At the Aspen Classic, PartySugar and I came across Inniskillin, an ice wine maker from Canada. Their Sparkling Ice Wine was unbelievably delicious and a true dessert wine treat. Although it has a rather high price point, around $70 for a 375ml bottle, ice wines cost more than regular dessert wines because they're produced from grapes that have been frozen on the vine. The labor-intensive technique results in a sweeter, very concentrated wine.

The sparkling varietal from Inniskillin has a light hint of apricot and caramel. The tiny bubbles brighten the body, making it less syrupy. It would pair well with fruits, poundcake, or blue cheese, but it's tasty enough to sip on its own.

The folks at Inniskillin call their sparkling ice wine "liquid gold," and I've got to say, they're not far off. Have you ever tried ice wine? What did you think of it?

Every year on the Fourth of July, I like to make a red, white, and blue dessert. It's my personal salute to America. While a flag cake is festive, this year I'll wow guests with a red, white, and blueberry cheesecake tart.

The easy, crisp crust is a mixture of ground graham crackers and almonds. The filling is smooth, creamy, and classic. The red topping is a juicy syrup made with red plums. Garnished with plump, burst-in-your-mouth blueberries, this is one star-spangled dessert.

To learn how it's made, read more

I love a good brunch, and not surprisingly, I'm also fond of ordering breakfast sandwiches. Both experiences are even better following a night of overindulgence. After attending a very long party on Saturday night, I stopped at San Francisco's Kate's Kitchen and was delighted to see an item had been added to the menu since my last visit: The Lauren Special.This egg and sausage sandwich is way better than your basic breakfast biscuit. Thanks to the fluffy scrambled eggs and soft Kaiser roll, it has a light and airy texture to distract you from the heavier (but heavenly) elements, including melted Monterey jack cheese, guacamole, and sausage. I handily devoured the whole thing, with a bowl of fruit on the side, and I can't wait to re-create it at home. To find out how you can too, read more

• Cask-conditioned ales are the new trend among beer aficionados. — Los Angeles Times
• Just in time for Summer, frozen blender drinks are back. — New York Times
• A set of go-to recipes makes cooking a snap for newlyweds. — Boston Globe
• Get ready for the Absinthe Museum of America, opening in July. — Times-Picayune
• Waxing nostalgic for Texas-style chicken-fried steak. — Washington Post
• Dried cherries are expanding the market for a tart and tasty fruit. —Chicago Tribune
• Savor Summer by whipping up a batch of herb butters — The Oregonian
• Use kebabs to kick up warm-weather grilling. — Orlando Sentinel
• A restaurant devoted to dining in the dark opens in SF. — San Francisco Chronicle

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If you're a foodie who's headed out on a honeymoon, you're probably more worried about booking restaurant reservations than you are about booking a massage. After all, we wouldn't want to travel to exotic locales and miss out on the culinary highlights, would we? Thankfully, finding and securing the right restaurant reservations on your honeymoon just takes some planning. Here are some tips to help you along, whether you're going on a postwedding vacation or just traveling any old time.

• If fine dining is important to you, choose a destination known for its foodie appeal, such as New York, London, or Spain.
• If a "must-eat" is on your list, book it as soon as you book your trip. Particularly if it's a destination restaurant, think about getting reservations months and months in advance. Remember to confirm your reservations before you leave.
• If you don't have a place in mind, start researching the best restaurants after you've decided on your honeymoon destination. Special magazine issues, such as Food and Wine's The Go List, are great for finding ideas, as is the New York Times travel dining guide. The forums on Chowhound are also a helpful resource.

To get more wedding planning ideas, head over to IDoSugar. Four more great tips, so read more

Tomorrow the fast-food chain Jack in the Box is giving away free tacos. All you have to do is bring in an old gas receipt and Jack in the Box will give you not one, but two free tacos!

The the tacos are free because "it's getting more expensive to fill your gas tank" so they're "giving you a little help with filling your stomach." It's nice to see such a large corporation give back during these hard times.

What do you think? Will you pick up free tacos from Jack in the Box?

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Last night the competition on Hell's Kitchen was intense: the final three contestants — challenge winning Christina, determined Corey, and tender hearted Petrozza — took turns running the kitchen. They had to recreate one of Gordon Ramsay's signature dishes based on taste and spent some time with their family members. To tell me your thoughts about the episode and check out mine, read more