Sangiovese wines are some of the most important and most beloved wines of Italy. Tuscany, Umbria and Campania and their many DOCs and DOCGs produce more Sangiovese wines than any other viticultural area of the world. In Tuscany, the Sangiovese grape is more ubiquitous...
The multinational Ottoman Empire that once spread from the borders of Persia to just outside Vienna and as far south as North Africa, greatly affected the Turkish cuisine culture. Turkish cuisine now offers a wide variety of choices from meze, soups, meat and...
Nothing could have been more Swedish. Food apart, the cups, the plates, the cutlery, everything came from Sweden - including Orrefors and Costa Boda glassware. Even the dining room had a clean, functional, very Nordic look about it. I’m referring to Björk, the café...
Why is a Michelin plate hanging in Treviso’s Le Beccherie? L’Assiette Michelin, or Michelin Plate shows that the Michelin inspectors enjoyed food that was not only of good quality, it was also notable. This restaurant might have a Michelin Star on the horizon....
Ouzeri is the Greek equivalent to a Spanish tapas bar that serves ouzo – a potent distillate from grape or grain-based alcohol, which is distilled with anise, fennel, and other herbs and is similar to the French Pastis, only drier – to accompany a multitude of small...
I’ll admit it! I’m a foodie… I love good food. I’m what my Greek family would call a “kalofagas” i.e. a great food eater. Growing up I was a miserable eater, surviving on grilled lamb chops and French fries – though my mother was considered one of the best home cooks...
I think the promotional slogan of Québec City should be “On mange bien ici” i.e. “We eat well here!” Great food is at the pinnacle of gastronomy in Québec. Absolutely fresh, local, seasonal ingredients are starring in Québecoise kitchens, whether eating at home or in...
Culinary Fireworks! Dining in Québec is a delight but for those that dine it is also very serious business! Modern gastronomy has arrived in Québec and has been influencing in a molecular-gastronomy manner a number of the younger chefs, with kitchens that can rival in...
I recently received 2 cookbooks that made me revise my thinking about Irish cookery. Photo by Manos Angelakis I have to admit that my idea of “Irish cuisine” was formed in the early 1960s when I lived in London with my first wife who was Irish and who was a lovely...
There is much talk and fear about AI and the use of robotics and robots in everyday work, such as in restaurants, in retail, in warehousing, in manufacturing etc. There is the fear that robots will replace workers and take over their jobs and the perennial, that...
After an absence of a few years because of COVID, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux had its yearly tasting at the converted bank hall that is now New York’s Cipriani restaurant on 42nd Street, across from the Grand Central Station. The tasting was organized by...
After all our years of eating in many top restaurants both in the US and Europe and a few in Asia, we have to admit that we’re not easily impressed… but impressed we were during this dinner a few days ago! A new restaurant opened in a town nearby, in Englewood, New...
The term “champor-champor” is a Malay expression which loosely translates to “a bit of this and a bit of that.” The restaurant is located in South East London and I find it irresistible as it makes me feel transported to exotic locations through a cuisine that I like....
Story by The Staff and wine bottles photo Manos AngelakisAdditional photos courtesy of Royal Wine Corp. After a 3 year hiatus because of COVID, the Royal Wine Corp. re-established their annual Kosher Food & Wine Experience at New York’s Chelsea Piers. I have...
The new herring season has just ended. You don’t have to be Dutch, or Swedish, or a citizen of any of the nations that border Europe’s North and Baltic Seas to appreciate herring. In the Netherlands, the herring fishing season starts end of May and the first week of...
At a recent tasting that took place in Manhattan, at Il Gattopardo restaurant on 54 Street, we had a chance to taste some white and red libations from Irpinia, an Italian region near Naples that produces exceptional wines. The Irpinia name, from the language of a...
A new generation of winemakers have taken over Greek winemaking, and a good percentage of them is women. According to my thinking, women make better wines, especially when dealing with indigenous grapes, because I believe they have a more sensitive palate than men. So...