The best way to appear French at a dinner party is offer your guests an apéritif (AH-pear-a-teef), that is, a pre-dinner cocktail. The classic French apéritif is a Kir, a meeting of blackcurrant liqueur and dry white wine produced in Burgundy. How to make Kir: 1/5 Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) … Read more
The Rhône Valley can be a big party pleaser for its intense wines, both red and white. So click those ruby wine sippers and come with me as we explore the region’s Northern and Southern sides. Northern Rhône Valley Syrah and Viognier The Northern Rhône Valley reds are full, intense, and … Read more
Tucked away in a totally overlook-able corner of the lower highlands neighborhood, Z Cuisine looks like it could sit next to any café in Belleville, Paris. The exterior walls are shellac-ed with art and mis-matched sets of outdoor bistro furniture line the entrance. On one half of the quirky restaurant is the … Read more
Sometimes I love to have long lunches “for one.” Either in the company of my laptop, a good book, or simply my thoughts. I pick a place with good food, uncrowded seating, and I plop myself down for an hour or two. Le Grand Bistro is one of my favorites for such … Read more
Spring is officially here, and with its new wardrobe comes the great promise of patio weather and long afternoon cocktails, soaking up the sun. For Springtime in Paris, brasseries and cafés open up their street-side seating – prime real estate for diners and people watchers. Parisians sip their beverage of choice … Read more
One of the first questions people ask you in Los Angeles is “where are you from?” because most people aren’t actually from LA. I’m a rare exception, growing up a child of the beach amidst many transplants. But these transplants are what I love most about my hometown. They create an … Read more
French and Italian go together like the best of friends, so when Polidori Sausage gave me an assortment of their yummy meat, I knew I was going to love it. What I didn’t know was how versatile the sausage would be, finding its way into nearly every one of my home-cooked … Read more
What happens when you pair Denver Chef Paul C. Reilly with Anne Trimbach of the Alsatian wine label? Five stunning courses and three happy girls. Last week, I met Pasta Vino’s , Kendra Anderson, and soon-to-be-New Yorker, , at my favorite neighborhood eatery: Beast + Bottle. The occasion? Some very important … Read more