Around the World in 80 Dates, Plates, and Tastes

05/02/2026

TODAY-Saturday, 5/2: 17 WINES - Special Pop-Up Wine Tasting, Mona Lisa Pasta, 921 Preston Ave, Charlottesville, VA, 3-6pm
17 Beautiful Wines, selected from around the world for you to taste with expert and decorated French winemaker/expert Charles Gendrot. Feel free to bring your own wine tasting glass for sipping.
1/Sohu Slavonia Grasevina 2025
2/Kobal Podravje Furmint 2025
3/Benito Santos Rias Baixas Albarino "Igrexario de Saiar" 2024
4/Domaine de la Bergerie Anjou Blanc "Sous la Tonnelle" 2024
5/Catherine & Michel Langlois Coteaux du Giennois Blanc & "Les Charmes" 2023
6/Chateau Jean Faux Bordeaux Blanc "Les Pins Francs"; 2021
7/Donnhoff Nahe Tonschiefer Riesling Trocken 2023
8/Enfield Wine Co. California Chardonnay "Citrine"2023
9/J. Mourat Fiefs Vendeens Mareuil Rose "Collection" 2023
10/Birichino Central Coast Pinot Noir "Saint Georges" 2024
11/Kobal Podravje Blaufrankisch "Roots" 2024
12/Castro Candaz Ribeira Sacra Tinto Joven 2022
13/Fatalone Gioia del Colle Primitivo 2024
14/Château Jean Faux Bordeaux Rouge;Les Sources, 2021
15/Kloof Street Swartland Rouge 2023
16/Domaine de Sulauze Coteaux;Aix-en-Provence Rouge;Les Amis 2023
17/Saveiro Madeira Castanea; 5 Years Old - Aged for more than five years in chestnut barrels, Saveiro ‘Castanea’ undergoes a unique elevage unlike any other Madeira produced on the island, harkening back hundreds of years to a time when use of chestnut was widespread in the maturation and transport of wine. Warm, concentrated and pleasingly rustic, bares notes of dark tamarind, torched citrus oil, roasted hazelnut, cured to***co leaf, wood varnish and sea smoke, all framed by signature balanced acidity and the gentle tannins lent by its time in chestnut barrels. A love letter to Madeira history, it can be enjoyed on its own, with roasted nuts and cheeses, and with a wide variety of desserts including crème brûlée and clafoutis.

04/05/2026

NEED HELP PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN? => 2 Spots left from my Spring Discount Speciial (see details below). TOP 15 VEGETABLES IN ECONOMIC VALUE - many can be grown in containers as well.!

Beans (pole, bush), Beets, Broccoli, Carrots, Cucumbers, Edible pod peas, Green bunching onions, Head lettuce, Leaf Lettuce, Onion storage bulbs, shallot, Peppers, Summer Squash, Swiss chard, Tomatoes, Turnip (greens and roots), Values based on pounds produced per square foot, retail value per pound at harvest time, and length of time in the garden.

Require Bright Sunlight (8-hours full sun) for peak performance:
Beans, Broccoli, Cantaloupes, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Okra, Onions, Peanuts, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Squash, Strawberry, Sweet Potato, Tomatoes, Watermelons

Tolerate Partial Shade (6-hours full sun):
Beets, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Chard, Collards, Spinach, Lettuce, Mustard, Parlsey, Radish, Kale, Turnips

🌱✨ WOOHOO! Spring is Here ! ✨🌱 The soil is waking up, and now is the PERFECT time to plan your kitchen garden started with cool-season veggies, greens, herbs, and flowers…all for you and your family. To Do List:
• 🌿 Sow cool-season seeds outdoors
• 🌞 Start warm-season seeds indoors
• 💰 Save money by growing from seed instead of buying plants later.
=>Feeling unsure about what to plant, when to plant it, or how to make it all fit your space? I can help!
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🌼 $99 Spring Launch Special – Kitchen Garden Planning Consult - To kick off the season, I’ve got just 2 spots left for a reduced-price, $99 garden planning session when you book by the end of April .
In your personalized session, we’ll:
• Discuss where to locate your garden plot and options for in-ground/yard,
raised beds, containers, balcony, or sunny window growing.
• Discuss how to increase your garden space.
• Discuss want to grow and crops that match your goals (easy wins, high yield,
pollinator-friendly, etc.)
• Look at your sun exposure and compare with your crop choices.
• Consider a template for a custom planting timeline.
• Look to building a plan that works for your lifestyle
You’ll walk away with more clarity, confidence, and a plan to get growing.
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🎁 FREE BONUS: Seed Packs with Consults! When you sign up for a consult, you’ll also receive a curated selection of easy-to-grow, organic seeds — perfect for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike:
🌸 Zinnias (for beauty + pollinators)
🥗 Arugula & lettuce mix (quick salad harvests)
🌿 Spinach
🌶 Radish (fast and satisfying!)
🌱 Peas & bush beans
🥕 Carrots
🥒 Cucumbers
🎃 Zucchini
These are reliable, productive, and confidence-building crops to help you see results quickly.
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YOUR GARDEN-TO-TABLE LIFE - Let’s make this your season. 🌷
Imagine stepping outside to harvest your own salad…snipping fresh herbs for dinner… watching flowers bloom ....all that YOU grew.
📩 DM me “SPRING” to schedule your free 15-minute discovery call and claim one of the 2 discounted consult spots before the end of March.
🌱 Your garden dreams start with a simple plan. Let’s grow! 🌱

03/30/2021

Are you ready to taste this? The world's 'most dangerous' cheese
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/casu-marzu-worlds-most-dangerous-cheese/index.html

02/01/2021

01/28/2021

01/28/2021

01/28/2021

10/04/2020

''Les Japonais produisent du bois depuis 700 ans sans abattre les arbres.
Au XIVe siècle, l'extraordinaire technique de daisugi est née au Japon. En effet, les daisugi prévoient que ces arbres soient plantés pour les générations futures et ne soient pas abattus mais taillés comme s'ils étaient des bonsaïs géants ; en appliquant aux cèdres cette technique le bois qu'on peut en obtenir est uniforme, droit et sans nœuds, pratiquement parfait pour la construction.
Une élagage en règle d'art qui permet de faire pousser et germer l'arbre tout en utilisant son bois, sans jamais l'abattre. Technique extraordinaire.''
🌳🍃💚💛

04/01/2020

OK, everyone. Haven't been posting for a while now, but just to the PBS show "I'll Have What Phil is Having" to feel the food and culture love.

08/31/2019

.Beautiful Adriatic Coast Dinner at A Pimento, September 19th.
Ten wines from Croatia, Slovenia and Italy!
Please call to reserve.

Audition underway for our upcoming Sirens of the Adriatic Wine Dinner, September 19th! Slo-Cro and Italian contenders, all natural, organic or biodynamic and dee-licious. We’re already conjuring a dinner to match. Reserve your seats now. Email [email protected], or call us at 434-971-7720. More information to come!