Green Options » wine http://greenoptions.com/tag/wine Posts tagged 'wine' Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:16:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Upgrading the College Diet: Saying Bye-Bye to Hangovers http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/05/upgrading-the-college-diet-saying-bye-bye-to-hangovers/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/05/upgrading-the-college-diet-saying-bye-bye-to-hangovers/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:16:23 +0000 Camille Rogers http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/05/upgrading-the-college-diet-saying-bye-bye-to-hangovers/ socialinfographics at Flickr

The state of Wisconsin has long served as the national focal point of all things dairy.  However, Wisconsin is also the epicenter of another American food culture niche, and that is alcohol.

My oh my, do people in Wisconsin love to drink. I live the capitol city of Madison and, at least once every weekend, I see snapshot of that state-bred love, either through an embarrassingly sloshed University of Wisconsin undergraduate or a too-tipsy townie. When I found out the actual statistics— that Wisconsin has the highest percentage of drinkers in the population and that, person for person, the state has three times more taverns than anywhere else in the country—I hardly blinked.

Still, I’ll admit that sometimes I find Madison’s hyper-boozing culture to be intimidating. At a lot of college parties, my three-drink limit is everyone else’s warm-up drill, and I’ve met more than a few Badgers whose Thirsty Thursday extends through Wednesday night. However, I’ve never tried to keep up with the crowd. I’m sure some of my peers think it’s lame that my personal bar time is midnight, and not two a.m., but I bet I look a lot cooler the next morning when I haven’t succumbed to their same fate: the head-stinging, stomach-churning, regret-inducing experience that is the hangover.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/11/05/upgrading-the-college-diet-saying-bye-bye-to-hangovers/feed/ Drink Wine to Save Endangered Hector’s and Maui’s Dolphins http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/09/drinking-wine-saves-endangered-hectors-and-mauis-dolphins/ http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/09/drinking-wine-saves-endangered-hectors-and-mauis-dolphins/#comments Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:41:46 +0000 Dave Harcourt http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/09/drinking-wine-saves-endangered-hectors-and-mauis-dolphins/ A donation of three tons of grapes has been converted, via wine, into funds for the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) project to save endangered dolphins endemic to New Zealand.

Hector Dolphin

A Hector’s Dolphin showing the characteristic round dorsal fin.

The Wine

It started with Gemma McGrath who had moved from a job on Whale Watch boats to a barmaid in the small Otago village of Bannockburn which is about as far away from the sea as one can get in New Zealand.

Missing the dolphins and concerned by the steady decrease in their numbers, she spoke of them so passionately and persistently that she eventually got a farmer in the area to donate 3 tons of Pinot Gris grapes.

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]]> http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/09/drinking-wine-saves-endangered-hectors-and-mauis-dolphins/feed/ Musings of A Suburban Farmer on Harvest Day http://sustainablog.org/2009/10/03/musings-of-a-suburban-farmer-on-harvest-day/ http://sustainablog.org/2009/10/03/musings-of-a-suburban-farmer-on-harvest-day/#comments Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:31:01 +0000 Steve Savage http://sustainablog.org/2009/10/03/musings-of-a-suburban-farmer-on-harvest-day/
My grape crop 10/2/09

Today I picked the grapes from my vineyard.  I got 366 usable pounds from my 25 vines even though I lost at least 100 pounds to birds that somehow penetrated my elaborate net system.  The harvest will still give me between 90 and 115 bottles of what I hope will be decent wine - at least as decent as the ‘06 I’m happily sipping right now.

I used the term “Suburban Farmer” as a shameless lure to get folks to read this blog.  To be honest, I’m not a “Farmer”  at all.   I grow grapes as a hobby, and since I am a self-employed consultant, the time I spend growing these grapes has an “opportunity cost” far greater than what the Syrah I bottle will be worth as a reduction in my substantial wine budget.  I think it is great to garden or do home wine making, and I wish even more people had the opportunity to do it.  It is good for body and soul - better than the money I could have made.  But this is still not farming.  I have too much respect for real farmers to call it that.

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]]> http://sustainablog.org/2009/10/03/musings-of-a-suburban-farmer-on-harvest-day/feed/ Vegetarian…Wine? http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/09/10/vegetarianwine/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/09/10/vegetarianwine/#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:30:24 +0000 Becky Striepe http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/09/10/vegetarianwine/

A couple of weeks ago, Rachel did an awesome writeup of wine pairings for vegetarian meals. Why not really get your veg on and make sure your wine pairing is vegetarian, too?

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/09/10/vegetarianwine/feed/ 7 Odd Food-for-Fuel Solutions http://gas2.org/2009/09/07/7-odd-food-for-fuel-solutions/ http://gas2.org/2009/09/07/7-odd-food-for-fuel-solutions/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:11:08 +0000 Jerry James Stone http://gas2.org/2009/09/07/7-odd-food-for-fuel-solutions/ Using food as a resource in biofuel production is one of the biggest mistakes our country could make. And while we all shake our heads at the idea of corn ethanol…what about using turkey innards? Or Mountain Dew for that matter.

Shaq Wants Your Leftover Beer and Wine for Making Ethanol

First, who ever has leftover alcohol except maybe these guys? The Shaq-backed MicroFueler is a 250-gallon tank for organic feedstock, such as waste wine and beer, that converts it into pure ethanol. It also doubles as a fuel pump and the only waste product is distilled water.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/09/07/7-odd-food-for-fuel-solutions/feed/ In Honor of Meatless Mondays: Vegetarian Wine Pairing-Uncork This! http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/08/24/in-honor-of-meatless-mondays-vegetarian-wine-pairing-uncork-this/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/08/24/in-honor-of-meatless-mondays-vegetarian-wine-pairing-uncork-this/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:32:21 +0000 Rachel Venokur-Clark http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/08/24/in-honor-of-meatless-mondays-vegetarian-wine-pairing-uncork-this/ In the latest edition of Veg News, there is a small article discussing the quandary a Plant Based eater may face when trying to pair a fabulous wine with a fabulous vegan meal. Unlike our omnivore friends, plant based eaters don’t get to follow the age-old rule of  “red is for meat and white is for fish”. So simple for the meat eaters, except it just doesn’t sound quite right when put into veggie terms. Can we really say “red is for seitan or texturized soy protein and white is for tofu and tofurky”? Selecting a wine to pair with your food can make a meal spectacular, or spoil the flavor of both the meal and the wine.  Have no fear all you wine loving vegans, Denis Cotter, owner of Café Paridiso, serving seasonal and vegetarian fare in Ireland of all places, has put together some very easy pairings for us to rely on (along with some help of some wine experts). You, my thirsty friend, do not have to be wine expert to get the basics down.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/08/24/in-honor-of-meatless-mondays-vegetarian-wine-pairing-uncork-this/feed/ How to Throw an Eco Chic Event-Advice From Expert Green Event Planner dvGreen http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/06/08/how-to-throw-an-eco-chic-event-advice-from-expert-green-event-planner-dvgreen/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/06/08/how-to-throw-an-eco-chic-event-advice-from-expert-green-event-planner-dvgreen/#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:12:25 +0000 Rachel Venokur-Clark http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/06/08/how-to-throw-an-eco-chic-event-advice-from-expert-green-event-planner-dvgreen/ dvGreen designs sustainable events without sacrificing style. They show clients that they can reduce their ecological footprint while still throwing a beautiful party - one that just happens to be Green. By featuring organic food, flowers, and table linens; tree-free paper invitations; donating or composting leftover food; purchasing carbon offsets, and more, dvGreen creates incredible events that you can be proud of forever.

Danielle, founder and CEO of dvGreen spent several years as Event Director and later General Manager of L’Olivier, one of New York’s premiere floral design houses. The driving force in Danielle’s event work has always been her belief that parties are important. They are essential celebrations of life that allow us to freeze time and honor meaningful milestones. If we don’t mark these moments, then they risk going away forever.

It is this belief, coupled with Danielle’s very parallel feeling about the environment (if we don’t take care of it, the planet as we know it will also go away forever), that led her to launch dvGreen in 2006, a company that combines excellence in event design with the latest in sustainable practices.

Here’s is some great advice from dvGreen on how to go green for your next event.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/06/08/how-to-throw-an-eco-chic-event-advice-from-expert-green-event-planner-dvgreen/feed/ 5 Global Warming Facts: Learn About the Causes and Effects http://sustainablog.org/2009/06/03/5-global-warming-facts-learn-about-the-causes-and-effects/ http://sustainablog.org/2009/06/03/5-global-warming-facts-learn-about-the-causes-and-effects/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:19:49 +0000 Jeff McIntire-Strasburg http://sustainablog.org/2009/06/03/5-global-warming-facts-learn-about-the-causes-and-effects/ meat wine brown bearIt’s hard to watch television, read the paper, or go online without coming across facts about global warming prevention. You may already feel like you’ve got the basics down. Some of the more interesting global warming facts may have escaped your attention, though, as they don’t get quite as much coverage. The more time you spend digging into global warming causes and effects, the more you’ll realize that climate change goes beyond some of the most catastrophic (and newsworthy) problems associated with it. Global warming will transform your life at basic levels that we’re just beginning to understand.

Global warming causes you may not have known about

You’re likely aware that many of your daily activities — driving your car, cooling and heating your home, operating electronic devices — produce greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide. You may not, however, be aware of some other major global warming causes that you encounter regularly. For instance,

  • The meat on your plate: Deforestation, especially of tropical rainforests, is one of the major causes of global warming, and residents of countries such as Brazil and Costa Rica often destroy these forests to create grazing space for cattle. Choosing to eat less meat, and purchasing the meat you do eat from local sources, should be a part of your plan to lighten your own carbon footprint.
  • The food and yard wastes you throw away: When you send food wastes, grass clippings, and other organic materials to the landfill, they’re much more likely to end up producing methane because they’ll decompose in an anaerobic (or oxygen-free) environment. Composting those wastes, whether by sending them to a large-scale operation, or adding them to your own compost pile or bin, will allow for oxygen-rich decomposition… which prevents methane emissions, and “closes the loop” by creating material you can use for garden and plant fertilizer.

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]]> http://sustainablog.org/2009/06/03/5-global-warming-facts-learn-about-the-causes-and-effects/feed/ Hoisting the Sails to Green the French Wine Industry http://ecoworldly.com/2009/03/24/wine-by-wind-power/ http://ecoworldly.com/2009/03/24/wine-by-wind-power/#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:27:50 +0000 Jeffrey Frame http://ecoworldly.com/2009/03/24/wine-by-wind-power/ Sailing Ship

Two companies, one from France and one from Napa, California, use wind power to transport wine.

Have you ever considered how your wine from abroad is transported? How much carbon does it take for one bottle of imported wine to reach your local grocery store, especially from a faraway vineyard in Australia? How can those bottles shipped from so far away be so cheap? Are we externalizing the cost to the environment for future generations to pick up the tab? What about all of those other products we buy from abroad? Could there be another way that doesn’t involve burning so much coal?

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]]> http://ecoworldly.com/2009/03/24/wine-by-wind-power/feed/ Red Tail Ridge Poised to be Finger Lakes’ Greenest Winery http://cleantechnica.com/2009/02/18/red-tail-ridge-poised-to-be-finger-lakes-greenest-winery/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/02/18/red-tail-ridge-poised-to-be-finger-lakes-greenest-winery/#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:50:00 +0000 Dave Tyler http://cleantechnica.com/2009/02/18/red-tail-ridge-poised-to-be-finger-lakes-greenest-winery/ An architectural rendering of Red Tail Ridge\'s planned winery

The rapidly growing wine industry in the Finger Lakes Region of New York has been attracting a good deal of attention for the quality of its wines. One winery is looking to make a name for itself both for its wines and its commitment to the environment.

Red Tail Ridge Winery, in Penn Yan, N.Y., will break ground this spring on a new wine making building designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED standards. It would be the first New York winery building to earn LEED certification, according to a search of the USGBC’s online LEED project database. Husband and wife owners Mike Schnelle and Nancy Irelan opened Red Tail Ridge after moving to the region from California, where Ireland worked for Gallo wineries. Their tasting room opened in August 2007.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/02/18/red-tail-ridge-poised-to-be-finger-lakes-greenest-winery/feed/ Cheers for Organic and Biodynamic Champagne and More for the New Year http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/28/cheers-for-organic-and-biodynamic-champagne-and-more-on-new-years-eve/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/28/cheers-for-organic-and-biodynamic-champagne-and-more-on-new-years-eve/#comments Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:28:15 +0000 Lucille Chi http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/28/cheers-for-organic-and-biodynamic-champagne-and-more-on-new-years-eve/

Are you someone who simply must have real Champagne on New Year’s Eve? Champagne is the name of a district of France which has ideal soil and climate conditions for the production of this very famous sparkling wine. Here are some wines made according to organic methods of the National Union of Independent Agrobiologists, (a French organic certifier) ~

  • Serge Faust Champagne (Organic)
  • NV (Non Vintage) Pascal Doquet Premier Cru Rosé (Organic)
  • NV Pierre Brigandat Brut Réserve (Biodynamic)
  • NV Larmandier-Bernier Premier Cru Vertus (Biodynamic)
  • ’97 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée (Biodynamic)

These are all examples of recommendations Treehugger made years back for organic and biodynamic Champagne, and they are still in style today. If you are not as picky about your bubbly being real and organic/biodynamic and prefer to buy local/domestic for the holidays then we also have several great sparkling wines to share.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/28/cheers-for-organic-and-biodynamic-champagne-and-more-on-new-years-eve/feed/ Your Food and Festivities Survival Guide for Making it through New Year’s Eve and Beyond http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/27/your-food-and-festivities-survival-guide-for-making-it-through-new-years-eve-and-beyond/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/27/your-food-and-festivities-survival-guide-for-making-it-through-new-years-eve-and-beyond/#comments Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:12:32 +0000 Gennefer Snowfield http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/27/your-food-and-festivities-survival-guide-for-making-it-through-new-years-eve-and-beyond/

The holidays are starting to wind down, but there’s still that mad dash to New Year’s Eve, the lavishly fun and festive foray into the next chapter of your life.  If you’re a diehard foodie like me, your new year’s resolution probably consists of things like wanting to learn how to cook gourmet meals or master the art of entertaining — all while saving money and being as eco-conscious as possible in the process.  It wouldn’t hurt to look fabulous while doing it, either! 

Who are these women who arise looking airbrush perfect, whisk the kids off to school, work a full day and manage a perfectly prepared home cooked meal for dinner anyway?!

With the help of Behind the Burner, I have put together a cheat sheet for navigating the new year in style.

Before we delve into becoming a master chef and entertainer extraordinaire, let’s look like one.  Thanks to Shannon Reed, kitchen couture is as stylish as designer label clothing.  From jackets to aprons, she creates unique chef attire that is anything but uniform, and her selections will shroud you in the confidence you need to take on the task of cooking like a pro.

But what to make?  Recipes in gourmet food magazines are either overly simplified and lacking in the artistry of the craft or too complex, resulting in a dilapidated dish that looks nowhere near as perfect as the glossy photo that accompanies it.  

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/27/your-food-and-festivities-survival-guide-for-making-it-through-new-years-eve-and-beyond/feed/ Giving Wine for a Special Holiday Party: Green Gift Wrap Ideas and More http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/23/giving-wine-for-a-special-holiday-party-green-gift-wrap-ideas-and-more/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/23/giving-wine-for-a-special-holiday-party-green-gift-wrap-ideas-and-more/#comments Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:13:44 +0000 Lucille Chi http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/23/giving-wine-for-a-special-holiday-party-green-gift-wrap-ideas-and-more/ Do you usually bring wine when you are invited to a dinner party? Are you going to toast a little bubbly on New Year’s Eve? Perhhaps you are skilled at the art of making homemade wine?

While you are searching for the perfect bottle to share, here are some ideas to consider for the gift wrap:

1. Wrap a bottle of wine and champagne into something fun and festive by wrapping them in funnies (which will also work well for eco box wine) or any scrap paper for that matter.

2. Make a wine bottle sleeve. This is for that sweater that you can’t donate because of the holes in it or the fact it shrunk in the wash. Simply snip off a sleeve and tie with a ribbon. If it is cold outside, this will keep the reds at a good temperature as you travel to the party.

3. Fabric gift bags make extra special gifts themselves. These adorable presents are “easy to make and encourage the recipient to reuse the wrapping, instead of tossing it in the trash.”

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/23/giving-wine-for-a-special-holiday-party-green-gift-wrap-ideas-and-more/feed/ The Twelve Days of sustainablog: Bees, Stimulus Checks, and Biodynamic Wine http://sustainablog.org/2008/12/19/the-twelve-days-of-sustainablog-bees-stimulus-checks-and-biodynamic-wine/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/12/19/the-twelve-days-of-sustainablog-bees-stimulus-checks-and-biodynamic-wine/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:21:11 +0000 Jeff McIntire-Strasburg http://sustainablog.org/2008/12/19/the-twelve-days-of-sustainablog-bees-stimulus-checks-and-biodynamic-wine/ fireworks off Waikiki Beach, Hawaii2008 was a banner year for sustainablog, and we want to end it as strongly as we started.  So, for the next twelve days, I’ll take a look back at some of the best and most memorable posts from the past year.

Let me start off, though, by expressing my immense gratitude to all of the writers who contributed during 2008. This was our first full year as a multi-author blog, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the way it turned out. Some of the writers I’ll mention have moved on; others on coming on board. I’m grateful for the inspiration you’ve all brought to the blog over the past year, and look forward with anticipation to what the new year brings us.

January 2008

Like New Year’s fireworks, January started off with a bang.  Here are a few great posts to remember:

  • Jason Phillip’s post on Chicago’s bottled water tax was one of our most popular ever… it’s still getting pageviews!
  • Maria Surma Manka wrote a very thorough (and also very popular) review of Scientific American’s “Solar Grand Plan.”
  • I took a look at an innovative South African whose developed a low-cost, high-yield method of generating energy from chicken poop.

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    ]]> http://sustainablog.org/2008/12/19/the-twelve-days-of-sustainablog-bees-stimulus-checks-and-biodynamic-wine/feed/ 9 Domestic Sparkling Wines for New Year’s Eve 2009 http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/18/9-domestic-sparkling-wines-for-new-years-eve-2009/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/18/9-domestic-sparkling-wines-for-new-years-eve-2009/#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:51:11 +0000 Stuart Stein http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/18/9-domestic-sparkling-wines-for-new-years-eve-2009/ All Champagne is sparkling wine made through the “Methode Champenoise.” But not all sparkling wine is Champagne.

    Wine writer Alan Richman in the December 2005 issue of Bon Appetit magazine bombastically wrote:

    Say what you will about California Sparklers - which are to French Champagne what paddlefish eggs are to beluga caviar - they will not transport you to a fantasy world, unless you are enthralled by the Napa Valley wine train. Sparkling wines that are not Champagne structurally lack finesse, enologically they lack bouquet, and sentimentally they lack ostentation.

    I hate to disagree with a James Beard award winning writer, but Alan, YOU ARE WRONG.

    Domestic bubbly has reached amazing heights and achieved complex flavors and textures. These wines are world-class while still somehow maintaining their own sense of terroir. Some are even fantastic values.

    Here are my Top 9 sparkling wine suggestions for your 2009 New Year’s Eve celebration.

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    ]]>     http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/18/9-domestic-sparkling-wines-for-new-years-eve-2009/feed/     Fuyu Persimmon and Duck Salad http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/10/fuyu-persimmon-and-duck-salad/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/10/fuyu-persimmon-and-duck-salad/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:23:57 +0000 Stuart Stein http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/10/fuyu-persimmon-and-duck-salad/ Fuyu Persimmon and Duck Salad with Hazelnut-Sherry Vinaigrette

    What in the world is a Fuyu persimmon? The Fuyu (pictured at the right) is a non-astringent persimmon variety. It is sweet and delicious when it becomes orange to orange-red in color and is still firm. The Native American persimmon grown in the southern U.S. and the more common pointed Hachiya persimmon are astringent varieties that do not lose their bitterness until the fruit becomes soft.

    Why do we care? Ripe Hachiya persimmons are great for making cooked dishes such as chutneys, relishes, steamed puddings or even pies. The Fuyu persimmon is perfect for this salad because its sweetness will cut through and balance the richness of the duck while maintaining its crisp texture.

    Take a look at my post The Persimmon - More Than Pudding for additional persimmon information and recipes.

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    ]]>     http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/10/fuyu-persimmon-and-duck-salad/feed/     75 Years of Conspicuous Consumption http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/05/75-years-of-conspicuous-consumption/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/05/75-years-of-conspicuous-consumption/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:53:53 +0000 Stuart Stein http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/05/75-years-of-conspicuous-consumption/

    December 5th is Repeal Day. That day back in 1933 that ended those dark days of “The Great Experiment” that failed. For those who where sleeping during American History class, the Volstead Act was repealed by the Amendment XXI to the US Constitution:

    AMENDMENT XXIPassed by Congress February 20, 1933. Ratified December 5, 1933.

    Section 1.
    The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

    Section 2.
    The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or Possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

    Section 3.
    This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

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    ]]>     http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/05/75-years-of-conspicuous-consumption/feed/     What to Drink with Your Turkey? http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/20/what-to-drink-with-your-turkey/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/20/what-to-drink-with-your-turkey/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:00:12 +0000 Stuart Stein http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/20/what-to-drink-with-your-turkey/ One of the biggest headaches when entertaining, especially during Thanksgiving, is deciding what beverages to serve with dinner. As Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg (authors of What to Drink with What You Eat) wrote in the Washington Post,

    The prospect of choosing a bottle that will please all of your guests and complement all of your dishes can perplex the most confident holiday host.

    Even avid wine lovers can be struck with a temporary case of oenophobia — fear of wine — around Thanksgiving. The prospect of choosing a bottle that will please all of your guests and complement all of your dishes can perplex the most confident holiday host.

    So what do you do? BYBO is one answer. Another is to let me help you choose a few bottles to uncork without breaking the bank or cashing in that IRA.

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    ]]>     http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/20/what-to-drink-with-your-turkey/feed/     5-Star Dining at Home: Behind the Burner brings you tips and tricks from today’s top chefs. http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/18/5-star-dining-at-home-behind-the-burner-brings-you-tips-and-tricks-from-todays-top-chefs/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/18/5-star-dining-at-home-behind-the-burner-brings-you-tips-and-tricks-from-todays-top-chefs/#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:33:55 +0000 Gennefer Snowfield http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/18/5-star-dining-at-home-behind-the-burner-brings-you-tips-and-tricks-from-todays-top-chefs/

    We all know the joys of dining out, feasting on flavorful fare, consuming creative cuisine and devouring decadent desserts, ‘oohing’ and ‘ahhing’ at the tantalizing tastes that whisk us from the doldrums of everyday life to some epicurean plane of existence.

    But what if you could create those culinary masterpieces at home?

    Thanks to Divya Gugnani, you can.

    This Harvard educated Venture Capitalist-Turned-Chef is the prolific powerhouse behind Behind the Burner.com, a cooking wonderland dedicated to bringing savory secrets of fine food preparation from renowned restaurants around the world to your table, one gourmet recipe at a time.

    I had the pleasure of speaking with Divya and learning more about the brains, the bites and the business.  And she’s as talented in the board room as she is in the kitchen, with an infectious energy and passion that, like the food she and her chefs prepare, leave you yearning for more.

    This will be the first in a series of posts featuring Behind the Burner chefs, organic cooking ideas and special offers for the Eat. Drink. Better. readers, so be sure to check back each week for the latest in edible enjoyment.

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    ]]>     http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/18/5-star-dining-at-home-behind-the-burner-brings-you-tips-and-tricks-from-todays-top-chefs/feed/     Eco Friendly Bar? http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/11/06/eco-friendly-bar/ http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/11/06/eco-friendly-bar/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:59:51 +0000 John Simonetta http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/11/06/eco-friendly-bar/

    This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of Proforma Simonetta Freelance, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy (see proformagreen.com). John’s blogs are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry

    I wrote a little while ago about paper products with flower seeds in them and whether I thought they were green or not.

    Well recently in doing some research for Intrepid Travel - a very cool, very green client - I located these eco-friendly bar coasters made of a paper from recycled linen and embedded with flower seeds.

    So in this instance the coasters are green to start with and the added flower seeds are a selling point. Anyway, I think these things are genius, I mean really what a great idea.

    I think I am so taken with them because trying to get a green theme into a bar setting is normally a challenge, but these coasters are green, practical and cheap. Just perfect.

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