OK, I have an answer (freakin finally) to my Cheerwine cane sugar v. high fructose corn syrup dilemma. Chuck McMahan from North Carolina tells me that Cheerwine in plastic and can is made with the evil corn syrup. While Cheerwine in GLASS bottles is made with good, old-fashioned cane sugar. Thanks Chuck! Oh, and the […]

The first time I ever seriously bought wine on my own, I was laughed at by the wine steward. No, not just laughed at–humiliated. One of my top 10 most embarassing moments, easy. All I wanted was a Pinot Noir with my black-n-blue steak. But I don’t see what’s so fucking funny about that, do […]

A thin film of anxiety starts to settle on me every time I notice the first smell of Fall. I didn’t get to go camping very much. Shit, that’s right, the pool closed on Labor Day. I must be outside every second of every day from now on….et cetera, et cetera…
Seattle does that to you. […]

Yesterday, after the West Seattle Farmers Market, the NFMA held their first An Incredible Feast benefit. Judging by the turn out, this will be an annual event. Twenty local farms were paired with some of my favorite restaurants, whose mission was to creat a signature dish showcasing the farmers’ kick ass wares. I was able […]

This was supposed to be part of the Wine Blogging Wednesday series, but guilt kept me from posting in time. It’s wierd to write about eating frickin bon bons right now
There are certain foods, to me, that just don’t go with wine, that I couldn’t conceive of eating with wine. I still drink whole […]

Oprah and I have our differences. But you can not deny her influence. No doubt, when this woman recommends a book, people listen and buy. She does good. Lots of it. So imagine what she’ll be able to do when she takes two days of her show to show the agony and spirit of the […]

The last of my papa’s 6 sisters, my great-aunt Arlie, passed away this weekend. She was 94. And I can only conjecture that her long life had something to do with the millions of hours of enjoyment and good karma she doled out with every batch of her famous butter cookies.
I can’t believe I’m giving […]

$30) and maintain a quality above and beyond most marquee Champagnes: complex, yet clean, with a bit of biscuit. Coincidentally, they also have one of the most affordable and delicious rose Champagnes. Check their website here: www.duval-leroy.com
In the >$20 category, my favorite non-Champagne is the Cave de Vire Cremant de Bourgogne. All Chardonnay, a […]

It’s not just Californians anymore. I’ve started to receive nasty emails from abroad! Here is the text of one such scolding in response to my post about Mondovino and that fat French fuck, Michel Rolland. Which, incidentally, comes up 5th when searching Google for said micro-oxygenator’s name. I’d translate this letter myself, but I like […]