2010 Masi Bonacosta is as passionate as the Italian land it was cultivated in. The winery — situated in Valpolicella, one of Northern Italy's most renowned wine-growing regions — has vineyards with sweeping hills close to Verona, evoking the notion that this might have been Romeo and Juliet's table wine.

Valpolicella has a rich history and was revered by Hemingway himself for wines with "light, dry, and friendly" qualities. This bottling is a blend of traditional Veronese grapes, including varietals I've never heard of, like Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara — but that didn't prevent us from popping the cork!

And we're glad we did: this wine is all about intoxicating your senses from the very beginning. We got vanilla and cherries on the nose and a light, smooth palate with minimal tannins. The earthy, almost salty finish gives it complexity that will please any lover of a robust red wine. And for the price tag of $14, it's a steal. In fact, we're already dreaming of it with a simple spaghetti aglio e peperoncino or a chocolate gelato.

Have you ever had Valpolicella?

We drink an awful lot of tea around Sugar HQ. And as much as we love English high tea and an expertly brewed cup of fine loose-leaf, we're also not about to turn our noses up at the plethora of options available at the grocery store.

Here are a smattering of our current favorites:

• PG Tips is Britain's classy answer to Lipton — simple, classic, and an easy morning ritual when served with a splash of milk.
• While we're fond of all of the Tea Forte varietals we've tried thus far, our top pick goes to its Earl Grey.
• We're big fans of Mighty Leaf's Marrakesh Mint, which strikes a nice balance between mint and green tea leaves.
• Bright and almost citrusy, Tazo Passion Herbal Infusion Tea is excellent hot or iced, especially when perked up with a hearty squeeze of lemon.

What's your top supermarket tea pick?

• Comparing Taco Bell's Cantina Bell menu to Chipotle's — Zagat
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• Strawberry and feta make a nice pairing on skewers — Kitchen Daily
• Office juice cleanses are all the rage — Delish
• Must make: avocado lassi — Food52
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• Spinach dip smackdown! The best and worst chain versions — HuffPost Food

Happy Friday, and Happy National French Fries Day!

In all fairness, I don't really believe that a pastime as precious as fries deserve just one day, but who would turn down a reason to celebrate?

From ketchup to chili and cheese, you can't go wrong with any of America's favorite toppings, but if there's anytime to experiment with new, mind-blowing toppings, today — shall we call it National French Fryday? — is definitely the day.

For some of our unexpected favorites, keep reading.

I have no self-control or discipline when a plate of flaky, buttery Southern biscuits presents itself in front of me. It's a hereditary disease, passed on to me by my mother. The same can be said for British scones, which are a world of difference from American versions that tend to be dry, overly sweet, and covered in a murky glaze.

British scones, on the other hand, are quite like cousins to Southern biscuits. Unlike crispy, savory biscuits, scones tend to be crumbly, creamier, and a touch sweeter. While the scone has a delicate buttery flavor on its own, it's only appropriate to follow the British tradition of serving it with clotted cream, strawberry jam, and a cup of black tea.

After a long day of recipe developing, I sat down to enjoy a late afternoon cup of tea and scone. Now I understand why the British are so fond of tea breaks! My bergamot black tea was at once soothing and stimulating and complemented the crumbly scones in such a smooth and seamless way. I look forward to making this pick-me-up a daily routine, and you can start too by trying this British scone recipe.

Get ready for this season's hottest side dish: fritters. Not only are they beyond tasty, but also, you can adapt the recipe to include any of your favorite veggies! Here, kitchenwlittleb shows us how to whip up the zucchini variety.

Fritters are an excellent way to get everyone to eat their vegetables. And with all the Summer squash and zucchini in season now, it's also a good way to use those huge vegetables — you know, the ones that you may stare at thinking, "Well, what do I do with these?" Crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, they're a great side dish, or even a main dish if you're looking for a vegetarian meal.

For the recipe, check out her blog, then be sure to upload your favorite snack recipes into our Kitchen Goddess community group.