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the_maestro
3 days ago18 min read
Becoming a Certified Sommelier
"What all did this involve?" is a question many curious family members, friends, and fellow wine professionals ask about certification.
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the_maestro
Oct 1410 min read
Sommelier Studies: Nebbiolo, a Hometown Hero
Here's the next update of my Sommelier Studies series, focusing on one of my absolute favorite grape varietals.
29 views
the_maestro
Aug 248 min read
Sommelier Studies: Toscana
The Maestro has decided he can't quit his love of learning, and I'm going "back to school," as it were––toward the end of this year, I'll...
24 views
the_maestro
Apr 279 min read
Clues for the Clueless: Wine FAQs, Part 1
For the next few installments of the Maestro's "Clues for the Clueless," allow me to answer some of your most pressing wine questions.
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the_maestro
Jan 16, 20228 min read
The Chef in Charlotte – Soup Billi-Bi
I excitedly watched the weekend weather forecast for the Charlotte metro area develop over the past week––a massive winter storm was set...
241 views
the_maestro
Dec 31, 20219 min read
The 2021 Variant of the Big Drunk Gay Awards
Perhaps it was the sense of impending doom resulting from waking up every day in this pandemic, now again in a terrible phase, that...
73 views
the_maestro
Jul 24, 20213 min read
National Tequila Day – The Paloma
As a child of Utah, I remember July 24 fondly as Utah's statehood anniversary, dubbed Pioneer Day––a little extra 4th of July, with...
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the_maestro
Feb 26, 20215 min read
Quarantine Cuisine: Sea Urchin Pasta
Today I present another of my neglected posts from back in the early parts of quarantine in Iowa, with the hopes that you, too can find...
64 views
the_maestro
Feb 22, 20214 min read
Table X @ Home – Salt Lake City, UT
One of the cooler trends we've been seeing emerge during the pandemic from restaurants are take-home, heat-and-eat style dinners. These...
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the_maestro
Jan 9, 20216 min read
The Maestro's Big Drunk Gay Awards – 2020 Dumpster Fire Edition!
I really enjoyed issuing a series of absolutely meaningless "Big Drunk Gay" awards last year, highlighting the very best things I ate,...
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the_maestro
Sep 30, 20203 min read
The Chef in Charlotte: Cacio e pepe
Like much of the country, I woke up on Wednesday morning feeling pretty darn terrible. Not just because of the amount of rum I drank the...
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the_maestro
Sep 19, 20203 min read
The Chef in Charlotte: Moroccan Chicken
I always love exploring the various cuisines of the world, but know relatively little about African culinary traditions. I have, however,...
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the_maestro
Sep 13, 20203 min read
The Chef in Charlotte: Salmon and grits
Now that I am back in the south, some of my memories of the south come back from time to time, and my discovery of the wonders of grits...
110 views
the_maestro
Sep 11, 20203 min read
The Chef in Charlotte: Bison tenderloin
Ah, we have a new series to inaugurate! "Quarantine Cuisine" no longer seemed quite right, since I am, for all intents and purposes, not...
13 views
the_maestro
Sep 1, 20205 min read
The Maestro moves to Charlotte
Well kids, what can I say? Life is crazy, and my dearth of posts this past month was due in part to my grand adventure in Alaska, yes,...
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the_maestro
Jul 16, 20204 min read
Summer Grilling: Thai Chicken Thighs
Things have been slow around here recently, mostly owing to the fact that my much-anticipated trip to California had to be shelved due to...
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the_maestro
Jun 6, 20203 min read
Summer Grilling: Churrasco
I suppose now that we are out of the most intense aspects of the "Quarantine" these days, at least in Iowa, I have decided to rename the...
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the_maestro
May 22, 20203 min read
The Quarantini Series: Sangria
Things are getting warmer around the country! With that in mind, I decided to present one of my very favorite beverages for warmer...
22 views
the_maestro
May 17, 20204 min read
Quarantine Cuisine: Duck breast
Rounding out our order from D'Artagnan was a beautiful breast of duck, one of my favorite proteins to cook, and one that is sure to make...
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the_maestro
May 15, 20207 min read
Quarantine Cuisine: Paella
Back when the pandemic was just starting, I noticed that our old reliable supplier of fresh seafood, Fulton Fish Market, was offering a...
85 views
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