Pairings
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Vibrant and Viral, the Neon-Hued Blue Lagoon Cocktail Is Turning Heads
Some cocktails are destined to be classics. Some are destined to be dependable go-to drinks. And others are meant to flaunt neon colors and turn heads—like the Blue Lagoon cocktail. Think about it: If you saw a bartender mixing up this concoction, you’d do a double take. It has certainly taken TikTok’s cocktail culture by…
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What Are Bitters? We’ve Got The Guide to a Crucial Cocktail Component
Dashes of bitters, such as the well-known Angostura or Peychaud’s, have long completed the Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Sazerac and other classic cocktails. During the craft cocktail renaissance of the early aughts, the types of bitters available to bartenders began to multiply. But what are these drops of flavor and why do bartenders use them? Here,…
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From Gin to Single-Malt Whiskey, These Spirits Capture Chardonnay’s Zippy Appeal
Chardonnay’s versatility and zippy acidity appeals to those making creative spirits and mixing cocktails. Most likely, you’ve already had it in your martini: The grape often goes incognito in white vermouth and aperitif wines, sometimes as part of a blend (for example, Italy’s Carpano Bianco mixes it with Trebbiano and Cortese grapes). Others are more…
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The Great Chardonnay Debate: To Butter or Not to Butter?
We can probably all agree that cool-climate versions, like many white Burgundies, need malolactic conversion (ML) to balance their enamel-shredding acidity—and this is where Chardonnay may shine brightest. But it’s when the volume gets turned up on the ML in other growing conditions (a key factor in that infamous butteriness) that things become controversial. We…
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10 Passover Wines to Make Your Seder Shine
The Jewish holiday of Passover is known for its strict dietary rules. During the week-long festivity, observant families avoid leavened foods, like bread and cake, and eat meals that are limited to ingredients designated kosher for Passover. But another big part of the Passover celebration is wine. Wine plays a central role in the two…
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The 10 Most Iconic Cheese Shops in America
There are several ways to determine what makes an iconic cheese shop worth a visit. And as with many things in food and wine, there aren’t simple answers. But, some guidelines can help you find the best cheese shop for your needs.Cheese educator David Asher believes how a shop engages with its community is paramount.…
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HOLY COW…Meet the Brother Who Brews Beer at Maine’s Friars’ Brewhouse Tap Room
It’s not uncommon for alcohol and religion to go hand-in-hand. Religious orders have produced alcoholic beverages for centuries, including France’s Carthusian Monks, who’ve distilled the herbaceous liqueur Chartreuse since 1737, and the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, which has brewed Trappist beers since at least the 17th century. German and Austrian monks are…
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A Ph.D. in Sensory Science Explains How to Improve Your Tasting Abilities
Wine tasting is a sensory experience. You hear the pop of a cork, see the color and viscosity in the glass and feel the sensation of the liquid in your mouth. But arguably the most important senses are taste and smell. These senses vary from person to person, with some people identifying as super-tasters.Once we…
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Drink Like a Girl: How Women Are Flipping the Script on ‘Male’ Drinks Spaces
Mallory O’Meara, author of Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol, contends that all drinks are “girly” because women have always been the backbone of the alcohol industry. But it’s impossible to ignore, she says, the strong correlation between a culture’s female drinking norms and the freedoms that culture affords women. “If you want…
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The Absolutely Mind Blowing Story Behind Piro, Tuscany’s Buzziest Olive Oil
In the minds of consumers, Italian olive oil production is romantic—its ancient stone presses and undulating landscapes. So it might seem incongruous that one of the most exciting olive oils from Tuscany is embracing modernity, technology and precision. But like the wine industry in recent decades, perhaps that embrace is exactly what olive oil needs.Romain…