Food and Vine

There are so many delicious neighborhoods in San Diego to explore. I recently moved within walking distance of Little Italy, so I decided to check my new local eateries. After only a few blocks, I came across Pete’s Quality Meats and Grilled Sandwiches.  Their window claimed to have the best homemade sausage sandwiches in town!…

This holiday you and your guests might like a break from turkey or ham. Try this Tasty Fish Dish from Cook Extraordinaire Marti! Holiday Cheers from Shira Bliss, LJWT. Flounder alla Puttanesca with Yukon Gold Fried Potatoes When I cook, which is frequently, I always use whatever ingredients I have on hand.  The word puttanesca…

The November 1 tour was one of those magical experiences for me as a tour guide and I am quite sure that my sentiments were reciprocal among everyone in the group. As soon as I met each couple on the Train platform that glorious, sunny afternoon, it already seemed as if we were all friends. And we hadn’t even begun tasting yet! Among the three couples—Deb and Dennis from Iowa; Krista and Jim from Hermosa Beach; and, Gerry and Leona from Calgary, Alberta, Canada—there were two birthdays to celebrate. Krista did not reveal to Jim where she was taking him this, his, special day and Leona was celebrating one of those birthdays that end in a “0.” We won’t say which one. She and Gerry had received the LJWT Train Tour as a gift from their children, whom, Leona tells,…

Happy Halloween! I’m sure our 9 guests had no idea what they were getting themselves into when a “Witch” met them at the train station shouting “La Jolla Wine Tours!” Instead of running away in fright, our guests were brave and approached their very strange looking tour guide. Fortunately they did, because what a fun…

Yesterday evening, 6 guests and 1 tour guide set off on an amazing walking food and wine adventure of La Jolla Village. I was joined by Sandra and her mother, Wilma, Bryce and his girlfriend Lindsey, John and his wife Rachel. After a short introduction, we were all ready and excited to begin our adventure! At our first stop, we were all instant friends as we dined over Thai appetizers and wine. A short walk led us over to our next stop of an Italian variety. Our guests were absolutely floored by the quality, richness and deliciousness of our Italian lunch and wine pairing. Bryce and Wilma each purchased a bottle of Pasquale’s Secret Sauce to take home and enjoy again later. With full bellies, we set off on a longer walk down to Prospect St. We talked, laughed and…

I love my job. I always wished that I could say that phrase with complete sincerity rather than the usual tongue-in-cheek sarcasm. As a tour guide for LJWT, I work for a company of like-minded people who value and embrace the talents, ingenuity and contributions of their employees. I have the opportunity to spend several…

Oct. 5, 2011 Rainy Day Wine Tour “Rain or shine, we WILL drink WINE!” This seemed to be our motto yesterday as I led our 8 guests on a soggy winery train tour! As we began the tour we enjoyed a light misting as we made our way to lunch. We wined and dined as we discussed wine tasting, the art of winemaking and food pairing. Well fed and thirsty for more wine, we said goodbye to our gracious lunch host and crossed our fingers for a dry walk to our first Urban Winery stop. Apparently our fingers weren’t crossed tight enough. We sloshed quickly through the lake-sized puddles that lay between us our wine tasting. A few glasses of wine later, we were drying off nicely and enjoying a very informative tour of the winery. What a treat! The…

Marti Bommarito was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She began cooking at a very early age as the entire family–including her father–bonded by preparing dinner together regularly. She gained further inspiration from her watching her Sicilian grandmother make homemade sausage, bread, pasta and sauce from homegrown tomatoes and basil.  In the late 70s she lived la vie bohème in Paris, France, and later studied Italian and Italian Renaissance culture and language in Italy.  She graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a degree in Art History. Marti in the kitchen  Marti attributes her adventuresome palate to the fact that she was “raised in a household where the only dinner-table rule was that you had to at least try everything before leaving the table. Cleaning your plate was not a requirement but disliking something that you had never…

Being born and raised in Ireland makes me quite the expert in Irish Whisky, ha! Here’s a tasty and healthy lemonade (Shira Bliss Style) that’ll set you up right during this cold/flu season. Simmer astragalus, licorice and ginger root for 20 mins in purified water. When it cools add lots of raw honey and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Mash/Muddle fresh mint leaves and add. Serve over ice or hot. Optional: Add whisky (quantities may vary depending on how sick you are!) Cheers! Shira Bliss

Our lovely Coaster Train Wine Tour today started off beautifully in a scenic north San Diego Village. We ate more than enough at our partner fine-dining Italian restaurant and learned all about wine tasting and the process of evaluating wine. Once full of delicious Italian fare, we strolled over to our first urban Winery and…