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I recently returned from an overseas trip where I ate and drank like Nero in and around a noble estate located in the hills not too far from Rome. And while I may be slightly exaggerating the quantities of food and wine I consumed, I did feel like Roman nobility since I stayed at a…

If you live in or around Charleston and you enjoy fresh seafood, I know you’ve shopped at Joe’s Fish Market (304-342-7827) on the corner of  Brooks and Quarrier Streets. Two brothers – Joe and Robin Harmon- have been providing our area with fresh treats from the sea for decades. I venture into Joe’s at least once a…

Summer is a time to kick back and relax. Picnics, barbecues, back porch lounging and casual dining rule the day and that’s a very good thing. So the beverages we choose to match the lighter, fresher and more casual foods we consume this time of year should not only be delicious, but also refreshing too.…

It’s always fun and gratifying to be a part of an organization that provides essential services that are beneficial to the community in which we live. For the past decade, it has been my privilege to serve on the boards of the Thomas Health System and also the Foundation for Thomas Health. One of the…

What words come to mind when I say Washington? I bet dysfunction, quagmire, loggerhead and unyielding are among the most defining words you might use to describe that place. But when I think of Washington, words such as balance, nuance, depth and finesse immediately come to mind. Obviously, we’re describing two different places. In fact,…

Memorial Day weekend is in the rear view mirror which means that summertime is about to arrive. This time of year, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening or even golf, but not mine. My thoughts turn to grilling various meats and vegetables and accompanying these culinary delights with cool bottles of lighter-textured wines that refresh…

The warmer weather usually means it’s time to switch from the fuller-bodied wines of winter to the lighter wines of spring time. Take a look at what I’m sipping and how there’s even a wine for ramps!

My brother and his wife visited us last week. It was great to get together with them, but I must admit things always get a bit testy between my brother and I, but only when it comes to a few topics like: food, wine, politics, movies, the weather, religion, sports, the universe, medicine, creation, clothes,…

Join Chef Paul Smith at Buzz Foods and me as we cook up a few great dishes at Paterno’s at the Park and pair them with some excellent wines.  We’ll show you why breaking some wine and food pairing rules can be fun – and tasty too. Check it out here

I’ve often said this before, but it bears repeating: don’t be constrained by convention when it comes to matching wine with food. The more you experiment, the more you will realize – like I have – that it’s both fun and instructive to try just about any combination of food and wine that strikes your…