Food Wine Travel

Six best pousadas in Portugal in the eyes of Mary Lussiana

In The six best pousadas in Portugal (Times Online, UK, September 2005) Mary Lussiana enlightens us on the topic of Pousadas.
The word "means "resting place" and denotes a collection of gourmet historic hotels across the country. Not every hotel can call itself a pousada. Those that qualify were once castles, fortresses, convents, palaces and medieval town houses, and have been picked for their phenomenal settings and architectural significance".

Tea Map...Taste Globally...Drink Locally

Looking up the site of CHA MA GU DAO (which translates into 'Ancient tea and horse trail'), I found Tea Map which offers a window into the world of tea and allows you to find the nearest Tea Emporium in the US by entering your Zip Code.
It seems they are the creation of Adagio Teas.
What you call a soft sell!

Food is Therapy at 'L'Absinthe' in London (according to The Independent)

A brand new review of L'Absinthe, 40 Chalcot Road, London NW1 by Terry Durack (The Independent) discovers that "Primrose Hill's L'Absinthe is teaching flexible locals the French bistro method of beating stress".
The owner, Jean-Christophe Slowik has a secret sauce for his success: Keep it simple as The Menu proves.
L' Absinthe is closed on Mondays.

Related: Stress Down Day

Best of Class in American Wines: SF Chronicle Wine Competition

The Screen Writers Strike might have derailed the Golden Globes but it did not stop the San Francisco Chronicle from coming up with its Best of Class for American Wines.

Appetite for Destruction, when Food Trends might suck dry the Seafood Stock

Fake labeling, endless scooping up of certain species, our culinary tastes can turn into an appetite for destruction as Something's fishy as Europe dines by Elisabeth Rosenthal illustrates (International Herald Tribune).

Related: Sounds fishy, Blue Moki and the Maoris.

How to 'Kill a Lobster and Save your Soul'? (via Trevor Corson)

I cannot quite get the connection but looking for details on a book covering 'food and drink' freebies given by political campaigns, The Secret Life of Lobsters came up as a suggested related read (from same publisher, Harper Collins).

In the companion blog, Trevor Corson offers concerned foodies his guide on how to Kill a Lobster and Save Your Soul.

What Chefs (British Chefs that is) Eat at Home (via The Guardian)

The Guardian gives us the scoop on what chefs, British Chefs that is, eat at home after the night shift in Here's one I made at home. Quick and easy is the rule for Michael Caines of Gidleigh Park in Dartmoor as in nuts, humus and dry fruits. For the others, read Vicky Frost piece.

What to Eat on a Date? Depends says Helena Echlin

The basic advice is unless you know a little bit about your date's taste, play it safe.
No messy food, don't pick a restaurant whose food you are unfamiliar with. No loud place might be the last recommendation. Get more tips via What to Eat on a Date? (Helena Echlin, Chow).

Wine Myths & Blabber get the Truth Treatment on 'VinoFictions'

I was on a fact finding mission on sommeliers and wine talk and discovered Vinofictions by Thomas Pellechia, a Finger Lakes (New York) wine lover.
I especially liked his take on Dry and Sweet in White Wines (January 7, 2008).
Helps you sort out facts from fiction.

'Bread, Lard and Potatoes'...everything the Gourmet from Belarus wants

I heard yesterday that Belarus is currently holding the World Record for Potato Consumption.
I have to believe it after reading Bread, Lard and Potatoes.
This humorless piece of officialdom announced a year ago that "scientists from the nutrition research center at the Belarusian Academy of Sciences have prepared a new present for us. They have developed 22 new potato dishes"...no less.