holidays

Thanksgiving Day is the ultimate challenge.  In my family, the Thanksgiving meal is served by passing the bowl and scooping up mass amounts of side dishes, followed by the massive serving dish of turkey and the vat of gravy to cover it all. Mashed potatoes & gravy, cranberries, fresh biscuits, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, wild rice--good luck pairing a...

As the holiday season draws nearer, we find ourselves meeting friends and family to drink, be merry, and forget how much money we're spending on Christmas presents.  Whether you're hosting a party or attending one, it's a good bet that sometime this month you'll be faced with that eternal challenge: the wine and cheese pairing.   A wine and cheese...

Looking for a new holiday drink to add to your party repertoire?  How about one that combines your love for delicious holiday cheer with your love for delicious wine?  Try this recipe for Hot Mulled Wine, similar to the traditional German Glühwein.  Bonus: since you're changing the flavor anyway, you don't need to use an expensive bottle.  Also, the recipe isn't strict...

To all you boyfriends and husbands out there: it's that time of year again.  Valentine's Day is fast approaching, which means that you'd better get thinking about what you're going to give the lovely woman in your life.  Sure, there are the old standbys like a dozen roses or a nice dinner out, but the gift that will truly wow...

Sure, the traditional beverage of St. Patrick's day is beer.  Usually it's a frothy pint of Guinness.  And if it's not Guinness, it's most likely dyed green.   And there are some who love their St. Patty's day beer and wouldn't consider parting with it for anything.  But others, faced with a pint glass of green beer, would prefer to...

If your mom is like mine, there's nothing she'd rather do on Mother's Day than have a chance to relax with her family, minus the laundry and dishes.  And what better way to help her get some me-time than wine?  Wine is a great way to celebrate with your mom, and you don't need to plan an extravagant wine tasting...

Kosher wine's got a bad rap.  But is it deserved? A decade ago, there weren't very many wine options available to observant Jews.  There was really only one choice: Manischevitz, a syrupy, sickly-sweet wine made from Concord grapes.  Concord grapes are typically only used to make three things: grape jelly, grape juice, and--you guessed it--kosher wine.  Needless to say, this...

The First Thanksgiving by Jean Louise Gerome With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, there's no time like the present to start planning your dinner menu--and the wines that will go with it.  Choosing wines for Thanksgiving can be a challenge, because you have to please a variety of palates and complement a variety of dishes.  But have no fear!  Our suggestions will...

Beaujolais Nouveau may just be the all-around perfect wine for Thanksgiving.  It's mentioned in wine guides again and again as the ideal accompaniment for the annual turkey feast.  So let's talk a little bit about this great wine and why it's such a perfect choice for a food lover's favorite holiday. Beaujolais Nouveau is a very young wine (hence the...

There's nothing wrong with picking a wine or two that will please all your guests and complement your full buffet of Thanksgiving dishes.  In fact, if that's your style, we have two posts for you: one on great Thanksgiving wines, and one on Beaujolais Nouveau. But if you're more of the adventurous type when it comes to wine, you might...

The thing about Thanksgiving is that when the dishes are done and the last stray family member has been gently coaxed out the door, there are always leftovers.  I'm talking about two kinds of leftovers, one good, one bad.  The food leftovers are the wonderful ones: almost better than Thanksgiving itself is a perfect Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich with roast turkey...

With the holiday season comes dinner party invitations.  And with dinner party invitations come gifts for the host.  There's no more traditional dinner party offering than a bottle of wine--and why not?  Wine is a crowd-pleaser: with it, you really don't have to worry that your hosts are smiling on the outside, but thinking on the inside, "Now what are...

Riedel has been making the world's premiere wine glasses for more than 250 years.  For the serious wine collector, they're almost a necessity.  For the more casual wine enthusiast, they're a beautiful, classic way to enjoy great wines.  Riedel glasses make great holiday gifts for anyone who has a special place in his heart for wine. Riedel makes a wide...

Wine baskets are wonderful gifts that everyone loves.  As a result, they can cost hundreds of dollars at fancy food stores.  But why spend the cash when you can easily make them yourself?  They're simple to create, and they make great, personal gifts that your friends and family will really appreciate.  You can fill your wine gift baskets with almost...

Christmas dinners are all over the map.  Some families celebrate with ham, some with prime rib.  Some have a round two of Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey and stuffing.  If you're Italian, you might enjoy a traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes.  If you're German, you might have a roast goose.  The point is, it's nearly impossible to recommend the...

You may be too old for Santa Claus, but Christmas has a hidden benefit for adults: it provides the perfect excuse to drink in the morning!  This Christmas morning champagne cocktail is perfect for enjoying with a leisurely brunch...preferably while still in your PJs. As with all cocktails made with champagne, quality doesn't matter all that much (but go...

Here's another Christmas wine cocktail sure to please your palate--and your guests'.  This is a great one for parties, and the festive red color makes is perfect for the holiday season.  Bottoms up! Holiday Sangria Mix 2 parts each cherry syrup and gin in a shaker. Pour over ice into a tall glass. Add a large splash of soda...

Hosting a party this New Year's Eve?  Look no further for the perfect cocktail.  This elegant drink looks great in the glass and tastes great too. Sparkling Pear New Year's Cocktail Set out 8 champagne flutes. Divide 1/2 cup of pear nectar (sold in cans in most grocery stores) among them. Carefully top off each glass with your favorite champagne...

Valentine's Day is today! Still in need of a perfect gift?  This year, think about forgoing the teddy bear and heart-shaped jewelry.  Instead, get her a romantic gift you can enjoy together: wine.  Here are some great choices for romance on the 14th. Great with chocolate-covered strawberries: This valentine's day classic is perfection with another classic: Champagne.  Pop a bottle...

During this year’s Passover, some of you will probably have a glass of Manischewitz, a peculiarly sweet kosher wine often associated with Passover.  There are, however, kosher alternatives to Manischewitz many people are unaware of (Unless you've read our previous post on kosher wine!).  The idea that all kosher wines are eminently sweet is simply untrue.  When kosher wines (like...