Veritasty: Truthfully Delicious

After several trips to Paris over the years, I was eager to see more of France so one weekend in early December, we planned a very last-minute low-key trip to Nice.  It was so brief (arrived Saturday, departed Sunday) that I just brought my Jansport with one change of clothes (if at all). When we first got to Nice from the airport, our destination became...Monaco.  The tiny principality of Monaco is just a handful of miles away from Nice, and even uses Nice's airport/helipad since it doesn't have its own.  High rollers of course go to Monaco by helicopter from the Nice Airport and head to the Monte Carlo casino, luxury shopping, and Formula One racing.  Alex and I went to Monaco on a public bus. As cheap as that sounds, the bus ride was one of the most amazing experiences.  The water on the Riviera was a gorgeous cerulean blue and the mountainous land rises steeply up from the coast, where terra cotta-tiled houses are studded into the landscape.  ...

Ciao amici! Yesterday we felt the warm hospitality of Italy at the Ospitalita'Italiana: The Authentic Italian Table.  The event was hosted by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce at the Metropolitan Pavilion.  We had an amazing and classy evening and we got to witness all the best of Italian culture all in one room without having to hop on a plane. When we entered, the first thing I saw was a dimly lit room full of beautiful and beautifully dressed people.  Certainly check the box off for handsome Italian men in suits.  I wasn't too  badly under-dressed, but it had been raining and I looked so silly clomping around in my rainboots.  People were clinking glasses and double-cheek-kissing all around.  It all felt so Italian! I got to sit on a Vespa, so that was fun! Then, we quickly made a beeline for the food, of course!  Imagine if you will all your favorite dishes in Italian cuisine, and chances were they were served at The Authent...

What better things are there in the world than some wine, bread, meat, and cheese?  Most fondue experiences incorporate these guilty pleasures, as was the case at Winegasm in Astoria, Queens.  Winegasm is a tapas/fondue place that offered a Groupon (yay) so we headed out there for our fill of melted stuff and dip-able stuff and booze. The ambiance was kind of nice at first: very rustic bar scene with a few tables.  Nice and romantic when they put on the mood lighting, but once the live music started up, it got a little too loud and a little too country for my taste. The Groupon deal included a glass of wine with your meal and a glass of wine with dessert, so I had a Riesling and prosecco.  Winegasm prides itself on serving local, organic, and sustainable wines.  The Riesling was surprisingly good: sweet, with a smooth finish.  The prosecco was tasty, too, except it smelled a little like generic bathroom hand soap.  We had a cheese fondue with ...

Say what, a New York City festival all about wine and food?  Sign us up! Last night, we went to the Cooking Channel Uncorked event, part of New York City's Wine & Food Festival, in the Meatpacking District.  The premise was that a few boutique shops and restaurants in the neighborhood provided food and wine to visiting patrons, whose tickets contributed to raising money for Food Bank for New York City and No Kid Hungry.  The event took place like a scavenger hunt: the few streets around Chelsea Market/the High Line were host to food trucks and stations serving up little bites and little sips.  Unfortunately, it was COLD but big props to NYC WFF for their intricate hosting and organizational duties. Our first little nibble was from Gaslight Pizzeria.  They doled out a veal/pork meatball in a garlicky tomato sauce and a little shot of chopped tomato mozzarella salad.  The meatball was moist and salty, and though the tomato salad that accompanied...