Appassimento. Hard to spell. Easy to drink.

Appassimento. Hard to spell. Easy to drink.

There is no winery in my opinion more emblematic of the Veronese style than Masi Agricola. Still family-owned, Masi is one of the largest wineries in Valpolicella, producing over 12 million bottles a year. 47 of those bottles were opened last week at Firenze, one of...
In pursuit of a better shepherd’s pie.

In pursuit of a better shepherd’s pie.

I’m recycling one of my blog posts from a few years ago today. Partly, of course, because I’m lazy. But mostly because a Scottish version of Don Day’s Wife’s shepherd’s pie will be on the menu at Bonds’ Robbie Burns Night in San...
“If you know beans about chili, you know chili has no beans.”

“If you know beans about chili, you know chili has no beans.”

Wick Fowler wrote those words. Jerry Jeff Walker sang those words. Don Day doubted those words. I was never really popular as a kid. Except for about every two weeks on Thursday. Because it was about every two weeks on Thursday that I would get up in the morning and...
The Restaurant. Because there’s no friend like an old friend.

The Restaurant. Because there’s no friend like an old friend.

I had an old friend visiting this week. We go back a long way. To when “having a ball” meant owning a treasured piece of pigskin. And going long, up-and-down the avenue, was our favorite pastime. “Though a dragon lives for ever, not so little boys”,...
Cazón. Worth the seven blocks just to try it.

Cazón. Worth the seven blocks just to try it.

OK, Grille Torres is a little out of the way. But only a little. In fact, it’s only seven blocks from the jardin. I counted last week when I went for the cazón. I like Grille Torres. A lot. And it’s not exactly a foodie restaurant. Reasonably common dishes actually....