Posted by Deb Harkness, July 4, 2008 at 10:00 AM
If your summer calendar looks like mine, it is likely you have somehow managed to accept more invitations to backyard barbecues than there are weekends left in the summer. Barbecue season is in full gear, leaving many wine lovers wondering what to drink with all those hot dogs and hamburgers.
Zinfandel is the default option. It’s widely available, inexpensive, and its fruity character pairs well with the sauce-slathered triumvirate of grilled favorites: steaks, burgers, and ribs. There are problems with Zinfandel, however. Given its high alcohol levels the wine is not at its best in summer heat, and Zinfandel is such a bold wine that it is not the ideal partner for more delicate grilled dishes like chicken, fish, shellfish, or vegetables.
There are equally good, affordable, and more versatile options than Zinfandel. When I head to the store for summer wines, I keep "GRPS" (grapes without the vowels) in mind. It stands for Grenache, Rosé, Portugal/Spain, and Sauvignon Blanc, and these wine categories open up a world of tasty new options for summer get-togethers.
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Posted by Ed Levine, March 10, 2008 at 8:30 AM
It started the very first meal we ate in Lisbon. We awoke from our post-flight nap and headed across the street from the very wonderful Hotel Britania (not cheap, but not crazy expensive either, and very comfortable with free wi-fi) to a tiny neighborhood joint. We tentatively peered in the window, and the proprietor waved us in with a friendly gesture. He took us to the back of the restaurant to a little room with three tables and those ubiquitous pretty blue tiles that are on three-quarters of the walls we saw in Portugal. The Portuguese lead the EU and the world in tiling; they even tile the sidewalks. We sat down, and that's when the parade of seemingly free little plates started coming.
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In Portugal, lampreys, described as "neither fish, worm, nor eel," are a delicacy whose season is upon us: "Many of the parasites feed by sucking the blood of fish, attaching to their prey with a suction disk and teeth. The Portuguese prefer to eat them cooked in their own blood. At this time of year, for some communities on Portugal's northern rivers, lampreys are big business. They also make their way onto menus at top-notch Lisbon restaurants." (For Serious Eats overlord Ed Levine, now vacationing in Portugal.)
Posted by Amanda Clarke, January 11, 2008 at 10:00 AM
My husband and I went to Lisbon for the first time (hopefully not the last) recently. Knowing virtually nothing about the city or, for that matter, Portuguese history and culture at large, we chose the destination on the basis of some vague recollections of positive things heard, the fact that we hadn't been there before and, in light of the trip's brevity, that it wasn't too far away.
Having arrived in this place with so little knowledge, nearly every turn presented a revelation, some new facet of the city's character. Charmingly archaic streetcars traversed some of the narrowest, steepest streets we'd ever seen. A generous smattering of beautifully refined Art Nouveau edifices rivaling those of Paris stood cheek-by-jowl with homey stucco facades enlivened by fields of vividly painted tiles.
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Posted by Lia Bulaong, April 9, 2007 at 4:15 PM
This weekend on NPR's All Things Considered, host Debbie Elliott and their food guy John T. Edge talked to wine expert Mannie Berk about Madeira, A Wine for the Ages.
A fortified wine made in the Portuguese islands of the same name, Madeira when sealed properly is one of the longest lasting of wines. According to Wikipedia, "Madeiras have been known to survive over 150 years in excellent condition. It is not uncommon to see Madeiras pushing the century mark for sale at stores that specialize in rare wine. As of January 19, 2007, rarewineco.com was offering an 1834 Malvasia."
Madeira's stability and longevity are what made it the wine of choice in the New World, where quality wine grapes could not be grown, and it was imported by the "pipe"—a casket containing between 110-120 gallons. A favorite of Thomas Jefferson, Madeira was used to toast the Declaration of Independence in 1776. I've never had any myself, but I've always been curious about it because it pops up so much in books like Robinson Crusoe!
If your summer calendar looks like mine, it is likely you have somehow managed to accept more invitations to backyard barbecues than there are weekends left in the summer. Barbecue season is in full gear, leaving many wine lovers wondering what to drink with all those hot dogs and hamburgers. 
