An American friend after visiting family in Albania gave this to me. Olive oil made from olives native to his area, grown and pressed by his family, that somehow made its way to this country. How I don't know. Touched by his effort and sharing. #justahomecook #Cookingsky #Foodsky

I will try to pair #wine with anything. Not necessarily food. 7 yrs ago today, and one week ahead of hip replacement surgery, I paired it with yoga, and with a yoga instructor who integrated wine into her classes. Downward facing grog? #winewriter #Winesky #Yogasky www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wqi...

Listening to the 'La Boheme' recording from the @metopera.bsky.social on @wqxr.bsky.social this afternoon, the exact show I saw recently. Hearing Juliana Grigoryan as Mimi is giving me chills all over again. (And she's beautiful, too). #opera #operalover #Musicsky #Operasky #Classicalmusicsky

Its #StNicholasDay. If you are reading this, you weren't abducted last night. By Krampus, that is, on #Krampusnacht. If you sought the ruten treatment is your business. #Christmassky #Krampus

First catch of the night. #SuperMoon #Moonsky #Skysky

It's National Cookie Day. Here I am doing the Vin Santo Biscotti Dunk. Face it, a lot of people drink wine with their cookie consumption (without a single thought to whether they pair well). What's your favorite cookie? #wine #winewriter #winelover #cookies #Cookiesky #Winesky #NationalCookieDay

Good mail delivery today! Excited to dig into this by one of the smartest music writers anywhere and one of the best voices here on this site. First glance--really cool premise and layout. Of course. @themountaingoats.bsky.social #MountainGoats

What I find amusing about the Nuzzi and/or Lizza criticism is that mining material from past relationships and throwing people under the bus is not something new with the literati. It's intellectual low-hanging fruit, cheap and easy, sure, but not uncommon with some writers. #WritingCommunity

I have to resolve a concert conflict. Do I go see Yo La Tengo on their sold out annual Hannukah NYC residency or the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performing the Brandenburg Concertos? #livemusicisbetter #Musicsky #musiclover

I find pre-printed #Christmas cards w nothing at all handwritten pretty lazy and impersonal. If its the thought that counts, the thought is 'obligatory.' This one was troubling because I have no idea who it's from AND it features their cat with wording like "purr-fect holiday."

It is #GivingTuesday. Consider donating your time, not just money. Volunteerism is down all over, and while money is critical to keep the motors running, too many organizations are in desperate need of drivers to move their efforts forward.

I need to choose one layer cake: chocolate cake with orange buttercream or pistachio saffron cake with pistachio buttercream

Stollen moments. (Yes, I went there.) #Foodsky

America's pastime.

💕 Can we please make this a thing? A vastly superior option to fighting crowds or online traffic to buy unnecessary stuff that was never its non-sale price, anyway.

I abhor #BlackFriday, the day after we mark our gratitude for what we have. Celebrate #NoirFriday instead, as I have for a dozen years. Gather friends and family and open a few Pinot Noirs. It'll be the best deal of the day. Here is one from two of my favorite wine folks. #wine #winewriter #Winesky

Thank you, Jesus! Happy Thanksgiving! #Thanksgiving #Thanksgivingsky

this book comes out on Tuesday and I'm proud of it -- I think it's a good read. admittedly, it has fewer pornographic film titles in it than "Devil House" did, but that's a high bar to clear. buy a copy at your local or get it here: thisyearbook.com

The Thanksgiving Day Parade isn't the same without Bullwinkle...or me.

In the hierarchy of what I am thankful for, #wine is not tops on the list, but it's up there, because of my reasons why. It's in my latest Substack. I am thankful to those who read it. #Winesky #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/hankzona...

Did you Nouveau? Did you know? Do you go in for Bojo? Some thoughts in my latest Substack. #wine #winewriter #Winesky #Beaujolais #BeaujolaisNouveau open.substack.com/pub/hankzona...

How to easily explain the three-tiered system of #wine sales in the US to friends outside the industry. #Winesky

A #wine rep friend texted about stopping by to have me taste some things. I am fortunate that when I cant make it to the store that manages my wine club, reps and winemakers will stop by my home. Anyway, we had this exchange. A new AVA in the Pine Tree State? #Winesky #wine

My latest...yet another #Thanksgiving #wine piece. Except I also run an an almost annual pre-holiday Thanksgiving wine dinner without annoying relatives. My #1 rec--don't be a wine hump. And yes, that's my original art. #Winesky #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/hankzona...

Of course the White House is willing to release the Amelia Earhardt files. Earhardt wasn't 15 when she was forced to go down.

I think her full name is Megyn R. Kelly.

Yesterday was the Feast of St. Martin, a patron saint of #wine. I wrote about the legends, traditions, ties to Veterans Day, food, art, proverbs, identity theft, the basics. #Winesky #WritingCommunity #Writingsky open.substack.com/pub/hankzona...

So disappointed in my alma mater. I'm done with them. @cornelluniversity.bsky.social

Happy Halloween! Truly, the Great Pumpkin exists. It's my 13th Annual Wine Pumpkin. A grown-up treat, no trick to it. #Halloweensky #Winesky #wine #winewriter #pumpkin #winepumpkin #Halloween

My quickest and cheapest #wine related costume ever. Not sure I've reached phenolic ripeness in life, however. #Halloweensky #Winesky #winewriter

I try to do one contemporary/cultural themed pumpkin every year for Halloween. #Halloween #Halloween2025 #pumpkin #jackolantern #Halloweensky

I get too many trick or treaters to be able to give out the full size of these so kids will have to accept the fun size version. They can take two, though. #Halloween #Halloween2025 #trickortreat #Halloweensky

Its #NationalCatDay. Not to be confused with International Cat Day in August which I guess celebrates international breeds like Siamese, British, Japanese, Balinese, etc. Anyway, while I am not anti-cat, most of us can agree on this - don't be Shut-In Cat Guy. #wine #winewriter #Catsky #Winesky

Some of my previous Halloween pumpkin creations. Notice a pattern? #Winesky #Halloweensky #Pumpkinsky #wine #winewriter #Halloween #pumpkin #pumpkincarving

Not sure why a Catholic university commissioned this sculpture of Greg Allman hugging Gavin Newsom.

I am recently back from an inspiring trip to Sicily and Sardinia so I made a couple of dishes because part of that inspiration was a reminder to enjoy and appreciate simplicity and what is right in front of you. #Cookingsky #Winesky #Travelsky #Pastasky open.substack.com/pub/hankzona...

Now that its colder, I thought I'd look for the last of the stringbeans in my garden. Glad I was wearing a hat. As one friend said, with the size hat you need to wear, that's a lot of stringbeans! And there may be yet another picking pass. #homegardener #justahomecook #Gardensky #Cookingsky

There was one thing noticeably missing in my recent dining experiences in Sicily and Sardinia, and I did not mind at all-- garlic. Its overuse and misuse here in Italian-American food makes it less Italian. Some thoughts on allium abuse. #Foodsky #WritingCommunity open.substack.com/pub/hankzona...

I got some surprising traction on this elsewhere, so I'll post it here too. My thoughts, as a part Italian-American, on #ColumbusDay, why it should and shouldn't be problematic and why Italian-Americans deserve and can do better. #WritingCommunity #Writingsky open.substack.com/pub/hankzona...

A client, scrambling around today with some major issues and deadlines, called me to discuss a project and said, "Hi Babe." Then she apologized profusely. I told her she didn't need to apologize and that I have been called worse things.

I thought this was where the last figs of the season would end up, but then the tree squeezed out another handful (along with another pass of string beans from the garden). #figs #Gardensky #Bakingsky

I wouldn't boycott the #NFL over #BadBunny being the Super Bowl halftime show (I'm not a racist and/or Christian nationalist), but thinking the Jets-Broncos game is the best representation to advance interest in the league overseas is worth a boycott, or at least a good laugh. #Footballsky

I was glad to see Jacy Topps' take on Oregon sparkling wine for @foodandwine.com. I co-wrote a piece on OR sparklers 4.5 yrs ago for Travel+Leisure. Hardly an 'I did it already' attitude. Just happy to see it getting more recognition and from someone I know. #Winesky ##Writingsky #WritingCommunity

I reconnected with a childhood friend through social media. He joined my #wine club a few years ago. Whenever he travels globally, he messages me right from dinner with pictures of the wine list asking for recommendations. Yesterday he was in Norway. We both agreed on the Jura Chard. #Winesky

A friend brought me honey and rakia (grappa) from his family visit to Albania. Another brought me cloudberry preserves from her trip to Norway. There is no better start to understanding other cultures than through sharing their food and drink. I appreciate their thoughtfulness. #Foodsky

There's a reason I didn't mention #NationalVodkaDay yesterday. #vodka #wine #Winesky

It's #NationalCoffeeDay so this is about #wine, sort of. #Winesky #Coffeesky

If I am going to get a primer on local wine in Sardinia, I will trust the wine bar owner with the Sardinian map tat on his arm. #wine #winewriter #travelwriter #Sardinia #Travelsky #Winesky

A 1921 #DHLawrence travel piece about #Sardinia fascinated me and when someone told me it was still similar in many ways, I had to come here. Now that I'm here, it's truly remarkable how much really is similar. So much so, I got choked up tonight with what I witnessed. #Booksky #Travelsky #Winesky

Possibly the grape with the biggest identity crisis?