Pineapples and tea grown in the Azores; and creamy cheeses are worth the visit.
A while back, I had the pleasure of meeting a dignitary from The Azores, Portugal. When I told him I had a cruise stopping there, he immediately wrote down the products produced on the islands. Pineapples, a tea plantation and wines from Sao Miguel island. Ponta Delgada is the main city on the island and...
Tasty Tuscan Tomatoes and Wine
A new awakening about tomatoes in Tuscany, Italy. Many people know of San Marzano tomatoes from Sicily and these beauties from Mediterranea Belfiore are delicious in their own way. Papa Donato began his farming in the 50’s and mamma Renza and the three daughters now oversee the farm. The Perfect Peel tomatoes are harvested for...
Santa Rosa and learning about wine
Recently, I visited Santa Rosa at the annual wine blogger’s conference for my first wine conference. I don’t know much about wines, so I’m learning how to spell and correctly pronounce Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. I hope to describe wines as fruity, dry, buttery and robust. The days were full of learning and tasting many...
Let them eat cake in Alsace, France
Crossing the Rhine River, which along the way divides the countries of Germany and France, is the popular wine growing area of Alsace, France. Well known white wines such as Rieslings and Gewurztraminer are produced in this area because of the conducive climate and soil. And, some of the vineyards on the hillside are still cultivated...
Wine River/Rhine River Cruise on AMAWaterways
Rhine river castle and vineyard Passionate about wines, this was just the right river cruise. And I learned, it’s not about red or white wines and how to pair with food, it’s drinking what you like. That’s a refreshing concept. I boarded the AMAWaterways ship in Basel, Switzerland on a chilly November afternoon but...
Chocolates and wine make a sweet pair
Share: Elegant chocolates go smoothly with varietals. I had already spotted their bestselling chocolates, the dark chocolate salted caramels, when the woman at the counter pointed to the spiral staircase and said the seminar was about to begin. I carefully wound around curved steps and saw tables lined with wine glasses and plated chocolates. I...
Wine and Ancestry in Slovenia
Each page crackled as the village priest opened centuries old church birth records and my anticipation heightened when the page fell to my great grandfather’s name. The discovery of a hand written family tree led me to this “old country” village of Metlika, Slovenia, Old Yugoslavia. Soon I would find the working vineyard where my...
