...

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Boston Wine Expo: Pinotage Rosé to Cape Verde

Here is a sampling of some of the other wines that I found interesting at the Boston Wine Expo, and I will be posting about even more wines this week too.Long a fan of South African wines, I am even a lover of the Pinotage grape, a rather divisive variety which I don't feel gets enough credit. The quality of Pinotage wines continues to improve all the time. At the Expo, I found a delicious Rosé wine made from 100% Pinotage, the 2010 Fantail...

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Boston Wine Expo: Mead Wars

Once again I am a bit disappointed because there was no sake. As one of the largest local wine events, the Boston Wine Expo would be a good opportunity for sake producers to introduce their products to both the trade and consumers. So where were they this year? Ah, well, let us move on to other matters.This past weekend, the Boston Wine Expo took place and I attended on Sunday, as the snow on Saturday kept me from getting there....

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Rant: Stop Eating Cod, Tuna & Salmon

My advice for today: Stop Eating Cod, Tuna & Salmon.Well, I am not really telling you to completely stop eating these fish but rather to expand your horizons and experience the full bounty of the sea. When dining, far too many people stick to familiar meats and seafood rather than being more adventurous, and even despite the fact that odder meats and seafood may be healthier and more sustainable. For example, I previously discussed...

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How To Pair Port With Dinner

Port and Blue Stilton cheese. Port and chocolate. Two classic pairings but which apparently have also relegated Port to being paired primarily with dessert or as an after-dinner drink. Yet that was not always the case and during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sweet wines of all types, including Port, often were paired throughout an entire dinner. But that fell out of fashion. Personally, I generally had not given much thought to Port...

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.**********************************************************1)  On Tuesday, February 7, The Beehive presents “Belly Dancing at The Beehive,” featuring cuisine, libations and entertainment highlighting Middle Eastern culture. Join The Beehive for a celebration of Middle Eastern music and belly dancing featuring music by The Pharohs and nationally known belly dancer...

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Feeding the Dragon: A Culinary Exploration of China

This year, Chinese New Year falls on January 23, and it heralds the Year of the Water Dragon. Dragons are very passionate (glad to hear that!) and 2012 is poised to be a year of excitement and unpredictability, an excellent year for starting new projects. So, this is a perfect time to review a cookbook that presents some intriguing information on the culinary realm of China, especially when that book's title touches on a Dragon. Feeding the Dragon:...

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Red Lantern: From Sushi to Pineapple Bread Pudding

A Japanese red lantern, hanging outside, immediately captured my eye as I walked down Stanhope Street. In Japan, these red lanterns are known as akachōchin, and during the 18th century, they indicated the presence of an izakaya, a sake bar where you could also nibble on some food. Over time, izakayas began to refer to any Japanese bar that served food to accompany alcohol. The lantern that I saw was located outside of the Red Lantern, an Asian restaurant...

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