Feast Without the Beast: A Case for Meatless Monday

Back in the day (waaaay back, as in, Middle Ages), doctors thought sticking leeches to a patient's body was a brilliant idea. (!!!)

Today, people go on juice fasts, meat-based Paleo diets or just stuff themselves silly with antibiotic-laced McMeats. Not exactly genius.

But some chefs are making progress in a vegetarian direction, and it feels, well, modern. Consider the case for Meatless Monday, presented in this piece for Wine Enthusiast.

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/April-2013/Feast-Without-The-Beast/

You'll not only learn why Sir Paul McCartney, Oprah and other celebrities embrace giving up meat one day a week, but also how to pair wines with vegetarian cuisine.

How civilized, indeed.

How to Pair Wine with Herbs

No, this isn't a story about how herb is legal in several states. But cheers to that!

This piece for Wine Enthusiast Magazine delves into the plethora of plants Mother Nature has provided us...from basil and thyme to lemon verbena, adding spice and depth of flavor to cuisine for centuries. This Pairings story ponders the age-old question, how can we approach wine when we've got so many kick-ass flavors?

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Best-Of-Year-2012/A-Wine-Lovers-Guide-to-Herbs/

We talked to top chefs and their sommelier cohorts around North America about how to match wines to any herb-centric dish, and scored their secret recipes. Mission accomplished.

Beyond Wine: New Food Pairing Partners

We got some great tips from sommelier Justin Kuruvilla of elements in N.J. about what's next in the restaurant world: Nontraditional pairings dinners. That's right: Because we always suspected Bourbon goes with just about everything.

For tips on how to pair food with spirits, beer and sake, read my article for Wine Enthusiast here.

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Best-Of-Year-2012/Sommelier-Tip-Embracing-the-Occasional-Wine-Free-Pairing/