A Tale of Two Chardonnays
Summer! The season of al fresco dining with grilled meats, pasta, potato salads, and all manner of BBQ. And, of course, chardonnay, the white wine of choice for so many Americans. A perennial favorite, chardonnay can be crisp and floral or buttery and brazen; it...
Italian Beauties
There was time in my younger days when a press and trade tasting in San Francisco was a small affair. The press, usually 10 to 15 wine writers, were treated to a quiet hour or so to make our notes in peace, before the trade were let in. In those days (1980s to early...
Quantum Leap Offers a New Approach to Winemaking
Quantum Leap (noun): an abrupt change, sudden increase, or dramatic advance. A quantum leap is what vintners Jill Ramsier and David Forrester took when they opened Quantum Leap Winery. Located in Orlando, Quantum Leap certainly represents a “dramatic advance" in...
Maris and Kaspars Jansons: Two of “Rītiņš’ Boys”
Amsterdam is known as "Venice of the North" because of its canals and Riga is known as "Paris of the North" because of its post-Communist culinary Renaissance. The pioneer of this Renaissance is Mārtīņš Rītiņš, who through his show on national television brought...
Martins Ritins: The First and Still Brightest Star of Latvia’s Culinary Sky
Riga, the capital of Latvia, and the surrounding Riga-Gauja Region are the European Capital of Gastronomy for the year 2017. From April 20-23 “Live Riga”, the city’s Tourist Board, invited me and five Finnish journalists for a full-immersion tour of the cultural and...
SpringHouse in Alexander City, AL: Dining in Rustic Elegance
Executive Chef and General Manager Rob McDaniel and the decision-makers of Russell Lands on Lake Martin combined to design a restaurant that is luring diners off the beaten path who come for a visual as well as a culinary feast. Located at 12 Benson Mill Road in...
Where to Stay Put in Mauritius
Mauritius is really a very unspoiled island and I highly recommend it whether for a honeymoon, a young family or in retirement. The hotels are excellent. The service is wonderful, the rooms thoroughly thought through and the food local, fresh and delicious. My...
Experiencing Leonardo and Nearby Treats in Rome
Born in the Tuscan hill town of Vinci on April 15, 1472, the oldest illegitimate son of a promiscuous wealthy notary and a peasant, Leonard was a polymath. His interests included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music (both performing and...
THE APPEAL OF SRI LANKA’S SOUTH
Kúpa-mandúka is the local phrase for one who never leaves his home, one ignorant of the world (literally, a frog in a well). But, for me, I knew Sri Lanka would be enriching and had to visit. I came first to the Wallawwa (www.thewallawwa.com). It’s just outside...
Who We Are
An evolution of EPICUREAN magazine, EPICUREAN TRAVELER is designed to cater to passionate foodies who love to travel and explore the way world cultures are expressed through the individuality of food, wine and spirits. ET seeks to find a balance between these interests, featuring award-winning writers, sumptuous photography and engaging graphic design. As with its predecessor, in EPICUREAN TRAVELER you’ll find individual voices — It’s what gives ET personality.