Full disclosure: I am obsessed with all things Moon Juice, a Venice, CA juice/lifestyle brand based on medicinal herbs, whole foods and the soothing cosmic wisdom of fabulous founder Amanda Chantal Bacon. The whole package is right up my nouveau-hippie alley. Expensive, yes, but can one really put a price on optimal health or eternal beauty? Priceless I say! So […]
Jair Tellez, chef/owner of the progressive Laja Restaurant in Valle de Guadalupe (Mexico’s wine country), is the guy behind Tecate-based Bichi, the only known natural winery in Mexico. A few years ago, he decided to make the kind of wine he wanted to pair with his food, and began resurrecting old vines in Baja to make delicious, authentically-made wine from grapes suited to Mexico’s hot, dry climate – with awesome label art (bonus!).
I have an on-and-off again relationship with coffee. I love the smell of it, and the idea of it, and how well it serves as a vehicle for my favorite accoutrement, like nut milks, cinnamon, and chocolate. But I’d almost given up on coffee – the acid is rough on my gut – until I discovered cold brew, which is less acidic […]
Fresh cranberries are everywhere this time of year, and I love their sweet-tart punch. Plus, they’re a potent antioxidant and pack a ton of Vitamin C and fiber. But what does one really do with them, besides make a cranberry sauce or relish for Thanksgiving (one that looks pretty, but no one really eats, that […]
Apple picking has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. My auntie used to take us every year when we were kids, to the orchards of Oak Glen or Tehachapi, in Southern California. We’d come home with bushels of apples, and she’d go into apple processing overdrive. Apple butter, apple […]
The end of summer is technically right around the corner, yet the farmer’s markets in San Francisco are still bursting with peak summer produce. We seem to get everything late, including summer – we’re just now finally getting the streaks of warm weather, without the daily fog invasion. September is the month we look forward […]
We don’t do cow’s milk in my house. Which is sort of sacrilegious, considering that my grandparents and great-grandparents were dairy farmers, and my mom literally grew up on a dairy farm. But it just doesn’t sit well with my tummy, so I started experimenting with alternate milks years ago. Soy grossed me out, and the early […]
I know, I know. This blog is titled Wine with DINNER and my very first post is about neither wine nor dinner. But stick with me, I promise I haven’t led you astray. This blog is really about a balanced approach to enjoying the culture of the table (food, wine and all), on a […]
I’m a mom of two young boys, a sommelier, a former restaurateur, and a passionate home cook. I believe in eating well and celebrating life every day, not just on weekends or holidays or vacation. With delicious, healthy food, good wine and family and friends gathered around the table. This is my happy place.
My goal is to inspire to get you into the kitchen, and to take the mystery out of serving wine with food. On a Tuesday night. With picky eaters, even toddlers. It’s totally doable. Especially with a glass of wine. Trust me.
