Do classics ever change?

Photo: Contributed With the news this week of the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, I was awash with memories and nostalgia. A sadness overtook me. “Such a shame, that future generations won’t be able to see this classic historical place,” I thought. It occurred to me

Black Hills Chardonnay

Photo: Contributed Wine: Chardonnay 2017 Winery: Black Hills, Oliver Why drink it? Just released, a lot of love and care went into this well-crafted chard. A good transitional white wine with medium body and weight to get you through a cool spring until summer hits. Notes of lemon r

Live long and prosper

Photo: Contributed Every day, we are constantly being pushed and pulled by influences in our lives… and all those influences change how our lives go and how long they last. Only 20-30% of our longevity is attributed to genetics, so our day-to-day life makes up the rest. The p

Stag's Hollow Dolcetto

Photo: Contributed Wine: Dolcetto 2017 Winery: Stag’s Hollow, Okanagan Falls Why drink it? Dolcetto is an Italian grape and the name means “little sweet one”, but that’s not at all an indication that the wine is sweet. Typically both dry and fruit forward, th

Sharing time in a cup

Photo: Contributed I often speak of the value of a meal in bringing people together, but sometimes all it takes is a beverage. In the progression of a relationship there are usually dates to meet for a drink before anyone commits to sharing a meal. Did you know that certain beverage

CedarCreek Riesling

Photo: Allison Markin Wine: Riesling 2018 Winery: CedarCreek, Kelowna Why drink it? A tiny portion of this bright Riesling was fermented in French Oak, giving it a nice, subtle roundness. This is a grape that needs some attention in the vineyard so the sugars and acidity are balance

Canada's best pizza?

Photo: Facebook A downtown Kelowna pizzeria has been named one of the best in Canada. In an article titled 21 pizzas in Canada you have to eat before you die, travel website Big Seven ranked Kelowna's Antico Pizza Napoletana No. 3. "The Pizzaiolos here are trained in N

What's in your fridge?

Photo: Contributed In the spirit of spring cleaning, I thought I’d dedicate a column to those ubiquitous jars that line our fridge doors. As a foodie, I will humbly admit I have a weakness for condiments. I love all kinds of pickles, jams, chutneys, sauces – the list is end

Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Photo: Contributed Wine: Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Winery: Liliac, Romania Why drink it? And now for something different, found at the recent Vancouver International Wine Festival. Liliac, “The Wine of Transylvania”, and was one of two Romanian wineries in the tasting room (t

A burger to die for

Photo: Contributed It’s not all about the pickle, but it helps When I was little, my dad used to say that there was nothing that tasted like a homemade burger. Since spring has officially “sprung” and the days of grilling on the deck can now begin, I thought I&rsqu

New wine season begins

Chelsea Powrie Forget the groundhog — the surest sign of spring in the Okanagan is when wineries open their doors for the season and vineyards start pruning their vines to prepare for another year of grapes. Over the past week, some Okanagan wineries have expanded to full-t

Fling yourself into spring

Photo: Contributed I don’t want to jinx the positive trend we seem to be experiencing, but it seems like we may have gotten through the worst of it. Spring is just around the corner and if any of that “luck of the Irish” rubs off on Sunday (St. Patrick’s Day) th

Hester Creek Character

Photo: Contributed Wine: Character (red blend) 2017 Winery: Hester Creek, Oliver Why drink it? Everyone should have a “go to”, value-priced red blend handy for unexpected company or when you simply feel like a glass. With Syrah, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Merlot in the mi

Good and bad go together

Photo: Contributed One year of my university education occurred in France, and, as you might expect, the culture was a bit of a distraction. My professors taught me language and literature, but the best education I got was learning about French food and drink, especially wine.

Tinhorn Creek Chardonnay

Photo: Allison Markin Wine: Chardonnay 2017 Winery: Tinhorn Creek, Oliver Why drink it? If you have an older vintage of this chard tucked away, bring it out to compare with the latest release and explore how this wine evolves, especially as the buttery notes come out after three or

Don't get fat on Tuesday

Photo: Contributed Did you know Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday? Yup, the name is straight-forward; the day before Ash Wednesday is traditionally the last day to binge on all the rich foods and other excesses you would be giving up for Lent. It is a day to consider in what areas o

Pink Bling!

Photo: Contributed Wine: Pink Bling! (sparkling wine) Winery: The View, Kelowna Why drink it? Yup, sparkling wine in a can. Why not have this instead of a super sweet cooler or fizzy vodka drink? Unapologetically fun, the pink version is a blend of Ehrenfelser, Gewürztraminer,

In like a lion

Photo: Contributed It seems colder and darker on a gloomy day in February than any other time of year. Perhaps that is why we try so hard with food-driven holidays to cheer ourselves up; first with the chocolate and wine of romantic Valentine’s Day, and then with the gourmandise

Road 13 Viognier

Photo: Contributed Wine: Viognier, 2017 Winery: Road 13, Oliver Why drink it? A nice golden hue in the glass, this Viognier will get you thinking about those spring evenings when it’s still cool, but the sun sparkles on the very last layer of melting snow. Bright and expressiv

Salad bars tell who we are

Photo: Contributed Have you ever done one of those online personality quizzes? Very quickly you discover that seemingly random choices you make can tell a lot about your character. This is evident in some actions you take as well. Social interactions that you thought were mundane ar