CSA Box + August Garden Panic = Meatless Monday

Meatless Monday is your friend when your garden is producing volumes of tomatoes and your CSA box is full.  Can you pair a meatless meal with an intense, tannic red wine?  Yes! Beet Green “Pesto” First: my sincerest apologies to all speakers of the French and Italian languages. My nickname for this “pesto” is Beet … Continue reading

Piemonte Training

In just a few days, Julie and I will be spending a whole week touring the Langhe, a district within the larger region of the Piedmont (or Piemonte) in Italy!  I had the opportunity to do some on-site “research” earlier this summer during a weekend stop mid-way through a business trip.  Over the last few … Continue reading

La Morra to Barolo Vineyard Walk

Barolo, Barolo, or Barolo which one do you mean? Barolo DOCG – Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (controlled designation of origin guaranteed) the official Italian government sanctioned area which can produce wines with the “Barolo” designation. Barolo – the name of one of the communes (or towns) within the area prescribed as the Barolo … Continue reading

5 Tips for Your First Visit to Barolo (Italy!)

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend the weekend in the Langhe, the sub-region of Piedmont which includes both Barolo and Barbaresco – two of Italy’s finest wines.  What a treat!  I’ll have several posts over the next few weeks highlighting different aspects of my first wine experience in Italy.  I had … Continue reading

Nebbiolo Finale: Pio Cesare Barbaresco & Lasagna

The Christmas gift that keeps on giving…. A pasta making class For Christmas, our son Peter gave Julie a “Mom & Son” pasta making class at Kitchen Window.  They came home raving about the lasagna and we have quickly incorporated homemade pasta into our regular mealmaking.   Actually,  Peter didn’t know it but he gave both … Continue reading

What Goes with Goat? Barbaresco!

Goat Chops, Pasta with Vegetable Medley & Barbaresco You might be surprised that goat is the #1 meat consumed worldwide.  Julie and I had our first opportunities to taste goat on a trip to Ethiopia two years ago.  I liked it but Julie hasn’t been in a big hurry to have it again as goats … Continue reading

Sunfish Cellars: A Class on the Pinnacle of Piedmont Wines

In a typical wine class, I expect to taste a number of inexpensive wines and one or two top wines.  Sunfish Cellars brought Weston Hoard, the Piedmont Guy,  to teach a class focusing on the king (Barolo) and queen (Barbaresco) of the Piedmont, considered by many the pinnacle of Italian wine.  Tonight, we tasted only … Continue reading