The primary reason to pick up any bottle of tequila is taste. This can be easy to forget at times, since the category is ripe with over-hyped expressions and expensive packaging festooned with colorful artwork or sculpted into funky shapes. It may be tempting to plunk down gobs of cash for these offerings, especially since they may turn heads when displayed on a home bar, but they will likely transform into dust magnets if they hold lousy juice. Fortunately, the ongoing tequila boom has produced delicious, high-quality expressions that won’t leave you busted. The category is abundant with exc ..read more

While some pizza joints start small and later expand into nationwide chains — as was the case with Domino’s, Little Caesars, and Papa John’s — other operations remain most popular in their home regions. Take Iowa’s Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream, for example. Founded in Bettendorf in 1972 by Lawrence Joseph “Happy Joe” Whitty, the shop made a name for itself as a family-friendly, fun-first establishment serving up unique selections like the Taco Joe (which the chain claims to be the first-ever taco pizza) along with breakfast and dessert pizzas. Since then, Happy Joe’s has expanded with ap ..read more

Much like craft beer, there’s something to be said about a wine brand that never hits the big-time distribution chain. The winery is able to preserve its somewhat elusive, regional appeal, and when enthusiasts finally get their hands on a bottle, a placebo effect on the palate sets in — as if a product really does taste better when enjoyed in its home territory. On the other hand, you’d be hard-pressed to find a winery that doesn’t want to get its products into as many markets as possible. After all, many producers would kill for a bump in brand awareness and the chance at getting their wines ..read more

The beauty of Venice has been celebrated for centuries with its gothic architecture, alfresco cafes, and the gondoliers’ songs echoing through the canals. This part of Italy combines history, elegance, and a rich culture, with its famed wine acting as the perfect ambassador. Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC-certified wine will transport you across the ocean, all within your glass. Wine-growing in this area has been traced to sometime between the 5th and 7th centuries B.C.; Venetian wine merchants sold the famed golden yellow wines throughout Europe. The region was a stop along the ancient marit ..read more

Ron Swanson’s done it again. On Monday, Lagavulin launched the fourth limited-edition installment in its ongoing collaboration with actor Nick Offerman: Lagavulin: Offerman Edition Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Aged 11 Years. According to a brand press release, the expression is inspired by the “Parks and Recreation” star’s love of sailing and seafaring, and is said to embody a journey between the Caribbean islands and the coastal Scottish isle of Islay. “Laboring together with Lagavulin blending master Stuart Morrison, we have landed upon our most delicious, exotic liquid yet,” Offerman said in ..read more

The Michelin Guide has been chronicling the who’s who of global dining culture for over a century. While it was originally established in 1900 to provide French motorists with information about car mechanics, petrol stations, and hotels throughout France — encouraging travel and increasing Michelin tire sales — the guide’s 1926 edition introduced the now-coveted star awarded to exceptional fine dining establishments. Nowadays, the guide features over 3,500 restaurants in over 40 countries and territories, and encourages gourmands across the globe flock to the establishments achieving one, two ..read more

It’s no secret that in the United States, tipping is the norm. In recent years, though, many Americans feel as if it has become too normal: stateside shoppers now encounter point-of-sale apps on touch-screens requesting extra cash almost everywhere, from bars and restaurants to self-checkout markets and convenience stores. And consumers are feeling it, with many claiming the practice is “out of control” and significantly reducing the amount of gratuity they leave behind. Despite this tip fatigue, recent data from YouGov shows that approximately 46 percent of Americans will still tip their ser ..read more

High Noon is expanding its portfolio with its first-ever hard tea. The brand announced on Monday that High Noon Vodka Iced Tea — made with vodka, iced tea, and no added sugar — is now available on shelves nationwide. High Noon Vodka Iced Tea is available in four flavors (original, peach, lemon, and raspberry) with 90 calories and 4.5 percent ABV per 12-ounce can. A deviation from the line’s traditional seltzers, the new offerings are non-carbonated, and are the Spirit of Gallo-owned brand’s first foray into the hard tea category. “Hard tea was one of consumers’ most frequent RTD category purc ..read more

There’s a sense of awe among those who attend Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne, a five-day tasting event that brings together members of the wine trade and media to discover new and library vintages across Bourgogne’s 84 appellations. Taking place every two years, this year’s event included 13 tastings across 10 different venues featuring more than 1,000 exhibitors who poured around 6,000 wines. It was like drinking from the firehose, only the firehose was spewing Bourgogne. While impressions of the current vintage is usually a hot topic, something else stood out at this year’s event: an increas ..read more

It’s been said that America runs on Dunkin’. In fact, so many Americans rely on the chain for their morning caffeine fix that the company, formerly named Dunkin’ Donuts, dropped the “Donuts” in a rebrand that put coffee at the forefront of its operations in 2018. The first Dunkin’ Donuts opened in the small town of Quincy, Mass., in 1950. Since then, the chain has sprawled into a multinational operation, serving its signature coffee blends and affordable frosted treats at over 13,200 locations in almost 40 countries. In the U.S. alone, the franchise can be found in 43 states and Washington, D ..read more