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Foods From Chile – The Wines: Part One- Viñedos de Alcohuaz
I have never seen bluer skies than the sky I saw in northern Chile’s Elqui Valley, high up in the Andes. The sky is so clear, the area of the Atacama Desert (the Elqui Valley is at the southern edge...
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Highlights From The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party 2013
Brisket, ribs, sausages, whole hog, pork shoulder, cracklings, Mint Juleps, slaw, Bloody Marys, Alabama seafood – it was all there, enough to turn one relatively small park in NYC into the center of...
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L’Arpege – Lasting Impressions
The Adria brothers of elBulli and Rene Redzepi of noma have been the most visibly influential individual chefs of the past twenty years, while Japanese cuisine has undoubtedly been the single most...
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I Spy Priorat, a Wine Expo in Rural Catalonia
Welcome to Priorat. This year marked the second occurrence of the biennial (i.e., every other year) Espai Priorat International Exhibition of DOCa Priorat Wines, hosted by none other than the...
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Sunday Photo – Old Friends at Cabin Creek
Cool n’ Collective I had dinner the other night with some “old friends.” Amongst them were people I have known for some time. In addition there were some “old friends” that were new to me. The dinner...
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Hen of the Wood – Classic Vermont
When the bread is the most delicious part of a meal that can generally mean one of two things – it was a terrible meal or it was awesome bread. Fortunately, in the case of Hen of the Wood in Waterbury,...
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The Pastry Artistry of Antonio Bachour at The J&G Grill and The St.Regis Bal...
Executive Pastry Chef Antonio Bachour I first came across Antonio Bachour‘s work during the 2nd annual StarChef’s Pastry Competition in 2011. Bachour was one of three finalists. His work was visually...
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Saison – Sublime Sensuality
Chef Joshua Skenes Sensuality is oft equated with erotic sexuality and while they tend to go hand in hand, not all sensuality is sexual, or at least not overtly so. Sensuality is a state of pleasure...
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A Return To Atera
One of the problems for me with writing about restaurants is that it is difficult to return to places that I’ve been and enjoyed when it seems that there is always something new and exciting that I...
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Aubergine – Carmel Cool
While by no means exclusive to the West Coast, cool jazz is the style of jazz most closely associated with it, especially the sounds of Dave Brubeck, Chico Hamilton and Gerry Mulligan amongst others....
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Travel Spain with Gerry Dawes – January 12th-19th, 2014
The legendary Lucio Blasquez of Madrid’s Casa Lucio with Gerry Dawes at Casa Lucio. Are you a chef, cook or serious food enthusiast? Have you ever been to Spain? Have you ever eaten in Spain with an...
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An Aye For Contra
It’s easy to say that Contra, the new NYC restaurant from the still young, but experienced chef duo of Fabián¹ Von Hauske Valtierra and Jeremiah Stone and the even more experienced sommelier Linda...
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Sunday Photo – Pouring Wine at El Colmado
First things first, my son, L.J. Sconzo, works at El Colmado as well as Tertulia, the NYC Spanish restaurants helmed by Chef Seamus Mullen. I had lunch at the recently opened El Colmado in the brand...
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Benu – Corey Lee’s New California Cuisine
The term “California cuisine” is most typically applied to a style of cooking and ingredients that reflect a Mediterranean tradition. That should not be surprising given the Mediterranean like climate...
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My Top Non-Restaurant Meal of 2013
Meals in homes or other non-restaurant settings offer a completely different set of expectations and experiences than those in restaurants, especially restaurants with vaunted reputations. In homes...
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The Docsconz Five Most Memorable Food Related Non Dining Moments of 2013 – No. 1
Stomping grapes in Chile to make wine – wine making has become such a science that many old time methods have become almost forgotten. This was not the case at Viñedos de Alcahuaz in Chile’s Atacama...
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Spain and the New York Table
Ferran Adria doing a demo at the Spain and the World Table Conference at CIA/Greystone 11/3/2006 Back in 2006, Spain was riding high in the gastronomic world. elBulli was at its peak and Spanish...
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The Art of The Iberian Pig – A Week in The Heart of Spanish Pork Country –...
Pure Iberian pigs feeding on acorns in the dehesa of Montanchez The eating of pork is taboo in some religious cultures, but for many others who eat animal flesh, the pig is widely considered the most...
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The Art of The Iberian Pig – A Week in The Heart of Spanish Pork Country –...
Avila It wasn’t easy getting up the next day, but get up we did. We toured Avila for a bit before heading west to Guijuelo, a center for the craft of making jamones de Iberico as well as a variety of...
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El Cochinillo de Candido – Finally!
Suckling pig – those are magic words to those who have had it. True suckling pig is a rare treat in the United States. It is in Spain too, but there it is a delicacy that is well known and well...
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