Taylor Eason | March 2nd, 2012
Thanks to Al Gore and the miracle of the internet, I can, from the slothful comfort of my couch, order shoes, clothes, guns and, of course, pharmaceuticals that will firm, tighten or enlarge various body parts. A friendly (and invariably hot) UPS guy will bring these much-desired items straight to my door with a Playgirl-worthy smile that leaves me wondering what else Brown can do for me. And now, with alcohol regulations relaxing in states across the country, the Men in Brown can also bring me my most-loved vice: Wine. You can choose from flash sales wine sites, winery wine clubs, companies that sell club memberships or cases, and internet retailers. It’s a diverse bag of opportunities, one you will want to open and inspect carefully.
Read more: Finding your perfect match online: Wine clubs, retailers and winery websites
Robb Larsen | February 29th, 2012
The Sun Coast area has been making a splash in the craft beer world for a few years now. Only a while ago, it was a place of Budweiser and boat drinks but thankfully that has been changing at an exponential pace. A sign of the revolution: Craft beer bars, often with a salivating 30+ quality brews on tap, have been multiplying and can be found in every part of the metro. Aspiring suds snobs can now savor and evaluate fine ales from around the world. Great beer is brewed here too. The Dunedin Brewery is the oldest brewpub and craft producer in Florida. In 1996 it was joined by Ybor City’s own Tampa Bay Brewing Company. A couple of smaller restaurant and in-house beer makers such as Peg’s Cantina in Gulfport have popped up and others are in the works.
Read more: Celebrate Tampa Bay Beer Week with some of the best local brews
Taylor Eason | February 27th, 2012
Years ago, a sommelier friend of mine described Bogle wines as “mass-produced, and you can find them at [the grocery store], but for the money they’re the best damn grocery-store wine you can buy.” I still agree.
Read more: Good cheap red wine review: Bogle 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon California
Jennifer Fields | February 24th, 2012
As I continue to be in love with the world of eating clean and using better, whole and natural ingredients in cooking, I’ve been elated to find a wealth of ideas for swapping real ingredient sugar and sweetener alternatives in place of the less-healthy staples we’re so used to, particularly in baking.
Read more: Real sweet treats: Brownie and cookie recipes using natural sugar substitutes
Mary D. Scourtes | February 22nd, 2012
Just because I’m reaching for my trusty Dove Ice Cream Bar doesn’t mean I don’t like a heart-friendly menu. Who doesn’t like to enjoy dinner without having to loosen the belt? There are enough places where healthy doesn’t mean torture, simply not the food that Paula Deen unleashes on our arteries. The best restaurants in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater where you can find the best healthy, vegan and vegetarian food.
Read more: Tampa Bay restaurants where vegetarian, vegan, healthy and hedonist share menus
Taylor Eason | February 20th, 2012
This luscious, slightly sweet and delightfully affordable white wine blend from France’s rather obscure Côtes du Gasgogne region in the southwest could be the best intro for those new to wine. The Grassa family uses grapes called Ugni Blanc [OOO knee blahnk] and Colombard [CALL um BARD] to make Domaine du Tariquet Classic but they formerly produced Armagnac — a spirit made by distilling grapes — from the same fruit. I’m glad they made the switch.
Read more: Wine Review: Domaine du Tariquet 2010 Classic Cotes du Gasgogne
Sean Ludford | February 17th, 2012
This classic cocktail is one of the oldest drinks you will find in English print. The exact origins are much fodder for debate. Perhaps it was a signature drink of the old Knickerbocker Boat Club in New York. Regardless of its origins, there is no denying that it is a tasty cocktail in any era.
Read more: Easy, classic cocktail recipe: Knickerbocker
Taylor Eason | February 15th, 2012
I went to the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Festival in San Francisco with one mission: to find out, once and for all, what food pairs with Zinfandel from the people who make the juice. This grapes is often low in tannins and acidity with a reputation for hefty alcohol… what would these winemakers say? I got the goods from nine winemakers and principals, from tiny producers to large. The answers might surprise you…
Read more: Winemakers’ opinion: What foods pair with Zinfandel wine? (video)
Robb Larsen | February 14th, 2012
Cards, candy and flowers are, of course, traditional Valentine’s gifts. Chocolate and berries (usually strawberries) are also commonly given and complement each other, much like those famous pairs. But beer makes a unique and tasty gift on this romantic holiday. Last Valentine’s Day we paired a decadent Rogue Chocolate Stout with the sugary raspberry flavors of St. Louis Premium Framboise Lambic (see last year’s article). This year we explore a pair of aphrodisiacs released by a respected Cooperstown, NY brewery.
Read more: Valentine’s Day beers 2012: Ommegang Seduction and Aphrodite
Taylor Eason | February 13th, 2012
Sexy, sultry, sensuous, luscious — ever wondered why these words are used to describe wine? Could it be that wine leads us down the road to romance? To desire? Wine certainly pairs with Valentine’s Day. But does romance have to rule the day on Valentine’s? What if this Hallmark holiday conjures up bitterness and resentment rather than romance? For the “singles” out there, it might be black and depressing. So I started wondering about how this day has become inextricably linked with romance.
Read more: Wines for Valentine’s Day: For romance, love or massacres?
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