charts

One of the most informative seminars at the Food & Wine Classic was taught by sommelier (and James Beard Award winner) Belinda Chang. She's made her name as the wine director at The Modern restaurant in New York City. The 2011 Outstanding Wine Service Award winner — whose seminar was titled "Bling vs. Bargain? Guess the Wine Price" — tackled the question of whether price makes a difference when it comes to wine.

Attendees tasted two glasses of sparkling, Chardonnay, and Bordeaux blends, respectively, and were asked to guess which was higher-priced. While we assessed each wine's value, Chang also shared details on what goes into the price of wine. Better understand why a wine costs what it does after the jump.

If there's a Twitter link that will make us click, somehow it's always a colorful chart or info graphic. From Venn diagrams and pie charts to bar graphs and flow charts, what is it about these nuggets of cheeky information that make us immediately hit "share" to every social media account?

The team at the Tumblr blog I Love Charts feels the same way and has amassed a vast collection of graphs, drawings, and charts via the wide Internet world that guide the reader through the decision-making process of adding bacon to a meal or a breakdown of the amount of ice in an afternoon pick-me-up. At least now when our co-workers walk by it looks like we're reading something important and not looking at pictures of baby animals.

If you're hosting a potluck dinner this holiday season, make a chart to keep the dishes organized. Here's how you do it:

1. On a blank sheet of paper, write down the names of each of your guests.
2. Across the top of the page, write the courses: appetizers, entree, sides, dessert, etc.
3. As your friends and family members let you know what they are bringing, fill in the chart.

Keep in mind the total number of people in attendance, and make sure that there will be enough food for everyone. Do you host a potluck? Share your tips and experiences with us below!