The late Jim Sanders was one of a kind: a well-educated man with a Master’s in English, a rural Georgia childhood, a wounded WW II veteran, a French-trained chef, wine importer/retailer, acclaimed restauranteur, wine educator and a skilled raconteur. His wine store in the Buckhead district of Atlanta not only stocked his fine French wines …
Over the years I attended three events that qualified as genuine wine dinners. One was a celebration of Julia Child’s 90th birthday at the Arizona Biltmore. Another was dinner with Masters of Wine at Arnaud’s in New Orleans and the other was a Bordeaux dinner at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach. None were advertised …
The Gourmet Highway: The Elegant American Wine Dinner Read More »
My earliest memories of fish are personal. No market or restaurant come to mind. But patiently trying to hook what lurked under the surface of a nearby creek or pond recalls moments of unrestrained joy. Those baby days were special: before cars and girlfriends there were bicycles and J. C. Higgins Ted Williams rods and …
Thanksgiving is so deeply American. It combines homecoming with a feast. Goodwill reigns. It also signals the launch of the Holiday season when shopping, concerts, decorations, and seasonal music embrace all aspects of daily living. In keeping with the Thanksgiving traditions, why don’t we serve some of our own wines, mixing up what’s available to …
The Gourmet Highway – Wines For Thanksgiving: A Cornucopia of Flavors Read More »
World Series Food and Drinks The World Series takes place in the middle of football season. For sports fans, this is prime time for flavorful food and palate pleasing drinks. Houston, a major center for the arts, has top restaurants notable for combining heritage with vision. Atlanta, home to acclaimed museums and performance centers, is …
It’s Stone Crab Season! Stone Crabs, the perfect ready-to-eat seafood, are in season through mid-May. Most are caught in Florida waters, but they are harvested along the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts. Only the claws, which regenerate, can be harvested and egg-bearing females are illegal to keep. I can get them inland at the fabulous …
BACK TO THE JACK Barbecue teams from coast to coast returned to the Jack Daniel Distillery, the hallowed groud of American whiskey, to smoke, season and sear for the 32nd Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue. The event held in historic Lynchburg, Tennessee is a wildly popular family-friendly festival. For 12 years, I served …
Autumn dining suggests more red wines. The weather is gentle and almost instinctively, the preferred cuisine features heartier dishes. Perhaps some of this is in anticipation of the approaching holiday season when celebratory feasts are important components of ritual and tradition. These are delicious main courses, some could say they are quintessentially American. One is …
My kitchen library encompasses a variety of subjects. Not all are cookbooks. Food sourcing and preparation are on even footing. Fish, whether fresh or saltwater, take on more importance when you have experienced the thrill of the catch, lessons I learned during my baby days. Mother, an accomplished self-taught Southern cook, insisted on fresh everything. …
Hook, Line, and Supper-A Masterful Guide to Fish and Seafood Enjoyment Read More »
According to the always reliable Old Farmer’s Almanac, the 2021 Harvest Moon rises on Monday, September 20. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Sunday morning through Tuesday morning. Shine on, Harvest Moon! The toils of the growing season are winding down and the rewards may be uncertain if your well-being is …
The Gourmet Highway: Harvest Feasts and Football Food Read More »