I like to review wines the way most people taste them, with food. Many of the wine reviews you’ll see on this site are accompanied by a recipe. When we test recipes we usually open a few different wines of various styles that we think will work, then write about the best pairing. But often…
Search Results for: am northwest
Smoked Sausage and Hatch Chile Beer Cheese Dip
Smoked Sausage and Hatch Chile Beer Cheese Dip is the greatest thing to happen to cheesy beer-infused dips since cheddar. Smoked Sausage + Smoked Hatch Chile Peppers + Beer + Cheese = pure bliss. My husband has a thing for cheese. He can’t resist buying a few fancy cheeses whenever he goes to the supermarket,…
Grilled Mushroom Crostini
Grilled Mushroom Crostini with Smoked Honey and Aged Balsamic. Your new favorite vegetarian appetizer that you can cook entirely on the grill. Event season has kicked off for us with our sister catering company, Ember and Vine. We recently cooked at two back to back events — the first ever winemaker dinner at Bells Up…
Holiday Gift Guide for BBQ and Food Lovers
I have a love/hate relationship with these holiday gift guides you see everywhere right now. Mostly I’m just overwhelmed with the amount of suggestions people have. My heart beats at an unhealthy rate when I see gift guides that contain “100 stocking stuffers under $15,” or “150 gifts for him,” or “75 perfect gifts for her.”…
Why now is the time for Wine Bloggers to join Food Blogger Pro
(This post is an updated version of a similar post I wrote around this time last year) A few years ago I decided I wanted to take blogging and writing more seriously. I wanted to move from it just being a “hobby” to something I could potentially get paid for. I really enjoyed writing about…
Increase Your Audience & Engagement: Presentation from The 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference
If you’re here for some delicious smoked food and wine pairings you won’t find them today. Instead we’re shifting gears to talk about blogging for a moment. So this happened last week! Sean and I traveled (with the kids in tow) to Lodi, California, to speak at the Wine Bloggers Conference. Immediately following the conference…
TV Appearances
Below is a list of TV appearances Vindulge has been featured on. Click on any of the links to view the videos. Kid Friendly Taco Bar on AM Northwest (July 2018) Barbecue Sauces on AM Northwest (June 2018) Cooking up Brisket Chili on AM Northwest (September 2017) Smoked Marinara on AM Northwest (August 2017) How…
What Wine Bloggers Can Learn From Food Blogger Pro…
… and an interview with Bjork Ostrom, co-founder of Food Blogger Pro A few years ago I decided I wanted to take blogging and writing more seriously. I wanted to move from it just being a “hobby” to something I could potentially get paid for. I really enjoyed writing about wine, so why not try…
Friday Favorites — Scandalicious wines, fall foods, and pizza parties
A weekly roundup of our favorite finds from the week in the categories of wine, food, and travel. FAVORITE WINES This week’s wines are from all over the map. Literally. From France to Argentina, and a couple from the U.S., we’ve got some fun recommendations to share. Crus Bourgeois It’s been awhile since I…
Smoked Tomato Bisque
*UPDATE* — You can watch us cooking up this combo of Smoked Tomato Bisque and Smoked Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwiches over on AM Northwest. Creamy, indulgent, comforting, vegetarian, smoky tomato soup. What could be better on a fall day? After creating the ridiculously out of this world Smoked Bloody Mary’s and Smoked Marinara Sauce last…
About
Hey there! Welcome to Vindulge. My name is Mary Cressler and I am a wine, food, and travel writer, recipe developer, photographer, Co-Founder of Ember & Vine Catering, and creator of this site. I am also a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. Oh, I’m also the mom of twins, Champagne fanatic, and former-vegetarian-turned-barbecue-fanatic!…
Apricot Glazed Grilled Chicken Recipe
Apricot Glazed Grilled Chicken is quick, easy, and oh so delicious. Add lime for a citrus pop and fresh diced jalapeño and you have a lip smacking dish for your next grill night. We can’t get enough grilled chicken recipes around here. It’s a weekly staple, and our kids love this healthy protein! This version spends a…
Grilled Chicken – How to Grill Perfect Chicken Every Time!
This easy grilled chicken comes out perfect every time! Follow these simple steps to get great flavor, crispy skin, and juicy texture for the best grilled chicken! Stop overcooking chicken and learn the tips and tricks that pros use! Grilled chicken can be a little intimidating for people. Too often people are afraid of under-cooking chicken,…
How to make a Spanish Carajillo…
How to make a Spanish Carajillo …or rather how I learned the proper way to order coffee in Spain, and a recipe for a Spanish Carajillo and other Spanish coffee drinks. On our second day in Spain several years ago, our group enjoyed a fantastic two hour long lunch at Loreto Restaurant in Jumilla with the…
Competition Style Smoked Pork Ribs – A Flavor Journey
What you need to know about Competition Style Smoked Pork Ribs, and an explanation of the “3-2-1 Method” of smoking ribs. Find a full video tutorial for these smoked ribs below. Sean and I came from two different worlds of Smoked Ribs. I used to like them finger-licking juicy, fall-off-the-bone tender and drowning in sauce….
Sparkling Wines of Italy — The wide variety you should know about
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Italian Trade Commission for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. There’s a wide world of quality sparkling wine beyond Prosecco produced in Italy. If you’ve read much of this blog you’ll know that I am quite passionate about sparkling wine, and if not, now…
Grilled Chicken with Cherry Chipotle BBQ Glaze
This Grilled Chicken is seasoned and then grilled to perfection, and finished with a delicious sweet and spicy (and super simple) Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce glaze at the end. Cherry Season has never been so delicious with this cherry chipotle bbq sauce. Cherry Season is in full swing here in Oregon, and they’re everywhere! We…
Dry Brined Smoked Chicken with a Carolina Glaze
This Dry Brined Smoked Chicken is slowly smoked then finished with a Carolina style BBQ sauce glaze. If you’re looking for your next favorite chicken recipe then you’ve gotta try this! I don’t know about you, but I feel like chicken never gets enough barbecue love. At least that’s what life is like around here…
Smoked Beef Brisket Recipe – How to plus Tips and Tricks
What we’ve learned about how to smoke a brisket, plus our recipe for Smoked Beef Brisket. At the end of the day, smoking a perfect brisket is not about a recipe or a step by step tutorial, it’s a process you can only learn by practicing. Cooking brisket is complicated. It’s like a long-term relationship….
Ultimate Homemade Dry Rub for Pork and Chicken
A fantastic homemade dry rub that’s great on Pork and Chicken This homemade dry rub builds upon our our basic rub and adds more complexity and flavors to really provide a wow factor to your next BBQ pork recipe. How to Make a Homemade Dry Rub We’ve posted pretty extensively on dry rubs before (see…
Blackberry Aperol Spritz (recipe & video)
A Classic Aperol Spritz Recipe, but with a Pacific Northwest twist. An Aperol Spritz is a light and refreshing Italian cocktail with the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. However, in this Aperol Spritz Recipe we give it new personality by adding some homemade blackberry simple syrup. Aperol Spritz, An Italian Cocktail Anybody who has been…
Winter Reds — January 2018
I like to review wines the way most people taste them, with food. Many of the wine reviews you’ll see on this site are accompanied by a recipe. When we test recipes we usually open a few different wines of various styles that we think will work, then write about the best pairing. But often…
Smoked Meatballs in a Cranberry Pinot Noir Sauce (recipe and video)
Smoked meatballs braised in a sweet and savory cranberry Pinot Noir sauce is one of our all time favorite holiday appetizers. It’s always a hit at a party! Guess what? The mystery of the Cranberry Pinot Noir Meatballs has been solved!!! The first time I wrote about this recipe I told you about how we…
FEAST Portland 2017 is Coming!
One of the annual culinary highlights of many a Portland foodie is coming next week. FEAST Portland!!!!! Feast Portland: September 14-17, 2017 What is Feast? Now, in case you’re not a Portland foodie, or have just been hiding under a rock (like I was the first few years of the event), it is one of…
