In stark contrast to the handful of single malt whiskies from Islay I discussed last week comes this week’s whiskey. Having gone on a cruise recently, there were three Johnnie Walker blended Scotch whiskies that seemed interesting to me, largely...
Earlier this month at the World Tea Expo, one of the more eye-catching set-ups was a really neatly-designed booth with six sleek tea-brewing machines. Featuring various of their Steampunk MOD models, Alpha Dominche set up a gorgeously minimalist arrangement with...
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to visit the only kosher-certified restaurant in Los Angeles’ South Bay. Located in Torrance, Chayo Eatery has been around for nearly two years and is under the kosher supervision of Kehilla Kosher (and...
I’ve been to the tasting room at Bootlegger’s Brewery in Downtown Fullerton several times and have been surprised that I have not yet written about it. So, having visited recently, I realized it would be a good opportunity to finally...
On Sunday, I had the opportunity to take part in a Scotch-tasting* in which all of the whiskies were from Islay. Having had some Islay Scotches here and there, I had not really familiarized myself with whiskies from that island,...
There is a Talmudic tradition that 24,000 students died in the early part of the second century in the land of Israel all within a springtime period. According to that tradition, they died between Passover and Shavuot, the latter of...
A few weeks ago, the fourth “Joy of Text” podcast came out, with a focus on virginity. April’s edition of the podcast in which Rabbi Dov Linzer and Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus discuss sexual matters from an Orthodox perspective also...
A common midrash that appears in discourse around Purim and especially Shavuot (which is coming up very soon) is that of Rav Avdimi, son of Hama, son of Hasa, as recorded on bShabbat 88a, expounding on Exodus 19:17: וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ, בְּתַחְתִּית...
A few days ago in Long Beach, an interesting and, perhaps, unusual combined tasting took place at the World Tea Expo. Entitled “The Leaf and the Grain”, Kevin Gascoyne of Camellia Sinensis led attendees in a tasting of teas and...
Yesterday, a panel discussion was held for tea bloggers at the World Tea Expo. The third annual Tea Bloggers Roundtable at the World Tea Expo was an opportunity to hear from and meet some tea bloggers. Moderated by Gary Robson,...
