Photo: Clockwise from top left: Food52 / Otherland / Etsy / Farm Steady / W&P / Food52 / Prima
Hellooo, Gift Giving Season!
If you're already thinking about what to bestow upon your food- and drink-loving friends this holiday season, take a load off. We're here to guide you! Here is a juicy list of delicious, beautiful, and well-crafted goods that we think will delight you AND the people you love. Enjoy!
GIFTS UNDER $25
VINTAGE-INSPIRED FOOD ORNAMENTS | $16 each, from Food52
These perfectly gaudy and nostalgic tree ornaments are hard not to smile at. From sushi to pickles to whole sticks of butter, you're sure to find a mouth-watering ornament for just about anyone on your list.
BATH GEM 25mg CBD BATH SOAK| $15 each, from Prima
Holy relaxation! This giant bath bomb will not only limber up your limbs and clear your mind, but it'll make your skin oh so silky smooth. A must-have for any self-care junkie.
NAIL ART STICKERS | $7.50, from Olive & June
These whimsical but understated nail stickers would be the CUTEST stocking stuffer! We're particularly fond of the snack time pack,...
Photo: Emily Rentsch
It's Friday (but who's keeping track, right?!)! Here's a little list of fun things we found on the internet and beyond this week. Enjoy!
FRIDAY FAVES - 10.9.20
- Highly recommend making some apple cake to have with your morning coffee. This recipe is easy and yummy, but we suggest you add a big pinch of salt to the batter. :)
- Wanna turn that apple cake into a brunch situation? Pop open a bottle of this to go with it: Abbazia di Novacella Kerner! It's sleek, it's floral, it's the BEST.
- Did you know about the Orionids Meteor Shower this month? So cool!
- Loving this new podcast about the Hollywood Con Queen (and yes, she is AT LARGE!).
- This is a really informative post on how CBD works, from Wit & Delight.
Happy weekending!
Photo: Jakub Sejkora via Unsplash
Good day, wine lovers! Please enjoy the following fun tidbits we discovered this week:
FRIDAY FAVES - 10.2.20
- How perfect does this blueberry pie look?! Made by a North Minneapolis baker!
- Do you like strawberries? Do you like wine? (Wait, stupid question...) Then you MUST pop open a bottle of this Pinot Noir.
- These stunning felt flowers will keep us smiling once winter sets in.
- A loooong list of the best Halloween movies (remember The Sixth Sense??).
- A few dreamy fall adventures we long to go on...
Enjoy your weekend!
Photo: Sharon McCutcheon via Unsplash
Right now, in June of 2020, the words skin contact might totally freak you out. Social distancing is a thing, staying extra safe is on all of our minds, and the thought of touching another human being is suddenly a frought thought indeed.
But we're not here to talk about that! On THIS blog, we're talking skin contact as it applies to wine. Wine! What a happy topic.
Soooo, what is skin contact wine, anyway?
It's super simple. Skin contact wines are white wines that are made more like red wines.
The big difference between making a white wine and a red wine lies in the fermentation process. With a white wine, the winemaker presses the grapes and then removes the pomace (all of the residual solids, like seeds, grape skins, etc.) before fermenting the juice in a tank or other vessel. When making red wine, the winemaker will allow that pomace to hang out in the fermentation vessel with the juice, giving them more time to macerate. All of those lovely seeds and skins impart several things...
Photo: Leslee Miller
One joy in the time of Corona Virus? Virtual wine classes!
Sip Better's sommelier, Leslee Miller, has been putting her wine education chops to work from the comfort of her own home. Through her consulting business, Amusée, Leslee has begun hosting live themed wine classes via Zoom, and the latest one turned into one big wine and cheese pairing party! Wine lovers from around the country tuned in on Saturday April 18th to discuss how to create a killer cheese and meat spread (see that beauty up above?), which wines to pair with which snacks, and more. I was there too! And here are three of my takeaways:
VARIETY IS KEY
Make sure your cheese(and meat) board reflects the spice of life: variety! Choose at least one cow's milk cheese (like Gruyère), one goat's milk (such as fresh chèvre), and one sheep's milk cheese (like Manchego). Not only do these different milks offer many pairing combinations and flavor profiles to explore, they also ensure that most of your dining mates will find...
