Stir Food Group’s Director of Wine and Spirits, Elli Benchimol
Something wicked this way comes, it’s Halloween weekend, make sure you are stocked up on on plenty of warm “fuzzy sweater” reds as I like to call them.  Fuzzy sweater reds can be any number of grape varietals, syrah, grenache and mouvedre, which make up the popular blends of Australia and Southern Rhone.
These earthy rich reds can vary from place to place, in France, they can take on beautiful notes of cocoa and cured meat, and bright red fruits, to black …

Executive Chef, Bryan Moscatello
Last week I was talking about gelatos and it seemed very season appropriate because it was a 70 degree day in the middle of October.  However this week the weather and my focus has changed to stews.  It’s raining damp and there is a distinct chill in the air.  As I am thinking about what I would like to eat today I just keep coming back to a dish I used to sell in the Aspen mountains -a venison and winter squash pot pie.  This dish had …

Stir Food Group’s Director of Wine and Spirits, Elli Benchimol
Fortified wines are coming back in style!   Being a bicentennial baby, I am always searching for a vintage “something” from my birth year,… unfortunately 1976 was not a great year for wine in general, wasn’t even a declared vintage port year… but I lucked out with vintage Madeira… there are some amazing styles and vintages out there, and the fortified wines are back, and the savvy wine drinker welcomes them…
What makes a fortified wine? The toasty addition of alcohol before, during …

Executive Chef, Bryan Moscatello

 
I Know, why am I writing about frozen dessert when we are in the midst of the cooler weather of autumn?  Well first it is quite warm today and second I spent my morning making, tasting and freezing gelato. 
I think I am more of a gelato man.  Gelato is very old world of course no short cuts so that means no fruit purees, no nut pastes, no color additives, etc.  When making different flavors only fresh and natural ingredients are used. So for a classic pistachio gelato …

Stir Food Group’s Director of Wine and Spirits, Elli Benchimol
The punch bowl was always a fun retro cocktail I liked to bring in for special events and parties… but with the cool weather biting at your face, I start thinking about mulled cider and nog…, plus I just like saying that word “Nog”, go ahead say it, it’s fun!
Punch is a general term for any of a wide assortment of mixed drinks, either soft or alcoholic, often rum, generally containing fruit or fruit juice. The drink was brought from India …

Executive Chef, Bryan Moscatello
Maine Lobster has long been a very sought after luxury commodity, but now it seems that people are shying away from so called luxury items including lobster, foie gras, caviar, truffles, etc.  This has caused, at least in the lobster market, a drop in price on some of the sizes of this delicacy.  Does this mean that it is no longer a luxury ingredient? Will it now become food for the masses? Or does it simply mean a sell-off of current inventories and a price rise just …

Stir Food Group’s Director of Wine and Spirits, Elli Benchimol
And with it comes the addition of the vampire craze.  I have to say I was vamp before vamp was cool, and I stand firm on that statement.
What caused this craze, and why is it so popular today…?  And how has the beverage industry tapped into this blood thirsty community…?  Well it helps that the actors portraying these heartless killers are extremely attractive…  And with the new Twilight saga, which depicts vampires as the sensitive, gentile and caring creatures that sparkle …

Executive Chef, Bryan Moscatello
I have to tell you that a great hamburger is one of my favorite lower end foods. But these days a hamburger may not have a very low end price tag. You know there are many different types of burgers to choose from as well. I’m not talking different meats or from different restaurants either. I am speaking to the thin griddled burger that is so riddled with fat even when it is well done it still has more moisture than some medium rare burgers. The big …