• What's your relationship status? There's a movie for that
• Giada De Laurentiis's menu for the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony
• Kate Middleton and Prince William get sporty and sweet before the Olympics
• How to get a DFV-inspired nail-art look
• Celebs show off their third-trimester style
• Hit the music-fest circuit in these perfect concert outfits
• Gorgeous outdoor lighting options
• Get all your Fall premiere dates
• Video: Robert Pattinson moves out — will his and Kristen Stewart's love survive the cheating scandal?
• Creative uses for K-Cups
• How to ditch your latte love handles
• CelebStyle: See how the celebrities rock their summery white sunnies
• Check out apps from your favorite music stars

It's often said that dry, rocky terrain contributes to the best grapes, full of concentrated, ultra-jammy flavors. Such is the case for the 2009 Las Rocas Garnacha ($15), which stems from Aragon, the northeastern region of Spain. Garnacha, although not familiar to many US wine drinkers, is one of the most commonly planted red grapes in the world, because it has the ability to withstand intense heat, is easily fermentable, and its signature flavor is widely liked.

On the nose, Garnacha has a sweet and sour quality like blackberries or cranberries. The extremely warm and dry weather conditions contribute to the wine's slightly higher alcohol level, which is certainly felt upon first sip. The wine is most notable for its tart, peppery, and spicy flavors that seem to linger after swallowing. As the wine trails down, it warms the chest, and an instant-gratification buzz takes effect. Spanish cuisine is often fatty and rich, and this wine would help cut through the grease. Cheese like Manchego or tapas including chorizo, croquetas, or patatas bravas would work well with this dry yet crisp Spanish wine.

You may have heard of mochi, the Japanese cake made with sweet, glutinous rice. You may have even enjoyed it as the shell of mochi ice cream, a frozen dessert popular at Japanese restaurants. But do you know that mochi can be a sweet or savory component in just about any meal?

I recently discovered this when I spotted bake-and-serve packs of mochi next to tofu in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods. I did a little research and some experimentation in the kitchen with what I found and quickly learned that mochi lends a totally different textural component to a meal than, say, bread, potatoes, or even rice. There are a ton of simple ways to start out experimenting with this lesser-known product. Here are five of my favorite ways to do it.

Hey California! You wouldn't fake fashion, so why would you choose to nourish your sun-kissed beach bod with anything else but real milk? Real California dairy milk is made of only two ingredients (milk and vitamin D3), creating the real, simple taste you know and love. Stand up for the real deal by helping GOT MILK? raise $50,000 for nonprofit organizations THINK Together, Bay Area Community Resources, and Central Valley Afterschool Foundation. Until Aug. 5, you can help support local community-based after-school education programs by purchasing a pair of limited-edition milk glasses. One milk glass shows a short list of the ingredients, including vitamin D3, that are found in real dairy milk, and the other features a long list of ingredients like soybeans, water, zinc gluconate, and carrageenan, that make up imitation milk. The difference is clear.

Get your set for just $15 today, and remember, 100 percent of the sales go directly to community organizations in your area to support nutrition education programs in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Fresno. Cheers!

• A look back at last night's Top Chef Masters premiere — Zagat
• America's nine most elusive dishes (and how to get them) — Eater
• This DC waffle restaurant blames Groupon for its demise — Delish
• What to make when a vegan comes to dinner — Food52
• The ultimate meal for a lazy eater — Kitchen Daily
• Boston Mayor Tom Menino's scathing letter to Chick-fil-A — Grub Street Boston
• Guess which star chef is the latest to open a restaurant in Vegas? — The Braiser

Photo courtesy of Bravo

When initially describing this salad to my dining partner tous les jours, his face wrinkled up in disgust, "fish sauce in a fruit salad? Ew!" Stubborn as I am, I ignored his skepticism, and carried on with the peeling, chopping, and slicing.

Shortly thereafter, I offered up a juicy bite of the finished product to the aforementioned naysayer, and watched on with slightly smug satisfaction. It was well worth the (minimal) effort. Salty and sweet, with a punch of heat, subtle umami qualities, and ample textural contrast, this salad will keep you guessing from bite to bite.

Keep reading for the recipe.

Welcome to our new series Kitchen Hacks, where we take ordinary household objects and transform them into useful kitchen tools. We know it's difficult to stock a kitchen with every gizmo and gadget, especially if you live in tight quarters. So instead of junking up your drawers with unused items, try make-shifting kitchen tools with our tips.

It's always a messy and upsetting event when a wine bottle cracks and its precious contents leak during transit. The diligent packer may cover it in styrofoam or bubble wrap, but many of us are guilty of haphazardly wrapping the bottles in old kitchen towels and crossing our fingers they arrive to the next destination in one piece.

Here's a new way to easily and securely wrap up wine if you don't have a wine sleeve handy. We recently received a bottle of Las Rocas Garnacha, outfitted in the most unexpected makeshift wine sleeve: a kitchen mitt! A fluffy cotton kitchen mitt fits a wine bottle snugly — plus it also seconds as a cute gift if you're bringing the bottle over to a friend's place. Just be sure to find a long glove, so the neck of the bottle stays protected, too.

Know of any other smart ways to transport wine? Share them with us below.