Coffee originated in the Kaffa region of Ethiopia, growing on trees as cherries with a precious bean-like seed in the middle. Legend has it that sometime in the middle of the 9th century, a goatherd discovered its get-up-and-go properties when his goats got-up-and-went after eating the cherries. But no one knows for sure, because he…
The Gorgeous Wines of Alsace
One of France’s finest wine-growing regions, and one of its least understood, is the northern district of Alsace, a hilly region bordering Germany with a populace that’s as comfortable speaking German as it is French. Moreover, the grape varieties of Alsace (almost all of them white) are also found in Germany, with riesling, gewurztraminer, and…
Homemade Bloody Mary Mix Makes Batch Cocktails in a Snap
A delicious bloody mary can be a pain to make, especially if you’re making a bunch of cocktails at a time. Instead, I find it easier to make a big pitcher of this mix ahead of time. That way, when you’re ready to serve a few cocktails, all you need to do is salt the…
Buying Good-Quality, Inexpensive Wines Has Never Been Easier
The late wine author Leon Adams once said that in a best-of-all-worlds situation, dry wine should be as cheap as milk. We may be reaching a point where that’s true. The overwhelming volume of wine in the United States today has kept prices for much of it very fair. The evidence is everywhere. Three of…
The Red Wine Myth
One of the most enduring myths of red wine is that the older it gets, the better it is. Where this erroneous line comes from is buried in history, but it’s likely no true wine lover came up with it. Most wine lovers know that certain wines age nicely for decades, but most red wines…
A Journey Into the World of Tea
“Tea tempers the spirits and harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness, lightens or refreshes the body, and clears the perceptive faculties.” —Lu Yu, “The Classic of Tea” Tea has long been one of the most popular drinks in the world. According to World Tea News, tea ranks second…
Wine Talk: Time to Think Pink
The arrival of Valentine’s Day marks a turning point for many wine enthusiasts, particularly those who have recently come to love dry rosé wines. Not only is dry rosé a natural for the Valentine’s tradition, but it also signals the coming of spring and warmer days. Rosé wines, which are seldom aged in oak barrels,…
Road Trip Fuel: Gas Station Coffee and Chocolate Muffins
In the middle of the night, partway through a cross-country drive, I unfolded myself from the driver’s seat at another random gas station. Someone special was waiting at the east end of Interstate 90, but the rig and I both needed fuel. Unleaded and Road Warrior Blend, respectively. As reliably as diesel hum at a…
Wine Talk: Better With Age
Years ago, on a trip to Bordeaux to taste samples from a new vintage, I had the opportunity to have dinner at Domaine de Chevalier. The host, Domaine de Chevalier owner Olivier Bernard, used the occasion to raid the Chevalier cellar for a couple of seriously old bottles of wine. If memory serves, the vintage…
New Year, New Beer: Predictions for 2021
Despite all of us having so little opportunity to visit breweries last year, the percentage of craft beer drinkers in the country continues to grow—now 44 percent of those of legal drinking age, according to the Brewers Association and their analysis of Nielsen Harris data. That said, 2020’s dismal social options corresponded to a decline…
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