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) For Valentine's Day, consider The Beehive which is presenting “3 Days of Lovin’!” A 3-day long love fest of Valentine’s Day inspired dinners accompanied by romantic live music, drink specials from Svedka Vodka, Domaine Chandon and Moët & Chandon as well as menu specials including: “My Heart Beets...
Thursday, 31 January 2013
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Can vitis vinifera, the common wine grape, grow well in Massachusetts? Can it produce delicious Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, or should local wineries purchase their grapes from outside of the state? Should Massachusetts concentrate more on growing hybrid grapes or making fruit wines? The 30+ Massachusetts wineries present a varied picture and many of them do not grow their own grapes. Some make fruit wines while others purchase grapes from places...
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
In Japanese mythology, a shōjō is commonly considered to be a water spirit that loves Sake. You'll find several legends about them that center around magical Sake, from Sake that can cure any illness to Sake pots that are always full, no matter how much your pour out. The legend has a Chinese origin and the term is sometimes translated as "orangutan" so that a few legends describe shōjō as resembling monkeys. In my first Tipsy Sensei story, Yurine's...
Monday, 28 January 2013
By now, you probably have read at least one article about the new Reviewer Card, a plastic card that states "I Write Reviews." The Los Angeles Times was one of the first to bring this card to our attention and numerous others have written about it during the past week. A self-described "lifelong entrepreneur" essentially decided that if restaurants and other businesses were aware that he wrote online reviews then they would provide him special service. As he felt there were other online reviewers in a similar situation, who wanted special treatment,...
Sunday, 27 January 2013
Have you read my Boston-based, supernatural thriller yet?As I previously mentioned, my new novel, Demons, Gods & Sake is now available as a Trade Paperback through Amazon. The Trade Paperback is 252 pages long and sells for $14.95. This novel is the fourth installment of the Tipsy Sensei series, the adventures of Nate Randall, a Sake Expert from Boston. The novel is also...
Friday, 25 January 2013
It has been brutally cold for the last couple days and people have been warned that drinking alcohol will not keep them warm. However, is that fully true? A Japanese doctor, Yukio Takizawa, disagrees when it comes to Sake. "Recent studies have shown that moderate consumption of saké can maintain our body temperature in the cold. During acute exposure to a cold environment saké may prove advantageous by increasing blood circulation and heat production."Though Dr. Takizawa does not differentiate whether he is referring to cold or warm Sake, it is...
Thursday, 24 January 2013
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) For Valentine's Day, consider Tavolo where Chef Nuno Alves will be have a special ala carte Valentine's Day menu from Thursday, February 14 through Sunday, February 17. .In addition, they are offering a Couples Cooking Class on Saturday, February 16 at 12pm. Come to Tavolo, strap on an apron, and learn...
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
The Niigata Prefecture of Japan is well known for producing excellent Sake, with its climate, rice, water, and people all contributing to the quality of their brew. The prefecture has many sunny, warm days in the summer, conducive to rice growing, and many snowy days in the winter, conducive to brewing. The brewers usually use rice that was grown in Niigata and have also invested much in developing new and better varieties. The water in Niigata is...
Monday, 21 January 2013
At your favorite bakeries, how much does it cost to buy a slice of cake? When a simple cupcake may cost you $3 or more, then a slice of cake can easily run you $4 or $5. Their other desserts are usually similarly priced and purchasing a dozen treats can be rather expensive. You could easily spend $30-$50 for a dozen sweets and that can be tough for many of us to do during these tough economic times.How many bakeries do you know where a slice of cake, or other desserts, cost only $1? Probably few, if any. They do exist though and you can find several...
Friday, 18 January 2013
There is a new Italian market located in Salem, New Hampshire but is it worthy of your patronage? Is it too expensive as some consumers have alleged? Does it live up to its potential?Last September, I attended a preview event for Tuscan Market, a new Italian food market that eventually opened in November. You should read my prior review for background on this new endeavor. As I said then, "I think the concept behind the Tuscan Market is excellent,...
Thursday, 17 January 2013
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) Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House will celebrate Cupid’s Day, on Thursday, February 14 and Friday, February 15, with a special “Live Large, Love Big” Valentine’s Day menu that includes an eight-ounce filet and an eight-ounce lobster tail for $79. Featured additions available: - Steak toppings:...
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Ten million men and I share the same genetic abnormality yet it is a problem that few talk about, and even fewer do anything to help. It is an issue that gets no respect yet as it affects 7% of the male population it is something that needs to be brought forth, considered and addressed. Last night, this issue arose for me again when I dined at a new sushi joint.What is my problem? I am color blind and more specifically, I possess a red-green color blindness. I can see colors, including red and green. However, I can't differentiate between as many...
Monday, 14 January 2013
Wine is pretentious and elitist, best suited to the upper classes while beer is more the drink of the common man. Or at least that is how many Americans seem to view the two beverages. While many Europeans may view wine as an ordinary drink, a common accompaniment to their meals, far less Americans view it through that prism. And it has been that way since the founding of our nation. The original Jamestown and Plymouth settlers brought beer and malt with them and it was their favored alcoholic drink. "The colonists’ interest in beer was...
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