About Bruce Taste Toolbox Great Pairings Fresh Wine & Dine

Fresh

Photo: Rose Gallagher
Even in the busiest season, most nights, I come home to a simple routine. As the sun sets, Rose and I sit on the porch and catch up on the day. We'll try a new cheese or wine that one of us has discovered, or enjoy an old favorite. Eventually we move to the kitchen, where we continue talking and tasting as I begin experimenting with the ingredients that will become dinner. Our kids, now old enough to have their own schedules, show up and join the conversation. We set the table and eat our meal together. No matter where our busy lives take us during the day, dinnertime brings us back to what matters most: family.

Photo: Chris Berggren/Sonoma Custom Image

For me, creating a delicious menu and pairing it with special wines is rewarding and fun, but sharing it with people I love is what makes it complete. At their most essential, food and wine are opportunities to connect. Whether I'm preparing a feast for two hundred or dinner for my family, this is the philosophy that guides me.