All The Right Ingredients

"Wine Pairing with Comfort Food!" with Sommelier and Wine Educator, Melissa Ward of Sips with a Somm

As the temperature cools down my thoughts turn to comfort food! You know... those yummy and hearty soups, stews, and braises, that fill the kitchen with heavenly aromas that pull everyone in to the table. Often the preparations lend themselves to richly layering flavors, and creating more complex tastes. I'm enlisting the expert help of Melissa Ward, a sommelier and wine educator, and owner of Sips with a Somm [https://www.rusticgrapeavl.com/#tastings], to help guide us in pairing the appropriate wines with these hearty entrees. I love that Melissa's style of educating is fun and relaxed, and often says, "Drink what you love and love what you drink!" In this episode she's presenting guidelines - not hard and fast rules. Our discussion revolves around wine pairings for three of my favorite  comfort food recipes: Apple Pork Tenderloin, Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, and Slow-Cooked Short Ribs with Mushroom Sauce on Creamy Polenta. I hope you'll try these recipes with her suggested pairings. You, too, can experience a "warm hug in a glass"! Be sure to follow Melissa on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/melissa.ward.319] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rusticgrapeavl/?hl=en-gb] and find out how you can schedule her for an in-person or virtual wine tasting! Cheers!

"Etiquette in the Digital Age" with Randi Mays-Knapp, Certified Etiquette and Leadership Coach

As our lives have become more dependent on electronic devices, and lifestyles have become more "casual", I've noticed that the structured rules of traditional etiquette are fading away. Then...there was COVID. The isolation and hibernation behind digital screens REALLY resulted in a deterioration of civility and manners! Now that we've emerged from that, and are trying to return to normal living, we need to take a look the rules of etiquette, manners, and good behavior in this digital age. Certified Etiquette and Leadership Coach, Randi Mays-Knapp, shares new guidelines  for invitations and RSVPs, ways to re-establish our people-to-people skills of communication, the importance of thank you notes, and other tips to help you become a favored guest and a more thoughtful individual. Randi also shares a delicious family recipe for a wild rice soup [https://www.thediningdiva.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chicken-and-Wild-Rice-Soup-1-Edit-2.jpg] along with an easy way to remember the proper way to handle that soup spoon!

"Better Baking Epiphany" with Jenni Field~ Pastry Chef Online, Recipe Developer and Baking Methods Expert

Have you ever noticed inconsistencies in your baked goods? Maybe the brownies didn't rise as much as the last time; the cake texture wasn't quite as light as you remembered. I certainly have - even when it's a recipe that I've made a zillion times, and I think I am making it exactly the same way! What made the difference? Recently I was reading a recipe posted by my friend and baking methods expert, Jenni Field, for her Decadent Chocolate Pound Cake [https://pastrychefonline.com/chocolate-pound-cake/] (you really MUST make this, BTW - just sooo delicious). A single "click" on a link for the creaming method in her discussion of the recipe became a "light bulb moment" for me! Little did I realize how critical that familiar phrase we know so well, "Cream the butter and the sugar...", is to the success of the final product. There's a LOT MORE to this technique than you realize! Listen up as Jenni gives us the in-depth explanation of this method and why it is so important to the final result. She also shares a yummy recipe for her Whipping Cream Pound Cake [https://www.thediningdiva.com/jenni-fields-whipping-cream-pound-cake/] so you can test out your newly acquired knowledge. I promise, once you incorporate this method into your baking, you will be rewarded with consistently perfect results. It will really be your "Better Baking Epiphany"!

"Essential Pots and Pans" with Courtney Nzeribe - kitchen retail expert, former food blogger and caterer, and Renaissance woman!

I'm finding that I have MANY friends who are downsizing - adopting a more minimalist take on life, and lots of other friends who are really getting into cooking (probably due to having to cook so much during the pandemic) and reassessing their culinary requirements. Both groups are asking the same question: "What are the essential pots and pans that I need?"  Today, my guest, Courtney Nzeribe, is well-qualified to lay out a list for you to consider. Not only is she a fabulous cook and former food blogger, she has worked in kitchenware retail for years and has seen the trends come and go, and the buying habits of consumers – young and old.  In addition she has extensive catering experience for private clients and the diplomatic consular community in the Chicago area. She provides wonderful information about not only what you need, but WHY you need it, and her list can accommodate most budgets. She has certainly inspired me! She has shared and fabulous recipe for a wok-seared sea bass [https://www.thediningdiva.com/wok-seared-chilean-sea-bass-with-green-peppercorn-butter/]. Your friends and family will absolutely love it!

"Shrimply Delicious" with Andrea Hance, Executive Director of the Texas Shrimp Association

One of my favorite things to cook, eat, and enjoy is wild-caught shrimp! The flavor is fabulous and is worth seeking out when dining in restaurants and when shopping for your own preparation at home. Over the years I've been fortunate to be able to work with the Texas Department of Agriculture [http://www.gotexan.org/EXPERIENCE/GOTEXANShrimp.aspx]as a spokesperson, ambassador, and recipe developer for Texas Shrimp. I met our guest, Andrea Hance, Executive Director of the Texas Shrimp Association, years ago. The mission of TSA is to develop strategies to educate consumers, law makers, media outlets, environmental groups about the importance of protecting and growing the Texas Gulf Shrimping Industry, while maintaining a sustainable and an environmentally safe product. Andrea has dedicated herself to this mission, and has been a very prominent voice for protecting the shrimp industry up to the national level. Today we will talk about the different types of shrimp and their flavors, the differences between farmed and wild-caught shrimp, and the concerns posed by imported shrimp. We will hear how we can make a difference as consumers! And of course, we have a fabulous recipe [https://www.thediningdiva.com/pan-seared-shrimp-with-sundried-tomatoes/] to highlight that sweet delicious flavor that you only get from wild-caught shrimp. Be sure to follow the latest information about the shrimp industry on their Facebook Page [https://x.facebook.com/TexasShrimpAssociation/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/texasshrimpassociation/]!