Pair spring dishes with DelFosse wines

Longtime customers of Afton Mountain Vineyards have started stopping by the farm to say goodbye to its founders.

For the two of us a half-chicken is sufficient for a meal, and even then there is some meat left over, usually white meat.

Watch out for Kids in the Kitchen this weekend

Do you have the shamrocks ready and something green to wear for St. Patrick’s Day next Tuesday?

Rogan honored for lifetime achievement

Cauliflower is a cool-season vegetable and is now on special in some of our markets. Although I like it very much, I hardly ever focus on it when grocery shopping. I did buy a head of cauliflower the other day to make a pasta dish, which I first encountered years ago in an Italian restaurant in San Francisco.

Class peels away jitters for confident cooks

A recent piece on the TV news confirmed my suspicions that some of the packaged items in our grocery stores were smaller with less content. The manufacturers have designed new labels for these slightly smaller versions and have kept them at the same or a little higher price. I’ve noticed it in some canned goods and even in packages of popcorn kernels. I wondered why all of a sudden I was not getting the quantity of popped corn we had been enjoying.

Italian is class act at Tuesday’s demonstration

It was with great surprise that I recently learned that several of the leaders in fine dinnerware — Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton — had gone into bankruptcy. I wondered to myself whether these casualties of the economic world indicate the era of fine entertaining and dining is ending.

Countless candy lovers have reaped the rewards of Sue Charney’s insistence on getting her sweets just right.

Rose are red,

Violets are blue,

Fossett’s Restaurant prepares for taste of Italy

When we think of food we usually think of man farming crops or raising animals for food. We rarely think of fish in a similar way. However, in recent decades man farming the seas instead of fishing in the open ocean has become the norm for much of our seafood.

Panera testing out its new coffees ... for free

I have always thought of bagels and English muffins as breakfast food. But we in Charlottesville know better and have, for years, enjoyed bagel sandwiches at the various Bodo’s locations. I have eaten many bagels, but none have been better than those at Bodo’s.

Keswick offers wine dinner, Scottish flavors

I have noticed that in recent years we have become a more informal society.

Art lovers mine Zinc for lively conversation

Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables and they only are available in the winter. They are still in our markets, but will not be for long.

Don your tiara for a chance to help the dogs

After all the rich foods of the recent holidays, I like to get back to some basic meals. One of our favorites is a hearty soup with lots of vegetables and legumes.

Barren Ridge rings in a first for the winery

Happy New Year.

Virginia Aquarium launches seafood program

Because of the economic downturn we are facing this year, I am hoping that Christmas will prove to be a more traditional affair than one with the focus on commercialism that we have been experiencing. Hopefully, family and the more precious things of life will have a greater meaning this year.

Urie will add to the Charlottesville Experience

By now most of us have made or are in the middle of making Christmas menu plans. I can remember one year my neighbor saying that she always has to prepare a green bean casserole because it is her daughter Laura’s favorite.

Afton vineyards plans its Winter Open House