Author Archive

Restaurant Michael – Old School Atmosphere, New School Food

September 1, 2010

I was told about Michael by a Twitter follower who was outraged that I’d eaten at my hotel’s mediocre restaurant while I could have been dining at this great dining establishment in the vicinity of my Chicago North Shore office.  I was touched that a local foodie would go out of his way to recommend [...]

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MeetUp – You Know, Where Folks MeetUp

August 28, 2010

Tonight, my guy and me are going to a “Crab Legs and Wine” MeetUp hosted by the Northern New Jersey Wine MeetUp Group. How fun is that!? For those of you not familiar with MeetUp, it’s a website you can access to find groups of folks with the same type of interests you do. Those [...]

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2007 Boutari Moschofilero

August 26, 2010

First tasted this wine at an event hosted by Wines of Greece in Manhattan where I got to sample over 40 fine Greek wines.  Lucky for me, the 2007 Boutari Moschofilero is pretty widely available in my neck of the woods in New Jersey, so I get to enjoy it often. Think of this wine [...]

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2005 McCrea Cellars Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Roussanne

August 24, 2010

As I’m not a fan of buttery Chardonnay, I find that Roussanne is a white wine that I can enjoy when I want something with more body than the typical United States Sauvignon Blanc. This wine, which I tasted at Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA, is fruity with a bold orange nose with floral undertones.  It’s [...]

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Man v Food at the Jersey Shore on 8/25

August 23, 2010

I’m excited that Adam Richman, AKA ‘Man’, will be hitting the Jersey Shore on Wednesday!  To all my fellow Jerseyans, and all fans of the Garden state, here are details about the episode:  Jersey Shore Episode – Wednesday August 25th at 9:00 E/P. The Jersey Shore is the ultimate summer destination–full of sun, sand, and [...]

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Greek Phyllo and Custard Pie (Galaktoboureko)

August 23, 2010

I was shown how to make this traditional recipe by a friend’s Yia Yia (Greek grand-mother) many years ago and below is her recipe (with a few variations). Glaze Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 1 cup water 2-inch piece lemon peel 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice Pie Filling Ingredients: 6 eggs 1 cup granulated [...]

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Posted in Desserts, Eggs, Greek 2 Comments »

2007 Hirsch Vineyards San Andreas Pinot Noir

August 23, 2010

Enjoyed a bottle of this wine at lovely Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA and thought it was a well-balanced example of coastal Sonoma Pinot Noir. Saying a Pinot Noir tastes like cherries is like saying a cab goes well with a steak – obvious.  In this case though, the cherries are succulent and very ripe with [...]

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Watch Out Bergen County – Here Comes Smashburger Hackensack

August 19, 2010

Yes, I’ve written about Smashburger in the past (http://bit.ly/bOgEKa) but I’m excited about the latest opening of the Hackensack location in Bergen County, NJ. Here are three things to note about the newest outpost: First, the space is large and hip and is located in the upscale Shops at Riverside. Eat a burger and work [...]

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No-Share Blueberry Buckle

August 16, 2010

The origin of the name ‘buckle’ in a dessert is thought to be from the ‘buckling’ of the cake as it bakes under the fruit from the addition of baking soda to the batter.  Whatever the provenance of the word, this dessert is a perfect ending to a Summer dinner.  Think steamed, soft cake, gooey [...]

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Posted in American, Desserts, Fruits 2 Comments »

2007 Katherine Goldschmidt Crazy Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

August 15, 2010

Bought this wine as my 2nd bottle (to be drunk after a great bottle) for a dinner party featuring grilled tenderloin and was pleasantly surprised by it.  It quickly became the star of the evening. Sipped it upon uncorking it and it was tight and young.  After decanting it for 90 minutes, it was elegant, [...]

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Posted in Red Wine, Wine Reviews 2 Comments »