For the most part, children scare me…except for the ones in the green uniforms selling cookies. I always cave and buy Girl Scout cookies every year, and I rarely share. This year was an exception to being greedy with my cookies, and I brought four boxes to a geek/costuming convention in Dallas to share with friends. […]
Wine Pairing & Cooking Tips
Trick or Wine: Casillero del Diablo
I’ll admit that I love beautiful, funny, and themed wine labels. Wine, like music, is mood setting. So here we are in the middle of the most wonderful time of the year: Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Samhain, and Day of the Dead. I recently enjoyed samples of Casillero del Diablo (which translates to The Devil’s […]
Italian Wine Tastings/Pairings at ICCC
Hi, my name is Sheila, and I’m addicted to wine tastings. Wine tasting is how you learn what you like without committing to an entire bottle! Although I may not be able to distinguish notes and subtleties like the professionals, I do appreciate the aromas and flavors of each taste. Through wine tasting, you get […]
Carnival Cruise Line’s Warm Chocolate Melting Cake Recipe
Carnival Cruise Line’s Warm Chocolate Melting Cake is the most famous culinary item that Carnival cruisers rave about. I cannot adequately describe the taste, other than if “death by chocolate” is the way you want to go, this is it. This dessert needs to be ordered before you finish your main dish because the preparation […]
Italian Wine Seminar at ICCC
My husband and I, both members of Houston’s Italian Cultural & Community Center (ICCC) and frequent guests at their wine tastings (read about past events here and here), were thrilled to attend their first ever Italian wine seminar in four two-hour classes over the course of four weeks, led by Master Sommelier Craig Collins (Meet the Sommelier at […]
Italian Wine Tastings at ICCC
Wine tastings are about as exciting to me now as the ice cream truck was to me as a child. Some of my favorite wine tasting events are held at Houston’s Italian Cultural & Community Center (ICCC) in the museum district. The ICCC promotes Italian culture and tourism, including language classes and Italian eno-gastronomic events. […]
Game Changing Garlic Peeling Trick
Are you ready for this? I’m going to share an easy way to peel those mthrfrking garlic cloves without losing your mind. We’ve been through some stupid (and some gimmicky) garlic peeling products through the years and still draw straws for who’s going to peel the garlic. But when my husband found a garlic peeling […]
Thanksgiving Wine: What to Bring & What to Serve
You can’t escape it: Thanksgiving is upon us. Whether you’re hosting a formal family dinner, joining a casual Friendsgiving, or just wanting to keep it classy while watching sports ball…wine is on the menu! So what do you pull from the cellar or buy from the store? As always, you can do whatever you like, […]
Wine Tasting Sheets for Home Use
I love a good wine tasting! Actually I love a bad one too. For good, bad, or indifferent wine tastings, it’s always good to have a sheet to keep the glasses organized and in order and something to write notes on. Here are my tasting sheets for a wine tasting of three, four, five, or six […]
Chocolate: The Perfect Garnish
I’d like to go back in time and thank whoever discovered chocolate. It goes with everything! Inspired by Pinterest and my dearest crafty friend, Joanna (Chowda), I started dipping glasses in various types of chocolate to pair with wine and cordials. Preparation is surprisingly simple, whether you’re planning a party or just a night at home […]