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Blue Hill at Stone Barns April, 2011

Ever since Dan Barber opened Blue Hill at Stone Barns I have wanted to visit. I have read enough reviews, stories and news articles about the gardens, root cellar, animals and menu to conjure in my mind some kind of idyllic image, but still I thought it was mainly just a restaurant in a great setting outside the city; in fact, a restaurant that required a very advanced reservation and a 45 minute drive to get there. Somehow I never got around to planning it.

Peace, Love & Tacos February, 2011

Tacombi at Fonda Nolita, located in the heart of New York’s Nolita neighbourhood (i.e. North of Little Italy) is a cultural fusion of sorts; a Mexican beach party in the midst of hipster heaven. It was created by the dashing Dario Wolos, who is himself a cultural melange; born to a Mexican mother and a French father, his childhood was spent hopping from country to country.

ABC Kitchen January, 2011

As soon as I heard that Jean-Georges was opening up a restaurant in ABC Carpet and Home focusing on local ingredients I knew it was going to be a new favorite. I’m not sure what took me so long to get there, but after seeing a photo of his roasted kabocha toast in New York Magazine this past November, my mouth watered and I’ve been back every chance I get.

America's Best Zinfandel! January, 2011

There are 500 wineries in Napa Valley, America's foremost wine-producing region. Charter Oak Winery, in sleepy St. Helena, takes pride that it is the smallest. Oh, and by the way, it's also the most authentic, most traditional winery.

Two guys, and the son of one of them, pick the grapes by hand, turning them into award-winning wine.

Ambrosia Chocolate and Spice December, 2010

I just spend my first wintery weekend in Nantucket. It’s the first time I have seen the island cloaked in a beautiful cool blue light, with bare trees, browning fields, and deep blue icy waters. I didn’t expect it to be as picturesque and charming as summer and in some ways it was even more so.

The Journey of New York Whiskey December, 2010

Over a recent autumn feast in the mountains of New York’s Hudson Valley, a dear friend professed that there are mountain people and there are beach people, and the sooner you figure out which you are, the sooner you’ll find a life of contentment.

A Storybook Meal with Brian and Paula November, 2010

This is the story of a man and a woman in love, a bunch of cabins in the woods, great food and wine and the art of entertaining. It’s not often that you are so mesmerized by a new experience that you must tell the world about it. When two soul mates collide, it is the ultimate recipe for love – not just any kind of love but one that endures and becomes an all-encompassing aura. Meet Brian and Paula, two of the most amazing people you could ever hope to meet. Brian is a worldly father of two grown men, and Paula is the woman they all adore.

Bite into Autumn October, 2010

For me, apple orchards are magical and enchanted places. I am reminded of this when I bite into the first perfectly crisp apple of the season – whether I’m at the green market or standing in an orchard, I lapse into a mesmerized daze: What is it about that tart, musky flavor that is mysteriously transporting?

A Bushwick Hole in the Wall September, 2010

I can’t believe that I've only just discovered Roberta’s, but now that I have, I feel a pull toward Bushwick that never existed before. It’s a cool place with more going for it than great thin-crust pizza; what makes Roberta’s special is its commitment to sustainability and community. It houses an internet-based radio station that focuses on the local food movement, which broadcasts from a shipping container out the back.

Off Season on the Cape September, 2010

When you think of Cape Cod, you probably picture crowded beaches with splayed, lotioned bodies, white-washed bungalows tightly packed with seashell ornaments and piles of salt-water taffy, twisted in white paper wrappers.

Well, I’m here during the off-season (after Labour Day) under the pretence of finishing my book - with my fella Scott along for company - but really I’ve come for the food.

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