The holidays are right around the corner. So here with her tips to make your holiday entertaining a breeze is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. What’s your first tip? Keep it simple. I’m not sure why many of us turn into frantic mini-Martha Stewarts at this time of this year, wanting everything to be perfectly matching, preparing everyone’s side dish, stocking our cellars with more wine than we could possibly drink in a month, but we do. So take a breath, relax and start with bubbly. Sparkling wine is a great aperitif […]
Food & Wine Pairing Video
Pairing Wine and Halloween Treats (Video)
We shared lots of laughs (cackles?) on CTV’s The Social! The hosts chose the theme of a Royal Halloween, so Lainey dressed as Prince George, Cyn was Daenerys from Game of Thrones, Mel was Megan Markle and Marci was Queen Ramonda from the Black Panther movie. I channeled my inner (royal) wine witch and brought my broom shtick to the show. What a hoot we had together! Here are the tips, tricks and wines we discussed … Something a bit scary happens on Halloween: we’re surrounded by lots of treats, but will they pair well with our wine? Here, with […]
Pizza Wine: Perfect Pairings for Your Pie
Liza, Jeff and I chat about pairing pizza and wine on Global TV’s Morning Show (while the cameramen and studio crew edge in ever closer to the set). Click on the arrow to watch the video above. Queen Margherita Pizzeria made these mouth-wateringly delicious pizzas fresh and hot, featuring first the classic Margherita Pizza. This pizza was named in honor of Queen Margherita, the wife of King Umberto I, in 1889, when the couple visited Naples and wanted to taste the local pie. Queen Margherita Pizzeria’s Margherita Pizza A chef selected patriotic toppings with the colors in the […]
Video: Wine + Cheese > Who Wore It Best? Perfect Pairings
Wine and cheese: two of life’s greatest pleasures … On CTV’s The Social, we search for the perfect pairing with a fun take on the fashion quiz: Who wore it best? Which one of two wines paired best with a particular cheese? Find out who got it right and who didn’t ;) 7 Unusually Great Wine & Cheese Pairings Guide Here are the wines we featured on the show … see links below for reviews and to find them in your local liquor store. Cheddar Hard cheeses like cheddar become not just stronger, but […]
Easy Entertaining with Wine and Cheese (Video)
In the second segment, Leanne and I talk about chat about what makes wine and cheese pop on a plate visually, and how to mix textures, tastes and flavours. You can watch our first video segment on wine and cheese pairing here. Pasqua Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie Veneto DOC, Italy Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand Miguel Torres Chile Las Mulas Sauvignon Blanc Central Valley, Chile […]
The Best Online Wine Tasting & Pairing Classes (Video)
As the kids head back to school, let’s chat about how the adults have changed the way they learn about wine, especially with online courses. It’s a virtual world of wine learning at your fingertips. Yesterday, I chatted with Nicole Dube on CTV’s Morning Live show. First, tell us why online wine courses have become so popular? Online courses offer the best of both worlds: they’re accessible to everyone no matter where you live, they’re more comprehensive than a one-off class, but not as technical and time-consuming as college courses. Plus, there’s no drinking, then driving home, […]
How to Pair Wine with Any Hamburger (Video)
On Global Television’s Morning Show Thursday, we paired wine with many types of hamburgers. Nothing says summer like a juicy two-fisted burger and beer – it’s casual and a good pairing. But what if you want wine with your patti? Wine is also a great pairing, but we think it’s too fancy for the backyard and burgs. However it’s not, and it has a wide range of flavours and styles for the imaginative burgers we have here today. The Daniel – Vegan Patty Grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, crushed hot peppers, spicy vegan sauce. In the beginning, Shant […]
Pairing Bestselling Books With Best-Cellaring Wines
We’re back with Natalie MacLean. You can watch our first segment on book and bottle pairings here. This time we’re going outside the wine category of books with these pairings. What do you have for us first? We’re starting with one of my favorite authors, Candace Bushnell, who wrote this book, Is There Still Sex and the City? a fantastic follow-up to her blockbuster hit, TV series, several movies and now a theatrical production. I’d pair this book with this Rosé sparkling wine from La Marca because it’s just fabulous, as the four women in the […]
Pairing Wine and Cheese: The Ultimate Guide
This week on Global Television’s Morning Show, Carolyn, Jordan and I chatted about pairing wine and cheese for Thanksgiving or a celebratory meal at another time of the year. Why are you suggesting we serve our guests a little wine and cheese? Certain pairings in life indicate that the world is a good place: peanut butter and jam, chocolate syrup and ice cream, wine and cheese. The separate ingredients enhance one another: each tastes better together than it would on its own. And the good news is that wine and cheese can be enjoyed with little preparation. The […]
8 Best Wines for St. Patrick’s Day + Irish Food Pairings (Video)
St. Patrick’s Day is often celebrated with a pint or two, but what if you love wine? On CTV News, we chat about the best pairings for Irish food and classic dishes. Is there a wine that pairs with corned beef and cabbage? This begs the question: Can we skip the corned beef and cabbage and just have wine? My Irish grandmother is probably turning over in her grave. Traditional matches for this meal usually include Irish stout, like Guinness. But what about wine? Corned beef is salty and cabbage can be skunky, so you’ll avoid those wines […]
