Lifestyle

Sometimes there are meals that defy words. A meal that is an experience beyond your imagination and yet rooted in something you love, food and wine. That was my experience at Daní Maison, a two-star Michelin restaurant on the island of Ischia in Southern Italy. While traveling around Campagna, I headed out to Ischia for a couple days of relaxation. I had heard about the thermal baths and thought that I would just lay low for a couple days. But while at dinner at the one star Michelin restaurant Il Buco in Sorrento, Chef Beppe Aversa told me I must check out Daní Maison. Of course, when I heard it was a two Michelin star restaurant, I figured the chance of me getting in only two days later was more than unlikely. However, I was wrong. Perhaps it was because I was looking at a Sunday night, just after the last weekend of summer and most people were starting to head home to get back to work. But I went online while sitting at dinner my first night in Ischia to read a bit more about the restaurant and see if I might find an email to inquire about a last-minute spot. I entered my name and email and said I was looking for one seat the following night. Unexpectedly, and promptly, I received an email confirming a seat! I was excited! I hesitated for a moment, thinking about what the evening might cost me, but then thought, why not? I was on vacation. This might be my only chance. And, if I was able to get a reservation with only one day's notice, perhaps it was meant to be.
17 September, 2019
Seeking out memorable meals is something that pleases my palate. So, after an amazing week in southern Italy, which included winery visits, historical tours and a boat trip down the Amalfi coast, I capped off the week with a meal in Sorrento at Il Buco, considered one of the best restaurants in Sorrento. Located in the heart of Sorrento, near the sea, Il Buco has been serving food worthy its Michelin Star. Open for more than 20 years, Il Buco has held its Michelin Star for 14 years! I arrived for my 8pm reservation and was taken down a few steps into the the dining room which used to be the wine cellar of an old monastery. My table was waiting for me, set for one person. Unlike in some restaurants where I am given a funny look when I ask for a table for one, the staff at Il Buco made me feel welcome immediately.  I was offered an aperitivo of sparkling wine or a cocktail but decided to pass as had read about the large curated wine cellar and was planning to do a wine pairing. Before I was given the menu, I was presented with an amuse of marinated anchovy with tomatoes and sliced toasted almonds. The sweet fresh tomato against the salty fish woke up my palate and the toasted almonds added a nice touch.
10 September, 2019
Whenever I thought of Mezcal, I thought of it as a smokey version of Tequila. I know that Tequila and Mezcal are different spirits, both made from agave, but I was never a fan of the smokiness. But then I met mezcal connoisseur Ulises Torrentera and tasted his Farolito Mezcals, and I have a completely new perspective on Mezcal which I wrote about in the Napa Valley Register and you can read here. There is the saying, “wine is life.” But in Oaxaca, Mexico, “mezcal is life.” I am not talking about tequila, which is a type of mezcal. I am talking about mezcal, a liquor that can be made from more than 30 varieties of agave and is cooked inside earthen pits lined with lava rocks and then distilled in clay pots.
05 September, 2019
This weekend is the 9th annual Los Angeles Food & Wine event. It began on Thursday night (August 22nd) and continues through to Sunday night (August 25th). Four days of back to back opportunities to eat food from some of the best chefs in Los Angeles and beyond is definitely worth throwing the diet out of the window. And a night full of burgers at Los Angeles Food & Wine is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Juicy Beef, Tender Lamb, Sweet Yummy Pork, Al Pastor, Chorizo and even vegan options, burgers comes in all shapes and sizes. And at the Epic Burger Throwdown there were more than 25 different burgers to taste. And, I did my best to try each and every one of them. It started out quite easy but it was almost a chore by the end. But, I did it! Vanda Asapahu from Ayara Thai made the spicy Thai burger. Loved the carrots and peanuts but also got a chili that left a lingering reminder. 
24 August, 2019
Welcome to the Republic of Pink, a land where the Department of Happiness wants you to be happy. To me, rosé wine brings me happiness and in the sea of rosés, one that stands out is the Republic of Pink Rosé. A young brand, Jason and Julia Martin are on a mission to make the best rosé possible. Read my story, which originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register, about starting a new brand in a relatively crowded category. Sit back and enjoy your journey to the Republic of Pink. Everywhere we look, we can find rosé wines. The shelves at the stores are lined with bottles of rosé wines and restaurant by-the-glass lists always have at least one to offer. It seems like every domestic winery has added a rosé wine to their portfolio.
In a sea of rosé wines, there are so many choices. It is hard to imagine why someone would want to create a new brand of rosé wines but that is exactly what Jason and Julia Martin did.
22 August, 2019
Today, a visit to a winery can offer so much more than a wine tasting. There are vineyard tours, reserve tastings, meeting the winemaker, food pairings and barrel tastings. Each of these experiences enhance the wine tasting experience, leaving a lasting memory. On my visit to Soter Vineyards in the Willamette Valley, my friend and I sat down for the Provisions Tasting, which offers a sampling of the current release wines paired with small plates crafted from the produce and meat grown on their biodynamic farm. From the moment we pulled up to Soter Vineyard until the moment we drove away, the Provisions Tasting at Soter Vineyards was extraordinary and that is why it is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Mineral Springs Ranch is a 240-acre oak savanna in the heart of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Soter Vineyards is the 32 acre estate vineyard and the entire property is a biodynamic estate owned by Tony and Michelle Soter. We drove up the long driveway to the top of Mineral Springs Ranch. At the top of the hill is the Soter Vineyards Tasting Room. The rectangular wood barn looks rustic from the outside but is anything but rustic on the inside. 
17 August, 2019
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