Happy New Year: Welcome 2019!

It's the New Year, 2019, and it's my fervent hope that it is an even better year than the one before. I hope you understand though that it is your own efforts which will make the most difference to your life this year. You need to take an active role to make change, on all levels, and apathy is your enemy. And when we combine our individual efforts, we can accomplish even greater change. However, it all starts at the individual level taking control of our own lives.

Last year, I encountered some health issues, and they adversely affected some of my plans, including a trip I'd planned to Vermont. I made the effort to address my medical issues, and though it wasn't easy, I made some significant strides so that I'm much healthier now as I begin this New Year. However, I understand that I must continue battling those health issues in 2019, hoping that they continue to improve with time. I don't want these issues to interfere with my plans this year, and desire that my quality of life will improve and improve.

During the next couple months, I need to catch up with some of my blogging, to finish posts that I began last year but hadn't completed. I have a number of wine and spirit samples which I need to taste for potential reviews. I must return to some restaurants, especially my Favorite Hot New Restaurants, to dine there again with the idea of reviewing them. I need to review and possibly change some elements of my blog, from format issues to certain links.

In 2019, I look forward to attending the Seafood Expo in March and the Vermont Cheesemaker's Festival in August. I'm also hopeful that I'll have the opportunity to return to Portugal this year. I'd also like the explore more of the culinary scene in Portsmouth (NH), Kittery (ME), and Portland (ME). More locally, I want to explore more of the culinary scene in Jamaica Plain, Watertown, Quincy, and Worcester. And I still need to get to Bow Market in Somerville.

In 2019, I'll continue to explore more niche wines, including those of Georgia, Greece, Turkey, Uruguay, and more. I'll also continue to explore more spirits, from Whiskey to Brandy, from Rum to Baijiu. I also plan to sample more Australian wine, to see the changes that have been made in the industry within the last several years. I have some new wine books I need to review, and I know there will be more wine books published this year which will interest me. I also plan to do some more historical articles, hoping to uncover some intriguing information about wine and spirits. Finally, I'm also working on a new Sommelier series, where I will interview local sommeliers about their wine lists, wine pairings, and more.

I'll also be open to opportunities as 2019 progresses, as no one can really predict what might arise over the course of the year. I seek inspiration wherever I can, from magazine articles to friend recommendations. And sometimes you stumble upon something cool just by exploring an unfamiliar neighborhood. I hope 2019 brings some pleasant surprises.

What are some of your plans for 2019?

10 New Year's Resolutions For My Readers

Happy New Year's Eve and I hope you enjoy your celebrations tonight, whether you party at First Night or enjoy a relatively quiet night at home. I hope you spend the evening with family and/or friends and drink some type of delicious Sparkling Wine, from Champagne to Crémant d'Alsace, Cava to British bubbly. It is my fervent wish that this New Year is better for all of us than 2018.

This is also the time when people will ponder their lives and choose to make Resolutions, the things they want to do, or not do, to make their lives better in the New Year. Maybe you want to give up smoking or lose weight, maybe you want to start going to a gym regularly or save more money. Unfortunately, many people will break their resolutions after only a short time, so numerous people will choose not to make a resolution, figuring they won't follow it anyways.

As I've done for the last several years, I want to offer some alternative suggestions for resolutions, all connected to food and drink. Rather than deal in absolutes, or exact measurements, I merely hope that you choose to do your best to follow these suggested resolutions with the simple goal of doing better than you did last year. I don't expect anyone to follow these resolutions all the time. Please just do your best. I think you might find this easier to do than a more specific resolution which is an either/or proposition. Seek continued forward progress in these ten resolutions.

1) Resolve to eat & drink healthier
This encompasses so much, from eating less calories to choosing items that have less preservatives and unwanted chemicals. Take small steps in your approach rather than diving into a major change. The smaller steps won't seem as burdensome and it will make it easier to take another small step later on. And even small changes can bring about positive changes. We all would benefit from eating and drinking healthier and it will also help our environment and economy.

2) Resolve to consume more local food & drink
Local products can help the environment, the local economy and benefit the local community. Plus, many of those local products can be healthier than mass produced, overly processed foods that might come from thousands of miles away. Eating more local seafood is such a great idea, for many reasons, from bettering your health to helping the local fishing industry. This resolution also includes drinking local wines, as every state now produces wine, and you might be surprised by the quality of some of that local wine. Not all local food and drink is delicious or good for the environment, so do some research to find out the best.

3) Resolve to eat more seafood, especially domestic
Seafood can be extremely healthy for you, especially those fish rich in Omega-3s, so it is an excellent choice for dinner. And seafood is delicious, versatile and often easy to prepare. Yes, it can be more expensive, but it is well worth the added cost. And buying more domestic seafood will help our economy, rather than buying so much imported seafood. Eating more seafood can be one of the healthiest life changes you ever make. It has scientifically been proven that consuming 26 pounds of seafood annually will reduce your chances of heart disease by 36%. An easy and delicious resolution.

4) Resolve to expand your drink horizons
Don't keep drinking the same old stuff all the time. There are so many wonderful beverages out there to taste, to see if you can find some new favorites. Break out of your rut and endeavor to try something new on a regular basis. If you mainly drink Chardonnay, venture out and try some other white wines, such as Gruner Veltliner, Trebbiano or Albarino. Try Sherry, Sake, Japanese Whisky, Mezcal, Franciacorta, Baijiu, and other under-appreciated beverages. Taste it all, constantly trying new beverages, and continue drinking those you enjoy.

5) Resolve to expand your food horizons
In a similar vein, don't keep eating the same old stuff all the time. There are so many wonderful foods out there to taste, to see if you can find some new favorites. Break out of your rut and endeavor to try something new on a regular basis. Try some less common meats, from rabbit to wild boar, or maybe something even more unusual like insects or guinea pig. Seek out ethnic dishes that are new to you, and look for new ingredients you can try out in your own kitchen. Taste it all, constantly trying new foods, and continue eating what you enjoy

6) Resolve to cook more at home
Cooking at home is another way to benefit the environment, and it can be more economical than eating out all the time. It also gives you a better handle on exactly what you eat, so you can make the food as healthy as you desire. It can be fun too, if you cook with someone else, breaking the potential boredom of cooking alone. Be creative in what you cook, seek out new recipes, and share recipes with others.

7) Resolve not to be THAT jerk when you dine out
When you dine out at a restaurant, be polite and show respect to everyone working at the restaurant. Don't demand special treatment or threaten the restaurant just because you write reviews on some community website. Tip properly, showing your server gratitude for all their hard work. If you have a problem at a restaurant, speak to the management and seek if they can resolve your issue. If you enjoy a restaurant, spread the word about your positive experience. Good restaurants can use, and deserve, all the help they can get. It is a very tough industry and consumers need to better understand its difficulties, and be more understanding of restaurant efforts to better pay their employees.

8) Resolve to give more to fight hunger
Despite the wealth of the U.S., there are still far too many people in our country who can't afford to eat properly. Hunger is a major problem and one that we can do something about. Give food or money to local food banks, national organizations, or any other charity that is trying to combat this problem. Those of us without food security issues can all help out.

9) Resolve not to waste as much food
It is said that up to 40% of our food ends up as waste, and that is a nearly unbelievable statistic. Do your part to help reduce food waste. Food waste can lead to higher food prices and cause more environmental damage. Don't make as much food as normal when making a meal so you don't have leftovers in the first place. As your mother probably once said to you, finish everything on your plate. Use any leftovers to make additional meals.

10) Resolve not to drink & drive
As I have said time and time again, do not drive if you are impaired by alcohol. It is much too dangerous and you could injure or kill yourself or someone else. Even if you don't get in an accident, you could be arrested and that comes with its own high costs. It isn't worth doing it, so please just don't drink and drive.

Is there anything I missed?

The 11th Anniversary of The Passionate Foodie

Pop the Bubbly as it's time to celebrate!

Today, The Passionate Foodie blog celebrates its Eleventh Anniversary, a significant milestone. With over 4300 posts, I'm very proud of all I've written, and have accomplished, and I look forward to continuing to write, continuing to spread my deep passion for food & drink. I love sharing what I learn with all my readers.

I've actually been blogging for 12 1/2 years as before I started The Passionate Foodie I wrote for another blog, the Real World Winers, which has been defunct for many years. Over 13 years ago, I started hanging out weekly with a new group of friends and I would bring a bottle or two of wine. Soon, someone else brought a bottle and then another person did so too. We ended up drinking 6-8 bottles of wine at our weekly get-togethers. The group eventually decided it might be fun to do a podcast and blog that reviewed the wines.

This became the Real World Winers, and eventually I expanded the blog to include restaurant reviews. After a year, my friends were finding the blogging to be too much work, and the reviews were falling behind. However, I was still loving the writing and wanted to continue. As I was the only person interested in writing, I decided to strike out on my own and began The Passionate Foodie, allowing me complete creative control over the blog. Eleven years later, I'm still here, still eating and drinking, still learning and writing.

During the past 11 years of The Passionate Foodie, I've learned so much about food & drinks, exploring a wide variety of topics, essentially anything I can eat or drink. I never wanted to limit my writing to a specific cuisine, type of drink, or other specialty. I want the freedom to explore whatever perks my interest and I know I'll never run out of subject matter. Every time I learn something new, I realize how much more there is to learn. That is one of my favorite aspects and it helps that I'm a voracious reader and love to research new topics.

My blog has provided me a myriad of wonderful opportunities and experiences, creating a vast storehouse of fantastic memories. I've sampled so much excellent and exciting food and drink, in this country and others. I've gotten to travel to some amazing destinations, including France (Bordeaux and Champagne), Spain (Sherry region), Italy (Tuscany & Collio), Argentina and Chile. I've judged a number of cooking competitions, including one that ended up on Japanese television. I was honored to be inducted as a Cavaleiro in the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, a Knight in the Brotherhood of Port Wine. I've also become a Certified Spanish Wine Educator, a Wine Location Specialist (Champagne & Port) and a Certified Sake Professional.

I've met so many interesting people, which has enhanced my experiences as I've long said that food and drink when shared is even better. Some of those people have become very close friends, like Adam Japko, Andrew Witter, and so many others too numerous to name, and I think those friendships will last for many years to come. It has been fascinating to meet numerous wine makers, distillers, brewers, wine & liquor store owners, importers, distributors, restaurant owners, chefs, and much more. From each, I've learned something new, which has helped my writing and understanding.

During these eleven years, what began as a hobby transformed into my profession. I'm now a freelance writer, having been published in a number of magazines and newspapers. I'm also a Sake educator and consultant, working for a variety of clients, from restaurants to distributors, conducting Sake classes, tastings, dinners and more. Plus, I work part time at a local wine store, gaining an insight into wine consumers. In addition, I write fiction, and have published three novels and a book of short stories. The fiction is mostly part of the Tipsy Sensei series, about a Sake expert in Boston who learns that the supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore are real. I was also a contributor to a comprehensive whiskey guide, The New Single Malt Whiskey.

It has been my pleasure to try to showcase and promote under-appreciated and/or lesser known wines, spirits and other drinks, such as Sake, Sherry, Franciacorta, Greek Wines, Georgian Wines, Uruguayan Wines, Portuguese Wines, Mezcal, Baijiu and more. I've championed many of these underdogs, all which are worthy beverages deserving of much more attention by consumers as well as other writers. It has also been my pleasure to recommend and promote the restaurants which I have enjoyed. I want those businesses to succeed, so I'll be able to dine there for years to come. I want my readers to understand why I am so passionate about the matters I recommend.

Out of my over 4300 posts, I have some top favorites, those posts which I am especially proud of for various reasons. At the top, I am proudest of my article, An Expanded History of Sake Brewing in the U.S., which involved lots of research, including searching through old newspaper archives. It presented an intriguing history which surprised numerous people and changed some of their previous beliefs. This article was even used a a major source and inspiration for someone else to recently write an article on this topic in The Japanese Journal For The History of Brewing.

I'm also pleased with a more recent article, An Expanded History of Pechuga Mezcal. With more original research, I was able to locate printed evidence of the existence of Pechuga Mezcal back to 1864, about 70 years older than any previously known evidence. In addition, I found over forty other printed references, from 1872-1945, concerning Pechuga, providing even more information about this intriguing type of Mezcal. This article has also been referenced in new Mezcal book. I've written a similar historical article about Tequila, The Rise Of Tequila In The 18th & 19th Centuries, which also changes some of the alleged "common knowledge" about Tequila.

I'm proud of so many others as well, from my multi-part histories of Port, Sherry, and Champagne. to The Science of Sake & Food Pairings. There are too many to list all of them here. I believe my writing has improved over all these years but some of my earliest articles still stand the test of time. I hope to continue writing articles that make me proud, articles that my readers find interesting and enlightening.

I owe many thanks to all of my readers, as it is their support and encouragement which has helped motivate me to continue writing year after year. I also owe thanks to my family and friends who have been so supportive for all these years. In addition, I am grateful to everyone in the food and drink community, from chefs to wine makers, who have helped contribute, in a myriad of ways, to my blog. Life is about connections, about the relationships we make, and they all contribute to what we do.

If I didn't thoroughly enjoy what I've been doing, then it would have ended years ago. I find it fulfilling and satisfying, and hope that my passion for food, drink and writing never dims. I look forward to celebrating my 12th anniversary next year, and I hope my readers keep reading me year after year.

It's time to celebrate!

Rant: Time To Quit Writing

If you have a food and/or drinks blog, or you write in another medium, maybe it is time to quit your writing. As you ponder that matter, you should ask yourself a few questions. Do you still possess a passion for your subject matter? Do you still learn new things about your subject matter on a regular basis? Do you still approach your subject matter with a sense of wonder? Does the act of writing still feel more like pleasure than work?

These are all questions I've been considering recently as I approach my blog's anniversary. On Wednesday, May 9, I'll reach The Passionate Foodie's 11th Anniversary, and I've actually been writing about food and wine for 12 1/2 years. That's an extremely long time to be blogging, and I've seen many other bloggers come and go during that period. What is the secret to my longevity, if there is even a secret to it?

To me, the secret is that I still possess a sense of wonder and passion about food and drink. I am still eager to learn more all the time. Even after over 12 years of writing, I understand that I know only a fraction of what is out there. That is part of the reason why I never specialized with my blog, as I wanted to be able to explore all aspects of food and drink. I didn't want to be confined to a specific type of food or drink. In general, writing to me isn't work, though of course there are a few days here and there when it might seem a chore.

I was thrilled the other day when I found some Turkish wines at a store in Watertown. I still get excited when I find a $10-$15 bottle of wine that over delivers for its price point. A new Greek-Mexican menu at Committee sparked my interest. An Uruguayan restaurant thoroughly impressed me. I'm still not jaded about food and drink. I still find plenty to fire my passions.

I sometimes read other food and/or drink blogs and occasionally I see such a lack of passion within them. They present very little, if any, information of value and it seems clear the writer hasn't learned anything new. It is like they are simply going through the motions, for whatever their reasons. If you're bored reading their writing, then they were probably bored when they wrote it. Those writers should simply quit, shut down their blogs, and do something else, something which fuels their inner passion.

Ask yourself the questions I posed in the first paragraph and be honest with yourself. Maybe it is time for you to quit writing. Just find something else to do, something which brings you more pleasure.

Rant: Bistro 5 & Respect For Older Restaurants

Next month, Bistro 5, a superb Italian restaurant located in Medford, turns 19 years old. It came to mind recently as I once again recommended it to some friends. I first dined at Bistro 5 back in August 2008, and it was an impressive first experience. During the last ten years, I've dined multiple times at Bistro 5, including at wine dinners, chef tasting menus, during their heirloom tomato festival, during their truffle season, and more. The restaurant is consistently excellent, and that is one of the main reasons the restaurant has lasted so long. Consistency is a significant element of restaurant greatness.

Chef Vittorio Ettore, of Bistro 5, is a culinary master, creative and passionate. However, he and his restaurant don't seem to get sufficient attention from the press. On social media, they are infrequently mentioned. As I've said before, new restaurants get the lion's share of publicity from food writers, reviewers and on social media. There is often a frenzy to be one of the first to review a new restaurant, and with so many restaurants opening all the time, writers don't lack for material. However, that means they give little, if any, attention to restaurants that have been open for years. That needs to change.

I've written about this issue before, first back in 2014, and it is an issue that should be raised time and time again, to continue to bring attention to this matter, as a regular reminder to people. Many older restaurants were reviewed years ago but often haven't received an updated review in a very long time, if at all. During those years, so much can change, sometimes for the positive and sometimes for the negative. Since Bistro 5 opened, there is now a whole new generation, and many of them may never have heard of Bistro 5. Consumers shouldn't have to rely on a 10 year old review to judge a restaurant. Some of these older restaurants are worthy of a new review, to ensure people know that it remains a quality restaurant.

Last year,  Patrick Maguire, of I'm Your Server Not Your Servant, posted on Facebook, offering a Challenge to "list Boston area restaurants that have stood the test of time (15 year minimum) that you genuinely love, appreciate, respect, and to state why, devoid of any selfish motive." His post received a substantial number of responses, giving love to those older, worthy restaurants which may not often receive sufficient attention from food writers. It was fascinating to see the number of restaurants which actually have stood the test of time, lasting at least 15 years. That is a huge accomplishment in the restaurant industry.

These restaurants have survived so long for a reason and they should receive additional attention from time to time, to ensure people don't forget them. Every month, a significant number of restaurants close, indicative of the toughness of the restaurant industry. Those that can survive the test of time often deserve our respect and attention, and we need to ensure they are not forgotten. We need to write more about these older restaurants, to continue to highlight their quality. Any worthy writer can find an angle concerning these older restaurants. Don't just be dazzled by the new, restaurants that might not even survive a year. On social media, people need to talk about these older, but worthy, restaurants.

If you haven't dined at Bistro 5 yet, then get there ASAP. Go for their Tuesday evening $1 oysters or their Thursday night Burger special. Check out their A la Carte Menu, for items like Smoked Scallop Agnolotti or Veal Milanese, or be adventurous and opt for the Chef's Tasting Menu, three or five courses. In addition, keep an eye out for their special events, especially seasonal ones like Heirloom Tomatoes and Truffles. Learn why Chef Vittorio Ettore is one of the most talented chefs you might not know.

Rant: "Experts" Making Mistakes

Who can you trust?

The issue of trust is front and center lately as the public tries to determine which news sources are accurate. This is not merely an issue that affects politics and science, but also includes the realm of alcoholic beverages. You'll find many people claiming to be an expert of spirits, wine or beer, but can you trust them? Are they providing you accurate information?

Recently, I received a digital review copy of a new guide to the world of spirits, covering a wide range of topics, from Bourbon to Pisco, Gin to Rum, Baijiu to Shochu. It was written by an alleged "spirits' expert," who has written for a number of national spirit & wine magazines. It seemed authoritative, the type of book many readers would trust.

However, as I skimmed through the book, choosing select chapters of interest, I was dismayed to find a number of factual errors which should have been caught. They weren't obscure issues that could be possibly forgiven the error. I didn't even finish the book because the errors made me mistrust the entire book. Why didn't this expert catch these errors? Was it a lack of knowledge? A failure to fact check?

Let me provide just a few examples of the errors I found.

The book states that Bourbon must be "aged in new, charred, white oak barrels." However, according to the Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits, 27 C.F.R. 5.22(b)(1)(i), bourbon must merely be aged in "charred new oak containers." There is no requirement that it be "white oak." It is a simple error yet something that any Bourbon "expert" should know. It is also very easy to check and verify.

As another example, the book states that basically "... all mezcal is tequila with some tweaks, all tequilas are definitely not mezcals, ..." However, Mezcal experts understand that Mezcal long predates Tequila and that actually, all Tequila is Mezcal but not all Mezcals are Tequila. This is the opposite of what is claimed in this new book. Tequila was simply a Mezcal from a specific place of origin. That is another easy fact, supported by numerous sources, and a spirits expert should not have made such an error.

Though the book is about Spirits, there is a chapter on Port Wine and this chapter has a significant error. It states "Port is a blend of five distinct grape varietals--Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinga Roriz, Tinta Cao, and Tinta Barroca." This is inaccurate as Port can be produced from over 100 different grapes and not just those five grapes. Those five grapes are certainly the most commonly used to make red Port, but they are not the only grapes used. In addition, White Port is generally made from white grapes, and not any of those five grapes. It would have been easy to edit the book's statement to be more accurate, mentioning that those five grapes are the most common, instead of making it seem definitive that only those five grapes are used.

It is disappointing that numerous readers will likely read this book and accept its information as accurate. Some writers may use this book as a research resource, further spreading its inaccurate information. Just because a book or article is from an alleged expert, you shouldn't automatically accept its veracity. You should verify your sources as best as you can. Fact check! And fact check again! You can't always trust an "expert."

10 New Year's Resolutions For My Readers

Happy New Year's and I hoped you enjoyed your celebrations last night, whether you were partying in Times Square or enjoyed a relatively quiet night at home. I hope you spent the evening with family and/or friends and drank some type of delicious Sparkling Wine. It is my fervent wish that this New Year is better for you than 2017.

This is also the time when people will ponder their lives and choose to make Resolutions, the things they want to do, or not do, to make their lives better in the New Year. Maybe you want to give up smoking or lose weight, maybe you want to start going to a gym regularly or save more money. Unfortunately, many people will break their resolutions after only a short time, so numerous people will choose not to make a resolution, figuring they won't follow it anyways.

As I previously done for the last several years, I want to offer some alternative suggestions for resolutions, all connected to food and drink. Rather than deal in absolutes, or exact measurements, I merely hope that you choose to do your best to follow these suggested resolutions with the simple goal of doing better than you did last year. I don't expect anyone to follow these resolutions all the time. Please just do your best. I think you might find this easier to do than a more specific resolution which is an either/or proposition. Seek continued forward progress in these ten resolutions.

1) Resolve to eat & drink healthier
That encompasses so much, from eating less calories to choosing items that have less preservatives and chemicals. Take small steps in your approach rather than diving into a major change. The smaller steps won't seem as burdensome and it will make it easier to take another small step later on. And even small changes can bring about positive changes. We all would benefit from eating and drinking healthier and it will also help our environment and economy.

2) Resolve to consume more local food & drink
Local products can help the environment, the local economy and benefit the local community. Plus, many of those local products can be healthier than mass produced, overly processed foods that might come from thousands of miles away. This includes drinking local wines, as every state now produces wine, and you might be surprised by the quality of some of that local wine. Not all local food and drink is delicious or good for the environment, so do some research to find out the best.

3) Resolve to eat more seafood, especially domestic
Seafood can be extremely healthy for you, especially those fish rich in Omega-3s, so it is an excellent choice for dinner. And seafood is delicious, versatile and often easy to prepare. Yes, it can be more expensive, but it is well worth the added cost. And buying more domestic seafood will help our economy, rather than buying so much imported seafood. Eating more seafood can be one of the healthiest life changes you ever make. It has scientifically been proven that consuming 26 pounds of seafood annually will reduce your chances of heart disease by 36%. An easy and delicious resolution.

4) Resolve to expand your drink horizons
Don't keep drinking the same old stuff all the time. There are so many wonderful beverages out there to taste, to see if you can find some new favorites. Break out of your rut and endeavor to try something new on a regular basis. If you mainly drink Chardonnay, venture out and try some other white wines, such as Gruner Veltliner, Trebbiano or Albarino. Try Sherry, Sake, Japanese Whisky, Mezcal, Franciacorta, Baijiu, and other under-appreciated beverages. Taste it all, constantly trying new beverages, and continue drinking those you enjoy.

5) Resolve to expand your food horizons
In a similar vein, don't keep eating the same old stuff all the time. There are so many wonderful foods out there to taste, to see if you can find some new favorites. Break out of your rut and endeavor to try something new on a regular basis. Try some less common meats, from rabbit to wild boar, or maybe something even more unusual like insects or guinea pig. Seek out ethnic dishes that are new to you, and look for new ingredients you can try out in your own kitchen. Taste it all, constantly trying new foods, and continue eating what you enjoy

6) Resolve to cook more at home
Cooking at home is another way to benefit the environment, and it can be more economical than eating out all the time. It also gives you a better handle on exactly what you eat, so you can make the food as healthy as you desire. It can be fun too, if you cook with someone else, breaking the potential boredom of cooking alone. Be creative in what you cook, seek out new recipes, and share recipes with others.

7) Resolve not to be a douchebag when you dine out
When you dine out at a restaurant, be polite and show respect to everyone working at the restaurant. Don't demand special treatment or threaten the restaurant just because you write reviews on some community website. Tip properly, showing your server gratitude for all their hard work. If you enjoy the restaurant, spread the word about your positive experience. Good restaurants can use, and deserve, all the help they can get.

8) Resolve to give more to fight hunger
Despite the wealth of the U.S., there are still far too many people who can't afford to eat properly. Hunger is a major problem and one that we can do something about. Give food or money to local food banks, national organizations, or any other charity that is trying to combat this problem. Those of us without food security issues can all help out.

9) Resolve not to waste as much food
It is said that up to 40% of our food ends up as waste, and that is a nearly unbelievable statistic. Do your part to help reduce food waste. Food waste can lead to higher food prices and cause more environmental damage. Don't make as much food as normal when making a meal so you don't have leftovers in the first place. As your mother probably once said to you, finish everything on your plate. Use any leftovers to make additional meals.

10) Resolve not to drink & drive
As I have said time and time again, do not drive if you are impaired by alcohol. It is much too dangerous and you could injure or kill yourself or someone else. Even if you don't get in an accident, you could be arrested and that comes with its own high costs. It isn't worth doing it, so please just don't drink and drive.

Is there anything I missed?

Rant: Don't Be A Selfish, Greedy Glutton

With the holiday season here, food and drink blogs are ramping up their holiday coverage. You'll read epic tales of sumptuous feasts, accompanied by expensive and rare bottles of wine. You'll read plenty of holiday recipes, describing how to prepare some of the most decadent dishes. You'll read of pricey gifts received, from costly electronics to tropical vacations. Colorful photos will display all of these hedonistic pleasures in their luxuriant glory.

However, I want to see something else, something more meaningful. Are you up to the challenge?

I don't want to be regaled by selfish, greedy gluttons. Instead, I want to hear about charitable efforts to help those less fortunate. This should be a time of generosity and charity, of giving to others rather than feeding our own gluttony. Though many love the holiday season, it can be a very sad time for those with little or nothing. Every community has some people who find it difficult merely to pay for basic essentials. Share your largess with others, helping those who truly need it.

Even for those of us who are having tough economic times, we all probably can help out others, even if only in little ways. If you cannot spare money, then donate your time or make something to give to others, maybe bake a pie, cookies or casserole. Donate old clothes or other durable items which you no longer use. There are many different ways to help out others besides just monetary donations. All it takes is a little creativity and thought.

During this season, there are numerous restaurants, chefs, stores and others which are holding special charitable events. Promote those events on your blogs, spreading the word far and wide. Attend those events, encouraging others to do the same. Give to your favorite charities, whatever they might be. Just don't revel in selfish, greedy gluttony, ignoring the plight of others.

This applies to our readers as well and I encourage all of you to be charitable as well, in whatever way that you can. Be creative in your efforts, even if your own finances are tight. That would be the best gift I could receive from my readers, the knowledge that you have all helped out those less fortunate.

I will do my own part to help the less fortunate, to share what I possess. Year round, I promote numerous food and wine-related charitable events and probably will promote even more this season. I will give to several charities as well, even if I only can give small amounts, to those which are personally close to my heart. I will try to help in a number of different ways and I strongly encourage all of my fellow bloggers and writers to do the same this season.

Let us share with all during this joyous holiday season.

(This is a reposting of an old rant, with minor revisions, which remains as relevant as ever and worthy of repeating.)

Rant: Food/Drink Writers of Color

"So I guess this is where I tell you what I learned - my conclusion, right? Well, my conclusion is: Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it. Derek says it's always good to end a paper with a quote. He says someone else has already said it best. So if you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong. So I picked a guy I thought you'd like. 'We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."
--American History X

With the tragic events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia, the hate that is spewing from ignorant racists, the violence that has led to death and numerous injuries, we need to stand united against the forces that seek to divide our country. We need to embrace diversity, opening our minds to new ideas, and to eliminate our biases and prejudices. Embracing diversity will only make us better human beings. And don't we all want to be better people?

As a tiny contribution to this issue, I want to once again showcase local people of color who blog/write about food & drink. I previously highlighted women who blog about wine, and it has been an extremely popular post. It helped to bring to the forefront all the valuable contributions and unique voices of these bloggers. Now, I want to expand the scope and highlight the unique viewpoints from people of color as well. I have done this before but I think on light of recent events, it would benefit us all to post about it again.

I've been blogging about food and drink in the Boston area for almost twelve years, and the vast majority of bloggers I've seen at local events have been white. I've spoken about this before, stating we need to find ways to attract more people of color to these events. An initial step would be to identify those people of color who blog, to showcase their talents. This could be a motivation for other people of color to get involved and start blogging too. It will also present blogs with different voices, a way for all of us to expand our own experience and knowledge.

The following is an initial list of people of color, living in Massachusetts, who blog/write about food and/or drink. This is by no means a comprehensive list but provides a starting foundation. Check out these food & drink blogs and I am sure you will like what you find. If you are or know of any other local people of color with food & drink blogs that are not on this list, please have them send me their info, including their name, URL and a brief description of their blog, and I will add them to the list.

Embrace diversity!

Bianca of Confessions Of A Chocoholic

Chanie of Life By Zen: Chanie shares her adventures and experience with delicious foods, drinks especially great wines, and life in Boston. She cooks and is always testing new recipes or looking for fun foods but prefer to talk about her food adventures and dining experiences.

D. of A Little Bit About A Lot Of Things: This is a food and lifestyle blog. D has been been writing since 2010 and her photos have appeared in Boston Magazine, Boston Common, Thrillist, BostInno and others.

Fiona of Gourmet Pigs; Gourmet Pigs was started in Los Angeles in 2007 and Fiona moved to Boston in 2014. The blog reviews restaurants, bars, and events in the two cities and wherever she travels to around the globe.

Georgina of Notes On Lifestyle By Georgina

Jacqueline of Culinary Consulting

Jen of Tiny Urban Kitchen

Korsha of Korsha Wilson

Kristina of Appetite For Instruction

Lisa of Anali's Next Amendment: Lisa writes about life, food and current events. She’s been blogging since 2006 and is a freelance writer and attorney. She regularly writes for LegalZoom and manages Free Yoga Boston. She’s also an organizer and contributing editor at Kwanzaa Culinarians, where recipes and food stories from the African Diaspora are shared.

Markeya of Traveling Foodie In 4" Stiletttos

Tiffany of The Fab Empire.com: Tiffany is the Boston Editor of The Fab Empire, a lifestyle blog that caters to up and coming urban professional featuring notable people, events, eateries, nightlife and entertainment throughout the country.

Vanessa of Without A Measuring Cup

Yaimani & Yadira of The Two Riveras; We write with simple honesty on food, travel, sisterhood, current obsessions and the simple joys of life. Follow us as we share photos, stories and pieces of our adventures from Boston and beyond.

Rant: Drink Writers, Burst Your Bubble

Drink writers, especially if they have a narrow focus in their writing, can easily find themselves isolated within a bubble. They might write only about something specific like Italian wine, Sparkling wines, Rum, or Bourbon. Or maybe they write about a more general category of drinks, such as wine, beer, or whiskey.

In addition to the limits of what they write, they might also surround themselves with others who share their interest, who they meet to share their chosen libations. On social media, they will follow others who share their chosen interest. In addition, they will likely read books, magazines and articles about their chosen interest. They immerse themselves in their chosen speciality, excluding anything outside of that circle.

They probably don't even realize that they've created a bubble around themselves, limiting their exposure to outside views and experiences. They feel safe and secure inside their bubble, buoyed up by their friends who share similar interests. Everything they experience is presented through the same lens, the same filters. As such, they miss out on information and experiences which are outside this narrow lens, yet they never realize that they're missing anything. In essence, they may be blissfully ignorant.

By existing within a bubble, they can miss out on the greater context of their chosen drink, failing to understand how it compares and contrasts to other beverages. They need to take off their blinders, which keep them walking down a narrow path, and look out at a greater world. They can look at their chosen interest with new eyes, potentially finding new approaches to their interest, realizing new ideas which will broaden their knowledge. It's a great way to improve their writing, to make it fresher and more relevant.

For example, I write about both Wine and Sake, and it has been enlightening to compare and contrast the two beverages. They possess interesting similarities and differences and similarities which cause me to think more critically about each, seeing them in a greater context than if I concentrated on only one of them. For example, when pairing food and Sake, umami is an important consideration. However, most people rarely consider umami when pairing wine and food, unless they have had experiences with Sake. Though Wine possesses less umami than Sake, it still can play a role in food pairings.

Beer and wine have their significant differences too, and by learning more about each, you can break out of your bubble and view matters in a larger context. Consider how beer consumers view pricing, how $15 a bottle can seem like such a high price, yet in the wine world, $15 a bottle is often considered a value price. Each type of spirit also brings with it a unique framework, well worth exploring.

The drinks industry is wide and wonderful, a myriad of experiences which bring new knowledge and allow you to view old knowledge through different lenses. Don't box yourself in to a specific alcohol but allow yourself to be more open, to have an adventurous palate.  Break out of your bubble and welcome the new.

I should note that I'm not advocating that you have to write about all of these different types of alcohol. What I'm trying to get across is that you should learn more about these other beverages, reading and researching, so you better understand them. That knowledge should help you better understand your chosen beverages and should lead to better articles. There is no downside to learning more about other drinks.

The 10th Anniversary of The Passionate Foodie

Today, The Passionate Foodie blog celebrates its Tenth Anniversary, a significant milestone. With over 4100 posts, I'm very proud of what I've accomplished and I look forward to continuing to write, continuing to spread my passion for food & drink.

I've actually been blogging for 11 1/2 years as before I started The Passionate Foodie I wrote for another blog, the Real World Winers, which has been defunct for many years. Over 12 years ago, I started hanging out weekly with a new group of friends and I would bring a bottle or two of wine. Soon, someone else brought a bottle and then another person did so too. We ended up drinking 6-8 bottles of wine at our weekly get-togethers. The group eventually decided it might be fun to do a podcast and blog that reviewed the wines.

This became the Real World Winers, and eventually I expanded the blog to include restaurant reviews. After a year, my friends were finding the blogging to be too much work, and the reviews were falling behind. However, I was still loving the writing and wanted to continue. As I was the only person interested in writing, I decided to strike out on my own and began The Passionate Foodie, allowing me complete creative control over the blog. I still love the writing, continuing to find it fulfilling.

Over the course of the past ten years, I've seen many food/drink blogs come and go, with many ending after only a year. It can be a lot of work, and certainly takes significant drive and dedication. If it is only a hobby, then many other matters can take precedence, making it easy to put aside the blog. However, there are other blogs which have stood the test of time, which have lasted for many years too. And those people deserve many kudos for their passion and dedication.

During the past 10 years of The Passionate Foodie, I've learned so much about food & drinks, exploring a wide variety of topics, essentially anything I can eat or drink. I also became a Certified Spanish Wine Educator, a Wine Location Specialist (Champagne & Port) and a Certified Sake Professional. There is still so much more to learn, a never ending education with much room for growth. That is one of my favorite aspects, learning about new things and then sharing what I discover with my readers. It helps that I'm a voracious reader and love to research new topics.

My blog has provided me a myriad of wonderful opportunities and experiences, creating a vast storehouse of fantastic memories. I've sampled so much excellent and exciting food and drink, in this country and others. I've gotten to travel to some amazing destinations, including France (Bordeaux and Champagne), Spain (Sherry region), Italy (Tuscany & Collio), Argentina and Chile. I've judged a number of cooking competitions, including one that ended up on Japanese television. I was honored to be inducted as a Cavaleiro in the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, a Knight in the Brotherhood of Port Wine.

I've met so many interesting people, which has enhanced my experiences as I've long said that food and drink when shared is even better. Some of those people have become close friends and I think those friendships will last for many years to come. It has been fascinating to meet numerous wine makers, distillers, brewers, wine & liquor store owners, importers, distributors, restaurant owners, chefs, and much more. From each, I've learned something new, which has helped my writing and understanding.

I've tried to share with my readers information about these people and their businesses, interests, and passions. In my own small way, I've tried to highlight the diversity of some of these people, in ways like Wine, Women & The Internet, showcasing women who write about wine, and Celebrating Local Diversity: People of Color Blogging About Food & Drink.

During these ten years, my hobby has transformed into my profession. I'm now a freelance writer, having been published in a number of magazines and newspapers. I'm also a Sake educator and consultant, working for a variety of clients, from restaurants to distributors. Plus, I work part time at a local wine store, gaining an insight into the average wine consumer. In addition, I write fiction, and have published three novels and a book of short stories. The fiction is mostly part of the Tipsy Sensei series, about a Sake expert in Boston who learns that the supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore are real. I was also a contributor to a comprehensive whiskey guide, The New Single Malt Whiskey.

It has been my pleasure to try to showcase and promote under-appreciated and/or lesser known wines, spirits and other drinks. From Sake to Sherry, from Franciacorta to Georgian Wines, from Mezcal to Baijiu. I've championed many of these underdogs, all which areworthy beverages deserving of much more attention. It has also been my pleasure to recommend and promote the restaurants which I have enjoyed. I want those businesses to succeed, so I'll be able to dine there for years to come. I want my readers to understand why I am so passionate about the matters I recommend.

Out of my over 4100 posts, I have some favorites, those posts which I am especially proud of for various reasons. At the top, I am proudest of my article, An Expanded History of Sake Brewing in the U.S., which involved lots of research, including searching through old newspaper archives. It presented an intriguing history which surprised numerous people and changed some of their previous beliefs. This article was even used a a major source and inspiration for someone else to recently write an article on this topic in The Japanese Journal For The History of Brewing.

I'm also pleased with a more recent article, The Origins of Pechuga, Pierde Almas, & Mezcal de Conejo. With more original research, I was able to locate printed evidence of the existence of Pechuga Mezcal back to 1864, about 70 years older than any previously known evidence. In addition, I found over a dozen other printed references, from 1874-1904, concerning Pechuga, providing even more information about this intriguing type of Mezcal. This article may even be referenced in an revised book on Mezcal in the near future.

I'm also proud of my multi-part histories of Port, Sherry, and Champagne. One of my most popular posts, and another favorite of mine, is The Science of Sake & Food Pairings, discussing all the reasons why Sake pairs with all types of food. Finally, my most popular post, as well as the most controversial, is Rant: Alton Brown, I Call You Out! That stirred up plenty of emotions, both positive and negative, but ultimately led to Blue Fin Tuna being banned on Iron Chef! My weekly Monday Rants and Thursday Sips & Nibbles columns have also proven popular.

In addition, I'm proud of my myriad of Seafood-related posts, especially those encouraging consumers to eat more sustainable seafood, especially domestic seafood. I've explored seafood sustainability in numerous posts, from aquaculture to wild-caught fish. I've also provided home cooks with numerous methods and recipes for preparing seafood at home. I've won several awards for my Seafood coverage and was also chosen as one of the Gulf Coast Seafood's Top 100 Seafood Bloggers.

I owe many thanks to all of my readers, as it is their support and encouragement which has helped motivate me to continue writing year after year. I also owe thanks to my family and friends who have been so supportive for all these years. In addition, I am grateful to everyone in the food and drink community, from chefs to wine makers, who have helped contribute, in a myriad of ways, to my blog. Life is about connections, about the relationships we make, and they all contribute to what we do.

One of the keys to my longevity is that I never had a narrow focus on my blog, though there are definitely subjects which capture more of my attention than others, such as Sake, Sherry and Georgian wines. I've had the freedom to write about any food or drink topic which grabs my attention. I love that diversity, the ability to expand my palate in so many directions. It has also allowed me to learn about so many different foods and drinks, restaurants and wineries, food markets and distilleries. As I don't limit my explorations, I'll never run out of ideas to write about.

I'm also extremely happy at what I do and that is what is most important in life. If I didn't thoroughly enjoy what I've been doing, then it would have ended years ago. I find it fulfilling and satisfying, and hope that my passion for food, drink and writing never dims. I look forward to celebrating my 11th anniversary next year, and I hope my readers keep reading me year after year.

It's time to celebrate!

Top Ten Wines of 2007

In less than two weeks, on Tuesday, May 9, The Passionate Foodie blog will have its 10th Anniversary! I've been spending time surveying the over 4100 posts I've written, contemplating all the myriad subjects I've covered. I've already reposted my first two articles and now I'm going to highlight my Top Ten Wines of 2007. Have my wine tastes changed during the last ten years? Look for more of my memories during the next couple weeks.

(The follow articles were originally posted on December 12 & 13, 2007).

First, here is a list of my Top Ten Wines Under $15.
1. 2006 Verdad Rose, California ($13)
2. 2004 Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino di Sardegna, Italy ($10)
3. 2005 Tenuta Pederanza Lambrusco “Grasparossa”, Italy ($13.99)
4. 2004 Conti Zecca Donna Marzia Negromaro, Italy ($9.99)
5. 2003 Vinho Tinto Palestra, Portugal ($8)
6. 2006 Vinho Branco "Grilos", Portugal ($13)
7. 2005 Falset Marca Falset, Spain ($9.99)
8. 2006 Ladera Sagrada Papa, Spain ($13.99)
9. 2005 El Burro Kickass Garnacha, Spain ($12)
10. 2006 Bodegas La Purisma Estio, Spain ($8.99)

As you can see, there are mostly Old World wines on my list, which hasn't changed over the last ten years. They often seem to possess better value than many California wine. And you can see Portugal is on the list, and that country continues to be a great place for wine values. Several Spanish wines made the list, partially as I took a two week journey to Spain in 2007, tasting many excellent wines.

Second, here is a list of my Top Ten Wines Over $15.
1. 2003 Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, California ($50)
2. 2004 Cliff Lede Claret, California ($39)
3. 2003 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinotage, California ($36)
4. 2005 Sutton Cellars Carignane, California ($17)
5. 2004 Buehler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($25)
6. 2003 Castello La Lecchia Chianti Classico ‘Bruciagna’, Italy ($30)
7. 2000 Lidakis Archanes, Greece ($18)
8. 2004 Filipa Pato Ensaios, Portugal ($25)
9. 2005 Bellum Providencia, Spain ($18)
10. 2004 KanonKop Estate Wine Pinotage, South Africa ($35)

This list was very California heavy which you generally won't find in subsequent years, as the list become more diverse. You can already see some of that diversity, such as Greek wines and South African Pinotage. In later years, I delve more into plenty of niche wines, giving voice to worthy wines which don't receive as much attention as they deserve, such as Franciarota, Alsatian wines, Georgian wines, Vermouth, and more. However, I still think these two 2007 lists present plenty of worthy wines and you might want to seek out their current vintages.

How have your wine tastes changed over the last ten years?

Choosing a Wine Store

In two weeks, on Tuesday, May 9, The Passionate Foodie blog will have its 10th Anniversary! I've been spending time surveying the over 4100 posts I've written, contemplating all the myriad subjects I've covered. As I've looked back across those ten years, I decided to repost my first article yesterday. Today, I'm going to repost my second article, which actually was posted on the same day as my first article. It remains as relevant now as it did way back then. Look for more of my memories during the next couple weeks.

(The follow article was originally posted on December 12, 2007).

If you wish to just pick up a bottle of wine, something under $10, then almost any store would do. Any local package store, grocery store or wine shop could cater to that need. But, what if you desire more than that? What if you are looking for a good wine store, a place to buy some different wines, maybe a case or two? What are the factors that differentiate the good wine stores from the mediocre ones?

Price: One of the primary factors for many people is price. We all want a good bargain when making any purchase. And wine prices can vary, sometimes significantly from store to store. You can see the price for the same bottle vary from $1 to $20 dependent where you buy it. Some stores cater to less expensive wines, such as $15 and under. Other stores have a variety, with some less expensive wines but also a selection of pricier ones too. Much will depend on the type of wine you are seeking.

Bottle price alone is not always indicative of the expense of a store. Many stores offer discounts, such as 10-20%, for purchasing a case of wine. And usually that can be a mixed case. So, even though a store's prices may be a bit higher than another store, the case discount may even matters out. In addition, some places run regular sales where you can get bargains. There are also stores that run promotions where you earn points based on your purchases, providing special gifts once you have acquired a certain amount of points.

Selection: You generally want a store that has a diverse selection of wines. Who wants to see the same old wines all the time? Some stores specialize in certain wine regions. Others may sell wines from more unusual regions. A good selection will also include varied prices, from $10 to $100 bottles, something for everyone. Remember that there are literally thousands of wines available so no store can carry them all. But, do look for places that try to acquire a good variety of wines from a number of regions.

Service: You want friendly and helpful staff at a good store. They should have a good knowledge of wine and those they sell. They should be personable and not snooty and pretentious. They should make you feel welcome rather than nervous. They should offer suggestions and recommendations without being pushy. Good service can include being able to order wine for you if they do not carry what you want.

There are a number of other factors, of less importance, but which can enhance or detract from your wine buying experience.

Appearance: A good wine store is clean and should not have dust all over their wine bottles. Display racks should be easy to see the individual bottles and their prices. They might have note cards describing the wines, or providing ratings and reviews from wine magazines.

Tastings: A good wine store will hold free tastings where you can try some of their wines. This can help you decide on which wines you might like to buy. Many stores now have weekly tastings.

Extras: A good wine store will sell more than just wine. They might sell other alcoholic drinks, from beer to hard liquors. They might also sell various foods, such as cheeses, chocolates and sauces. This can make the wine store a better one-stop place to stock up for a festive evening.

Website/Email: A good wine store will have a website providing information about the store and any upcoming events. Some even may an email list that will keep you up to date on their events.

But, there is one factor which I think is the most important of all. Passion.

Passion: The best sign of a good wine store is the passion of the owner. You can see that passion in them when they help you, when they answer your questions and make suggestions. The owner clearly enjoys wine, and is sincere in desiring to spread that joy to others. You can see that passion in them when they help you, when they answer your questions and make suggestions. These are the store owners who will truly work at making a good store. They will take care to make your experience as fine as possible. Their passion will show in every aspect of their wine store, elevating them above the rest.

No one wine store will probably cater to all of your needs, especially selection-wise. So, it is beneficial to visit different wine stores, to see what wines they offer that other stores do not. Your favorite wine store might not stock Greek wines but another store might. Your favorite wine store might sell 12 different Oregon pinot noirs but you might be looking for an Oregon producer that your store does not sell. But, in the end, you will probably have one or two wine stores which you frequent often, those places which you feel are the best. And I am willing to bet that the owners of those places have a true passion for wine.

Rant: Which Wines Should You Drink?

In about two weeks, on Tuesday, May 9, The Passionate Foodie blog will have its 10th Anniversary! I've been spending time surveying the over 4100 posts I've written, contemplating all the myriad subjects I've covered. As I look back across those ten years, I've decided to repost my first article, a blog that remains as relevant now as it did way back then. And look for more of my memories during the next couple weeks.

(The follow article was originally posted on May 9, 2007).

You walk into the local wine store and are confronted with walls upon walls of bottles. Which wine should you buy?

You go to a fine restaurant and are confronted with a multi-page wine list. Which wine should you buy?

The popularity of wine continues to soar. There are literally thousands of different wines, from many different countries, available to the consumer. We are deluged with options. A typical liquor store stocks hundreds of different wines and a specialty wine shop might stock 1000 wines or more. Restaurant wine lists might contain as many as a few hundred selections. So, with these often bewildering choices, which wines should you drink?

There are numerous sources containing recommendations and ratings for many wines. Wine magazines such as Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Decanter. There are other magazines as well, not devoted solely to wine, that contain columns and articles on wine such as Gourmet and Esquire. Each year, several books are released with their annual wine recommendations. Many newspapers now contain weekly articles on wine. You can easily consult any of these reference works and choose an award-winning or highly rated wine. But, if you did so, you might take it home, drink a glass and find that you dislike the wine. Where did you go wrong? Why doesn’t the wine seem as good as the critics say it is supposed to be?

The answer is simple. Enjoying wine is very much a subjective activity. Sure, the critics can judge a wine by certain objective criteria. They can rate a wine in comparison to others. But, at its core, it is all about one’s own individual preferences, one’s own taste. You should drink wines that you enjoy drinking, whether they cost $5 or $500 a bottle. Red, white, sweet, dry, oaky, tannic, grassy, fruity. Drink what you like. Your tastes may vary drastically from the critics, but they are your tastes and they are not wrong. They are merely different. And they are what please you. And don’t we drink wine because it pleases us?

So, how do you know what type of wines you like? The primary method to determine your likes and dislikes is to taste different wines. Taste as many as you can. There are a plethora of diverse tastes in wines and you never know what might appeal to you. So, trying new wines might lead to a new favorite. Tastes can change over time so you might want to try wines again that you once did not like. You might be surprised with the results. Taste wines with and without food as food too can alter the taste and experience of a wine. Taste will also vary with your mood.

One of the best and often risk-free ways to taste a lot of different wines is to attend wine tastings at local liquor/wine stores. Because of the popularity of wine, many of these stores now hold wine tastings, often weekly, and they usually are free. On average, you can usually try 4-6 wines at these tastings, sometimes including some expensive ones. There are even tastings where you can try over 100 wines, all for free. There are some tastings that charge a fee but the fee is commonly low and you usually get to try numerous different wines. To find out about local tastings, simply ask at the liquor/wine stores you frequent or do an online search. Take advantage of these opportunities to learn about different wines, to see which ones you might enjoy. You have nothing to lose.

There are other ways to taste different wines as well. If you go to a restaurant, you can order a meal with wine pairings, where the restaurant matches different glasses of wine to different food courses. You thus get to taste about 3-7 different wines. Some places also have wine flights on their menu, where you get to try three different wines for the price of a single glass of wine. Obviously, the sample sizes are small, but combined they equal one glass of wine. If you go to a party, with various wines available, you should take a chance and try something different.

The hardest part sometimes is remembering what wines you like and do not like. Thus, it can be helpful to take notes, writing down wines you enjoy. That will make it easier if you go to a wine store and want to buy something you like. You can also ask the staff at the wine store for recommendations on wines that are similar to the ones you enjoy. In addition, it can help if you go to a restaurant. Even if they do not carry the particular wine you want, they might be able to recommend a wine that is very similar to the one you wanted.

So, should you just ignore all recommendations and ratings? No, as they can still be beneficial though the foundation remains individual taste. If you know what you like, recommendations and ratings can point you to similar wines of which you might not be aware. Or to avoid certain wines because they contain elements you dislike. For example, if you dislike oaky chardonnay, then a wine review that mentions a particular chardonnay is very oaky would be something to avoid. In addition, if you are adventurous, they might direct you to wines that you are willing to take a risk on and buy. You might also find that your tastes are similar to a particular reviewer or critic, and thus you might feel more comfortable with their recommendations.

In the end, taste some wine. Then taste some more.

My History of U.S. Sake Breweries Inspires A Journal Article

Back in April 2015, I posted one of my favorite articles, An Expanded History of Sake Brewing in the U.S., which discussed the early history of Sake breweries in the U.S. My research for this article included combing through hundreds of old newspapers, picking out tidbits of information that hadn't been previously collected into a single resource. It was a fascinating exploration, expanding my knowledge of this topic, and revealing intriguing facts which contradicted what many previously believed.

Many Japanese believed that the first Sake brewery outside of Japan was established in Hawaii in 1908, the Honolulu Japanese Sake Brewery. However, that is not the case as a Sake brewery, the Japan Brewing Co., was incorporated in Berkeley, California in June 1901, seven years earlier than the Honolulu brewery. In addition, two other California Sake breweries were established in 1903 and 1907, meaning that the Honolulu brewery was actually the fourth established outside of Japan. The Honolulu brewery had a greater impact on the Sake industry than those California breweries, but it is important to ensure the history is accurate.

I also wrote a companion piece, Historical Tidbits About Sake In the U.S., noting a number of Sake references in U.S. newspapers from 1854 to 1926. Some of the references were positive while others were negative, reflective of racism against the Japanese. However, it is interesting to see these myriad views about Sake.

Since publishing the original article, I've been corresponding with Tsuneo Kita (the man in the above photo), who is the Representative Director of Kita Sangyo Co., Ltd., a company which creates packaging materials, from bottles to cans, and their customers include a number of Sake breweries. Tsuneo Kita is also very interested in Sake history and was intrigued by my article. We've have some pleasant discussions about a variety of Sake matters.  

Recently, Mr. Kita was published an article, Sake Brewing History in North America‒ Complete List of Sake Breweries existed/existing in the US and Canada, in the The Japanese Journal For The History of Brewing (#32, February 2017). In the above photo, you can see the front cover of the journal, which is in Japanese. At the top of this page, you can see the English version of the journal's cover. The article, written in Japanese, is 27 pages long, and includes a few charts and photographs, building upon much of the history from my article. It is well worth seeking out this article if you can read Japanese.  

Mr. Kita also notes in this article, ensuring it was in English: "This paper would not exist without a blog of April 2015, written by Mr. Richard Auffrey. I express my sincerest appreciation to him." Within the article, there are also numerous references to my article. Mr. Kita sent me a copy of the journal, and I've been able to use Google Translate to get a rough translation. The article is not yet available online but hopefully it will end up there in the near future.

The history of Sake breweries in the U.S. is a compelling topic and worthy of additional research. The details of many of these early breweries has largely been lost and it would be great to uncover those hidden details.

Rant: Two Restaurant Reviews, One Failure

Two reviews, in different local periodicals, of the same new restaurant. Both written by experienced and knowledgeable reviewers. However, one of those reviews succeeds while the other fails. Why is that the case?

To me, there are four primary elements that every professional restaurant review should address, including food, drink, price and service. There are numerous secondary aspects that can be addressed as well, such as the restaurant's size, decor, ambiance, parking availability, etc. If a review ignores one of the four primary elements, then I feel it has failed in its execution, omitting significant information that many potential customers would like to know. Such an omission does a disservice to both the potential customer and the restaurant.  

Of the four primary elements, one seems to be ignored the most, despite its importance to many diners. I've raised this issue before but it bears repeating as it remains a problem. A number of restaurants reviews ignore a restaurant's drink program, even when that element is a vital aspect of the restaurant's concept. That is a clear failure and professional reviewers should know better than to ignore such an important element.

This is the reason why one of the two reviews I recently read failed. It failed to discuss the restaurant's drinks program, even though it plays a significant role in the restaurant. And this restaurant has some unique elements to its drinks program, highlighted by the other reviewer, which would entice a number of potential customers to check out the restaurant. That information should have been in the failed review too.  

Many restaurants invest much time and effort into developing their drink lists and bar programs. They may bring in experts, sommeliers, mixologists and more, to help design those programs. They may be rightfully proud about their accomplishments, and it becomes a significant reason why diners will patronize their establishment. Potential customers might seek out a restaurant because of its tequila bar or whiskey list, their natural wines or Sake menu. When reading a restaurant review, they want to read about the food but many also want to learn about the drinks program.

Consider the example of a Japanese izakaya. The literal meaning of izakaya is a “sit-down-Sake-shop,” though it now generally refers to a Japanese bar that serves any type of alcohol, not just Sake, and also food to accompany that alcohol. Izakayas originated during the Edo period (1603-1867 AD) when Sake vendors began to provide tables and seats for their patrons, and eventually started serving food with the Sake samples. Thus, in an izakaya, their alcohol and food are both significant and warrant discussion in any professional review. Failure to do so ignores an important aspect of the izakaya's concept.

Diners can sometimes spend more on their alcohol than their food so that alone would point to its significance. Other diners specifically seek out restaurants with specific drink programs, such as a well curated wine list. Lovers of spirits may seek out a restaurant with a large and/or unique selection of their favorite spirit. They want to read a restaurant review and learn about what drinks it has to offer, and whether it has something to entice them or not.

Restaurant reviewers, please don't ignore a restaurant's drinks program. It is significant information that should be within your review, and will better help your readers decide whether they want to patronize that restaurant or not.

Rant: Local Food/Drink Bloggers, Step Up Your Game!

Local food & drink bloggers, listen up and carefully consider my words. I'm challenging you to Step Up Your Game! Are you willing to accept that challenge? 

In May, The Passionate Foodie will reach another milestone, its 10th Anniversary, though I wrote for another blog for a year-and-a-half before that. So, I've been writing about food and drink for 11.5 years and have written over 4,100 posts. During those years, I feel that my writing has continued to improve but I know I still have room for improvement. It is a never-ending objective, to continue to hone my writing, to better myself.

There are plenty of other food & drink bloggers in the Boston area, some who have been around for about as long as I and many others who are much newer. I don't view any of them as competitors but rather see them as colleagues. As such, I freely share suggestions and advice with other bloggers, helping them and hoping others will reciprocate. Even if these bloggers attend the same event as me, writing their own articles about the event, they each bring their own unique viewpoint to their story.

Now, I've also seen some lost blogging opportunities as well as food & drink articles which could be improved. I freely admit that I'm guilty of such offenses and that means I continually try to up my game, to eliminate such offenses. Today, I'm calling on every other local food & drink blogger to follow my lead. Step Up Your Blogging Game! I don't want to hear excuses. I want to see results, to see other blogs improve and shine.

Let's consider a recent example of lost opportunities and where bloggers could have upped their game. The recent Boston Wine Expo offered two days of wine and food tasting, with numerous wine seminars as well. There were over 1800 wines available for sampling and a few dozen food vendors. Such a large event should garner a blogger sufficient fodder for multiple articles. There were so many diverse ways to approach the Expo, concentrating on a variety of wine regions, types, varietals, and much more. It was easy to find dozens of different story seeds at the Expo. I've already written fourteen articles inspired by the Expo.

However, some bloggers took the easy route, writing only a single post about the entire Expo weekend, primarily addressing a handful of their favorite wines and foods. Where is the challenge in that? Why only dedicate a single post to such a rich and diverse event? It would have been easy for them to write more about their experiences, to expand upon what they tasted and to share more of what they learned.

I've seen this similar phenomenon at other large-scale events too, where bloggers post only a single article, giving short shrift to all that they experienced. Such events offer a wealth of material for plenty of articles so you should take advantage of the experience. Step up your game! Don't take the easy route.

Of course you don't have to follow my advice. Maybe you don't have sufficient free time to write more than a single post about such event. Or maybe you don't care about upping your game. I'm trying to reach those people who do care, to wake them up and hopefully stir them to action. I would like to see the local food & drink blogging community improve overall, and that requires many of us to work harder at our craft. It takes us looking more critically at our own writing, to see where we can improve.

Are you willing to do so? Will you accept my challenge?

Rant: The Boston Wine Expo Wine's I Disliked

This past weekend, I spent two days sampling wines, spirits, and food at the Boston Wine Expo, tasting about 175 wines and spirits. That might seem like a lot, but you also have to note that it means I didn't taste over 1600 wines and spirits. I tasted a fraction of what was available, having to make hard choices of which tables I visited, which wines I wanted to experience. I know I missed some excellent wines but that couldn't be helped. There were just too many wines for any one person to handle.

Of those wines I sampled, I found plenty of delicious and interesting ones, but I also disliked a number of those wines. Every year, I write about those wines which I most enjoyed, showcasing those worthy wines. However, which wines did I dislike at the Expo? Which wines did I think were "bad?"

Frankly, I'm not going to mention which wines I disliked. In general, the wines I disliked didn't conform to my own personal preferences, such as being too sweet or too oaky, but other people might enjoy them as they have different preferences. This is made clear at the wine store where I work, where I see plenty of people enjoying wines that I wouldn't drink because our preferences are different. Thus, I can't really say a wine is "bad," but rather that I didn't enjoy it though others might find pleasure in it.

At the Expo, I saw it as well, comparing favored wines with friends, and though we might agree on many of the wines, there would always be a few on which we differed. We all have our own personal preferences and that needs to be respected. Wineries often target certain groups of consumers, those who share certain preferences, and sometimes you might not be their intended audience. It won't be surprising then if you dislike that particular wine. The beauty of wine though is its immense diversity and that means there are wines for all preferences.

During the upcoming weeks, when I provide specific recommendations for the wines I most enjoyed at the Expo, I don't expect every reader will be in complete agreement with my choices. However, what is most important to me is trying to expose my readers to new and diverse wines, grapes and regions, to give them reasons to expand their palates. For example, I'll be highlighting a number of wines from the country of Georgia, as I sure many of my readers will know little about their wines, but I'm also sure they would enjoy them if they sampled them.

I want to embrace the positivity of my wine experiences from the Expo, rather than dwelling on the negative examples. And I fervently hope that my passion for the wines I will highlight will infect my readers and cause them to seek out at least some of those wines.

Rant: No Predictions, Only Desires

The New Year, 2017, has arrived!

Predictions for the New Year are basically useless. At the end of the year, the vast majority of predictions will have failed to come to fruition and even those that do are probably due more to luck than any actual ability to predict the future. You would have just as much success by reading tea leaves or the entrails of goats. I know that if I devised my own predictions, they too would probably fail.

We can all hope that 2017 will usher in positive changes to the local food & drink industry. Instead of offering any predictions, I'm going to provide a list of my desires, those trends, issues and items which I would love to see step forward and take precedence in 2017, though I'm not predicting they will actually come to fruition. However, I think we would all benefit if these desires were fulfilled.

And we have the ability to make these desires come true. They pose valuable opportunities for entrepreneurs and others to step up and make their mark. They are matters we can demand and promote, matters we can hound restaurant owners, legislators and others to pursue. We can make our future become a reality.

Many of these desires are the same I wrote about last year, as those desires did not come to fruition but I still believe they should become more prominent. Maybe 2017 will finally be the year to see at least a couple of my desires come true.

1) More Bread Pudding  
Bread pudding is relatively easy to make and can be inexpensive as it can be made with day old bread. Plus, it is a diverse dish that can be made in a wide variety of flavors, with different sauces, and accompaniments. I've had some superb bread puddings at local restaurants, and would like to see more restaurants offering it on their dessert menus. However, I also think there is a great opportunity for an enterprising baker to open a Bread Pudding Bakery. They exist in other parts of the country so why not in the Boston area? Skip opening another damn cupcake bakery, think outside the box, and opt for a bread pudding bakery instead. I've been pushing for this for a few years and it still hasn't caught on. Why not?

2) More Filipino Restaurants & Dishes
This is another matter I've been ranting about for several years. There is a dearth of Filipino cuisine both locally as well throughout the U.S., though a few regions seem to be opening several new Filipino restaurants. With apparently only a single Filipino restaurant in the Boston area, there is a huge opportunity here for more Filipino spots. Or if even not an entire restaurant, maybe we could see more Filipino inspired dishes on other menus. Chef Patrick Enage, who was born in the Philippines, is hoping to open a Southeast Asian restaurant, Akinto, in the Spring of 2017, which will have some Filipino dishes. That will be a great start but we need even more Filipino dishes and restaurants in the Boston area.

3) More Local Seafood
Something is seriously wrong as the U.S. imports over 90% of their seafood. Where is the love for domestic seafood? There is plenty of sustainable and delicious domestic seafood available and more of it needs to be served at restaurants and eaten at homes. For example, why serve Asian shrimp, especially considering problems such as the Thai slavery scandal, when Gulf shrimp can be just as good? We should support local fishermen and our local economy by buying more local seafood. Local seafood is also more traceable, so you know where it has been counter to imported seafood which can have a much murkier origin. Price alone shouldn't be the reason to opt for imported seafood. Last year saw an increase in our annual consumption of seafood of about one pound, which is a a very positive sign but it needs to continue.

4) More Breakfast Pizza
A breakfast pizza, such as with potatoes, bacon, cheese and a fried egg, can be absolutely delicious, such as the one at Ciao! Pizza & Pasta. It isn't a difficult dish to create yet you won't find it available on many menus. Think of all the pizza joints you know and then consider which ones make a breakfast pizza. You might know one or two, at best. So why isn't it more popular and available? It is puzzling to me and it seems such a no-brainer. People love pizza so why wouldn't they also love a breakfast pizza? This too seems to be a missed opportunity for many so I hope more restaurants decide to add these to their menu.

5) More Sake at Non-Asian Restaurants
In the Boston area, Sake is largely confined to Asian restaurants and there is no reason why that should be the case. Sake pairs well with all sorts of cuisines, from Italian to French, Barbecue to Burgers. I've previously written about The Science of Sake & Food Pairings, explaining reasons why it pairs so well with varied cuisines. For Sake to become more popular and mainstream, we need more restaurants to carry and promote Sake. Tasting Counter is one of the courageous outliers, a non-Asian restaurant with ten Sakes on their menu. In southern Maine, plenty of non-Asian restaurants now carry the locally made Blue Current Sake. There is now Dovetail Sake, made in Waltham, so Boston restaurants have another local option to add to their drink lists. Sake is not just for Sushi!

6) More Mezcal Bars
There are plenty of Tequila bars in the Boston area, and even those which do not specialize in Tequila often carry a significant selection of Tequilas. However, there are only a handful of Mezcal bars, places which carry at least 20 different Mezcals. With about 100 different bottlings available in Massachusetts, there are plenty of Mezcal options for bars and restaurants to carry. Mezcal is often traditionally produced, can be made from numerous types of agave, and can be complex and delicious, unique and compelling. Mezcal needs far more attention and consumers will embrace it once they realize its wonders.

What food & drink trends would you like to see in 2016?