Alison's Culinary Travel Blog

When I visited North Carolina a couple of weeks ago, I expected to find terrific barbecue. (Some people say that it's the best in the south, which is to say, the world. Many of these people, I would guess, are from North Carolina, although their barbecue is definitely wonderful.)

I did not expect to find great local wine. And yet, a visit to Raffildini, a winery specializing in Italian-style wines, did not disappoint. Yes, North Carolina's wine industry is new, and has a ways to go, but it's certainly showing promise.

In continuing coverage of Michelin starred restaurants in the United States, please find a list of notable NYC chefs and their restaurants who did not receive the three-star award.

New on the site is a three part series on the seven restaurants in New York City that have received the coveted three-star Michelin nod: Daniel; Jean-Georges; Le Bernardin; Masa; Per Se, Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare and Eleven Madison Park.

Of these, several are among the most expensive places to dine in the country, but all of them will set you back a pretty penny.  Just something for you to think about as you jump through hoops to get a reservation.

First, here's an address book for the chosen seven, with a quick explanation of their reservation policies. Generally, you need to plan in advance, but not too far in advance. You need to call at the exact time that the restaurant's phone lines open, and you need to hit redial until you stop getting a busy signal, or until you realize that more than ten minutes have passed and you're probably not going to be able to dine after 5:30 or before 11p.m. In which case, you might as well head to Open Table.

If this is the year that you resolved to get serious about drinking, don't miss Tales of the Cocktail, the nation's premier cocktail event, July 25th to July 29th in New Orleans. Tickets are on sale now.

While you're at it, check out these fine culinary events in July, and learn more about cocktail trends. Or maybe you'd enjoy seeing a dessert set on fire?

Over on Perceptive Travel, Brian Spencer has a provocative piece about his culinary experiences in Panama.*

You can tell this isn't going to be a gastronomic lovefest  by the title alone: Panamanian Food in Panama City: Cover it with Ketchup or Set it on Fire. And, over on USA Today, where his story also ran, readers are firing back. There are several hundred comments, and counting.

I haven't been to Panama so I can't comment on the food there, but I will say that in my own Central American travels, I've found the cuisine to be hearty and filling, with more subtle flavors. (A notable exception: some of the most spectacular hot sauces I've ever sampled.) My colleague, Kristen Hubbard, About.com's Guide to Central American Travel has created a list of typical Panamanian foods, and it seems that they'd fall into that hearty/subtle category rather easily.  Is it unreasonable that someone might describe that particular flavor profile as heavy/bland or even meh?

_{Disclosures: I also write for Perceptive Travel. Brian Spencer is the former travel editor of About.com, and he's also written for this site.}

Winter's over -- rather abruptly, actually -- and that means that if you've been avoiding Chicago so as not to be blown over by all that wind, you can now start making your plans.

I did get a bit of a cold blast during my visit to Chicago a few weeks ago, but during my visit I was reminded that that the term "Windy City" was not a nickname that derived entirely from meteorology, but rather something more like sociology. In a story that has stuck despite appearing largely apocryphal, a certain New York newspaper editor used the term "windy city" to describe the braggy wordiness of the city's people.

Well, as a native New Yorker  I say they're entitled to brag as much as they want, because I have found that when it comes to food, Chicago is home to some fine, fine eating.

Check out these resources for planning your own Chicago foodie adventure.

It's always cocktail hour somewhere, and if your aim is to find a place to spend that magical time of day in a place where you can sample the cutting edge of cocktail culture, well, I've got you covered:

• The Best Cocktail Bars, part 1: Bars from A-D.
• The Best Cocktail Bars, part 2: Bars from E-Z.
• The Best Cocktail Bars in the United States: a list of lists, compiled by myself, other About.com sites, and colleagues at other publications, from GQ to Bon Appetit.

Once you're there, you could always lift your glass with the standard "cheers", or if you're feeling a little more feisty, consider my late Grandmother's favorite toast: "Here's to those who wish us well, and all the rest can go to hell."

There's no need to stay at a cookie-cutter hotel in Chicago -- and often, no need to leave the hotel to have great food.  New on the site, stories about three recommended Chicago hotels:

• Chic Design and Italian Craft Cocktails: The Radisson Blu Aqua and Filini
• Local Living and Dry Aged Steak: The James Hotel and David Burke Primehouse
• Creative Vintage and Theatrical Tapas: The Blackstone Hotel and Mercat a la Planxa

Also, an only-in-Chicago experience that created a great deal of stress but was worth it all in the end:

A Night at Girl & the Goat

There's etiquette, there's personal standards -- and then there's what people actually leave on the table when they're done with a meal.

Many of you have been sounding off about tipping -- how much you leave for a gratuity and why, and how you feel   about other people's tipping habits.  See what everyone's talking about, and be sure to add your two cents or twenty percent.

It isn't very often that I write about food that's actually illegal for travelers to purchase.

But considering that Denver now has more medical marijuana dispensaries than it has Starbucks, and that many, many, many are focusing on and advertising their "edibles", I figured I'd make an exception. (If you're thinking "what, brownies?", the answer is, yes, and that's only the beginning.)  Here's what you need to know about marijuana edibles. And should Colorado will go all the way and completely decriminalize marijuana, you will be well-prepared to be among the first tourists to participate in this Mile High city trend.

In the meantime, there are a few new Colorado stories on the site that are more immediately useful.

Check 'em out:

• Craft Beer in Denver
• Denver Dining Picks
• The Cruise Room at The Oxford Hotel
• Food Festivals in Colorado Ski Country
• The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Beaver Creek