Cooking With The Whineaux

Between you and me, since we’re all such great friends — I do not have a “cool card” nor have I ever had one.  The “cool card” is what I believe ultra hip people flash at each other like badges to get into exclusive places with trendy decor and food.  When I manage to sneak [...]

I have to admit, I was skeptical when I saw the announcement that Celtic Clan was performing for Valentine’s Day on the “Paddy ‘O Bar” at the Celebration Town Tavern . Valentines Day is quite, it’s “romantic”, it’s well, fussy.  I’ve never thought of it as a day that I’d go hear an Irish band [...]

When I go to a foreign city, especially Paris or Rome — I walk around with a map in hand and a vague idea of where I am.  I think it’s the best way to experience the city.  Today — I did that in the Latin Quarter in Paris.  My primary destination was the Conciergierie [...]

Last night we decided to go to the Portabello Yacht Club in Downtown Disney for dinner. Here’s the abridged review — save your money.  We had a great appetizer (Arancini, but to dumb it down for the tourist crowd it was called mozzarella rice balls) I had a nice bowl of house made Italian Wedding [...]

This weekend we had the great pleasure of having lunch at the Rose & Crown Pub located in the UK pavillion in Epcot.  You may be asking yourself; “during the food and wine festival why would they confine themselves to a single restaurant?”  The answer is two fold, 93 degree heat and an impending rain [...]

I haven’t written in so long — I’ve been cooking and eating but I haven’t had time to write and I keep forgetting to take pictures when I cook.  UGH!  So instead of a recipe today I want to share my surprise trip to Chelesea Market. Last week I was in New London, Connecticut shooting [...]

I am so behind on my blogging because of the wine bloggers conference and a very packed work schedule which pays the bills so I can write!  I apologize for the long delay between posts… I have so many things I want to report from the Wine Bloggers Conference, that will for certain be another [...]

Have you ever had a dining experience so irritating that you immediately wanted to go to another restaurant to wipe it out of your mind?  No?  Try Columbia in Celebration.  Everyone should be this miserable once so that you’ll appreciate the good meals however humble or exceptional. We go to Columbia because we crave the [...]

As a whineaux, I have to be honest, I’m typically completely unimpressed by wine and food pairing classes and wine dinners. Yet somehow I’m also inexplicably drawn to them. No matter how much wine I taste (or guzzle) or how many “experts” I meet with I feel quite insecure about my palate which is perhaps [...]

  Inspired by a post titled “10 Things a Chef won’t Tell you” I just read on Chef Gui’s blog; I thought I’d write an open letter to restaurant owners, there are things your customer isn’t telling you….  Do you care?  One caveat, all of this assumes that your kitchen is in order and your [...]