If you're looking for a great way to learn more about wine, consider investing in a wine journal. My sister gave me this lovely leather-bound journal ($30) by Chronicle Books for Christmas. Part resource and part journal, this book is organized by varietal. There's a section for recording reds, whites, and other wines. With places to note the color, clarity, aroma, and flavor, it's incredibly easy to fill in and follow. There's also space to remember fabulous food and wine pairings, wines worth saving, and trips to wineries. The pages are filled with grape definitions, pronunciations, and helpful hints on how to taste. When making note of each wine, there is a spot to write where and when you taste a specific wine.

It will be fun to look back in a year or two and think about these memorable experiences. Does anyone else keep a wine journal?

After a rough year, Starbucks has tried to start off 2009 on the right foot. In addition to rolling out a new line of instant coffee, it also began offering "value pairings" that include two new breakfast sandwich options. Considering the history of the chain's breakfast sandwiches, I was eager to try them out.

The Artisan Breakfast Sandwiches, as they're called, come on square-shaped, ciabatta-style rolls. The ham contains three slices of very thin black forest ham, mild cheddar, and a Parmesan egg frittata, while the bacon includes four short slices of smoked bacon, gouda cheese, and the same Parmesan egg frittata. To see what I thought of them, read more

Sometimes even a sandwich lover needs a serious serving of vegetables, so the other night, I turned my nutrition attention to these yummy open-face ratatouille sandwiches, made with roasted eggplant and red pepper, among other hearty things.

Initially, I made the sandwiches according to the recipe, and they were perfectly delicious with just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a dusting of herbs. But I thought they needed something to close up their open-facedness, so I also made a version with melted provolone, which I preferred. For more details and to get the recipe, read more

• The new Yankee Stadium will serve up sushi by Morimoto and specialties from Le Cirque. — New York Times
• A few creative ways to make the most of leftover wine. — Washington Post
• Learn how one pizza fanatic constructed a hand-built firebrick oven at home for $15. — Los Angeles Times
• Find out which store-bought grapefruit juice fared best. — San Francisco Chronicle
• Meet the "tween" salad: hearty, warm medleys that smooth the transition between Winter and Spring. — Chicago Tribune
• Do women reach for different food than men? — Boston Globe
• Lebanon's winemaking dates back to biblical times, but it's the region's modern wine that's garnering worldwide attention. — Wall Street Journal

Source

No appetizer spread is complete with out a sweet dish. For my March Madness night with the fabulous ladies of Sugar, I'm serving a menu of sophisticated snacks. To keep up with the theme, I'll offer these lime squares with pistachio graham-cracker crust.

They're like key lime pie, but in bar form. This type of dish is the perfect party dessert because it can be made in advance and doesn't require utensils for eating. To take a look at the recipe, read more