Most people go into hospitality because they love a good party! At The Chopping Block, we’re no exception and a good time was had by all during our recent party, a.k.a. the sold-out Lincoln ...
“It’s gotta be fun!” is the best advice I received from my mentor Kevin Zraly, who, as founder of The Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, knows something about wine education. So, I feel as ...
Way last century, the hip sommelier closed their out-going voicemail with “Leave your message at the tone. And in case of emergency, serve dry Rosè.” Back then, Rosè meant White Zinfandel, sugary ...
As every teacher knows, if one student has a question, then undoubtedly other students have the same question but are too embarrassed to ask. Here are questions from my recent How to Bluff Your Way ...
How to Make the Most of Summer Without Dying of Heat Stroke
Now that we’ve arrived at high summer and the temperatures in much of the country are soaring past records, the time has come to rethink summer activities. Don’t get me wrong - swimming, grilling, ...
The birds are chirping, the masks are off and the wine sales reps are rolling their insulated bags loaded with samples across the U.S. In the wine biz, “back to normal” means Spring wine list revamp!
We Fell in Love with Pinot Noir, but Will the Sideways Affair Last?
It’s almost impossible to pinpoint the start of a major cultural shift. What work of art begins the Italian Renaissance, for instance, or on what day did the Jazz Age start? But there’s no doubt that ...
Like geese are drawn southwards for the winter, when the temperature plummets my instinct pulls me into the kitchen to roast a passel of vegetables. And since I’ve given up trying to enjoy any dish ...
Slipping into a silky robe on a hot summer day is a feeling we can all dream of during Chicago’s icy blast. Now we’re bundling up in wool scarves and coats. But how would we feel about a wool scarf ...
