From my air-conditioned perch inside a picturesque bar in Cartagena, I have a view of the San Pedro de Claver church, made of golden coral stone and heavy wooden doors where many passersby stop to snap photos. The plaza just outside is surrounded by white and ochre-toned colonial buildings with carved balconies where the palanqueras wait, draped in jewel-toned ruffles with a bowl of tropical fruit balanced on their heads. I can hear the clip-clop of a carriage coming, such a familiar sound in the walled city, and traditional mode of transport.

I am snapped back into the present moment as a freshly mixed daiquiri is placed in front of me by Juan, the owner and master mixologist. “The daiquiri,” he explains, “exemplifies balance. A perfectly balanced daiquiri has the tartness of fresh lime juice, the sweetness of sugar and the tropical flavors of rum. Without any of these ingredients, the cocktail would simply not work.”

While I am not usually a daiquiri drinker, he explains that it’s a ‘trinity cocktail,’ the same as a negroni (hands down my favorite!), and if that’s the case, I can be convinced…plus it is way more Cartagena in vibe.

One of our brave guests volunteers to get behind the bar to mix up a signature cocktail under the bartender’s guidance. The bar is already quite cozy so the illuminated rows of dehydrated-fruit-infused spirits, house-made bitters, and botanical infusions, give it an apothecary-meets-speakeasy ambience.

We have covered a lot of ground these past days since arriving in Cartagena. Even after many visits here, the city still feels fantastical; almost like a movie-set (except it’s not): the ornate bougainvillea climbing the facades, the imposing walls of the fortress and its heavy cannons, vendors hawking freshly squeezed limonada to beat the heat under the palms, looking up to see a sloth sleeping peacefully in a magnolia tree, the never-ending murmur of salsa drifting out of open windows. Then there’s the constant sea breeze, and view, if you climb up on the walls or find a rooftop terrace.

Cartagena also has this yin-yang pull where you need nature to counter the city’s intensity. Earlier that day, we sailed out to the Rosario islands and the Baru peninsula where the crystal-clear turquoise Caribbean Sea appeared. We snorkeled, swam, sunbathed on a swath of golden sand, had massages on the beach and ate fresh lobster for lunch. It was paradise…

I am roused out of my daydreaming (again) by Juan who says,

“Ya te toca Liz!”

My turn at the bar?? I am usually the one drinking, not mixing…but…¿por qué no?

“What cocktail do you want to make? Penicillin or Sex on the Beach?”

I take a moment to consider my options. Well, besides being allergic to actual penicillin, I also have an aversion to whiskey. Sex on the beach seems very 1980s Miami Beach although fitting, or at least this city seduces me every single time. Let’s go with that…

I make my way behind the bar to the mise en place where the bartender points to everything I will need to pull this off, minus a dose of confidence that I have to find on my own.

I measure out the chilled vodka into the jigger, followed by smaller portions of peach schnapps, cranberry juice, and a chaser of orange juice. I add the ice into the shaker and seal it. Now comes the tricky part, and fun – the shaking. I channel my best version of Tom Cruise in Cocktail and with a firm, two-handed grip, go for it. This is actually harder than it looks (requires using my biceps). It takes a few seconds to find a rhythm as Juan coaches me from the other side of the bar. I need to maintain it for at least another 10 seconds to get the right dilution and temperature.

I fight to open the shaker – the seal is tight! The bartender arranges glasses in front of me and I strain the liquid, which is the color of a sunset, and place an orange peel and maraschino cherry on top. Just as the name promised, that was entertaining. Tonight is already our last night, how sad!, so we raise our glasses to cheer all the good times we have had in Cartagena, and Colombia, over this past week.

That’s the onda though in Cartagena. Fun. Playful. Lighthearted. And joyful. So much joy! I think Colombia’s cocktail culture is really symbolic of her energy. You fill your glass with (liquid) joy, then drink it, too.

Our upcoming trip to Colombia is from March 19-26, 2026, for more information on the trip contact us here to speak with our team

The post Where Joy is Shaken and Poured …Cartagena appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

I have a big smile on my face as my toes dig into the warm sand–I am in my happy place.

Gauging from the sun in the sky, it’s late afternoon, but I am far from concerned about the time at this precise moment. My husband, looking extremely tan and very handsome in his white linen shirt, pours me another glass of Albariño as we wait for our lunch to appear. We are in no rush though. It’s quite the scene, and we are quite content to sit here for hours drinking wine on the beach and taking it all in.

We are at La Huella, in José Ignacio, Uruguay, quite possibly my favorite restaurant in the world, which I have been visiting, and going on and on about ad nauseam, for over a decade, ha! Seriously though, it’s a place if you ask me where I would tele-transport myself in a heartbeat, this would be it.

José Ignacio sits on a small peninsula jutting out into the ocean, surrounded on three sides by beaches that capture the sun and waves from sunrise to sunset. It’s also the definition of rustic elegance in these latitudes, very much the Riviera of South America.

Lunch at La Huella feels like arriving at the heart of this chic yet very laid back beach village east of Punta del Este. From the outside, it appears to be little more more than a shack with its canvas tarps flapping in the south Atlantic breeze. In fact, the owners say, “We serve simple beach food.” However, as soon as you enter, you realize this is anything but ‘simple’; something very special is going on here. You can feel it.

While we came sporting our flagship white linen, many families came straight off the beach clad in swimsuits and flip-flops with their pets and/or kids in tow. However casual La Huella may seem at first glance, there is an understated, elegant onda going on. From lunchtime to late in the evening, the DJ, the hum of conversation in multiple languages, and the ever-present sounds of the waves crashing on Playa Brava blend together in this forever-packed locale.

We spot our server across the tables in his head-to-toe Lacoste uniform gracefully weaving from the grill, through the mayhem, towards us with a platter of still-sizzling chiparones and grilled octopus (our standing order in addition to the burrata-heirloom tomato salad). Having now kicked the first bottle of Albariño, obviamente, we ordered another…this time a favorite Riesling from Bodega Bouza made in the same Maldonado province where José Ignacio sits. We dig into our meal. The food is simple, elemental, flawlessly prepared, and divino.

La Huella is about more than food though…es un lugar de encuentro…it is a place to come together, see and be seen, catch up, run into new friends / old friends / neighbors, grab a bite or a drink when in town on any day, at any time of the day, or at least after 12pm till 12am, or so. It channels a vibe, a state of being, a feeling…one that Uruguay embodies so well.

That ‘state’ is all about being descontraturado…relaxed, open, come-as-you-are. There’s something exquisite in how the rusticity of the countryside and the wildness of the sea mingle together that creates this understated aesthetic that carries through everything there. It pulls you in. It invites you to linger as long as you can…or at least until the wine is gone!

This vibe, the DNA of La Huella, José Ignacio, and Uruguay is indescribable until you go and know it first hand; then you will never forget it…and it will call you back to return to it again…and again…

Perhaps in 2026, it’s time to discover Uruguay??

We will be dining at La Huella on our upcoming trip to Uruguay from February 13-19, 2026. Click here for more information on the trip; or here to speak with our team

The post A Love Letter to La Huella (and Uruguay)… appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

In this episode of ‘In Search of Flavor,’ Liz chats with renowned wine writer and wine editor of Food & Wine Magazine, Ray Isle, to discuss his recent book “The World in a Wine Glass” and his journey from academia to becoming a prominent figure in wine journalism. Ray shares his insights on sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wine practices, the evolving wine industry, and the timeless appeal of wine amidst modern challenges such as cocktails and cannabis. He discusses the emphasis on quality over mass production and the cultural importance of wine and offers some insights as to how consumers can start to understand the difference between organic, biodynamic, natural and terroir wines.Ray also highlights storytelling in wine writing and the significance of knowing your wine producers.

In this episode we talk about:

• From Academia to Wine Writing
• Evolution of Wine at Food & Wine Magazine
• The Inspiration Behind ‘The World in a Wine Glass’
• Understanding Sustainable Wine Terminology
• How He Chose the Wine Producers in ‘The World in a Wine Glass’
• The Human Element & Storytelling in Winemaking
• Exploring Emerging Wine Regions around the world (ie not Italy or France)
• The Future of Wine and Its Challenges
• Finding and Enjoying Affordable Quality Wines, some tips!
• What’s Next for Ray

Resources:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayisle/

Websites: https://www.foodandwine.com/author/ray-isle
https://rayisle.com/

The post IN SEARCH OF FLAVOR, EPISODE 40: Ray Isle on Sustainability & The Human Element in Wine appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

Beyond viticulture, Napa Valley is all about its farm-to-table cuisine, luxury resorts, and outdoor activities. Dating back to the 1830s, though, Napa feels a bit like Mediterranean Chile, Tuscany, and very California.

And while Napa is most certainly very much about wine, there are many other things happening!! Given the millions of visitors coming, we thought we’d share a local foodie/somm’s POV since these tips may serve you. Vamos….let’s go…

#1 Pick your season wisely
We cannot emphasize this enough. Napa Valley receives millions of visitors each year and the majority are during summer and harvest in the fall. For the record…summer is the hottest time to visit and HARVEST IS THE WORST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT. It’s fire season, winemakers are not available (umm, they have to harvest), everything is slammed with visitors, restaurants are collapsed. Moral of the story–come off-season or shoulder season. I love winter, particularly February-March when the mustard is in bloom up until Spring before Memorial Day. Napa is also gorgeous after harvest in early November when the vineyards change color. It depends on what you envision doing, if you want to be cozy or outdoorsy.

#2 Pick your days of the week even more wisely
Weekends in Napa…they sound super sexy, while logistically they tend to be a nightmare. Why??? We have San Francisco and Silicon Valley in two hours driving distance and LA/SoCal a short flight away. The lure is real. Many of the best vintners/wineries don’t open on the weekend or at least nobody on the winemaking team is around (yes, they have lives). The competition for restaurant reservations is fierce (along with the open wineries and any spa appointments at your luxury hotels). And just when you think you escaped the city for the peaceful countryside, be prepared for the worst traffic. I remember that time before the weekend dinner rush near Yountville…45 minutes in a total standstill in the middle of seemingly nowhere. Buck the trend here, friends, and do what everyone else doesn’t do–book your stay from Monday-Thursday and you’ll be in travel nirvana.

#3 Pick your base in the Valley carefully
Napa is like a bowling alley 30-odd miles long between two mountain ranges, the Mayacamas and the Vaca Mountains. There are basically two ways to get up (and down) the Valley–on Route 29 or the Silverado Trail. Both are (mostly) single lane roads and somewhat windy (particularly Silverado). Many people don’t realize that getting from Napa (town) up to Calistoga is 45 minutes on an easy traffic day. Or that Calistoga, where hotels like Solage, Auberge, Meadowwood and the Four Seasons are located, is closer to Healdsburg (foodie capital of Sonoma) than Napa. Likewise, if you base in southern Carneros where the newish Auberge (Stanly Ranch) opened, you will be closer to San Francisco (great for transfers in/out), Sonoma (town), and less trafficked parts of the valley like Coombsville (AMAZING appellation) and Mt. Veeder. Which brings me to the next point…

#4 Yountville is touristy although well-located
You can love me or hate me for this comment…it’s real. Yountville is built for hospitality and as a town has gone from a local village to one being centered around swanky hotels and fine dining. In fact, they had to close the elementary school due to lack of students. Now I’m not saying it’s not adorable, cute, charming, or that I don’t love walking through the French Laundry gardens, having margaritas at Thomas Keller’s taco joint, or getting croissants at dawn at Bouchon Bakery and watching the hot air balloons take off…because it is ALL that. However, the focus has clearly moved to visitors because of its strategic position mid-valley. It simply does not have the authentic feel of towns like St. Helena, downtown Napa, or even Calistoga. Just know if you go and embrace the luxe, resort(y) vibe if you decide to base there.

#5 Get a driver
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband got a DUI in Napa last year and I thought the behavior was inexcusable–and unfortunately common on many weekends here. People, if you are going to taste wine in any form and don’t plan on spitting ALL OF IT, either have a designated driver or get a paid driver (ahem, chauffeur). Period. End of story.

#5 Book everything FAR IN ADVANCE
Napa is popular even if you adhere to the off-season and mid-week rules so successful planning means having all your dining and wine tasting ducks in order months in advance. If you are trying to have milestone meals at The French Laundry and/or Kenzo, both Michelin star experiences, first get the dinner reservation(s) secured and THEN plan the rest of your trip–this includes hotel and air. This is the only way to avoid getting everything lined up and then finding out reservations are impossible and no amount of string-pulling will work. Both TFL & Kenzo open reservations on the first of the month for the following month at 9am local time and release only a handful of tables. Imagine everyone jockeying for those few tables. You need to have a clear date (remember mid-week = better probability), a calendar reminder, your credit card memorized, and all cookies/cache cleared on your computer to be on your top booking game…and even then, say a little prayer.

#6 Here are a few of our favorite things to do living here
–A sunny warm spring / summer lunch (or early dinner) on the terrace surrounded by vineyards at Don Giovanni Bistro. Favorites are octopus salad and burrata pizza although everything is tasty.

–Stroll the riverwalk in downtown Napa (yes there is a river! And a boat dock!) and stop at Angele for a simple, classy French meal with champagne, or taste some valley wines at Compline restaurant (warning: the duck fat fries are evil).

–Take a hike in the tucked away Westwood Hills in the Brown’s Valley area to get an eagle’s view of Napa. At the top, you can see the whole way to the San Pablo Bay and even San Francisco on a clear day.

–The big Farmer Market day is Saturday. Some days we go to Oxbow for a sweet treat (me, an almond milk latte thanks) at Model Bakery; others we just shop for produce and let the kids get doughnuts (just look for the 40-person deep line).

–Walk Main Street St. Helena. It’s Americana chic and cuteness at its finest. I love Acres concept store for fun home, tableware, and kitchen items, No|Ma for a stylish coffee, Cook for a low key pasta lunch. You can stop for to-go coffee in the retro Gas Station (or just take selfies for Instagram). Nearby Sunshine Foods is like a gourmet Napa/Sonoma-centric version of Whole Foods and super local (you may run into local winemakers in the aisles). Your foodie mind will be blown!

-Put on your favorite tunes and take the back roads to Sonoma TOWN via Old Sonoma road to route 12, which is only fifteen minutes from Napa TOWN. The rolling hills studded with vines are so scenic. If you have kids, spend a morning at the old school Traintown (get there early), stop by the original (and still very cute) Williams & Sonoma shop (if you have a thing for iconic kitchen stores…), have a spectacular farm-to-table brunch at Valley on the town square, or if you are itching for authentic Mexican (i.e. mole), El Molino is your spot..

I can go on about the food trucks, more walks with views (Stanly Lane, Skyline park, Alston Park), my favorite scenic drives into the hills (Oakville Grade not for the faint of heart), where to soak in a mud bath, why I find Gott’s Roadside ho-hum and oh, winery visits…right…WINE. That’s the whole point??!! Well, kinda. You see, Napa has lots of things that are NOT JUST WINE!

Friends, there are too many wineries to even start in this note. It’s taken time to understand the terroir, the producers, and hone those which are worth visiting, many of which are small and not your usual suspects nor experiences, or at least the way we like to set things up.

As you can see, local Napa does exist if you scratch deeper. An entire wine industry and the communities that support are based here. It’s a beautiful place to call home. If you need our help curating a special trip or milestone celebration to the region, or procuring those hard to get visits (Harlan, Colgin, etc.…), contact us to make it happen.

Need more inspiration? We also did a podcast earlier this year which you can listen HERE.

The post A Local’s Guide to Visiting Napa appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

We dig into that in this episode. Travel provides the ultimate opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. From immersing yourself in a new culture and language to confronting travel hassles, ‘scary’ adventure activities that awaken bravery, or swallowing your ego to become a student again and learn a new skill, the willingness to be vulnerable and adopt a growth mindset is key.

We also discuss how travel sharpens your people skills, makes you more present, and helps you cultivate embracing change and uncertainty when it inevitably comes your way.

The post IN SEARCH OF FLAVOR, EPISODE 39: Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone through Travel appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

In this episode we talk about:

• Family history dating back to grandfather establishing winery in Mendoza in 1960s
• The inspiration to focus on high elevation sites like Altamira, La Consulta, Gualtallary
• Understanding the valley’s geology, altitude impacts creating distinct terroir identities
• How he developed Zuccardi’s non-interventionist approach allowing transparent expression of place using concrete
eggs vs. steel to showcase vineyard character
• Why soil mapping via calicatas provides key viticultural insights and how clonal selection and varieties are
suited to high elevation, like chardonnay
• The impetus to make his own Vermouth with a group of friends, which revived theArgentine vermouth tradition
• Zuccardi’s dedication to wine tourism on a larger scale in Mendoza and the Uco Valley
• What the future holds for Argentina, Malbec, wine, and the next generation

Resources:

Instagram: @zuccardivalledeuco
@szuccardi

Website: https://zuccardiwines.com/en/

The post IN SEARCH OF FLAVOR, EPISODE 38: Seba Zuccardi on the Rise of Uco Valley Wines appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

Soil is life. Without it, we cannot sustain ourselves on Earth. We are losing it, poisoning it, chopping it up with tilling, and with it, depleting the fungi which are integral to it, an intricate system, a web, that connects the plants, micro-organisms, digests carbon dioxide, and so much more. In this re-release of Episode 13, we learn about the world of fungi with one of Chile’s foremost experts, Guiliana Furci, to understand this area of the plant kingdom and how it touches every corner of our lives.

Giuliana is the director of Fundación Fungi and one of the most notable promoters of the Fungi Kingdom. Her dedication to fungi has helped make Chile the first country in the world to include the Fungi Kingdom in its General Environmental Law, which is essential for the study, protection and recognition of a species. Giuliana and I discuss the importance of fungi, its staggering diversity, and how it naturally seeks harmony to work with ecosystems.

I also share how the newly released documentary Common Ground, tied together this conversation around regenerative farms and the soil, the future of our ecosystems, and climate change in a way no other film has.

In this episode we talk about:

• How Giuliana was “chosen” by the world of fungi
• The “3F’s” & basics of the Fungi Kingdom & the role fungi plays in sustaining life
• The development of Chilean mycology and the uniqueness of Chilean fungi. The lonely road that was studying
Chilean fungi at first and why Chile is classified as a “mycro-phobic” country despite being a fungi hotspot!
• How co-evolution with fungi have led to fungi with medicinal properties
• The process of looking for fungi for particular purposes – medicinal, pesticides, — and how their co-evolution with animals have led to groundbreaking discoveries
• The Fungi Foundation
• Why everyone should see the newly-released documentary ‘Common Ground’, currently in theaters (as of March 2024)

Resources:

Common Ground Documentary

Field Guides to Chilean Fungi

Fundacion Fungi

Fundacion Fungi Donation Page

Fantastic Fungi Documentary

@giulifungi

@fungi_foundation

@commongroundfilm

The post In Search of Flavor, EPISODE 37: How Fungi & Regenerative Farming Can Save Us (Re-release of Episode 13 with Guiliana Furci) appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

Shouldn’t your face cream be as clean as the food you put in your body? Ideally yes, but it’s not always the case. In today’s episode, Emily Yeston, co-founder of Doré, joins us to talk about clean skincare and how her company is bringing that to French pharmacy staples in a safe way. Emily discusses her journey transitioning from digital media into the beauty industry with her French business partner Garance Doré and how her own skin challenges inspired her to create effective yet gentle skincare products. She delves into the formulation process, providing insights into common problematic ingredients and how Doré formulates with safety and efficacy in mind. Most importantly, the results speak for themselves. Much like seeking out authenticity and terroir in a fine wine, Doré takes the same approach to clean eating–for your face, which ultimately leads to a glowy complexion.

In this episode we talk about:

• Emily’s background and how she transitioned from media to skincare with her French business partner, Garance
Doré
• The origin of French pharmacy skincare and how Doré set out to modernize it
• Why origin and source of ingredients matter in skin care & how she & Garance formulated their products to be
clean
• A breakdown of the big difference between EU & US ingredient safety and why Doré defers to the EU
• Travel hacks to keep your skin healthy and glowing while in transit

Resources:
Instagram: @Doré, @em_note @garancedore
Website: www.wearedore.com
Get 10% off your order with Doré: click here.

The post In Search of Flavor, Episode 35: Emily Yeston of Doré on French Clean Skincare appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

Today we kick off a monthly series into specific wine varieties and regions starting with a look into Chile’s clandestine-turned-flagship grape called Carmenere. Initially it was thought to be extinct after the phylloxera decimated Bordeaux’s vineyards in the 19th century. However, Carmenère was rediscovered in Chile in the mid 1990s and since then has been championed as the country’s iconic variety, much like Malbec has been touted as Argentina’s. In this episode, we delve into the origins of Carmenere, why it has thrived in Chile’s Mediterranean climate, discuss its seductively complex, earthy profile as a red wine, what producers and appellations to know as a consumer, and how to pair it with food, and how its affordability (at any price point from entry level to icon) can earn a place in your rotating wine options or cellar.

In this episode we talk about:

• History and Background of Carmenere
• Origin and discovery of Carmenere grape
• Transitioning the vineyards and where Carmenere grows in Chile
• Specific viticulture of growing Carmenere
• Flavor profiles of the grape and nuances across regions
• Chileans producers of Carmenere at all price points
• What to eat, and pair with Carmenere

Resources:
Instagram: @lccwe, @lizcaskey77
Website: www.lizcaskey.com
Our cookbook: https://lizcaskey.com/cookbook/

The post In Search of Flavor, Episode 32: Carmenere – Chile’s Clandestine-Turned-Flagship Grape appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.

In this episode, Rodolfo Guzmán, the head chef and founder of the award-winning Boragó restaurant in Santiago, Chile, joins us to share his two great passions: food & chile. Boragó today ranks among the top restaurants in South America and the world, and Guzman is on a mission to bring the diversity of his home country to the world. Rodolfo discusses his early years as a cook in Chile & Europe, bootstrapping Boragó, the ups and downs of being an unconventional restaurateur, how he’s embraced research and experimentation as a cornerstone of Boragó’s culinary philosophy, and finally, how he’s stepped into being a leader in the global culinary space. You’ll also learn why Boragó’s cuisine is so unique and how Chef Rodolfo is literally cataloging every native ingredient in Chile to leave a legacy for the country and its people. Needless to say, when you visit Santiago, Boragó absolutely should be on your itinerary.

In this episode we talk about:

• The early days and influences in Rodolfo Guzmán’s culinary journey

• Introduction to Boragó and its unique approach to Chilean ingredients

• The decades-long knowledge-gathering process of Boragó

• The Role of Boragó in the evolution of Chile’s gastronomic Landscape

• Discussion on Chilean endemic ingredients and their diversity and the uniqueness of the dining experience at Boragó

• Rodolfo’s book “Coming from the South” and what’s next…

Resources:
Instagram: @rgborago
Website: www.borago.cl
Rodolfo’s book, “Coming from the South” by Phaidon

The post In Search of Flavor, Episode 31: Rodolfo Guzmán of Boragó on Chile’s Endemic Ingredients & Culinary Heritage appeared first on Liz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences.