A Food, Spirits & Wine Blog

As I get older, I have a much greater appreciation for time spent with friends and family. Perhaps that’s because Laurie and I have much more time on our hands now since retirement to enjoy these opportunities. And there’s one common thread to each of these engagements with friends and family – the communal enjoyment of food, wine, and spirits! There are a lot of important things in life, but none more important than our health and our relationships. In my case, there might b

I am really enjoying my deep dive into learning all about whiskey, and particularly, bourbons and ryes from the U.S. In addition to my annual whiskey advent calendar for Christmas which provides me with the opportunity to taste whiskeys from around the world, I also took an on-line whiskey class last year (I passed the final exam!) and am now taking the second level course! As always though, the best way to learn about any spirit is to taste it, so here are a few selections f

The classic Italian Caprese salad is one of my favorites, with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and some good olive oil and a bit of salt to top it off. I decided to turn this salad into a main dish by basically building an updated version of a caprese salad on top of a grilled chicken breast. Here’s how to make this simple but tasty dish! Floating in our pool is a daily event for Laurie and me – it’s a great way to cool off or just enjoy the nice warm and sunny weather on

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with one of the most popular wines in the U.S over the past few decades. The wines haven’t changed over the years, but my tastes and preferences in wine styles certainly have. I banished The Prisoner wines, made by The Prisoner Wine Company, from my cellar long ago. But is it time for me to pardon The Prisoner? Let’s find out! There’s been quite a lot of pardoning going on lately. Biden pardoned a large number of folks during his last days

I rarely drink Sake, and I don’t know why. Because on the rare occasion I drink it straight or in a cocktail, I always love it! Recently, I tasted a creative take on the classic martini that showcased Sake as a key ingredient, and it was delicious! I set out to create my own version of a “Saketini” and am pretty darn happy with the result! Let’s talk Sake! One of Laurie’s and my favorite restaurants in Sarasota is KOJO, an upscale Asian fusion restaurant in the heart of downt