Wine and Food Pairing

 

Scientific research suggests that certain wine and food pairings actually improve the lingering taste of food in your mouth.

As Christmas dinners draw near, get help choosing tasty wines that complement your favourite cuts of meat and seafood or which wines are just great to bring along to the party.

During Salut a few weeks ago, I was able to taste the wines BETCO Premier Ltd. had to offer, paired with an array of chicken, salmon bites, sausage and shrimp. BETCO poured at The Regency Bar & Lounge at The Terra Nova and Bin26 at Devon House.

Both events were a success but at Bin26, Best Dressed Foods Ltd. joined BETCO for the marketing opportunity and as food was pushed out quickly, the sequential order of pairing with the wines was mixed up. However, due to the exemplary culinary talents of Chef Celeste Gordon and her team coupled with continuous strikes of fine wine to the palate, the sequential order of wine pairing was overlooked by many of the guests.

Some of the pairings you could try are as follows:-

Red

● Cupcake Merlot – poultry, red meat, pork, pastas, salads

Merlot is fairly versatile when it comes to food pairing, it can handle them all well!

● Cupcake Pinot Noir – Jerk Sausage & blue cheese (Try making a nice crostini appetizer)

White

● Cupcake Riesling – Spiced shrimp

● Cupcake Chardonnay – Smoked salmon & caviar cream cheese

Celebratory and Modern Blends/Sparkling Wines for the dinner parties

● Caposaldo Sweet Moscato

~ 1/2 the alcoholic content of most white wines; Enjoy with any fruit dessert

● Cupcake Moscato D’Asti

Consists of hints of bright fruit flavours including peach, tropical fruits and lychee

● Cupcake Red Velvet

Blended red wine; Combination of Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Sirah

 

Redbones

Redbones’ Restaurant Rating

Redbones

Redbones Blues Cafe

Ph#: 978-6091

Address: 1 Argyle Rd. Kingston 10

 

Parking: ★★★★★

Ambience: ★★★★★

Decor: ★★★★★

Comfort: ★★★★★

Service: ★★★★★

Speed: ★★★★★

Food quality: ★★★★★

Serving amount: ★★★★★

Plating: ★★★★☆

Value for $: ★★★★★

SuGa Endorsement: ★★★★★

 

Comments: Flawless service. Lovely Christmas decor. Great place for dinner during the season with loved ones. Curry sauces used are unique and tasty.

 

 

Restaurant/Bar Ratings for Cuddy’z and Ribbiz

                           Jerk Chicken Pasta (Cuddy’z)

Cuddy’z Sports Bar & Restaurant

Ph: 920-8019

Address: 25 Dominica Dr. Kingston 5.

Parking: ★★★★☆

Ambience: ★★★☆☆

Decor: ★★★★☆

Comfort: ★★★★★

Service: ★★★★☆

Speed: ★★★★☆

Food quality: ★★★★★

Serving amount: ★★★★★

Plating: ★★★☆☆

Value for $: ★★★★★

SuGa Endorsement: ★★★★☆

Comments:

Good variety of food to choose from on menu. Menu recently revised with increased vegetarian options. Restaurant refurbished including reupholstering of booth seating.

Ribbiz at The Acropolis Barbican

Ph#: 978-1299

Address: 29 East Kings House Rd. Kingston 10

Parking: ★★★★★

Ambience: ★★★☆☆

Decor: ★★★★★

Comfort: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★★

Speed: ★★★★★

Food quality: ★★★★☆

Serving amount: ★★★★★

Plating: ★★★☆☆

Value for $: ★★★★★

SuGa Endorsement: ★★★★★

Comments: Music is too loud. Miss watching sports in the nights (after 8pm) with sound. Drinks still at an affordable cost. Marcus is the Boss Bartender!

Tips for Running a Marathon

The Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K

The famous Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K is slated for December 7, 2013, where runners and walkers from all over the world will make their way along Negril’s internationally well-known coastline.

Check the Reggae Marathon site below for details and sign up today!

http://www.reggaemarathon.com/

After you sign up for the Reggae Marathon or any other marathon at all, please get ready for it the right way.

‘Running a successful marathon consists of a number of factors, whether you are an

experienced runner or not, getting an adequate amount of training or even just choosing the right shoes.

Conquering the miles is not all physical though preparing the mind and fueling the body properly is key.

Calm the pre-race jitters and see tips for Running a Marathon in the Infographic below, allowing you to focus on what you need to do mentally, physically an nutrition-wise from a few days before the race to a few hours after you cross the finish line.’ -Source: Caloriecount.com (edited)

– *Exclude jelly advice and see healthy brand of peanut butter below!

Better’n Peanut Butter:

 

Two tbsp. of regular creamy Better’n peanut butter contain 100 calories, 2g total fat, 13g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 2g sugar, 4g protein and 190mg sodium. The low sodium version has the same nutritional value, but only 95mg sodium.


 

- Jamaicaobserver.com (Monday, November 25, 2013)

Ram Goat Run

- Jamaicaobserver.com (Monday, November 25, 2013)

– Pic taken from Jamaicaobserver.com (Monday, November 25, 2013)

The inaugural inter-parish cross-country road challenge, Ram Goat Run was held on Saturday, November 23, 2013. The ‘run’, brainchild of Sandals/ATL Group CEO Adam Stewart, was aimed at raising J$5m towards the purchase of a sterilizer for the children’s ward of the Cornwall Regional Hospital through the We Care Foundation. The sterilizer costs approximately US$60,000 and will help to save lives of thousands of children living in Western Jamaica once functioning. The We Care Foundation will donate all proceeds of the Ram Goat Run to help the pediatric ward of the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

The run set off from the Caymanas Golf and Polo Club in St Catherine at 8:45 am, with participants racking up points from various challenges linked to social media. Runners had to arrive at the Buccaneer’s Jerk Centre in Port Maria, St Mary by 2pm after following the route which took them from the South to North Coast via Flat Bridge, Mount Rosser and Ocho Rios. Teams then returned to the Caymanas Polo Club by 5 pm, via the Junction, Manor Park through Kingston route. The team with the most points at the end of the day was announced as winner at an after party at Caymanas Polo Club. On the return leg to St. Catherine, one of the runs objectives was to find and photograph the elusive Ram Goat. Our very own co-writer of SuGa Lifestyle, Suzanne Stanley emerged as the winner with her teammates, Michelle Ferguson and Nikolai Lewis.

Sponsors included Rainforest Seafoods, National Bakery, Wray & Nephew, Wisynco, Land Rover, Sandals, ATL Appliance Traders, Jamaica Observer, Fyah 105 FM, Fame FM, Jamaica National Building Society, CIBC, GraceKennedy, and Knightfox AppDesign.

Prizes included the Ram Goat Run Trophy; a week’s stay at an overseas Sandals or Beaches Resort or Weekend stays and day passes at Sandals Resorts, fuel vouchers, LED televisions, tablets, smartphones, spa treatments, Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours, ATL gift vouchers; and other varied sponsor prizes.

 

Restaurant Week 2013 Ratings

Rojo Restaurant at Spanish Court Hotel
Ph#: 876.926.0000
Address: 1 St. Lucia Avenue. Kgn. 5
Category: Epicurean ($4000JMD) *Excluding beverages, tax & gratuity
_________________________________________________________________________
Parking: ★★★★★
Ambience: ★★★☆☆
Decor: ★★★★☆
Comfort: ★★★★★
Service: ★★★★★
Speed: ★★★★★
Food quality: ★★★★★
Serving amount: ★★★☆☆
Plating: ★★★★☆
Value for $: ★★★★☆
SuGaR Endorsement: ★★★★☆
Comments: Fulfilled its reputation for fine dining service and food quality
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
》Guilt Restaurant at Devon House
Ph#: 754-1381
Address: 26 Hope Rd. Kgn. 10
Category: Savory ($2500JMD) *Excluding beverages, tax & gratuity
_____________________________________________________________________
Parking: ★★★★☆
Ambience: ★★★★☆
Decor: ★★★☆☆
Comfort: ★★★★☆
Service: ★★★★★
Speed: ★★★★☆
Food quality: ★★★★☆
Serving amount: ★★★★★
Plating: ★★★★☆
Value for $: ★★★☆☆
SuGaR Endorsement: ★★★☆☆

Comments: A 15% gratuity charge was added to the bill, which is high. Most persons are not aware that they can choose to pay 10%.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

》 Jo Jo’s Jerk Pit and More
Ph#: 754-1381
Address: 12 Waterloo Rd. Kgn. 10
Category: Savory ($2500JMD) *Excluding beverages, tax & gratuity
_____________________________________________________________________
Parking: ★★★☆☆
Ambience: ★☆☆☆☆
Decor: ★☆☆☆☆
Comfort: ★★★★☆
Service: ★★★★☆
Speed: ★★★★☆
Food quality: ★★★☆☆
Serving amount: ★★★★☆
Plating: ★★☆☆☆
Value for $: ★★★★★
SuGaR Endorsement: ★★★☆☆

Comments: Place for pick up, on the go or extremely casual dining. Has a lot more potential in terms of decor.