Lifestyle

To kick off 2020, Maude journeyed to South Australia as the region to be the focus of their tasting menu from January through March. South Australia is in the southern central part of the country where it is nicknamed the "Wine State. It is home to Adelaide, the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Coonawarra. It is a diverse region that includes the coastline and the outback, providing an array of ingredients including wattleseed, quandong (a native peach), mountain pepper, lemon myrtle, native watercress, pandanus and strawberry gum, to showcase in a delicious menu. In addition to the diverse ingredients foraged, the Maude team was also influenced by the fresh seafood sourced from the coast. Oysters, mussels, cockles, limpets, spiny lobsters, Eastern School prawns, and freshwater crayfish are all thriving in the southern waters. They were inspired by chef Maggie Beer, an Australian legend who runs a cooking school and farm shop which is home to peacocks, olive groves, a quince orchard and a lake. And they visited Hutton Vale, where 3,000 merino sheep roam and are raised for their wool and meat. We began with a bottle of Rieslingfreak No. 4 Riesling from Eden Valley that was fresh and aromatic with notes of lemon, lime, white flowers and slate with bright acidity. Our meal started with two plates. One had oysters cooked in lamb fat and hiramasa (yellowtail kingfish) with finger limes. The other plate has celtuce (stem lettuce) with kumquat and coconut, and a tuile cone with wattlesead, potato and black truffle.
25 February, 2020

Need a bottle or two of wine for dinner tonight? Want to learn about wine? Where are you picking up your next bottle of wine?...

20 February, 2020
Wines labels tell us about a wine. But the Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino label tells us a story. And that story has been brought to life in a one-woman play entitled "As Wine Flows By". The story is about the Malbec grape and its journey through the centuries as represented by four female figures. It is the story of a grape, of a family and of a wine and you can read about it as I wrote in the Napa Valley Register and share here. A wine label can tell us a lot about the wine inside. It tells us who the producer is, what grape(s) are in the wine, and where it was produced. The back label might describe what the wine tastes like or tell a story about the vintage, the harvest, or something quirky and humorous. The label of Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino tells a story. It tells a story of the wine, of the Catena family and of the Malbec grape.
13 February, 2020

As I think about where I plan to travel in this new year, I keep thinking about my trip to Italy last fall. Campania, in...

11 February, 2020
Traveling to wine country is a fun getaway. There are many regions to visit along the west coast, and the Willamette Valley in Oregon is one of them. We fly into Portland and drive to the charming town of McMinnville, only one hour away. It seems that McMinnville is a central spot to explore the Willamette Valley. But, the Willamette Valley is much larger than you would think. It is more than Portland to Salem. It actually extends to Eugene. Heading to the South Willamette Valley is a quieter, more rural experience which I wrote about in the Napa Valley Register and am sharing here. In the last few years, the Willamette Valley has been receiving extraordinary press, ratings and awards for its wines. It makes up only one percent of the wine made in the United States but is ranked fifth in production and third in number of wineries. More and more people are traveling to the Willamette Valley to explore the wonderful Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Pinot Gris and more.
06 February, 2020
With the ability to watch movies from our homes, heading to the movie theater is not as common today. But, there is something special about sitting back in a large dark theater with surround sound and watching a movie on the big screen. At Studio Movie Grill, watching a movie combines the grandeur of watching a movie on a big screen with the comfort you would get at home. Add in-theater dining and personal service and that is why Studio Movie Grill is the Please The Palate Pick of the Week. Studio Movie Grill, established by Brian Schultz in 1993, is the first movie theater concept to offer in-theater dining. He started with one theater in 1993 and today there are more than 250 screens throughout the United States. Studio Movie Grills can be found in 34 locations across California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Virginia.
11 January, 2020
Advice is given to use by many people in our lives. Our parents, our teachers, our mentors, friends and strangers can share a few words that can impact us for ever. Perhaps these are words we heed on a daily basis or we try to integrate into our lifestyle. What advice do you carry with you? In my recent column in the Napa Valley Register I shared some of the advice that winemakers have shared with me when interviewing them for the Wine Soundtrack podcast. Perhaps you have been given some of the same advice or perhaps some of these words will inspire you. Either way, may this be a wonderful new year! ************** When I was a little girl, my mom said something to me that I would never forget. I was nervous about going to a party and whether I would know people and have fun. She told me that you make your own good time. I could go with a negative attitude and would likely not have fun. Or I could go with a positive attitude and see what would happen.
This advice is something that I have carried with me throughout my life, and I approach everything I do with a positive attitude and an open mind.
09 January, 2020
Show more
Loading...
Copied!