<img height="1" width="1" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=403686353314829&amp;ev=PageView%20&amp;noscript=1">

Community Tavern: A Wine Dinner Experience

When you walk into Community Tavern, located on the bustling six corners of Portage Park, the sounds of busy Chicago traffic dissipate, replaced by upbeat, classic R&B and hip hop. The restaurant ...

Read More

A Few Things I Learned on my Trip to Catalonia

I’ve just returned from a trip to the Catalonia region in northeast Spain, as a guest of the EU’s “Taste the Difference: Quality Wines from the Heart of Europe” campaign.

Read More

Enjoying New Zealand through Food and Wine

New Zealand is a land of breathtaking landscapes, but its culinary scene is just as remarkable. From fresh seafood and world-class lamb to the legendary meat pies and Māori hāngī (traditional New ...

Read More

How to Open a Bottle of Wine

Ever since the 1600’s, when the glass bottle and cork stopper became the preferred package for wine, we’ve been trying to figure out how to get the wine back out of the bottle!

Read More

White Wine with Red Meat

I’m all about following rules: I stop at stop signs, I accept a breath mint when offered, and I’ll never again wear horizontal stripes on my hips. But there’s one rule I break often and it’s the most ...

Read More

A Step-by-Step Guide with Video to Opening Champagne and Sparkling Wine

“Here’s to Champagne, the drink divine, that helps us forget all our troubles. It’s made from a dollar’s-worth of wine and three-dollars’-worth of bubbles.” (Anonymous)

Read More

Cook Like a Tuscan is a Hands-On Introduction to Italian Cuisine

I fell in love with Tuscany on The Chopping Block's Cook Like a Tuscan tour last fall. I had never been to Italy before, and this seven-day trip was the perfect introduction to the region's beautiful ...

Read More

A Primer on Champagne and Sparkling Wine

If you want to hear that there are lots of sparkling wines just as good as Champagne but cheaper, you need to ask someone else. Given the choice, I always recommend true Champagne, especially when ...

Read More

Holiday Wine Shopping

You may not know what you’ll be drinking this holiday season, but your wine merchant does.

Read More

Wine & Cheese: Culinary Heaven or Eden?  You Decide

You say you adore sea salt caramels and suppose it’s because they’re just so darn delicious! Sort of. In fact, we’re hard wired to crave the nutritional necessities of salt, sugar and fat in modern ...

Read More

Subscribe to Email Updates

Most Recent Posts

Chinese Birthday Traditions

  Although my family comes from Burma, many of our traditions are deeply rooted in Chinese...Read more

Limited Space? Here's Your Grilling Solution

Grilling season is finally in full swing, and I couldn’t be more excited! After years of not...Read more

Highlighting a Unique Herb: Tarragon

A coworker recently asked me what my favorite nontraditional herb is. It was a great question, and...Read more

Hot Honey: A Fiery and Sweet Condiment

  A current drive through any city neighborhood tells you farmers’ market season is upon us,...Read more

What I Got Out of a 15-Pound Prime Rib Roast

As a chef, I’m always looking for ways to stretch ingredients and make the most out of quality...Read more

cooking_classes
gift_cards
boot_camp
Sign Up To Get