Food & Wine — Chardonnay

These delicious crab cakes are extra crispy because they are quickly dredged in panko before cooking. Serve them with a roasted red pepper aioli and paired with Chardonnay or crisp Sauvignon Blanc to round off your dish.Makes 6 to 8 appetizer size crab cakes. Ingredients: 1/2 cup sweet onion, finely diced 1/4 cup celery, finely diced 1/3 cup red pepper, finely diced 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley 1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped 2 generous shakes of Tabasco 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup plain panko plus 1...

Lobster is a favorite for many, but often seems out of reach when market price can break the bank. Luckily, grilling lobster at home is surprisingly easy! Go to your local seafood vendor, or even Costco, to pick up some tails. You don't have to buy whole live lobsters to make this fabulous meal at home. Since you already have the coals going, you might as well grill up some corn on the cob and your favorite vegetable. Asparagus and zucchini are our favorites. Lobster prepared with butter can be paired with a medium bodied white wine with small nuance of...

Chardonnay from California has definitely gained a specific style for the pass few decades. However one winery continues to consistently make great Chardonnay without adapting to the mass commercial style that dominates store shelves. Mount Eden Vineyards is considered one of California’s original boutique wineries that was founded in 1945. Focusing on small lots of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery is perched at 2000 feet overlooking Silicon Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountain Appellation. Planted in infertile Franciscan shale, exposed on the mountain top, these low –yielding estate vineyards have produced world class wines for over half-century....

Oysters have come a long way in food history. There are hundreds of preparations and heated debates on how to cook and eat them properly. They served as as a gateway to the wonderful world of gastronomy. Just ask any esteemed foodie, chef and culinary enthusiast about their first oyster experience.                     Image from back Appetites. Photo Credit: Bobby Fisher From Anthony Bourdain's book Kitchen Confidential, he recalled a detailed childhood trip to France where he experienced oysters for the first time by a fisherman named Monsieur Saint-Jour. "I took it in my hand,...

                      It is artichoke season and there's nothing quite like the ritual of devouring them leaf by leaf while drowning each petal in butter or aoli. While a few squirts of fresh lemon juice with melted butter is the usual choice, there are also so many other delicious dipping options. Here we explore a couple more savory condiments as well as going through the steps of preparing and cooking the artichoke. There are many ways to cook an artichoke, however roasting is our favorite since it accentuates their nutty flavor....