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".

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.

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.

The 'Fine Wine Blog', more than a Sales Pitch for Berry Bros & Rudd

After stumbling upon The Fine Wine Blog from Berry Bros and Rudd, I was happy to see that it is not designed only to make a sales pitch for their products.
Worth mentioning is Highland Fling on Single Malts giving high marks to the Glengoyne distillery.

Grower Champagne...Great Taste and Better Buys?

Grower Champagne, great taste and better buys? That is at least what Amy Cortese suggests in Champagne Beyond the Big Names (Business Section, NY Times Sunday).

One good point she makes is that many of the main Champagne houses are anything but exclusive.
The element of luxury they convey is mostly due to mucho marketing.

Related: In Champagne, Single Vineyards offer rare pleasures...Lap of Luxury 2

From 'Red White and Drunk' to 'Woodstock Buddha'...All my Menu for Hope Prizes

Want a quick look at my Menu For Hope 4 prizes, visit the following pages:

Cupid's got a secret...An Edible Chocolate Box...A Menu for Hope 4 Prize

Macarons, 'The French Connection', MadMac, another sweet for Menu for Hope 4

Let's Get Spiritual with Mr. Kita's Woodstock Buddha...My First delivery for Menu For Hope 4

Wine by the Book 'Red, White and Drunk All Over' By Natalie McLean (Signed Copy)

Last: Get your Kicks with Berkshire Bark Chocolate Bars...2 treats for Menu for Hope 4

Pick your favorite, get the prize code, open your heart and your wallet, Visit the Donation Page.

Do the Right Tip with a little Help from 'Dinner with a Tightwad'

The ever wise Helena Echlin, Miss Table Manners on Chow tries to answer the question of what to do (and as importantly how to do it) when you go out to Dinner with a Tightwad.

Check her story and Do the Right Tip.

Wine Gift Shopping Guide by Tony Cha (SF Chronicle)

The San Francisco Chronicle offers some Top sommeliers' Gift Tips thanks to Tony Cha of Michael Mina restaurant in San Francisco.

Read on if you are short on ideas.

On 'Tinto y Blanco': Spanish Wines, the View from Melbourne

Looking for bits and pieces of info on Portuguese Wines from Beiras led me to Tinto y Blanco.
Despite its Spanish name, Tinto y Blanco is Dave Worthington's take from Melbourne (Australia) on the ever expanding  palette of great wines from the Iberian world.

Enjoy!