The Many Faces of Zinfandel

By jmberry | April 27, 2015

Zinfandel has had many incarnations: first as a substitute for French claret in the 1870s, and then later as port wine, White Zinfandel, and today’s fruit bombs. As a wine, Zinfandel has been simultaneously vilified as a poor substitute for cabernet and worshipped as a California original. In short, the many faces of Zinfandel reflect…

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Braised Beef in the Roman Style (serves 4)

By jmberry | April 9, 2015

This is a dish from antiquity, a hearty meal perfect for a hearty wine like Petite Sirah. We have modernized it to include readily available ingredients like celery and carrots, but have left the Roman tradition of cloves and bay laurel. (To make it more authentic, substitute pork for beef, and use colored carrots –…

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Spring Leg of Lamb with Garden Herbs

By jmberry | April 9, 2015

It’s late spring in Northern California, and the Lavender and Rosemary are abundant in my garden, survivors of a winter of foraging by the deer who tend to prefer the other garden plants. I can’t think of a better pairing for our Heritage Cabernet than a roast of lamb with these two herbs as a…

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Buttered Chicken – Nello Stile di Corso

By jmberry | April 9, 2015

My first visit to Corso Trattoria on Shattuck in Berkeley was on a rainy November evening. I was recovering from a cold, and was looking for a hearty dish that would drive away the damp chills. My friends recommended the Pollo al Burro (quite simply, buttered chicken), which was brought to the table in a…

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