It’s time for holiday shopping and entertaining. Here’s a few things which have come across my door that I think you’ll enjoy. The perfect food basket… Last year, Murray’s Cheese NYC sent me their Most Valuable Player basket to check out. This year, I got La Dolce Vita and it was fantastic.  What a great selection of meats, cheeses, and accompaniments it is. There’s enough to serve at least eight, making it well worth the $120. I also love that the cheeses are each different, from spreadable to aged. Included in Murray’s Cheese NYC La Dolce Vita is: • Fontina Fontal Cheese (a favorite of everyone) • La Tur Creamy Cheese • Pecorino Calabrese Sheep Cheese • Gorgonzola • Murray's Sopressata Salami • Murray's Speck (similar to prosciutto) • Castelvetrano Olives • Sandimiri Crostini Bread On a personal note, it was the first time I’ve had a true (and delicious) Italian salami since leaving New York! Check these chips for a cause...

Whether you are looking for celebratory drinks, gifts, or just ideas for the future – Valentine’s Day is just around the corner – you’ve come to the right place. Reds for Your Table… I’m not a big red wine drinker, but I’ve learned to recognized what makes a good red. Sometimes I even find one that I really want on my own dinner table. I found two that fit that category this month: George Dubceuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2015 This wine is a meal in a glass. You’ll get the spice in the front and the fruit in the back, while it’s rich and jammy throughout. You could pair this with just about anything, but I prefer to sip and savor. Best of all, it’s under $15! Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d ‘Abruzza DOC I love to cook Italian food and I’m always in search for that Italian wine that will complement the meal. I opened a bottle of this Montepulciano (an Italian grape) and it worked perfectly with my Baked Ziti and Italian meatballs. It’s not too dry and full of f...

Whether you are gathering around a Christmas Tree, Menorah or Kinara, holidays are a time for celebrating. Dress up the festivities with some holiday cheer. Happy Holidays Everyone! Mistletoe Delight* 1 ½  oz Grand Marnier 1 ½ oz Cranberry juice ½ oz fresh Lemon juice ½ oz Simple Syrup Fresh Rosemary needles In a shaker with filled with ice, shake the first four ingredients together. Garnish with rosemary needles. Poinsettia* ½ oz Cointreau or Triple Sec Champagne 3 oz Cranberry Juice Chill all of the ingredients beforehand. Pour the Cointreau and cranberry juice into a chilled champagne flute. Stir well and top with champagne. (cocktail pictured right) *If you don’t feel like making these cocktails yourself, stop by Texas de Brazil and let the bartender make one for you! Herradura Pomegranate Swizzle 1 ½ oz Herradura Reposado Tequila 2 oz Pomegranate Juice (unsweetened) ½ oz Vanilla Syrup 1 oz Heavy Cream Candy Cane...

As far as I am concerned, every day is champagne day, but today is actually the official day of celebration for this bubbly from France. I’ve spent a lot of time with one of my favorite beverages in the past year. Last fall, I left my home in Champaign, Illinois, and took a trip with the French tourism board to Champagne, France. I spent four days there learning all about the beverage and the region. During that trip I was able to spend a wonderful night at the Veuve Clicquot estate, Manoir de Verzy. I also had a tour of the winery and went through my first champagne cave. My trip to Champagne also included a chance to sit down with the Krug winemaker Julie Cavill and learn about the process of making champagne. I came home with a bottle of their Grand Cuvee and opened it up on my birthday (it’s wonderful). Krug Master Sommelier Roger Dagorn had his own celebration in New York a few weeks ago when he was honored for his lifetime achievements. In March, I had the pleas...

Flavor! Napa Valley is the ultimate wine and food pairing. This four day event will take place November 17-20 and sommeliers and chefs are joining to put together four days of tasting. There will be demonstrations and dining experiences, as well as seminars that will explain how the pairing process comes into play. The ultimate food and wine event at Flavor! Will be held at The Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena . Over 100 Napa wineries will be paired with over two dozen of the valley's restaurants. For tickets and more information, visit the official website . You can also follow @FlavorNV on Twitter. * * * Experience Napa -- and Sonoma and Champagne -- pairings in Phoenix , as the Arizona Biltmore begins its 22nd season of Winemaker Dinners. The first one (ZD Winery of Napa) was this week, but there's plenty more to come. This is about more than the pairings as guests can hear about the wines direct from the winemakers themselves. There's also...