With back-to-school season and Labor Day behind us, October is literally the beginning of the holiday season. Football is in full swing; baseball’s World Series takes place at the end of the month; and Halloween is October 31.
As fall approaches, pumpkins are beginning to appear in grocery stores, farmers markets, as decorations and perhaps on the dinner table. When you hear the word pumpkin, if your mind automatically thinks of pumpkin pie, other holiday desserts,…
Bright blue Adirondack chairs stretch across a boardwalk as frozen daiquiris swirl behind the bar, live music drifts across the lake and boats ease up to the dock for lunch. Just steps away, the aroma of fresh coffee and warm cinnamon rolls d…
Two of the most clichéd wine terms we will ever hear relate to the moment in time when a bottle of wine was produced. “A good year” and “vintage wine” are often thrown casually into a conversation without a firm grip on what the phrases actua…
On a warm June evening in Athens, Greece, Karen Schmidt sat at the top of the Hotel Grande Bretagne overlooking the illuminated Acropolis. It was her 60th birthday, June 13, and she was celebrating life with her husband, Troy, after overcomin…
Spring brings a feeling of reawakening with the desire to lighten things up. We tidy up our homes and organize our routines, and we plant seeds to watch them grow. In this season of new possibilities, let’s be intentional when it comes to mon…
Regular readers may recall that I ended the January article with the assertion that “few experiences can match the finesse of discovering and sharing an excellent wine.” What followed was a promise to do what this column has attempted to do for more than 20 years: to discover the essence of …
Pete McKenny, General Manager and Executive Chef at SpringHouse Restaurant, trained at four-star restaurants and Forbes four-star resorts in Ohio, Washington, Arizona and Vermont before returning to Russell Lands on Lake Martin, where he began his career as chef de cuisine at Willow Point Go…
In March, National Nutrition Month is a reminder that food is much more important than something that satisfies hunger. It is a powerful tool that shapes our health, energy and quality of life. The 2026 theme, “The Power of Nutrition,” highlights how everyday choices have a lasting impact on…
Pasta is one of those comfort foods that brings so much joy but causes almost as much confusion. It often gets labeled a “guilty pleasure.” Many people shy away from eating pasta because they feel it will derail their health goals. The truth …
Pete McKenny, General Manager and Executive Chef at SpringHouse Restaurant, trained at four-star restaurants and Forbes four-star resorts in Ohio, Washington, Arizona and Vermont before returning to Russell Lands on Lake Martin, where he bega…
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 120 billion pounds of food are wasted in the United States each year. To break these statistics down, it looks like this: 40 percent of the entire food supply in the United States is …
Mellow yet complex, Penelope Wheated Bourbon delivers a rich, balanced sweetness layered with subtle spice, showcasing depth and warmth that define a well-crafted pour. Its body reveals vanilla, honey, caramel apple and a hint of orange zest,…
The day is coming when America sits down as one to share a special meal, reflect on what we are thankful for and appreciate the foods that embellish the traditions of Thanksgiving Day.
One of the more difficult hurdles in discovering and enjoying wine is our preference for sweet versus dry. It is, by far, one of the most asked questions and the characteristic that harbors the most resistance to unfamiliar wines. For many of…
Autumn is upon us. The days are getting shorter and the feeling of crisp mornings and evenings refreshes us once again. The leaves will start changing color and falling from the trees, and temperatures will remain cool all day long. It is tim…
