Sinanation

I always found it difficult to go into a liquor store and make a quick decision. There are too many choices and sometimes you just get lost in labels. Things get worse if the salesperson in the store is no help. Having tried a few regions and labels over the years, I always keep a few safe names in my mind. If it takes longer than I expect to make a decision I look for these curvy friends on the shelves.

Wolftrap, Africa

It is one of the cheapest yet one of the best wines I had so far. It goes great with everything. It is light and easy to drink over a light dinner with friends. I wouldn’t recommend it for a heavy steak dinner, but I definitely goes well with cheese and/or pasta.

Chianti, Italy

Chianti is a tricky red wine. Not many like it, but it has a lot of fans too. In my opinion it goes well with steak dinners.

Primitivo, Italy

One of the best wines I had for a good steak or chicken dinner. If you pick the Puglia region you can never go wrong.

Pinot Grigio, Italy

The safest white wine you can get. Everyone usually really likes it. Make sure the bottle is really cold and keep it that way.

Sancerre, France

Compared to Pinot Grigio, Sancerre is certainly less well known in the United States. It has more of a fruity taste and goes well with Chicken, seafood pasta and strong cheeses. The restaurants in New York usually have a good selection of this wine. It is always a favorite.

Prosecco, Italy

If you would like to have some sparkling wine, but do not want to pay the price of a champagne, Prosecco is the answer to your problem. It is much cheaper compared to most of the Champagnes (not including Martini&Rossi’s sweet champagne) and gives you all the benefits of its expensive competitor. If you have a crowded gathering, you can buy Prosecco in large quantities. I would advise you to enjoy it with dark chocolate and raspberries.

I always thought there was huge difference between sparkling wine and champagne. There must have been a different kind of preparation process or a different kind of bottling procedure. So, I never dared ask a professional until my visit to Roanoke Vineyards in Long Island. It could have been the few drinks I had before or the kind lady who was serving us at the vineyard. So I just popped the question. It turns out the answer is pretty simple. The only difference between champagne and sparkling wine is one is made within the Champagne region in France and the other outside. Centuries of investments in the Champagne region led its investors to take solid precautions to make it so that only the grapes from this part of France would be given the authority to use the name “champagne”.

I have also found it interesting to read that one of the most expensive and iconic drinks of today’s celebrations was advanced and finalized by mistake by a French monk called Dom Perignon. Dom Perignon actually wanted to prevent regular wine from refermentation which would lead it to sparkle and push the cork out of the bottle or force it to explode. His studies led champagne to where it is today. The famous Dom Perignon champagne is named after Monk Perignon.

If you ever decide to visit the city of seven hills, the perfect times are between mid-May and late-June. That is when Istanbul starts preparing for the hot summer days. The famous Bosphorus trees called Erguvan blossom with all their strenght, displaying some of the most beautiful pink and white flowers in the world. All the outdoor nightclubs and the restaurants with outside terraces are just beginning to welcome their first customers. Here are my hotel recommendations from my hometown:

1. Radisson SAS Ortakoy

This considerably small (compared to other immense luxury hotels in Istanbul) hotel opened up recently in one of the oldest, yet still the most popular neighborhoods in Istanbul. Ortakoy, which directly translates to “Middle Village” stands as its name suggests in the middle of all the social beat on the European side of the city. You shouldn’t be fooled by the cheap and convenient image of Radisson in North America. Unlike its American relatives, this hotel is decorated with luxury and finished with modern touches. It stands right next to the Bosphorus saluting one of the two bridges that connect the European side with the Asian side. Its walking distance away from famous restaurants such as House Cafe and Xuma Restaurant London that just opened up. It is also two doors away from one of the most popular house music nightclubs in Istanbul called Anjelique.

2. Ciragan Kempinski

If you can afford a more expensive stay and are looking for all the best features a luxury hotel can provide you with, Ciragan is the place you are looking for. Also located in Ortakoy , this immense five-star hotel is named after the Ciragan Palace, which served the rulers of the Ottoman Empire. The hotel is actually connected with the palace, which was renovated a few years ago after a big fire that completely destroyed its interiors. Now the palace houses some of the most exclusive weddings, conferences in the city and also welcomes wealthy individuals who can afford the few suites located inside. Definitely a fan of the outdoor pool at this hotel.

3. Les Ottomans

If you are ready to pay even a little more than Ciragan and are looking for an all-exclusive, small luxurious palace right next to the Bosphorus, Les Ottomans is the hotel for you. This hotel of less than 10 guestrooms was fully completed in 2007 and welcomed international fame such as Kevin Costner, Paris Hilton and Kylie Minogue. The owner of the hotel and its land initially wanted to build herself a private residence, but when she couldn’t get the approval from the government, she came up with the idea of Les Ottomans. She resides on the top floor of the hotel.

I am such a fool for cheese. I guess only Speedy Gonzales, Jerry or Ratatouille can truly understand what this amazing dairy by-product means to me. Triangle, circle, rectangle, warm, melted or chilled…I am always ready to taste any kind of cheese. There will always be a smile hidden behind a tray of grapes, parsley, almonds, crackers, a jar of fig spread and of course cheese. Here are my favorites:

Robiola: An Italian soft-ripened cheese made with variation of goat, cow and sheep’s milk. Strong scent and taste. Goes great with fig spread, almonds and crackers. Enjoy it with red or white wine.

Triple Cream Brie: As the name suggests, the creamiest and the most difficult to cut of all French bries. I would suggest you to try it with crackers and white wine.

Smoked Jarlsberg: Famous cheese from Norway with irregular holes. The kind that Jerry runs after. The exterior surface is what makes smoked Jarlsberg so good. Enjoy this cheese alone with a glass of fruity red wine.

Goat Cheese: One of the messiest cheeses in my opinion, but still one of the best. It is best in an iceberg salad or when cooked wrapped around lightly pressed chicken breasts with basil and sun-dried tomato.

Parmesan: Italy’s gift to us. I prefer to have a big slice next to a bottle of Chianti.

Feta Cheese: I insist that the best ones are the Turkish ones. You have to keep it in a bowl of fresh water to get rid of the excess salty taste. I prefer to have feta for breakfast and literally in and on everything. On a slice of bread with black olive spread, in an omelette with tomatoes, etc.