Drink Eat Love

Fig Heaven

Ever since David and I took up residence in our little country house just outside the center of Granada back in March, I've admired a gnarled old shade tree that hangs over the table on our barbecue terrace. But it wasn't until the summer, when it started sprouting small, green teardrop-shaped fruit, that I realized it was a fig tree.

My First Tortilla

Despite our poorly equipped kitchen—no oven, no food processor or blender, just a two-burner hot plate—David and I have been cooking up a storm here in Spain. We make a lot of Italian, Middle Eastern and Asian dishes, but one thing that's been conspicuously missing from our it's-a-small-word repertoire is Spanish food.

Simple Pleasures

Last week I turned 31. Not a number that conjures up grand parties or great reflection, but for me it was a day of simple pleasures and lead to a wine discovery this week. On January 21st, I was invited to see the Golden State Warriors with three good friends. I am an avid Warrior fan, and the chance to sit two rows off the floor on my birthday was not something I could pass up.

The four of us met up in the parking lot pre-game for a little wine geek tailgate: A bottle of Bollinger Champagne and a bottle of Italian rosé that I cannot remember at the moment. This is the way everyone should do the pre-game. Before we went into the arena JD, one of my pals and owner of a very small wine importer/distributor gave me a bottle of Catina Tollo Pecorino (no it is not bottled cheese). I put the bottle in my trunk and off to the game we went. The Warriors lost by one point with one second left, tough loss.

Needing something Cozy

The past few weeks here in the Bay Area has been windy, wet and chilly. My wife and I have been trying to stay warm in our 100-year-old apartment by cozying up with one-pot dishes and wines to match. As we enter the depth of our Northern California winter (those in the Midwest and Northeast will laugh at us, but it is cold to us Californians) there are certain dishes and wines that can warm a dreary winter evening quicker than Wilfred Brimley with a bowl of oatmeal. This past Sunday and Monday we cooked two dishes that thawed us out and we drank two wines that warmed out souls: Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 from Oakville and Jeriko Estate Merlot from Mendocino. Winter is the perfect time to cozy up with a loved one, a book, and/or a great movie and share a bottle of deep rich red wine.

Anyone Can Cook...Even Me

To follow up on the "anyone can cook" theme, I wanted to offer a recipe that is easy to make, good for you, and REALLY yummy! I have cooked this 4 times in the past three weeks. It features Yukon River Salmon as the focal point of the dish and is as simple as simple can be. In the majority of the cooking I do, I prefer the main ingredient to speak for itself and let the spices or sauces just add a kiss of flavor. This makes it VERY important for you to source the best available ingredients for your dishes.