Any time a new product hits the shelves en masse and becomes the next big thing, we as consumers can either light up the red flag of skepticism, or jump right into the fold like a proper hipster. Pumpkin Beer, which has flooded store shelves over the last few weeks, should send up a few of those red flags. First of all, why do pumpkins and beer need to have any sort or relationship whatsoever? Granted, they do both have a symbolic connection to all things fall and October, but I don’t …

After almost a year of roasting my own coffee beans, and writing about the basics of roasting at home, I’ve encountered a fair number of coffee flavour experiences, drinking coffees from various geographic regions, roasted to different colours, and prepared with various coffee makers.  Learning how coffee varies from region to region in appearance and flavour could be considered the reward of home roasting, other than cost of course. Much like whisky, the nuances of coffee flavours are lost those first few times you look for them. The two beverages, …

Most of us are creatures of habit when it comes to things like buying wine, sometimes even whisky, especially if those products are daily beverages. We would like to walk into the store, buy our Silver Oak look-alike for $10-20, and pop a cork. Walking into a retail outlet in my neighborhood recently, I was struck by the statement they made regarding the products they carry (listed below). Our own personal styles and politics inevitably leak into all facets of our consumerism, liquor and food included. Someone who buys organic foods may …

The red grapes have begun to come into their wineries in Bordeaux over the last week or so, setting new records for earliest picking dates. As with any year, and especially in extreme cases like this one, the winemakers and proprietors are inevitably asked to compare this vintage to a previous one.  The drought followed by heavy rain, and hail damage in Sauternes and St. Estephe have brought a unique set of challenges. Reflecting on these conditions, and hearing the winemakers do their best to make predictions brings to mind so many …

Every man should have a few braising recipes in his back pocket. It’s one of those cooking methods that is absolutely perfect for any day when you are sure it is colder than the day before. Granted, you may be going through an Indian summer right now, but the fact remains that some of the lesser cuts of meat, like short ribs, are dirt cheap. And they’re perfect for braising. Braising is not just useful for cooking peasant meat cuts, however. Braised meat packs a huge amount of rich flavour …

There was  time when drinking a glass of wine was a far more casual prospect than it is today. Especially in the context of the most classic of summer meals, the picnic. The Hemingway-esque picnic we all hold dear in our hearts would in fact be a serious feat to pull off today. First of all, the streams of Burguete, or any tranquil getaway, are a hard setting to recreate in the urban park setting. You are probably facing a bit of a drive to arrive at such an unadulterated location. The sandwiches …