Southern Sophistication ... I’ve always loved authentic southern cooking and cuisine. Give me a choice between some foo foo foam concoction and a perfectly grilled bbq rib, I’ll take the rib every time. That’s why it was such a kick for me after the SOBEWFF festival in Miami to take the train north and attend [...]
Gotta Have the Key Lime Pie Too .... It takes a lot to make the Insider pause when doing the NSI quiz. But when Brian Johnson, the GM of Miami's legendary restaurant, Joe's Stone Crab, remarked he had been with the restaurant for 39 years, I couldn't help looking up from my pad and give [...]
Did You Say Steak ... A steakhouse. At first glance, everyone thinks they're all the same, with varying degrees of approval on how well their steak is prepared and served. But that kind of thinking is doing a grave disservice to the men and women who really make a tremendous effort to make their steakhouse standout in a vast [...]
Had a Blast ... Well, the 18th SOBE festival, which takes place mostly in South Beach, FL has come and gone, and what can one say, but what a lot of fun times, great eats and sipping were available down along Collins Ave and South Beach. Lee Schrager, the man who dreamed up the fest, [...]
Detox Into Lunch ... When on the road and am asked what I do, I’m often told how lucky I am. And I couldn’t agree more. But writing about food and wine on the road can take its toll. Not that I’m complaining. I find those whiny types really annoying. But when I bounced into [...]
Dine & Wine at Del Posto... Some people think they’re silly with all those books of 101 things to do and travel to, etc. And in a way, I see their point, just do it. But on the other hand, I think you should have a bucket list that has meaning for you and have [...]
Whistler is the Place.... I’ve travelled half the world (working on the other half) and I’ve yet to find a better one and half hour drive than the one from Vancouver to Whistler, BC. Ocean on the left and mountains on the right, it is just a spectacular drive that you want to be in [...]
Jonathan Was Pure Gold... If you’re a food and wine writer with an IQ over a 100, a dubious claim that no doubt most chefs and winemakers would agree with, considering the bounty of hacks with their gormless opinions that have exploded over the internet. But let’s just suppose you’re a scribe with a three [...]
Wine and Rock n' Roll... Does rock n’ roll and wine go together? Let’s face it. Not really. While there’s a few rock stars who have bought wineries, the two pleasures don’t really mix. Rock n’ roll is jack and coke and beer. When I open a nice bottle of wine, I’m not tempted to [...]
No Ego in the Wine Biz ... Some times when the Insider is on the road, it’s fun to get an outsider sommelier to do the NSI Quiz to get their perspective on the industry. Recently while in Las Vegas for Uncork’d I got Jason Smith, a master sommelier, and the executive director of wine [...]
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