A hot August afternoon, a gathering of friends, and wine. Sounds like the perfect combination to me. Since it was a very hot day, I wanted to lighten things up and make a cooler wine choice. I contemplated serving a crisp chilled white or rose wine but ultimately decided to try making an Italian style
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Well, I have to say the trip from the Portland area to Seaside takes about two and a half hours. Our trip took us seven. Why? Because we ate and drank our way across the city and countryside winding our way through the mountain pass and down to the seashore. We left at a reasonable
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The holidays are here, and being celebrated in households across the country and throughout the world. So instead of posting a recipe that no one has time to try a few days before Christmas, here are a few links to prior posts with recipes that are useful this time of year. Appetizers and Small
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On my way to the gym this morning with the top down on the t-bird so I can dry my hair in the wind (cause that’s how you did it back in the day before personal hair dryers). Okay so I’ll admit, when I was about 16 I’d get in my step-dad’s Pontiac Bonneville, put
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One of the advantages of living in the Willamette Valley in Oregon is the close proximity to a large number of the 700+ wineries in the state. If you are a member of any one of these local wineries you have certain privileges (depending on the winery) that usually include free wine tastings, pick-up parties,
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Once a month I like to share five interesting tidbits I have collected while working on the blog. Hope you find this month’s “sage” interesting, informative, and amusing. We’ve been doing a lot of freshening up and cleaning around here in the hopes that spring will arrive soon. To get enthusiastic about cleaning, a song
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The weather outside is frightening…. We’re having a winter storm in the Pacific Northwest and it seems a lot of the country is having the same. Rosemary on the deck is toughing it out. We had a little warning from the weather people so neighbors have been stocking up on bread and milk in case they
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Ready to ring in the New Year? No matter what your activities may be, joining others to party the night away or staying home catching up on Netflix movies, antipasti is a good choice. This version of antipasti is an easy appetizer that requires more skill in decorating a plate than cooking. Whether you lay out meats and
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My hubby and I were out to dinner with friends about 40+ years ago (I was 12 when we married – JK) and we had a very entertaining waitress. I don’t think she meant to be entertaining, it just turned out that way. The waitress greeted us and asked if we would like something to drink.
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The Harvest or Crush (referring to picking and crushing the wine grapes), whether in Italy, California, or the Willamette Valley here in Oregon is one of my favorite seasons. This Wine Spectator article spells out some of the basics of the crush season. We have been visiting Italy in the fall for the last couple of
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Italians love their liqueurs. Limoncello is one of my favorites. Several times a year I make a few batches for myself, friends and neighbors. Fall is a great time to make Limoncello to have on hand for the holidays and giving as gifts. My recipe is from Southern Italy, the Sorrento area. If you like to
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