Not a huge fan of beer? Love wine? Peer pressure to go to a beer festival? I recently survived – no, actually enjoyed! – Vail, Colorado’s 16th annual Big Beers, Belgians, and Barleywines Festival. Discover beers you might not expect to like! If you follow this blog, you know I’m a wine drinker. I enjoy…
Category: USA
Playa del Rey: Go fancy or dive at the best LA beach town you’ve never heard of
Check out both decades-old local haunts and trendy new food boutiques alike in Los Angeles’ most underrated beach town. No doubt you’ll find yourself wondering why it’s the best little beach you’ve never heard of! Thanks to Hollywood (and even the food television world), the city and county of Los Angeles capture the imaginations of…
The CD Road Trips down California’s Historic El Camino Real
How does The CD road trip? Join us for our first – food filled – drive down the historic El Camino Real (U.S. Highway 101) from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I was born to road trip. At a young age, I stayed alert and curious of my surroundings on our many family road…
Cotogna: Escaping El Nino with cozy, boutique Italian
There are memorable meals, and there are those meals that give us the sensory equivalent of a photographic memory. Every flavor, every texture is etched into vivid memory. The latter was my experience with Cotogna, one of San Francisco’s outstanding boutique Italian cafes. I realize that saying “one of” doesn’t exactly sound like an overwhelming…
Chai Pani: “Evolved” Indian street food seduces American taste buds in Decatur and Asheville
If you enjoy Indian cuisine and live or travel near Atlanta, Georgia or Asheville, North Carolina, you must sample the street food tour of India that is Chai Pani. From pakora to Pani puri to thali that will satisfy the heartiest appetites, your palate might never want to leave! (North) Indian restaurants are as plentiful…
Warm butternut squash and spinach salad with Stilton and cranberries
Thanksgiving may have come and gone, but this warm salad is packed full of autumn flavors to brighten your table this holiday season. The sweetness of maple roasted butternut squash and tart cranberries is balanced with spinach and red onions, while the mild tang of Stilton cheese adds some richness and a hint of unami….
Freemark Abbey: Cabernet (and more!) Greatness in the heart of Napa
Stop by my favorite winery in California’s beautiful Napa Valley for some of the valley’s best wines. From reds to whites to their rare library finds, theirs are truly worth trying. If you have been following this blog, it’s no secret that my interest and appreciation for wine goes hand in hand with my love…
Tony’s Pizzeria Napoletana: A San Francisco North Beach landmark
Walk into Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in the heart of San Francisco’s Little Italy in North Beach on most days, and without fail, you’ll encounter a bustling, boisterous vibe – and a wait for a table. See what the hype is all about as you sample both Italian and American pizza making traditions and watch the…
Foster’s Market Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip cookies: A taste of North Carolina fall
The CD is finally back in the kitchen! From California, I’ll continue to share flavors and unique finds imported from around the globe, but I’ll also share my old East Coast culinary traditions and discover new perspectives of the American West. It is fitting that the East Coast gal marks her return to the –…
Stoneacre Pantry: The Bounty Of New England’s Surf and Turf
Island hop to charming Newport, Aquidneck, Rhode Island for a food scene that is unexpectedly diverse and refined for the town’s size and relatively remote island location. Along the foodie’s paradise that is Thames Street is Stoneacre Pantry, a small, locally owned and sourced restaurant that emphasizes the quality and sustainability of local farm produce….
The Culinary Diplomat 