Recent Food & Drink Highlights

Today, I'd like to highlight of some of the foods and related-shops I've recently enjoyed. I want to spread the joy of some delicious dishes and worthy food shops.

Chicken Skin Crisps! I recently stopped at the World Market at Assembly Row in Somerville, a store which sells furniture, home decor, and lots of food, from all over the world. I was impressed with the variety of food and drinks you could find here, from chocolates to teas, Japanese goodies to English ones. I picked up several items, including the above, Flock Chicken Skin Crisps. They are made from chicken skins and "culinary seasonings." They also state they possess 13 grams of protein, no carbs, and no sugar. They were very crunchy and tasty, not too salty, and made for an excellent snack. They sell several other flavors as well, including Nashville Hot, Ranch, Buffalo, Barbecue, Teriyaki, and Dill Pickle.

Cal's Creamery, in Reading, offers delicious, homemade ice cream, and their Sundaes are especially delicious. They stock over 50 different flavors of ice cream, some seasonal, and you might find flavors such as Baklava, Salted Caramel Cow, Nutella Chip, Oreo Cheesecake, Cannoli, Saltz Pretz, and all of the usual regular flavors, like Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry. On many summer days, there's a line outside their ordering windows. You can eat outside at a few picnic tables, or dine inside at one of their interior tables. 

Their Sundaes come in Small ($8.41) and Large ($9.35), and the Small comes with two scoops while the Large has three scoops. You can get scoops of all of the same ice cream, and get different flavors. I chose a Small, with scoops of Banana Cream Pie and Coconut Macaroon. You then have a choice of sauces, including Hot Fudge, Caramel, Peanut Butter, Pineapple, Salted Caramel and Strawberry. I opted for the Salted Caramel. Next, you can get home-made whipped cream or marshmallow, and then have the option for walnuts and a cherry. I chose whipped cream, nuts and the cherry. This might be a Small, but it's a hearty dish, and the ice cream is creamy and flavorful. And the whipped cream is a great addition, with a firm and creamy texture, and it's not overly sweet. Rather than lunch one day, why not have a delicious ice cream sundae?  

I most often dine at Cappa's Trackside Kitchen, in Melrose, for breakfast. I especially love their Pancakes, although their egg dishes, including omelets, are very good as well. Very reasonably priced, good portions, and tasty food all combine to make this spot an excellent breakfast choice. They also serve Lunch, and I've recently gone there a few times to check it out. I ordered one of their Cheeseburgers, and got it with a side of Steak Fries, although I wasn't expecting what arrived. What huge slices of potato! A crunchy exterior with the softer potato interior. Such a tasty dish, and it's rare to find any restaurant serving these type of fries. The Cheeseburger was tasty as well. 

You're unlikely to walk by The Bread Basket, in Danvers, as it's a bit off the beaten path, a side street off Maple Street where most of the businesses are located. However, it's well worth the short detour. It's a French bakery, which makes breads and pastries, croissants and cookies. I was intrigued by the loaf of Cinnamon Babka, which in the above photo is behind the Chocolate Chip Babka. It was a good choice, filled with lots of cinnamon flavor, permeating much of the loaf, and the bread itself was soft and with some crunch from its exterior. If you love cinnamon, this would be a great choice. As I was ready to leave with my purchase, one of the cooks put out a basket of fresh, hot baguettes, and I had to buy one. Once I got to my car, I tore off a piece of the baguette as I couldn't wait to taste it, especially as it was hot. And it was everything I wanted in such a baguette, a crusty exterior with a fluffy interior. If only I had some butter with me at the moment. 

Also in Danvers, Tea Camilla is an independent tea shop, which sells over 150 loose-leaf teas and botanicals, as well as books, cups, candles, and other related items. What a huge selection of teas, including white, green, black, rooibos, and more. A number of the teas are flavored, and there's plenty of diversity in those flavors. You can purchase a packaged, small amount of the teas, often containing 1/2 to 1 ounce, or you can purchase a larger package. The small packages are a great way to try out the teas, to see if you like them or not. I ended up buying 6 different teas, including a Butterscotch White Tea, a Golden Tipped Yunnan Black Tea, and a Peach Oolong Tea. I've been using them to make iced tea, and I've loved all of the teas so far. The flavored teas are more subtle, and not overwhelming, and they don't present as sweet. You might think the Butterscotch would have been sweet, but it wasn't, and added more a creaminess to the tea, with the taste if butterscotch. 

They also serve hot and cold teas, and will make a hot tea for you from any of the teas they sell. Everything is made from scratch, including the iced teas, so you have to wait a short time for you tea to be ready, but you'll be very pleased with the results. 

Happy 2nd Anniversary To Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet!

Happy 2nd Anniversary, and Best Wishes for many more years to come, to the owners of Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet in Melrose. 

Today, Saturday, August 15, is their 2nd Anniversary. Two years ago, when I first met the new owners, Vijay, Puja, Andy, and Brian, it was with a little trepidation as we discussed their plans for the shop. That's a normal situation for employees when new owners take on any existing business. It raises a number of questions in your mind. What's their objective for the business? How will the business change? Will the staff be retained?

As I've mentioned before, their initial answers were very positive, and uttered with complete sincerity, so that my trepidations soon vanished. They wanted the shop to be an artisan wine, beer and spirits store. They certainly didn't want to turn it into a generic package or convenience store, and didn't want to add lottery or cigarettes. They also planned on retaining any of the staff who desired to work there. Finally, although there would be changes, they hoped it would only be positive ones, those which would further their primary objective. 

During their first year, I was pleased that they lived up to everything they told me on that first day. All of the new owners were sincere and hardworking, fully open to suggestions from all of the staff. Now, two years later, I'm even more pleased with the direction of the shop. There have been additional changes during the past year, and more changes are planned for the future. And all of these changes have continued to enhancing their original objective. 

If you've visited the shop during the past two years, you may have seen Puja, who's the primary owner of Victoria Hill, responsible for the day to day operations. She has been instrumental in helping it become a destination shop, not just a neighborhood store, a place which attracts people from all of the surrounding communities and not just Melrose. In large part, this is accomplished by offering products that aren't available at many other local wine and liquor shops, including the big box shops. The diversity of their selection continues to always expand, and have been greatly embraced by the customers. Puja constantly and actively seeks out new wines for the shop. 

For example, the wine selections, numbering around 600, usually include offerings from over 25 different countries, including less commonly available wines from regions including Croatia, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Mexico, Palestine, Ukraine, Slovenia, Hungary, and more. Wines from additional countries are also added when good choices become available. 

The first time I've ever tasted wines from Palestine and the Ukraine was when they became available at the shop. I hadn't previously seen them at any other local shop. These have been delicious wines, indicative of the potential of these lesser known wine producing countries. And many customers have indicated their happiness at being able to obtain these more unique wines.     

To expand the wine selection, adding maybe another 50 or so wines, a couple new wooden wine shelves have been recently added. These shelves have not yet been stocked, but plans are in the works to fill them in the near future. One element of this plan is to expand the Italian wine section, adding even more red wines from all across Italy.   

The shop also stocks about 350 "Natural Wines," a significant amount more than a year ago. The term "Natural Wines," is used as an overall designation for wines that are Biodynamic, organic, sustainable, or similarly produced, whether certified or not. To more easily locate the Natural wines, you simply have to check the wine price labels, shown above, and look for an "N" in the right hand corner. More Natural wines continue to be added all the time.  

As the holiday season approaches, even more wines will be added, included more higher end wines, which are great gifts for family and friends. If you are seeking more unique wines to give as gifts, or want to drink something special at your holiday gatherings, come here and we can find something to meet your desires.

The store also carries a variety of interesting and delicious Sakes, including Junmai, Honjozo, Ginjo, Daiginjo, Sparkling Sake and more. There are even a few Natural Sakes, which are very uncommon. If you need help selecting Sake, just ask me while I'm working and I'll be more than willing to assist you. We'll likely have a Sake Tasting around the start of October to celebrate International Sake Day, which is on October 1.

There's a chiller unit, which mostly contains wines, including Sparkling wines, White wines, Rosé wines, Orange wines and even chillable Red wines.  

Besides the diverse wine selection, the Beer chiller also contains an excellent assortment, about 200, of craft beers and ciders, many from New England breweries, as well as some of the usual favorites, from Modelo to Budweiser. New beers and ciders are added all the time, including seasonal selections. And yes, pumpkin beers are now being stocked! Customers have been very complimentary about the beer selection. 

The Spirits selection, from whiskey to mezcal, rum to tequila, vodka to liqueurs, is diverse as well, including some harder to find selections, from Blanton's Bourbon to Chartreuse, although such spirits aren't always available as only limited amounts are received. For example of the diversity, there are now Gins from all over the world, such as from Greece, Japan, Ireland, Mexico and other countries and U.S. states. Local spirits can also be found, from producers such as Barr Hill and Short Path. 

There are a number of snacks available, from popcorn to potato chips, chocolate to crackers. There is also a chiller containing a variety of cheese, including a few from one of my favorites, Tillamook. 

I continue to conduct Wine Tastings every Thursday evening, from 5-7pm, and every Saturday afternoon, from 1-4pm. The tastings showcase diverse wines, exposing many customers to wines, countries and grapes they have never previously sampled. Customers have been very appreciative of this approach, and open to tasting more unique wines. They have often found new favorite wines, buying wines they wouldn't have purchased on their own, wary of buying a wine they've never experienced or knew little about. There have also been plenty of repeat customers who regularly come to the tastings to experience these new wines. 

On Friday nights, there are also often additional tastings, mainly conducted by distributors, of Wine, Beer or Spirits. Please come by any of these tastings to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines, beers and spirits.  

Many thanks go to Vijay, Puja, Andy, and Brian, for creating an excellent store, for carrying a diverse and interesting selection, and for being open to suggestions. They have worked very hard during these past two years, and it has been a real pleasure to work for them. 

If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out this destination spot as you are likely to find plenty of selections that aren't available at your own neighborhood wine shop. And please come to the tastings and learn more about the wonders of wines, beer and spirits from all over the world! 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet
538 Main Street, Melrose
(781) 665-3332
Hours of Operation: Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; 

Sunday: 10am-7pm. 

Follow the shop on Facebook and Instagram

Delicious Dishes of January 2026

With the onset of the New Year, I've already enjoyed plenty of delicious dishes in January 2026. I wanted to highlight some of those dishes, as, for various reasons, they wouldn't otherwise be showcased in their own articles. However, they are still worthy of being showcased, and the restaurants deserve the recognition. 

Il Ponte, one of my Top Five Favorite Restaurants, offered maybe my favorite dish of 2026 so far, which was a Special one evening. Home-made pasta, in a creamy black truffle sauce, and then topped by white truffles (which were shaved table-side). Decadent and delicious, earthy and creamy, with perfectly cooked pasta. Chef Beni Kurti and his culinary team never disappoint, and if you haven't dined there yet, then do so. All of their food is made in-house, from their pasta to their desserts, from their pizza to their breads.   

   

Thai Chili Basil, in Melrose, is a tiny take-out (or delivery) Thai restaurant with tasty food. I regularly order from here, dishes such as Kao Mun Gai Tod, Chiangmai Noodle, and Pad Thai Gai Grob. One of my favorite new dishes is their Soy Garlic Korean Wings (fried chicken wings grazed with soy garlic sauce Korean style), which can be ordered in 6 or 12 pieces. Honestly, these are some of the best chicken wings I've had in quite some time. They are large and meaty pieces, with an excellent crispy coating, and that crunch remains for quite some time. Some chicken wings don't transport well, losing some of their crunch, but these don't. The sauce is sweet and tangy, and the added sesame seeds add a mild nuttiness and enhanced crunch. The meat is tender and plentiful, and these would be a great choice for a Super Bowl snack. 

Fumi Hibachi, also in Melrose, is another tiny take-out restaurant, offering delicious Hibachi, Sushi, and Chinese food. I regularly order from here, especially if I'm craving Sushi. They offer Lunch specials, seven days a week, which include Sushi Specials and Bento Boxes. They offer 9 different Bento Boxes ($12.99-$17.99), such as General Tso, Hibachi Steak and Hibachi Seared Scallops. They come with salad, clear soup, fried rice, 2 Pork Gyoza, and 4 pieces of California roll.

The Sushi Specials include items such as a Sushi Lunch, Sashimi Lunch, or Sushi & Sashimi Lunch. I like their Maki specials, either two ($11.95) or three ($15.95) rolls of your choice (with 25 different choices available). These are excellent values, and you can save $5 or more off the price than if you had ordered the rolls separately. In addition, you receive a small salad and a bowl of miso soup, making it even a better value. Above, I ordered three Maki rolls, including Shrimp Tempura, Chicken Tempura and Sweet Potato Tempura. Certainly a hearty and delicious dish, especially with the addition of the hot and tasty miso soup. 

Anthony's Italian Specialties, in Stoneham, has some of the best, and largest, sandwiches in the area, and I've been patronizing this spot since I was a teenager. They have remained consistent over the years, never skimping on the size or quality of their sandwiches. They are most famous for their Italian sandwiches, which are stuffed with various meats and cheeses, and toppings. However, all of their sandwiches are worthy, from their Pastrami to their Lobster Rolls (available only on Fridays).

Above is their "Cadillac," the nickname for their fried chicken cutlet, Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, oil and balsamic glaze sandwich. You can also have it with roasted peppers. It's available on a bulky roll, sub roll or a braided roll (which I ordered). At $19.80, this sandwich is large enough to feed two people, or you can eat half and save the other half for another meal. It's an excellent blend of textures and flavors, the warm and meaty cutlet with its crispy coating, the salty prosciutto, the creamy mozzarella, and the sweet glaze. 

Donuts With A Difference, in Medford, is an old-school doughnut shop, which makes a variety of more traditional donuts in their kitchen. They are delicious and inexpensive, and sometimes they are even warm when you receive them. You can get a dozen donuts for $19, less than half (if not more) than you'll find at many other donut shops. They only sell donuts, and not breakfast sandwiches, bagels, or other such items. They also have coffee and tea, and their fresh-brewed iced tea is my beverage or choice. Their customer service is also excellent, and if you don't see a donut available on the shelves, you can ask them when it might be available. And if it's only a short time, you can sit and wait at the counter for it to arrive. And that wait is more than worth it for a fresh, warm donut. Last week, I waited for their Coffee Rolls (only $2.79 each) to be available, and it was superb, warm, soft and sweet. They are quite large and I often order at least one when I stop here. 

What were some of your favorite dishes in January? 

Happy 1st Anniversary To Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to the owners of Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet in Melrose! And Best Wishes for many more years to come. 

A year ago, I first met the new owners, Vijay, Andy, Puja, and Brian, and it was with a little trepidation that we discussed their plans for the shop. That's a normal situation with new owners of any business. What is their objective for the business? How will the business change? Will the staff be retained?

Their answers were very positive, and uttered with complete sincerity, so that my trepidations vanished. They wanted the shop to be an artisan wine, beer and spirits store. They certainly didn't want to turn it into a package or convenience store. They also planned on retaining any of the staff who desired to work there. Finally, there would be changes, but they hoped only positive ones, those which would further their primary objective. 

After this past year, I'm pleased to report that they have lived up to everything they told me that first day. All of the new owners are sincere and hardworking, fully open to suggestions from all of the staff. And all of the current staff previously worked for Beacon Hill Wine.  

Victoria Hill is a destination shop, not just a neighborhood shop, a place which attracts people from all of the surrounding communities. In large part, this is accomplished by offering products that aren't available at many other local wine and liquor shops, including the big box shops. The diversity of their selection continues to always expand, and have been greatly welcomed by the customers. 

For example, the wine selections, numbering around 600, include offerings from about 25 different countries, including less commonly available wines from regions including Croatia, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Peru, Brazil, Slovenia, Hungary, Switzerland, and more. Wines from additional countries, such as Mexico, Canada, and England, may be added in the future when good choices can be found.    

To expand their wine selection, new wooden wine shelves, such as the ones pictured above, have been added, allowing the shop to stock even more wines. These two shelving units are devoted to Portuguese and Spanish wines, from Vinho Verde to Port, from Albarino to Txacoli.  

There's also a new shelving unit for Sparkling Wines (from Crémant to House Champagne, Cava to Grower Champagne) and Rosé Wines (from Provence to Txakoli, Italy to California). The shelving unit also has some Ciders, Non-alcoholic Wines, Mocktails and Mixers. 

In addition, about 25%-30% of their wine selection are "Natural Wines," which is used as an overall designation for wines that are Biodynamic, organic, sustainable, or similarly produced, whether certified or not. To more easily locate the Natural wines, you simply have to check the new wine price labels, shown above, and look for an "N" in the right hand corner. More Natural wines continue to be added all the time.  

The store also carries a variety of interesting and delicious Sakes, from Junmai to Honjozo, Ginjo to Daiginjo, Sparkling Sake to Yuzu Infused. And if you need help selecting Sake, just ask me while I'm working and I'll be more than willing to help you.

I continue to conduct Wine Tastings every Thursday evening, from 5-7pm, and every Saturday afternoon, from 1-4pm. The tastings showcase diverse wines, exposing many customers to wines, countries and grapes they have never previously sampled. Customers have been very appreciative of this approach, and open to tasting more unique wines. They have often found new favorite wines, buying wines they wouldn't have purchased on their own, wary of buying a wine they've never experienced or knew little about. There have also been plenty of repeat customers who regularly come to the tastings to experience these new wines. 

On Friday nights, there are also often additional tastings, of Wine, Beer or Spirits. Please come by any of these tastings to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines, beers and spirits.  

Besides the diverse wine selection, the Beer chiller contains an excellent assortment of craft beers and ciders, many from local breweries, as well as some of the usual favorites, from Modelo to Budweiser. Customers have been very complimentary about the beer selection. 

The Spirits selection is diverse as well, including some harder to find selections, from Blanton's Bourbon to Chartreuse. Local spirits can also be found, from producers such as Barr Hill and Short Path.

Another physical change to the store has been new and extra lighting, to make the store brighter and easier for customers to see all of the selections. A new chiller case was also added, which holds wines, single beers, and hard seltzers.   

More changes are in the planning stages as well, such as the addition of more wooden wine racks, and possibly a new wine tasting station. As the holiday season approaches, even more wines will be added, included more higher end wines, which are great gifts for family and friends. 

Many thanks go to Vijay, Andy, Puja, and Brian, for creating an excellent store, for carrying a diverse and interesting selection, and for being open to suggestions. They have worked very hard during this past year, and it has been a real pleasure to work for them. 

If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your new neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out this destination spot as you are likely to find plenty of selections that aren't available at your own neighborhood wine shop. And please come to the tastings and learn more about the wonders of wines, beer and spirits from all over the world! 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet
538 Main Street, Melrose
(781) 665-3332
Hours of Operation: Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm. 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet: An Update on the New Shop

Eight months have now passed since Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet in Melrose replaced the former Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet. I worked at Beacon Hill for about 12 years, and have continued to work at the new Victoria Hill. I previously wrote an update about Victoria Hill at its third month anniversary, and now I want to update my thoughts and insights about the new shop. 

First, Victoria Hill is an artisan wine, beer and spirits shop which is intended to be a destination shop, not merely a neighborhood store. Its objective is to attract customers not only from Melrose but also from all of the surrounding communities. This is done by offering products that aren't available at other local wine and liquor shops, including the big box shops. The diversity of their selection continues to always expand, and have been greatly welcomed by the customers. 

To expand their wine selection, new wine shelves, such as the one pictured above, have been added, allowing the shop to stock even more wine selections. As an example, the shelves above contain Portuguese wines, from Vinho Verde to Port, Madeira to Douro still wines. Spanish wines are on similar new wine shelves.  

There's also a new shelving unit for Sparkling Wines (from Crémant to House Champagne, Cava to Grower Champagne) to Rosé Wines (from Provence to Txakoli, Italy to California). Overall, the shop now stocks approximately 600 wines! 

Victoria Hill also carries about 125 "Natural Wines," which is used as an overall designation for wines that are Biodynamic, organic, sustainable, or similarly produced, whether certified or not. To more easily locate the Natural wines, you simply have to check the new wine price labels, shown above, and look for an "N" in the right hand corner. More Natural wines will be coming in the near future too.  

The wine selections also now come from about 25 different countries, including less commonly available wines from regions including Croatia, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Uruguay, Slovenia, Switzerland, and more. Wines from additional countries will also be added over the next several months.   

I have continued to conduct Wine Tastings every Thursday evening, from 5-7pm, and every Saturday afternoon, from 1-4pm. The tastings showcase diverse wines, exposing many customers to wines, countries and grapes they have never previously sampled. Customers have been very appreciative of this approach, and open to tasting more unique wines. They have often found new favorite wines, buying wines they wouldn't have purchased on their own, wary of buying a wine they've never experienced or knew little about. There have also been plenty of repeat customers who regularly come to the tastings to experience these new wines. 

The shop also conducts Beer Tastings and Spirit tastings on Friday nights. Please come by any of these tastings to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines, beers and spirits.  

Besides the diverse wine selection, the beer and spirits selection has also grown in numbers and diversity. The main beer chiller above contains many different craft beers, including plenty of local selections. The spirits selection has also expanded, including some harder to find items, from Blanton's Bourbon to Chartreuse.

Much positive progress has been made during their first eight months, and the store has plans for additional changes. They are also open to suggestions and recommendations. If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your new neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out Victoria Hill as you are likely to plenty of selections that aren't available at your own neighborhood wine shop. And please come to the wine tastings and learn more about the wonders of wines from all over the world! 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet
538 Main Street, Melrose
(781) 665-3332
Hours of Operation: Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm. 

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet: Happy 3 Month Anniversary

Today's the 3 Month Anniversary of the new Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet in Melrose, which replaced the former Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet. I worked at Beacon Hill for about 12 years, and have continued to work at the new Victoria Hill. So, let me share some of my thoughts and insights about the first three months of the new shop. 

First, the new owners, Vijay, Andy, Brian and Puja, are very sincere and hardworking, and intend the shop to be an artisan wine, beer and spirits shop. They are not seeking to turn it into a package store or convenience store. It's intended to be a destination shop, and not merely a neighborhood shop, so that people from all of the surrounding communities will want to shop there too. And the changes they have already initiated have largely moved towards the achievement of that objective. 

Second, the shop is obviously still a work in progress, and more changes will be coming over the next months. During the past three months, there has been much positive progress moving forward, and the new owners have various plans for the future, all continuing to move towards their primary objective. Many customers have been complimentary about the various changes. 

Third, the new owners have been expanding the available selections, both alcohol and gourmet food, on a variety of levels. There are numerous new beer selections, from local brews to beers from places like China and the Philippines. The whiskey selection has expanded, including some harder to find selections, from Blanton's Bourbon to Buffalo Trace. And there have been some additional intriguing new spirits, from Chartreuse to Japanese Vermouth.

Of particular interest to me, the wine selection has become larger and more diverse. The shop now carries over 500 different wines and Sake, from 19 countries, including: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States (California, New York, Oregon and Washington). And more wines are coming, including some from other countries, maybe including places like Armenia, Great Britain, Mexico, Moldova, Turkey and Uruguay. Numerous more natural wines are also on the shelves. 

Fourth, I now conduct Wine Tastings every Thursday evening, from 5-7pm, and every Saturday, from 1-4pm. I try to showcase all of the different wines we now carry, to expose people to the diversity of wine. Customers seem to be very appreciative of this approach, and open to trying more unique wines. We have plenty of repeat customers who regularly come to the tastings to experience new wines. The shop also conducts Beer Tastings on Friday nights. Please come by at any of these times to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines and beers.  

Fifth, some of the physical changes to the store include new lighting, to make the store brighter, and a new chiller case, which holds wines, single beers, and hard seltzers. Additional wine shelves have been added, with more to come, allowing the shop to stock even more of a diversity of wine selections.  

Much positive progress has been made, and it will continue in the future. If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your new neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out Victoria Hill as you are likely to find a number of selections that aren't available at your own neighborhood wine shop. Victoria Hill is intended to be a destination spot, where people from all of the surrounding communities will want to come because of its unique and diverse selection.

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet
538 Main Street, Melrose
(781) 665-3332
Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm. 

Sake Day Celebration: September 28 in Melrose

Raise an ochoko, a small, traditional Sake cup, and celebrate Sake Day ("Nihonshu no Hi"), which occurs on October 1. Sake Day originated back in 1978 by a declaration of the Japan Saké Brewers Association. It's now celebrated worldwide, although local celebrations are sparse.

 

Why was October 1 chosen? Interestingly, the Chinese character for Sake (酒) is very similar to the Chinese zodiac sign for the Rooster (酉), the tenth sign. Thus, the first day of the tenth month, October, became Sake Day. It may also be due in part to the fact that October is generally the start of the Sake brewing season.

This year, I will be presiding over a special Sake Tasting event to celebrate Sake Day. On Saturday, September 28, from 1pm-4pm, come see me at Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet (538 Main St., Melrose). I will be pouring 5 different Sakes, along with some nibbles, and providing interesting information and education about the wonders of Sake. 

Forget about that cheap, hot Sake you might have had at some Asian restaurant! These will be premium, chilled Sakes. Sake is also not just for Sushi. It's very food friendly and you can drink it with any type of food. If you attend the tasting, you will also get a Sake handout that includes a recipe for Garlic Teriyaki Sauce (which uses Sake) and two recipes for Sake cocktails. 

Hope you see you on September 28. Kanpai!

A New Wine Shop in Melrose: Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet

There's a new wine shop in Melrose.....

About 15 years ago, Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet, owned and operated by Rebecca & Gene Beraldi, was established in Melrose, and I worked there for 12 of those years. In mid-August, the Beraldis sold the store, which is now known as Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet. I have remained as an employee at the new store. 

The new owners, Vijay, Andy, Brian and Puja, are very sincere people and they intend the shop to be an artisan wine, beer and spirits shop. They are not seeking to turn it into a package store or convenience store. They have been expanding the available selections on a variety of levels. Obviously, with the new ownership, there have been changes at the wine shop, but they have largely been positive, and the owners have been very open to suggestions about such changes. 

For example, one of the minor changes is that Rosé wines are now stocked in the chiller, which I believe is an excellent idea. This has been met with positive feedback from many customers. Another change is that numerous different beers, especially IPAs, are now stocked in the chillers, although many old favorites are still stocked, and that new beer selection has also been met with raves from the beer customers. 

A variety of new wine selections have also been added, with many more coming in the next few months, including wines from Portugal, Georgia, Greece, Lebanon, Moldova, Croatia, and more. Customers will have many intriguing choices in what wines to purchase. I've had some input in the new wines and Sakes that have been brought in, such as the Ramos Pinto Ports, including their amazing 20 Year Old Tawny. Another example is that I also suggested wines from Lebanon, from the famed Chateau Musar (pictured above). Come see me at the store and I'll show you all of the new wines.

Chartreuse, the acclaimed liqueur made by Carthusian monks, is also now available at the shop. As devotees of this spirit know, there has been a shortage of Charteuse for several years, and it has been difficult to find in local shops. So, if you're interested in this French herbal liqueur, you now know where you can find a bottle. Although it might sell out soon, so take action if you want to purchase a bottle. 

We're conducting Wine Tastings every Saturday, from 1-4pm, sampling new wines, as well as every Thursday night, starting at 5pm. Soon, we will also be conducting Beer Tastings on Friday nights, and additional special tasting events might occur on other nights. Please come by at any of these times to expand your palate and taste some delicious and fascinating new wines!

We will be holding a special Sake Tasting event on Saturday, September 28, in honor of International Sake Day on October 1. We shall have several Sakes to sample, accompanied by some nibbles, and everyone who attends the event will receive a special handout with information about Sake, including a food recipe and a couple cocktail recipes. More information about this Sake event will be posted soon. 

If you live in Melrose, check out Victoria Hill and see what your new neighborhood wine, beer & spirits shop has to offer. If you live outside Melrose, please also check out Victoria Hill as you are likely to find a number of selections that aren't available at your neighborhood wine shop. Victoria Hill is intended to be a destination spot, where people from all of the surrounding communities will want to come because of its unique and diverse selection.

Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet

538 Main Street, Melrose

(781) 665-3332

Monday to Wednesday: 10am-8pm, Thursday to Saturday: 10am-9pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm.