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Picadillo is so freakin’ simple and cheap, it can be a weeknight staple served over white or brown rice with a salad. Wine pairing: a Zinfandel like this one Cuban-inspired Picadillo Read more » 
With the football game and socializing at parties, hosts need some delicious yet simple fare to complement the suds. Grilling or barbecue is always a solid choice, but in early February, it’s not a realistic option for many parts of the nation. Beer and pizza go together as well as…well… beer and football. Combine all three and every fan will be happy, regardless of the score. This year’s Superbowl has cities with wonderful, drinkable brews. To commemorate this historic event, we’ll recommend two distinct beers from a brewery in each town, Boston and New York. The beer styles chosen from each brewery pair well with pizza, a lager and an IPA. Read more: Beer n’ pizza: Two great tastes for a Super Bowl score While most people think Pinot Grigio is the white wine of Italy, I beg to differ. Softer and rounder, Soave white wines from northeastern Italy complement a wider range of food, have an exceptional depth of flavors, and are quite versatile. Like the Rocca Sveva 2009 Soave Classico. Read more: Wine review: Rocca Sveva 2009 Soave Classico I haven’t tasted many Soave white wines from Italy; maybe because Italy isn’t particularly known for high quality white wine. When you think Italian wine, Chianti, Barolo and Super Tuscans pop into your head, right? Maybe Pinot Grigios? But so many of these popular, light-bodied whites exported to the U.S. feign quality disguised in pretty bottles. Pinot Grigios aren’t white wines Italy really boasts about yet. But Soave [so-AH-vay -- same way it’s pronounced in the video, by the way] just might be the next big thing out of Italy since the Super Tuscan was born. Read more: Soave: Move over Pinot Grigio, here come some of Italy’s best white wines Food writer Jennifer Fields introduces some fruit to her hamburger patty recipe: fresh lime juice. Quick and easy with a zingy flavor for summer or winter grilling. Read more: New year, new recipe: Homemade Burger Patties with Fresh Lime Juice 
Unabashedly rich and irresistible, few foods bring on such giddy cravings as chocolate. Love is sweet, but it’s much sweeter with chocolate. Its phenylethylamine is the same chemical that our brains produce when we fall in love. Quality chocolate stirs the same emotions and is positively addictive this close to Valentine’s Day in Tampa Bay. Charge up your appetite, and your wallet, with some luscious choices from candy land. Read more: Chocolate is love in an edible form: Nine of Tampa Bay’s best chocolate shops I admire when a winery steps outside the annoying conservative boundaries of the wine industry. Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon fame (an interview with him), The Three Thieves and their ground-breaking Bandit wine in a small box and chalk up another win to the folks at Oregon’s King Estate (reviews of their other wines), who created this Washington State-based project, North by Northwest. These guys have the chutzpah to do things differently. Read more: Wine review: North by Northwest 2010 Riesling Horse Heaven Hills 
We might not have all those fancy New York beers down here in the desert southwest but we like ours just fine. In fact we think they’re just dandy and I’ll bet a handful of silver dollars you will too. You see, when you’re out on the range on a cold evenin’ and settle down for the night, you want a drink that’s gonna help keep you warm as a horned toad on a sunny rock. Read more: Wild West Brew Review: Shiner Bohemian Black Lager, Billie’s Chilies, Lucky U IPA At times there is nothing like an “Old School” cocktail made without embellishment. The Brandy Alexander evokes visions and the mood of cocktail parties long disbanded but one I would love to attend from time to time. One of the greatest things about our current cocktail revival is the rediscovery of cocktails long considered passé. The Brandy Alexander is a theme party just waiting to happen. The New Year is well underway. I don’t know about you, but for me, the dawning of a brand new calendar encourages me to freshen things up in the kitchen. Gone are the last few months of heavy, overindulgence (thank goodness!), and in comes lightened flavors to get our bodies moving for the new adventures ahead. Like this recipe for Edamame Salad with Avocado and Grapefruit. Read more: New year, new recipe: Edamame Salad with Avocado and Grapefruit |
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