The smell of autumn is in the air. The mornings are starting later and colder, the leaves are showing signs of turning and rush hour traffic seems has taken its annual turn for the worse. Those addicted to the summer heat might see this as a bad thing, but I whole-heartedly welcome this favorite time of year. For me, fall is all about anticipation. The weather is turning cozy, the holidays aren’t far away and there are new beginnings to...

In our house, the perfect summer evening dinner includes a blue sky, some great ribs and a well-paired wine to enjoy with them. My husband has become nearly world famous for his rib cookery (or at least he’d like to think so). Over the years, he has taken his recipe to the next level, moving from store-bought sauces and quick cook times, to slow-cooked rub-only awesomeness. Last night, my husband treated us to the best ribs he’s made...

All the facts about aging wine in wood barrels can get confusing. I easily tire of wine “experts” (read: snobs) telling me about a wine and what sort of wood it’s been aged in. What I really want to know is how it tastes! After years of reading yawn-inducing facts about French & American oaks, I’ve come up with a few simple tricks to easily decode what this all means. The use of wood started a cajillion years ago when ancient...

One of the best new restaurants on the scene in Seattle, the Book Bindery, is mysteriously not getting much press. After asking around, the story is that the Chef, Shaun McCrain, made a deal with some California-based report that he could have the first scoop later this summer. Too bad we bloggers will be stealing the thunder. The Book Bindery is exciting on many levels. With an amazingly gourmet menu, a winery on site and a rich history,...

I recently discovered a cool new wine shop that’s been right under my nose for about a year. To be fair, it has no street sign and isn’t open to the general public, so it’s pretty easy to miss. However, Full Pull Wines, has invented a newer and cooler way to shop for wine and I couldn’t be happier. Full Pull will do the hard part for you. They taste gazillions of glasses of Washington boutique wines and curate only the finest...