FOOD & WINE
Here is a collection of my food and wine articles from Sunset Magazine, listed from most recent to least. Please click "Read Article" to visit the live link.
8 SHEET PAN RECIPES THAT AREN'T BORING
March, 2022
A single sheet pan can be the key to pulling together a meal in a hurry: Just load it with proteins, vegetables, and some well-chosen seasonings, and in a half-hour or so you’ve got dinner done. Instead of monitoring the frying pan or standing by the grill, you can simply line your baking sheet with parchment paper, plop on the ingredients, and let the oven do the difficult work.
‘MORE LIKE A FINE WINE’: WEST COAST MAKERS WANT YOU TO BE A BETTER SAKE DRINKER
February, 2022
The traditional, rice-based alcoholic beverage has been brewed for thousands of years in Japan. But sake breweries are spawning on the West Coast, particularly across California and Oregon in recent years. In an attempt to simultaneously honor traditional sake-making and also introduce innovative methods, these brewers are creating their own spin by sourcing local ingredients and adding unique regional flavors.
THESE FRESH-MADE MIXERS WILL CHANGE YOUR HOME BARTENDING GAME
January, 2022
Calling all designated bartenders at home gatherings: It’s time to step away from gathering ingredients, juicing, or muddling behind the bar and join your friends and family at the table. With high-quality, at-home mixers, you can now simplify the bartending process because West Coast makers have done the hard work for you. Just add your favorite liquor—or nonalcoholic spirit.
ALL OUR FAVORITE CROWD-PLEASING VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPES
January, 2022
With the Super Bowl just around the corner and cozy winter recipes circulating, it’s the perfect time to try a new chili recipe. While we often associate game days and cozy winter get-togethers with meaty chilis and heavy appetizers, this year take advantage of the vegetarian and vegan options with this curation of veggie chili recipes.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN AWE-INSPIRING S’MORES BOARD
January, 2022
Looking for a new way to serve up dessert? S’mores charcuterie boards, or s’mores boards, are an innovative (and Instagram-friendly) way to allow guests to DIY their own sweet treats. With artfully arranged ingredients and some creative tricks of the trade, you can impress any crowd at home with your own imaginative (but quick-to-assemble) dessert presentation.
NOW IS THE TIME TO USE WINTER CITRUS. HERE ARE OUR FAVORITE RECIPES
January, 2022
Shorter days and longer nights mean it’s time to brighten up your meals with seasonal citrus. Right about now and through March, fruits like tangerines, grapefruits, blood oranges, and lemons are ripe for harvest in your garden—and at their most plump in grocery stores. A versatile ingredient, citrus can be incorporated throughout your weekly menus, from salads and desserts to garden-to-glass cocktails.
EASY APÉRITIF RECIPES TO MAKE AT HOME
December, 2021
Created for enjoying at any time of day, apéritifs (aperitivo in Italian) are optimal light cocktails for opening your palate. With a higher alcohol by volume percentage than wine, all aperitifs can withstand being watered down by ice, making them the perfect pairing for just about any time of year.
INNOVATIVE PRODUCERS ARE MAKING SPARKLING RED WINES FOR EVERYDAY DRINKING
Wine Issue (September, 2021)
West Coast winemakers are working to give red sparkling wine more attention. Established brands like Mumm Napa and Treveri, as well as newer winemakers such as the California-based Carboniste and Hammerling Wines, are experimenting with the style to bring the celebratory feel to more than just Lambrusco and Champagne.
TRY THESE HARD SELTZER BRANDS BREWED WITH REAL FRUIT
September, 2021
It’s no secret that hard seltzers are having a moment. The carbonated beverage now comprises nearly half of the U.S. alcohol market, according to the International Wines and Spirits Record. But with such rapid popularity, the drinks market quickly became oversaturated.
Enter West Coast brewmasters, who are working to create healthier hard seltzers made with real fruit instead of artificial flavors.
THE BEST CANNED COCKTAILS IN THE WEST
August, 2021
When packing our summer picnic baskets, the first item on our list is a refreshing canned cocktail. Well, the first item on our list is ice, but after that, it’s definitely canned cocktails. Ranging from classic Negronis to new inventions like the Rocket Queen, these ready-made cocktails save you the trouble of lugging your home bar wherever you go—and they take the hassle out of determining whether your crowd likes red wine, IPAs, or hefeweizen.
SEAR THOSE RIBS AND CHILL THAT FRUIT: HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE COOKING IN JUNE
June, 2021
It’s June. That means it’s time to fire up the grill and fill the freezer with chilled treats. We’re cooking outside, and eating there, too; not because we have to but because we want to enjoy those long summer days and nearly endless twilight. Here’s what we’re cooking this June.