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Thanksgiving Cheeseboard with Trader Joe’s Provisions

November 10, 2018 By Jane Leave a Comment

Want to simplify your Thanksgiving appetizer game plan? Start your Thanksgiving feast off with a cheeseboard created with cheeses, fruit, cured meats, nuts, crackers, and wine all from Trader Joes. We all love Trader Joes for their unique products at great prices. This time of year *the holidays* Trader Joes takes it to another level with seasonal offerings to delight the foodie in all of us. While you are in the kitchen preparing the main turkey event, your family and friends will happily graze on this cheeseboard until you are all ready to sit down to Thanksgiving dinner. The options for your Thanksgiving cheeseboard are limitless at Trader Joes. Cheers!…

Green Salad with Persimmon and Pomegranate

November 4, 2018 By Jane 1 Comment

A new addition this year to my Thanksgiving menu is a green salad with persimmon and pomegranate. The Thanksgiving table is generally brimming with traditional foods that are rich and heavy on the palate. This seasonal salad adds freshness, flavor, and crunchiness to the mix. The persimmons and pomegranate seeds make a stunning addition to the green salad with their bright orange and red color….

2018 Wine Bloggers’ Conference Highlights from Walla Walla

October 27, 2018 By Jane 1 Comment

I recently attended my first Wine Bloggers’ Conference in Walla Walla, Washington. The conference was a jam-packed two-day affair of educational sessions, wine tastings, meeting sponsors and attendees, dinners, and exploring Walla Walla and the Washington wine country. While I am still savoring the sights and tastes of visiting Washington for the first time, here are just a handful of highlights from the conference….

Mediterranean Flavors of Bouillabaisse Paired with Lirac Blanc

October 19, 2018 By Jane 13 Comments

The Mediterranean flavors of Bouillabaisse; saffron, anise, tomatoes, garlic, orange, and of course a taste of the sea in a variety of fish make for the perfect pairing with a southern Rhône white wine from Lirac. Lirac (map) is an appellation in the Southern Rhône Valley only 10 miles northwest of Avignon, on the right bank of the Rhône River. The climate in Lirac is Mediterranean with lots of sunlight (2700 hours annually), low rainfall (only 27 inches annually), an average temperature of 57 F, and the famous “Mistral” northern winds that help circulate air through the vineyards keeping them healthy….

Food Pairings for Merlot Lovers #MerlotMe #WinePW

October 12, 2018 By Jane 16 Comments

October is #MerlotMe month. It coincides with the cooler weather of autumn and remind us, why don’t we drink Merlot more often. Whether you are a regular fan of Merlot or it’s time to have a glass again, I am here to tease you with some tempting food pairings for the Merlot lover in all of us. Merlot is a varietal that pairs easily with a range of foods from classic lamb chops with rosemary and garlic to a seasonal fall salad of butternut squash and kale….

Crab Herb Crusted Chilean Sea Bass and Lugana Wines

Have you heard of Lugana wines? This month the Italian Food, Wine, & Travel group is taking a closer look at the growing popularity of Lugana wines. The Lugana DOC was established in 1967. It is a small wine growing region in northern Italy located on the southern shores of Lake Garda near Verona and…

If you are a fan of salmon like me, eating it at least once a week, you can never have enough salmon recipes in your repertoire. Roasted salmon with shiitake mushrooms paired with Wairau River Pinot Noir is a dinner you can file under delicious, healthy, and quick-cook. Wild salmon whether in season or frozen…

The first day of autumn is just days away, Sunday, September 23rd. I sense a shift in what I want to eat and drink. A new palette of foods and flavors usher in the new season; comfort foods and earthy flavors, like a big pot of “Real” Wild Rice Chicken Soup. Gone is the impulse…

Growing up my best friend was Greek. We lived in a small midwestern town, having a Greek friend seemed somehow exotic to me. Her family didn’t eat the usual midwestern foods; they ate traditional Greek foods like; dolmades, spanakopita, baklava, Greek salads, lots of plain yogurt, meze plates with feta cheese, Kalamata olives and grapes,…

Thanksgiving Cheeseboard with Trader Joe’s Provisions

Green Salad with Persimmon and Pomegranate

2018 Wine Bloggers’ Conference Highlights from Walla Walla

Mediterranean Flavors of Bouillabaisse Paired with Lirac Blanc

Food Pairings for Merlot Lovers #MerlotMe #WinePW

Crab Herb Crusted Chilean Sea Bass and Lugana Wines

Roasted Salmon with Shiitake Mushrooms

“Real” Wild Rice Chicken Soup

Souvlaki Paired with Assyrtiko

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