Tasty Links

Over the years, I have found good friends to be an essential ingredient for creating a simplified, more joyful life. They can be especially helpful in the kitchen! I encourage you to involve your friends in both the cooking and sharing of meals. Through this simple practice, your friendships can become rich, satisfying and a source of inspiration.

To whet your appetite, I am pleased to share the following tasty links. I hope you find them helpful. Feel free to share them with a friend!

The Barefoot Contessa

Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, has been a continual source of inspiration for me. She once owned a popular specialty foods store in the Hamptons and went on to author several wonderful cookbooks. Ina currently hosts a show on the Food Network. Her website features recipes, menus, cookbooks, specialty products and much more.

The Asheville Wine Market

This downtown treasure has a large selection of fine wines (many reasonably priced), premium beers, and gourmet foods. Owner "Eb" Eberhard Heide is a wine lover in the truest sense—he is unpretentious and enjoys sharing his expertise and passion for wine. His knowledgeable, friendly staff takes great pride in demystifying the selection process and food pairings. For those with a taste for adventure, AWM offers wine samplers that explore vineyards from across the world. If you live in Asheville, be sure to check out their wine tastings, dinners, and other special events.

Bliss Farm Antiques

Bliss Farm Antiques is owned by a dear childhood friend of mine who is a fabulous antique collector, observer of the sublime, and a terrific cook in her own right. Jackie has a terrific sense of humor, which helps explain why I'm addicted to her blog. When I'm not eating, I like to laugh, a lot. In fact, I like to laugh when I'm eating too, though my family and friends don't always appreciate the results of that combination! If you love beautiful things and you love to laugh, you will definitely enjoy Bliss Farm Antiques' blog.