Although there were hundreds of wineries at this year's SF Vintners Market, I spent a disproportionate amount of time tasting reds at Clos Saron, a tiny winery located in the Sierra Foothills AVA of Northern California. Owner Gideon Bienstock wouldn't share his favorite bottling with me ("That'd be like choosing a favorite child!" he exclaimed), but I found my top pick anyhow. It was his 2010 Read more

Like the perfect handbag, a well-constructed potato galette is perfect for any time of day or occasion. Just ask Fresh Tart! A potato galette is simply thin slices of potatoes, fat, and seasoning layered into a shallow pan and roasted until crusty and browned. It's traditional to serve alongside a roast of some sort, and definitely do that, because you can imagine crusty, buttery potatoes do a Read more

With the United States officially surpassing France in total wine consumption, wine drinkers aren't just about Chardonnay and Cab — they're into New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Argentinian Malbec, and Australian Shiraz, too. But beyond the usual suspects, there are plenty of grape varietals out there are that have flown under the radar. Take the time to seek them out, as they've got distinct Read more

One of my favorite things about wine is that there's so much to learn about it! There's always a new varietal to taste or an exciting region to try. Recently I went to a tasting that featured wines from the Santa Rita Hills. This small, relatively young wine region is located in Central California and was named an official appellation in 2001. Thanks to its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, Read more

Perfectly seasonal: lavender lemonade — Joy the Baker The world's 50 best restaurants of 2012 — Eater Martha Stewart drinks green juice every morning — Grub Street NY Chefs fighting against California's foie gras ban — HuffPost Food What food do you really need to survive? — The Daily Meal 13 ways to heat things up with jalapeño — Delish A cheap and easy trick for saving leftover Read more

In the past few years, American wineries have popped up everywhere, on both coasts. You can find them in the New York Finger Lakes region, Texas, and, of course, all over California. While you can always buy your favorite wines at the grocery, joining a wine club has plenty of perks, especially if you find yourself purchasing three or more bottles per month. Take a look at these seven benefits Read more

Over the past few years, Indian food, much like Vietnamese and Korean cuisines, has made giant strides in the landscape of American cuisine. No one can speak to this more than chef Sachin Chopra, the creative force in the kitchen at Bay Area restaurants All Spice and Arka (where he's chef-owner and consulting chef, respectively). Chopra, who was recently named one of the four new chefs to watch Read more

Thousands of cookbooks were published in the last year, but which ones are really worth buying? The International Association of Culinary Professionals, or IACP, tackled the question as it announced its cookbook award finalists for 2012 today. Among them: plenty of cookbooks from top restaurant chefs, like Jean-Georges Vongerichten, John Besh, and Andrew Carmellini, as well as new books from Read more