The Wine Trail

As you drive through the countryside you can see row after row of grapes; a gorgeous sight to behold. And where there are grapes there are wineries. It’s only natural to find many wineries in close proximity as the vineyards are located in the same general region. While there is competition, there is also a [...]

Cooking as Entertainment

You could say that it all started with Julia Child. In 1963 The French Chef premiered on PBS (Public Broadcasting Station). While the television show was created to teach the American viewing public how to cook, it also served as entertainment. Julia Child was a teacher who was down to earth and made learning fun; watching her recover from her mistakes was icing on the cake….

Embrace Your Native American… Wine

Grapes are divided into three categories: vitis vinifera, vitis labrusca, and hybrids. Vitis vinifera are the traditional European grapes such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. Vitis labrusca refers to the Native American grapes like Concord, Catawba, and Delaware. As you can probably guess, hybrids are a cross of the two. This French American grape combines the taste characteristics of the European grapes with the hardiness of the American stock. These grapes have been around for a while; originally developed by French viticulturists in the 19th century and they include Seyval Blanc, Vidal, Baco Noir, and Chancellor.

“Hauntingly” Good Wine at Marjim Manor

It was a dark and stormy night. Well, actually it wasn’t. It was a Thursday afternoon at 3:00. Shubal Merritt was cleaning his gun in the living room when his son, Lewis, came into the room through the French doors. Shubal turned and accidentally shot Lewis, killing him. It was Thursday afternoon at 3:00.

A Taste of Summer

When I think of summer I think of lazy, hot days, lemonade, watermelon, and ice cream; especially ice cream. It is a sure sign that summer has arrived when the seasonal ice cream shacks open their windows for business. I remember as a kid walking to Hannah’s Frosty Treats from my grandparents’ house to get an ice cream cone. To this day people line up each summer evening to enjoy those frosty treats. Ice cream stands around the country come to life in the summer bringing that ultimate summertime treat-ice cream.

What a Pickle!

I’ve always been envious of those able to live a sustainable lifestyle; people who can grow their own food, then preserve it for future use. I remember watching the BBC comedy Good Neighbors and wishing I could do that. Well, not killing any chickens…or having any livestock killed for that matter. But to be able to have fresh fruit, vegetables, right at your fingertips, I think that’s wonderful.

Wine Quest: A Starting Point

I’ve had several people say to me, “You’ve told me not to be scared by wine and that there’s a wine out there for everyone, but I still don’t have a clue as to how to find a wine I’ll like. Can’t you just tell me what to get?”

The Wonderful World of Wine

I love wine. I love to think about it, I love to write about it, and I especially love to drink it. Grapes took root in my heart and wine now plays a major part in my life. I collect grape and vineyard memorabilia. I have wine glasses from many of the wineries and vineyards I’ve visited, I have wine shirts, I even have a hat that says I’m “well aged”. Why the interest? Why the zeal?