Sarah Ahmed The Wine DetectiveIf you thought the world of wine was elitist or exclusive, check out Catavino. Unafraid to prick the balloon of pomposity and refreshingly open to comments and contributions, the dynamic duo have very successfully broadened the appeal of wine by placing it in its wider social and cultural context.
Can you believe that in the 4+ years that I’ve lived here, I’ve only started cooking Portuguese dishes at home in the last year? I kept telling myself it’s best I leave the Portuguese cooking to the experts- meaning the mothers and grandmothers of people I know and all the other little ladies who work […] Continue Reading →
This past week, while enjoying one of our favorite cities in the world, Porto, it occurred to us that we were harboring a delicious secret that should be revealed. This cuisine, though not entirely secret to the entire population of Brazil, is unknown to many, and it’s called Churrasqueira (Churrascaria is Brazilian). Last Sunday, while […] Continue Reading →
Portuguese expats in the U.S. like to joke that if there’s a waft of sizzling sardines in the air then a fellow immigrant can’t be too far. They’re usually right. Growing up in New Jersey, expats’ grills were hardly ever graced by the usual American fare of hot dogs, hamburgers, porter house steaks, ribs, lobster […] Continue Reading →
In the American restaurant scene, the Spanish small plates, “Tapas,” are no conundrum. But say the word “Pinxtos” (generally bread topped with a fish or meat mixture, especially popular in the Basque region of Spain) and you’ll lose a few people. Say the Portuguese word “Petiscos” and you’ll get a whole lot of blank stares. […] Continue Reading →
On cold winter evenings there’s nothing more heartwarming for this writer than a chicken roasting in the oven. The scent of herby seasonings enchant my senses and transport me to my mother’s kitchen in New Jersey where she roasts to perfection just as she learned to do back in the Old Country. In America, roasted […] Continue Reading →
Watching the snowflakes fall slowly to the ground from a warm and cozy kitchen in Minnesota, we couldn’t be happier to finally be among friends and family. A year away from home is a little torturous, in part, because our hot dish consumption goes down radically. Plus, we tend to go a little stir crazy […] Continue Reading →
When Warre’s, one of the great Port wine companies put its Otima 10 bottle on the market, it was targeting a younger crowd with its cleaner and more modern packaging. It apparently worked for this 30-year-old wine drinker, who normally has a soft spot for the ornate, but in this case couldn’t resist how the […] Continue Reading →
Have you ever heard the tale of Stone Soup? The legend of how this hearty soup came about is a popular one told throughout most European countries and was adapted to an American version by Marcia Brown. Each version is slightly different depending on your country or region and is usually influenced by varying historical […] Continue Reading →
I love surprises. I love meeting people that exceed my expectations with their loyalty and friendship, an article that dissolves my preconceived notions or ideas, a wine that leaves me stunned with its complexity, or god willing, a restaurant that makes me wish that each and every bite would linger in my mouth for an […] Continue Reading →
In Part I (Gazpacho), we began our journey in the heat of the south of Spain but now head to one of the country’s northern-most regions, Bilbao (as rumor/tradition has it) to modify another of Spain’s great signature dishes – tortilla española. Known by a few names – tortilla española, tortilla a la española, and […] Continue Reading →
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