Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whiskey Dufftown, Scotland 40% ABV I picked up this triple malt Scotch whiskey from Trader Joe’s. The company’s been around since 1887, and this spirit takes its name from a medical condition that men used to acquire from working the malt press. I imagine it wasn’t fun to deal with, but
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I’ve never done a water taste test before. I’ve read a number of articles on them, being firmly in the camp that a pretty bottle does not make for better water, and that typically, our public municipal water is healthier than anything the less-regulated bottled-water industry can provide. Plus, I generally scoff when people claim
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Fifth macaroni and cheese night already? And I’m not even sick of the stuff yet. I must say, though, that all this mac and cheese analysis has affected my standards. Let’s just say that a recent order from a fast food chain was NOT up to snuff. Bright orange sauce lacking flavor and overcooked noodles
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Maryhill Proprietor’s Reserve 2011 Tavola Rosso Columbia Valley, WA Last time I reviewed a Maryhill wine, I pledged to have my pictures edited from our winery visit before the next one. I am happy to say I completed that mission! And wow, Maryhill is a breathtaking winery (9774 Hwy 14, WA). It’s hard not to
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Sapporo is the sushi restaurant’s answer to the overly familiar neighborhood pub. If you need to be greeted warmly by a hostess and have your every need catered to in a reasonable time frame, I’m not sure it’s the place for you. There’s nothing wrong with those expectations, but Sapporo won’t meet them. Instead, the
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The newest burger joint in Hayward is Red Rocket Char Grill, right in the heart of the downtown strip (1057 B Street). This qualifies as the second echelon of burger joints, the ones classed up enough that you don’t worry about whether your chair will collapse beneath you or if you’ll pick up splinters from
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Last summer, the husband and I moved away from the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina after spending eight years watching the cities expand and their food scenes skyrocket off the heat-charts. Seriously, the New York Times is obsessed with the place! So I was excited to head back for the weekend in mid-September—my
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I hope it’s been a pleasant Saturday for you so far, readers. This is just a quick note to let you know that I’ll be participating in the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance’s launch of their 2013 Reislings in a short 3 hours from now, from 7 to 9 PM EST, which is 4 to 6
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Oak Farm Vineyards Winery (23627 Devries Road) is on its way to becoming the first of its kind in the Lodi, CA, appellation: a family-owned estate that offers the full experience of a large-scale destination winery, minus the glitzy hotel and pretension. I took part in a media preview of their new expansion, which will
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Sonoma Valley Portworks Petite Sirah Port 2007 Clarksburg, CA During my trip last spring to Petaluma, I picked up this bottle of port in a surge of jubilation that I had found a winery specializing in dessert wines (613 2nd Street in the Foundry Wharf building). Plenty of wineries offer one or a handful of
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