mightmelanie

About Melanie Young

Melanie Young writes about wine, food, and health and is an author of two books. She co-hosts with fellow wine writer and husband David Ransom, The Connected Table LIVE! on iHeart, a national radio profiling wine, food and spirits industry leaders around the world. Her bags are always packed for the next adventure Connect Twitter@connectedtable Instagram@theconnectedtable; www.melanieyoung.com www.theconnectedtable.com
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Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival

Bite of the Best recently attended the 13th annual Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival, at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, New York. The two day festival showcased a range of New York State wine and specialty foods, along with sample dishes from local restaurants and food trucks. While New York City may be the center of the restaurant world, the Hudson Valley is an epicenter for much of the locally grown food NYC chefs favor in their dishes, as well as a cottage industry of artisanal food producers. The Festival offered a peek at, tastes of and opportunities to buy many tastes of the region’s bounty, focusing on [...]

By |2017-10-24T12:14:51-04:00October 24th, 2014|Other happenings|0 Comments
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Tasting The Best Gin and Tonics in Spain

 The Spanish, I learned, are simply wild for gin and tonics. Oscar carefully poured and mixed ingredients into a large round glass and handed me my drink. It was, truly, the best gin and tonic - light and refreshing.  Too many gin and tonics I have had in the U.S. the tonic taste artificially sweetened and overpower the delicate herbal flavors of the gin. This drink was a perfect balance of an aromatic gin complemented, not coated, by the tonic. I asked Oscar what was the secret to his gin and tonic? He said he used G’Vine, a French gin made from  grapes grown in the Cognac region. His preferred [...]

By |2017-10-28T08:04:52-04:00September 18th, 2012|Food & Drinks, World Travel|1 Comment
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An Evening of Science and Senses with Pierre-Jean Sauvion

Usually when I drink wine I contemplate the sensory experience over the science of winemaking.  I focus on the aromas and flavors of the wine and how it pairs with the food I am eating. I reflect on where I am, the company I am keeping and the mood I am in when I drinking my glass or two- my intimate wine occasion. But last month, a small group of writers gathered at Laura Maniec’s delightful Corkbuzz wine bar in Greenwich Village to blend the sensory with science in a hands-on tutorial called “Blending With Pleasure” led by winemaker, Pierre-Jean Sauvion, a fourth generation family member of the Loire Valley’s [...]

By |2017-10-28T08:03:57-04:00May 7th, 2012|Rambling|0 Comments
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Olive Oil Receives USDA Quality Monitoring Product Verification

Olive Oil Receives USDA Quality Monitoring Product Verification. All that glistens may not be pure gold in the bottle of extra virgin olive oil you purchase at the supermarket. In fact, earlier this month The Journal of Food Science reported that the top seven adulturated food foods sold in the U.S. are olive oil, milk, honey, saffron, orange juice, coffee and apple juice. In the case of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) this could mean that the oil you buy is not actually "extra virgin" or is even rancid by the time it reaches the shelves. The good news for olive oil consumers is that the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) recently [...]

By |2017-10-28T08:03:03-04:00April 29th, 2012|Other happenings|0 Comments
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Celebrate “Blue Monday” and “Big Blue”’s Big Game Win

Royal Wine Corp. is betting on a Blue Monday to celebrate another New York Giants’ Super Bowl championship.  The wine importer is launching Bartenura Sparkling Moscato, with its signature blue bottle, on Monday, February 6, in stores in New York and New Jersey. The company plans to sell Bartenura nationwide in the next two months. This Italian sparkler, which the Royal Wine team refers to as “the other Big Blue,” is a dolce spumate wine sourced from grapes in Italy’s Piemonte region.  Bartenura Sparkling Moscato’s suggested retail price is $17.99. “We’re Giants fans at Royal Wine. When they made the playoffs, we took a gamble and decided to hold the [...]

By |2017-10-28T08:02:16-04:00February 3rd, 2012|Food & Drinks|0 Comments
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Women of Italian Wine United for Cancer Research

Leading women of Italian wine gathered recently at Vinitaly’s second annual grand tasting and fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in New York. The elite group of damas honored by Vinitaly included: Marilisa Allegrini, Allegrini (Veneto); Cristina Mariani-May, Castello Banfi and Banfi Vintners (Tuscany); Francesca Planeta, Planeta (Sicily); Elisabetta Geppetti, Fattoria Le Pupille (Tuscany), Camilla Lunelli, Ferrari (Trentino) and Daniela Mastroberardino, Terredora (Campania). Chef Odette Fada, who will oversee the kitchen at the new restaurant Rana, opening in Chelsea Market, prepared delectable dishes from the renowned Veronese pasta producer, Giovanni Rana. "Our goal is simple: to unite the influential women in this industry for a great cause... Each said 'yes' [...]

By |2017-10-28T08:01:42-04:00November 21st, 2011|Rambling|0 Comments
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Wine and Spirits Industry Honors the Deutsch Family

Don Distasio, American Cancer Society (ACS); Bill Deutsch, Dr. Arnold Baskies, ACS Board President; and Peter Deutsch The 34th Annual Wine and Spirits Industry Gala at The Pierre last honored father and son, William (Bill) and Peter Deutsch, Chairman and CEO respectively of W.J. Deutsch & Sons, one of the nation’s leading wine and spirits importers and marketers by presenting them with the Dr. Louis Berger Memorial Award. The evening raised $590,000 for the American Cancer Society. More than 300 guests attended the black-tie evening to honor them for their achievements in the wine and spirits industry, as well as for their commitment to the fight against cancer. [...]

By |2017-10-28T08:01:05-04:00November 16th, 2011|Rambling|0 Comments
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Gamay & Golf at Pier 59

Laura Maniec, M.W. An invitation to a night of “Golf and Gamay" certainly stands out in New York City, where industry wine tastings are a dime a dozen daily and there are no golf courses. Sopexa USA organized the evening on behalf of Inter Beaujolais at Chelsea Piers-Pier 59, a very cool “golf club” for city folks who want to practice their putts. Now, I can honestly say my wine knowledge is better than my golf swing, but on I put on my game face for the sake of tasting some great Gamays. The Beaujolais Crus, all made from 100% Gamay grape, are considered the “gems” of the [...]

By |2017-10-28T08:00:28-04:00November 8th, 2011|Rambling|0 Comments
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Les Dames d’Escoffier New York Royal Flush

It was a evening fit for Royals and benefiting Dames: On Saturday, October 1, at Pier Sixty/Chelsea Piers Les Dames d’Escoffier New York collaborated with the 2011 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine to co-host a Tribute Dinner honoring His Royal Highness Prince Robert of Luxembourg, Managing Director of Bordeaux’s Domaine Clarence Dillon and culinary prince, Chef Jacques Pépin, Dean of Special Programs at The French Culinary Institute, host of 11 acclaimed public television series and author of 26 cookbooks including the recently released Essential Pépin. The dinner, sponsored by Bank of America and emceed by Martha Stewart, featured a stellar lineup [...]

By |2017-10-24T17:35:02-04:00October 14th, 2011|Rambling|0 Comments
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Banking on Beaujolais 2009

When most people think of the region of Beaujolais, what comes to mind is the fresh fruity red wine called Beaujolais Nouveau, released annually on the third Thursday of November to much fanfare. It is a worldwide celebration with Beaujolais Nouveau arrival parties starting just after midnight. But, for wine drinkers in- the-know, the Beaujolais Crus, especially the spectacular 2009 vintage, are the ones to be stocking up on right now. The Beaujolais crus represent the finest vineyards of the region. The wines, made from 100 percent Gamay grapes, tend to be fuller, denser, more aromatic and complex than other Beaujolais wines. Each is named after the area where the [...]

By |2017-10-24T17:36:04-04:00October 30th, 2010|Other happenings|0 Comments
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Fraîche: A Newcomer to the CT Restaurant Scene

A newcomer to Connecticut's restaurant scene, Fraîche offers a fresh twist to its menu with market driven dishes pumped with flavor. This inviting restaurant with sophisticated country touches is tucked in a small strip mall in Fairfield, an easy drive for locals and a just over an hour's train ride from Manhattan. I have followed Chef Marc Lippman's culinary career from his Manhattan days as executive chef at Wild Blue at Windows on the World to Las Ventanas at Cabo San Lucas. A few years ago, Marc returned to Connecticut with his wife and young baby in tow to head up the kitchen at Ocean Drive in South Norwalk. Now [...]

By |2017-10-24T17:41:30-04:00March 9th, 2008|USA Restaurants|1 Comment
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