Everyone knows that the French make incredible red and white wine. But their rose wine is also fantastic, albeit sometimes misunderstood.
When I told a friend that we loved the rose wines we drank on our recent trip to France, she turned up her nose and said, “Isn’t that like Kool-Aid?”
The truth is that most American roses, if you can even find them, aren’t very good. We went to the California wine festival yesterday in Santa Barbara, and of the 350 wines they poured, probably fewer than 5% were roses. Of those, only one was even slightly dry. Read more…
With some of the top flea markets in the country going strong for years now, L.A. needs another flea market like it needs a hole in the head. But Southern Californians are so crazy for flea markets that too much is not enough. In fact, the only thing more popular than flea markets is food trucks. And some brilliant entrepreneur got the idea to combine the two.
The new L.A. Flea Market debuts on July 18 in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium. The grand opening will feature the Hollywood Yard Sale with items donated by George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and other celebrities. Proceeds from sales will benefit the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center. Read more…
Rome is one of the world’s great food destinations. Whether you’re savoring a slice of pizza bianca at Campo de Fiori or enjoying a gelato on the Spanish Steps, eating great food is an integral part of Roman life.
In addition to world-class Italian restaurants, charming trattorias, and homey pizzerias, Rome also has wonderful food store, bakeries, and markets where you can sample incredilble meats, cheeses, sweets, produce, and more. Read more…
Avignon is one of the most interesting cities in France. In 1309, Pope Clement V disliked all the politics in Rome and decided to move the Papacy to Avignon. A couple of subsequent Popes chose to remain in Avignon, and in 1335, Pope Benedict XII began construction of the Palais des Papes, which dominates the city today.
It’s an imposing place, and surprisingly secular. After the revolution, it was used as a prison and later a barracks, so most of the Papal splendor is long gone. Read more…
When we first went to Spain in 1997, the food was nothing to write home about. If you substituted the word “ham” for “spam” in the Monty Python sketch, you could describe pretty much every menu we encountered.
Until we got to Barcelona. The food there was wonderful, making the most of Mediterranean seafood, herbs, and produce.
The Catalonians have always preserved their culture, and their culinary traditions are a big part of that. Read more…
Located in the south of France, Arles is one of the most interesting cities in Provence. It was made the second capital of Rome in 306 AD by Constantine the Great, and it has some of the best preserved Roman sites outside of Italy. Arles is also a must visit for fans of Vincent van Gogh, who did some of his most compelling work here.
Travelers appreciate the charming plaza, sidewalk cafes, good restaurants, and hotels. Plus, if you stay in the historic center of town, you can walk to almost everything. Read more…
In America, most bakeries sell both bread and pastries. But in France, the two specialties aren’t always combined. Pastries are sold at pastry shops or patisseries, and bread is sold at bakeries or boulangeries.
Breadmaking is truly an art form here and much attention is paid to the yeast, levain, fermentation time and temperature, etc. Many of France’s best bakers are fourth or fifth generation, and baking is a well-respected craft in France. Read more…
Tuscany is rightly noted for its delicious food and wine. Unlike some Italian foods, Tuscan cuisine showcases local ingredients like asparagus, white truffles, herbs, wild boar, rabbit, and Italian’s best beef without a lot of fuss. Tuscan food is simple, satisfying, and easy to prepare.
You’ll likely eat well in the region without much effort. But you can enhance your appreciation of Tuscan food by taking a couple of cooking classes. Read more…
If you’re like us, eating well is the best part of traveling. So in addition to all kinds of restaurants, we also include markets, specialty shops, and food stores in our itinerary. They’re great places to pick up souvenirs, buy gifts for friends, and find supplies for a picnic lunch.
The best food stores are destinations in themselves. And you can learn a lot about local culture by strolling the aisles. One look at the potato chip section in Marks and Spencer will tell you that today’s Britain is a multicultural melting pot.
Read more…
Rome is one of the most wonderful places in the world. Where else can you experience the grandeur of the ancient world, the splendor of the Renaissance, and la dolce vita 21st century style, all in the same day? It is a city of incomparable pleasures — not least of which is the food.
The best way to experience Roman cooking, aside from eating in all those fabulous Italian restaurants, is to do it yourself at one of Rome’s lively cooking classes. Read more…
Pastries are one of the best parts of visiting Paris. If you’ve never had French pastries fresh from a patisserie, you have no idea what you’re missing. Although some of the best patisseries in Paris will now ship their goodies, nothing can compare with going into one of these beautiful shops and selecting the perfect sweet yourself.
Our favorite Parisian pastry is the macaron. Nothing like coconut macaroons, macarons are sandwich cookies made with almond-flour meringue. The version eaten today was invented by Laduree, who introduces one new flavor each year. Read more…
