I spent some time this weekend with my cousins and goddaughter picking out pumpkins and apples at Appleberry Farms in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. It was one of those picture perfect crisp fall days in Wisconsin that makes you remember what makes the midwest so special. We all ate one too many caramel apples and apple cider doughnuts and bought far more pumpkins than we need. It was a great reminder of how important it is to spend time with family celebrating the seasons. We all get busy, but a perfect fall afternoon, spent sipping hot apple cider with people you love, doesn’t come around very often. We have to grasp those moments when we can and enjoy them to the fullest. So grab someone you love, go for a walk and listen to the sound of leaves crunching underfoot. Light a fire and make hot apple cider. Be a kid again and eat a caramel apple. Remember to slow down enough to drink in these last perfect days of fall.
One of the highlights of the afternoon was the apple cider brats. Made for Appleberry Farms by local favorite Bavarian Sausage Kitchen. They are are made with cider in the mix then grilled and simmered in more apple cider. For even more apple deliciousness, they top them with a homemade apple-onion relish….definitely a Wisconsin classic! Click HERE for the video
Sometimes we all feel like hanging a sign on the door and going fishing. Here are some of my favorite pics from Sicily of fishing boats, delicious seafood and gorgeous ocean views to have you wishing for a seaside escape! Check back tomorrow for a versatile and easy Italian recipe using fresh fish
Traditional Sicilian fishing boats
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One of Italy's best kept secrets, Torino, at night. The perfect place to take leisurely strolls around old piazzas, taste amazing food and slow down to see Torino's beautiful architecture. Looking forward to exploring on my upcoming Yoga & Wine retreat in September.
In the northwest corner of Italy, Piemonte is known for delicious food and amazing wine....it's no wonder that this is where the Slow Food movement was founded!
Just got back from an amazing trip to Vietnam and was blown away by the kaleidescope of colors, new flavors and amazing variety of Vietnamese food on every street corner. It was truly a foodie paradise. In fact, I couldn’t stop talking about it or snapping pictures. Here’s a few to share.
Peppers at the market in Sapa in the mountains near the China-Vietnam border
Stuffed banana leaves in Saigon
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This is the final installation in my ‘blog series’ about the rise of organic and biodynamic practices in the world of wine. Want to learn more? Join me for my upcoming Yoga & Wine retreats to Napa & Italy which feature visits to some of the wineries that I discuss here in person.
From Sky to Earth
Many winemakers, both in the US and abroad, are taking organic one step further and embracing biodynamics, the viticulture system based on the teachings of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in the early 1920’s. The methods, like burying cow horns filled with dung in the vineyard and planting based on the cycle of the moon, have certainly raised eyebrows. While proponents of biodynamics swear by the results, critics call the heavy reliance on astrology and the odd methods pseudoscience, voodoo or simply a hoax. (more…)
This is part one in a 3 part ‘blog series’ about the rise of organic and biodynamic practices in the world of wine in honor of Earth Day! Check in next week for more about this growing trend. Want to check out some of these wineries for yourself? Join me for my upcoming Yoga & Wine retreats to Napa & Italy which feature visits to some of the wineries that I discuss here in person.
Bottled Poetry
It’s a crisp morning in early spring at the northern end of the Napa Valley. The vineyard floors form a steep amphitheater, blanketed with yellow mustard, and the air is cold enough that I can see my breath. Jerry Seps, the down to earth proprietor of Storybook Mountain Vineyard, is dressed in jeans and a cowboy hat and standing in front of me at the edge of a row of still dormant vines. As he talks about the vines the pride in his land is evident on his face. (more…)
