WELCOME TO WINESCOOP! If you love great food and wine, you have come to the right place. For wine tasting events, see the Gallery or click here. For wine recommendations, click on "Reviews" under the Main Menu. For winemaker videos, visit YouTube.com/winescoop or click here. For news about flowers and fruit, please visit Prayerful Gardens. Cheers!

2011 RECIPES: Potato Soup with Broccoli & Cheese After a day of hard labor, nothing beats something from the stove top like potato soup with fresh broccoli. Cream soups during cold weather are so satisfying and easy to prepare. They are a real crowd pleaser. Prep time: one hour. Cook vegetables separately and add cheese last. Bon appetit! Published Jan 21, 2012 - 04:39 PM

2011 RECIPES: Vegetables, noodles and English roast A telephone call ignited a cooking frenzi with vegetables, noodles and English roast. Although she was cooking Tamale Pie worlds away from vegetable primavera, it was enough to shake me out of a culinary fog resulting in stir fry with Yoder's noodles for lunch. Thank you, Myra. Have a great weekend. Published Jan 13, 2012 - 04:33 PM

Life Styles: Half-time with Sockeye Salmon Congrats on today's NFL victory if you're a Giant's fan. What were you munching on during the game or dining on after the game? Grilled salmon, chicken wings, steak or rum balls? Published Jan 08, 2012 - 05:55 PM

Life Styles: Strawberries for Dessert The best way to tell a story is with pictures. It may not seem that way to you. You might even say Facebook is for kids. But, with a light lunch of French onion soup, a chat session and Willie Nelson in concert on the Internet, the evidence is clear. Two people in front of widescreen monitors who share an interest in photography, music and good food will have a near cosmic experience. Bar None. Published Jan 04, 2012 - 12:39 AM

Life Styles: Bringing in the New Year with COLDPLAY "What's the point of saving ideas and songs? It means they have no value (paraphrased). We're not the best musicians. We just throw out everything at the moment." From Austin City Lights, we are rocking in the new year with COLDPLAY one of our favorite digital bands. Tune in to PBS and listen to YELLOW. Published Dec 31, 2011 - 09:10 PM

Fine Dining: Music and Mesclun for New Year's Nothing can surpass the delicious tastes, textures and pretty colors of tender baby salad lettuces freshly harvested, simply dressed, and enjoyed just minutes after they are cut. These luscious salads are called Mesclun today, a French term that originally meant a mixture of tender salads that were wild-harvested to renew the blood each spring. We celebrate this new year's eve with red wine and Mesculun. What more could you ask for? Published Dec 31, 2011 - 05:46 PM

Life Styles: Song of the Mountains 'Tis a dazzling season for Great Performances and classical music this week from Yo-Yo Ma and Neil Diamond who were honored by the Kennedy Center. Presented by PBS, their music brought down the house. Tonight, it was Grascals from Nashville on Song of the Mountains with lyrics like "pig in the ground and the beer's on ice." I give up. No pictures. Published Dec 29, 2011 - 07:06 PM

Prayerful Gardens: O Holy Night It is nearing Christmas eve. So, who will you spend it with? Someone you love with a bottle of Marilyn Merlot? There is nothing amusing about a bottle of fine wine especially at Christmas time. Could we, would we send you wine? As writers, we share our thoughts and pray that you are blessed this Christmas season. Rejoice! O Night, divine, when CHRIST was born. Published Dec 23, 2011 - 04:23 PM

Prayerful Gardens: A Peaceful Heart The Christmas story teaches us that man is rebellious against GOD. Today, more than ever, we long for the land of milk and honey. When we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of GOD, we become giants in the land. This Christmas, we wish you fellowship with God and a desire to read the 66 books of the Bible. Learn how to think and walk with a peaceful heart. Jesus is the God of love and life. Luke 13:1. Amen. Published Dec 22, 2011 - 10:55 AM

Life Styles: What's Cookin'? Live from Lincoln Center it's The Nutcracker performed by the New York City Ballet on PBS, that's what cookin'. It's golden. Backstage interviews with Chelsea Clinton. We hope you're watching. Published Dec 21, 2011 - 08:30 PM

2011 RECIPES: Just add Mushrooms Feed a family of four for dinner with boneless skinless chicken breast sauteed for 45 minutes. Add peeled garlic and yellow onions. Serve with mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable. Just add mushrooms. Published Dec 18, 2011 - 06:01 PM

2011 RECIPES: Ten Days Til Christmas with Stir Fry Eat well this Christmas with delicious stir fry vegetables and shushi - without raw fish. Ten days, ten different heart-healthy nutritious meals. Season with easy-to-find condiments from the supermarket to change the flavors of each meal. Day one example. Published Dec 15, 2011 - 02:01 PM

Fine Dining: The Perfect Steak Kevin Costner tells Robin Wright Penn in the film "Message in a Bottle" that he makes a perfect steak. Tonight, we can say WAHOO, it can happen to you with a top loin strip steak. Broil it under an open flame for 30 minutes. This is the same cut as porterhouse without the bone. Stock up whenever it is sale priced for $6.99 a pound. This week, it is Kroger's. Published Dec 07, 2011 - 09:48 PM

Prayerful Gardens: The Weekend Omelet From Egg-Land's Best brown eggs to stir fry vegetables, this is our recipe for home-cooked omelets. For city slickers, it is another chance to create a dish with hot pepper cheese from the frig that jumps out at you like wild Indians behind the bison burgers. If you raise chickens, it could mean collecting your own eggs. Either way, prep time is about 30 minutes. Published Dec 03, 2011 - 11:39 AM

Welcome!: Going Ape! WineScoop hits the million visitor mark today. Compare the excitement level to New Year's Eve in Times Square. Countdown to 1 million ... photos to come (maybe and probably out of focus). Raise your glass of whatever and help us celebrate! Hats off! You made it happen, food and wine lovers. Thank you, thank you ...and now a message from our sponsor. Published Dec 01, 2011 - 01:44 PM

Prayerful Gardens: Cyber Monday at Prayerful Gardens Good luck if you are shopping for deals on electronics today. Soap operas, YouTube and everything in nature will seem more spectacular on HD television, HD iPhones, and HD tablets. Like the Romans, we have become the most envied spectator nation in the world. Do we even remember how to plant a tree? Published Nov 28, 2011 - 12:06 PM

2011 RECIPES: French Onion Soup with Grilled Chicken In the mood for hearty soup? Here's a quick and easy stove-top recipe with leftover French onion soup. Combine grilled chicken cubes with brown rice in a caserole dish. Add onion soup and cook over medium heat for ten minutes. Add Swiss cheese slices and top with homestyle caesar croutons. Serves two. Got wine? Published Nov 25, 2011 - 07:01 PM

Life Styles: Bang on the Drum All Day Remember when we danced all day and night to songs like "Wipe Out"? Just two hours ago, grandma pounded out the song on this drum set. It was like the 1960's all over again at this Thanksgiving dinner for friends and family. Then the drum sticks were turned over to the grandchildren, all four of them girls. So, happy Thanksgiving wherever you are in this great big wonderful world. Published Nov 24, 2011 - 04:06 PM

2011 RECIPES: Chopped with Ted Allen Passion and expertise rule the kitchen on the fast-paced new series, Chopped. Hosted by Ted Allen (Food Detectives), the series challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets "chopped" until the last man or woman left standing claims victory. Published Nov 21, 2011 - 11:52 AM

Writers: Thanksgiving by Charles F. Stanley "As the weather turns colder and the colors of the landscape change around us, most Americans are probably looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving Day with friends and family." Read more about holiday traditions written by Dr. Charles F. Stanley from InTouch Ministries. Published Nov 19, 2011 - 09:44 AM

Prayerful Gardens: Picture Perfect Strawberry Plant Brighten a rainy day in November with strawberry leaves turning bright red. These few strawberry plants just keep hanging on, like the 1967 hit song by the Supremes. Cost: $10 from Home Depot. Planted this spring with a respectable yield. Left alone, they will take over your yard. After just one season, this group measures 36 sq. feet. Compost news and pictures. Published Nov 16, 2011 - 12:59 PM

Life Styles: Catfish, Cabbage & Carrots with Rice A little forethought on Sunday could turn into a delicious hot meal on Monday. This is the plan for the coming winter months. First, clean out the freezer, one mystery meat at a time. First prize goes to sauteed catfish with brown rice and vegetables. Here's the recipe. Published Nov 07, 2011 - 10:20 AM

Prayerful Gardens: Final Tomato Harvest 2011 After a week of mulching, painting, cooking and cleaning, here is the last tomato harvest from the backyard garden in 2011. Grown in a pot and ripened on a handcart over the past four weeks, this is what you could produce next year with seeds and starter plants. There may have been 2,000 or more green peppers had they been given more room to grow. Photos. Published Nov 06, 2011 - 12:45 PM

Life Styles: Halloween and Dodge Hemi Straight from the parking lot in SE Ohio: How U Bin? Is the 40-something owner thrilled with this supercharged Dodge Hemi? With pop music from the '80's on the touchscreen radio, we're back in high school. The color orange is synonymous with Halloween: pumpkins, candy corn and now the Dodge Hemi. Don't ask how this happened, it just did. No story, just pictures and dreams of great road trips. Published Oct 29, 2011 - 06:26 PM

Writers: Food and Wine Writers Needed If you can tell a story, own a digital camera and have a culinary interest, you could learn how to become a food and wine writer. Activate these skills that will keep you engaged in communication with other writers day and night. Do you know your way around a wine store and food markets? Love to travel? Learn more. Published Oct 27, 2011 - 10:08 AM

French Wine: Slow Cooking with Fruit & Wine The French invented slow cooking with red wine, I'm almost certain. Although I'm not French, my earliest days in the kitchen were spent pouring over French cookbooks. Separating butter was my first cooking class. Next came swooning over French pastries at New York City bakeries. Then, my culinary education opened up to fine wine. Maybe there is French blood in my family tree. Welcome to WineScoop's new French and fruity crockpot kitchen. Voila! Published Oct 24, 2011 - 01:10 PM

Prayerful Gardens: Pain Killers and Pot Roast About an hour ago, the landscapers delivered 40 bags of mulch. Not nearly enough for the trees and shrubs. The message is this: if you're not paying attention to our troubled economy and believe Airstrip One (George Orwell's 1984) could never happen in the USA, you can kiss the American dream goodbye. Be prepared! Published Oct 21, 2011 - 09:53 AM

Prayerful Gardens: The Joy of Red & Green Peppers When the peppers on the plate come from your garden, it's cause to rejoice. As a lover of fine dining, you probably take pleasure watching cooking shows on TV. Consider molecular gastronomy dealing with today's cooking styles. If fitness is on the lifestyle agenda, consider a visual diary of your eating habits. Starting today, begin with your favorite food or an omelet. Learn more, food and wine lovers. Published Oct 02, 2011 - 11:38 AM

Fine Dining: Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms Pizza Style If you're looking for the WOW factor this weekend, kick it up a notch with this pizza-style dish. Buy "pizza style" stuffed portabello mushrooms at the supermarket. Over a low heat or in the oven, add cooked rice, sauteed green peppers with onions and grilled chicken pieces. Ready in eight minutes. It may take more prep work, but your guests will be asking for more. Published Sep 24, 2011 - 09:25 AM

Editorials: AWOLNATION - Music for the Times Megalithic Symphony is the title of the CD by Awolnation recorded at Red Bull Studios in Los Angeles, CA and released in 2011. The name of the artists are Aaron Bruno, Jimmy Messer and Eric Stenman. They should pay royalties to anyone who can read the title information, the print is so small. Nonetheless, it is powerful music for the times and without x-rated lyrics. Visit the website at AWOLNATIONMUSIC.COM. Published Sep 21, 2011 - 01:20 PM