South Africa is a land of contrasts, especially within the hundred miles from the east, south, and west coastlines that define this wine land. It is situated at a crossroads of climatic and cultural influences that have helped to define South African history and its wines. Climatically, both the Atlantic […]
Linguine alle Vongole (Linguine With Clams)
Serves 4 to 6
Mulled Wine
Makes 4 Servings
Pairing Wine with Spicy Foods
In the old days of wine and food pairing, the choice of a particular wine to accompany a particular dish was fairly predictable—white wine with fish, red wine with meat. The pairings were also Eurocentric, meaning that the marriage of food and wine was largely based on the classics. French […]
Paniscia (Risotto With Vegetables, Beans, & Salame)
Serves 4 to 6
Pasta con Cozze e Fagioli (Pasta with Mussels and Beans)
Makes 4 servings You could use fresh pasta in this dish, such as tagliatelle or pappardelle, cut into bite-sized pieces, or a dried pasta that you’ve cooked halfway, such as tubettini or pennette. As the pasta cooks with the mussels, it will absorb their flavor.
Polenta Cake with Grappa, Berries, and Minted Mascarpone
Makes 6 servings This cake is dense and not too sweet, almost like a sweet cornbread. I like to use coarse polenta so that it also has an interesting texture, but if you have to use regular cornmeal, that works as well.
Pork Cutlets With A Wild Mushroom Ragout
Makes 4 servings
Rabbit Braised with Lavender and Honey
Makes 4 servings Although you may not eat rabbit frequently, this dish is sure to make you a convert. The combination of the braised legs with the roasted loin and miniature chops is delicious and allows for total utilization of the rabbit, so there is no waste. If you’re not […]
Remember the Map When Selecting Wine
Selecting wine can be overwhelming. Between vintage, varietal, and processing (just to start!), you could fill your entire brain with wine knowledge and still feel like there’s more to learn. Of course, tasting is a great way to learn more, but before you taste, you have to choose! Luckily, we’ve […]
Tasting (and Enjoying!) Wine
Even if you’re exploring wine for the first time, we encourage you to develop the “mental habit” of tasting wine. Not that every sip of wine that enters your mouth has to be analyzed and commented on, but you will collect lots of data if you take a few minutes […]
Tronçon de Turbot aux Champignons Sauvages (Seared Turbot Steaks with Wild Mushrooms)
Makes 4 servings A tronçon is a fish steak cut at a 90-degree angle from half of a flat fish (usually a turbot or halibut). It traditionally includes the bone and skin. A cut across a round fish, such as salmon, is called a darne. They’re both referred to as […]
