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Strong Coffee to Red Wine Posts

Mexican Street Corn es Muy Delicioso

Several weeks back I read this recipe on Pineapple House Rules, a Texas-based “mom blog” I follow because of Lilly’s recipes. This particular recipe made me think about the street vendors in the Hispanic neighborhood in Chicago where we used to live. They served the corn “on the cob” with the husk still attached as the handle, slathered in mayonnaise, spices, and cheese with a wedge of lime. Since my mayonnaise usage is selective, the idea of slathering it on fresh sweet corn seemed over the top and too sweet. All I could think was, why would they do that. Now decades later…

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Kelly Fleming Wines * Our Tasting Experience

This post about Kelly Fleming Wines is a collaboration with my friend and fellow blogger Amber Burke of www.winetraveleats.com. She is based in Napa and well connected. Our friendship was online based for months before we actually met, but once we did at the Wine Writers Education Conference (WWET), we quickly went from online friends to family. Gary and I could not have had the magical experiences that we did without her, and we are forever grateful. Now we talk all the time, so it only made sense to share this experience jointly. Amber Comments: One of the things that…

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Peaches Make A Delectable Compote

I have a love/hate relationship with peaches. I L.O.V.E. fresh peaches. They are one of the summer’s little treasures that you have to search out. Those picked too early never get the sweetness that you desire, and those picked too late, well read on because there is a problem. Peaches ripen in a nano-second and then quickly begin to lose freshness, flavor, and juiciness. If all of your peaches hit peak ripeness on the same day, you have to devour the entire basket within 24 hours. Or you run the risk of taking a single bite and then tossing in the trash because it…

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#WIYG – Rombauer, Luna, Allemand, & More

If you are a wine enthusiast (eh-hem Steven) and you are on Instagram, you will be very familiar with #wiyg. It stands for “what’s in your glass” which is frequently posited on that social media platform along with your post of a glass or bottle of wine.  Hopefully, your “peeps” will respond, and your Instagram engagement goes through the roof. So what’s in my glass?   I am so glad you asked. Luna Vineyards in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley Luna Vineyards was one of the wineries that Gary and I visited when we were in Napa last May. It…

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Grilling Pork Tenderloin This Summer

The past couple of weeks has been super busy but great fun. We had lots of family in town visiting which means lots of grilling. And I am sure you guessed it, lots of wine too. One of the meals we made was so good I have to share it with you. If you are a regular on the blog you are familiar with the potato and the salad. These dishes have been posted with recipes in the past couple of months. I would have done new dishes but the family insisted I repeat myself because they are so delicious. Grilling Oh,…

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Rosé All Day, All Month, All Year

 “If drinking rosé is wrong, I don’t want to be right!” and you can quote me on that! Over the last several years I have turned a number of folks into rosé drinkers. Most will say when first offered, “no thanks, I do not like White Zinfandel” or “I do not like sweet wine.” I then pour them a small taste and faster than you can say “France” their arm is extended and they want more. There is always a look of surprise on their face and the next time we meet that is all they are drinking. The rosé trend in…

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Frank Family Vineyards * A Celebration

Frank Family Vineyards But first some background When one runs at lightning speed for most of his career in television and movie making, it is no surprise that Rich Frank ultimately became the President of Disney Studios. At that level, it is also no surprise that he would want and need a home away from home that is far enough and close enough to allow for rest and relaxation. In 1990, Napa Valley was the logical location choice with the purchase of a mountaintop vacation home in the heart of Rutherford with fruit already growing on the property. Rest, and relaxation…

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White Wine: Step Out of Your Box

If I had to guess what white wine you had in your fridge right now, I’d say Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. I would also imagine that if you drink Chardonnay, you would only drink a Sauvignon Blanc if that was your only option and visa versa. It is now time to step out on your white wine and try something new, and I am here to offer some suggestions. Aren’t you glad this is not a post on box wine? I bet that is what you thought when you read the title.  I gotcha! White Wine Varieties There are somewhere around ten thousand varieties of wine…

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