How to Master the Wine Store

Wine can be intimidating. There’s so many facts to remember and every list and shop is different and there’s always an air of “I know something you don’t know” about people who serve or sell it. But what if there were a few key clues you could use to your advantage?

Maryse Chevriere has the answers to make you feel a bit more confident without having to go get a PhD in wine. Her new book, Grasping the Grape, is a beginner guide to steer you in the right direction. Unlike a lot of wine books that might make some of us glaze over, her little tome is written like a friend who only has your best interests at heart. We got Maryse to come by and give us her best tips for navigating our wine choices. It’s a bit of new confidence to bring into the new year! Watch the video below to see what she says.

Blog, Interview, Video, WineAli RosenJanuary 8, 2020wine, red wine, white wine, bookComment

Is There a Best Time of Day to Eat?

There are so many diets and opinions on how we all eat that sometimes it can feel dizzying - eat more meat! be a vegan! stay in ketosis! - but typically we assume that the diet is mostly about the actual food.

Now we apparently have to contend with when we eat. But if the thought makes you want to throw out the diet books, you might want to wait until you hear from Dr’s Michael Roizen and Michael Crupain, the authors of What to Eat When..

You can’t help but want to listen when these two docs start talking. Dr Roizen is the Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Crupain is the Medical Director of the Dr. Oz Show - but more importantly once you see them in person you know these are two guys that don’t want to take all of the fun out of your life! On the contrary, they have the science to back them up but also enough joy in their approach to make it all feel like they are on your side. And what they are proposing is staggering: we’ve been eating at all the wrong times.

Blog, Interview, VideoAli RosenJanuary 23, 2019book, dietComment

Can We Call This the Perfect Party Cocktail?

I love cocktails but I am not usually a big fan of cocktail books. I don't want to buy 3 new liquers and a set of bitters just to make one drink. So I can't tell you how happy I was to see Maggie Hoffman's The One Bottle Cocktail. The entire premise eliminates your fear of cocktails in that it centers on the idea of only one spirit. Every drink is complex, fresh, interesting and only requires purchasing a single bottle of booze. Add onto that that Maggie is delightful - and that she shines through the pages - and you have an essential book on your hands.

I was so glad that on a recent trip to NYC Maggie decided to stop by the test kitchen and make a cocktail. This one is particularly awesome because in making it you also get a side of salsa. It's perfect for brunch, parties or just snacking at home with your very own bottle of vodka.

Blog, Drinks, Interview, SpiritsAli RosenJuly 19, 2018cocktail, vodka, book, tomato, cilantro, pineappleComment

How to Eat Right Without Giving Up Your Life

So many books these days tell you how EXACTLY to live your life if you want to get healthy. There's always some new diet that requires you to be all in. But I think for most people that kind of eating just isn't realistic. That's what makes Phoebe Lapine's new book - The Wellness Project - so appealing.