For the cook:  Practical guidance from a seasoned (get it?) food writer and cookbook author.  I love simple, flavorful, elegant dishes that use seasonal, local foods.  Take a look at the Wine Minute, and at the recipes on Pinterest, and tell me what you think!

For the wine lover:  Subscribers tell me they want practical wine buying information. With the info here, you’ll know how to find wines you like - which is not the same thing as wines with a high rating!  You'll know how to find the best values on restaurant wine lists, and what to serve with that local roast chicken.  This knowledge builds on more than recommendations - just because I love a wine doesn’t mean you will.  So along with reviews, you’ll find the back story; context to enable you to find wines you love, at prices that fit your budget.

My recipes run an insane range - from healthy and local for Powisset Farm (part of The Trustees of Reservations), to indulgent for the Phantom Gourmet television show.  This range inspires culinary riffs - for every oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookie I quest after its alter ego - say whole grain stevia-sweetened double chocolate chunk cookies.  It's an obsession.  Just ask people who have to live with me.

Back to wine.  Topics I cover range from “Say What?” (an appreciation of unusual varietals), and “The Zen of Zin”, to  review of new organic wines. I’m passionate about wine as a part of a meal with family and friends, so my posts always include a recipe to go with that glass.  Give us a try, and people will ask, "How do you always know just the right wine to buy?!"  

A stew of my favorite wines, recipes, and food news simmers in my blog.