Lifestyle

Distinctive Dining

Marion and El Tucan offer two vastly different experiences with one shared kitchen headed by Michelin-pedigreed Executive Chef Jean Paul Lourdes.
Text by Sandy Lindsey & Stacy Wynn | May 23, 2018 | Lifestyle

Add in the international experience of Pastry Chef Christina Kaelberer and cocktails by James Beard Award Semifinalist Bar Lab, and you have a recipe for success. Marion is a grand café, market, bakery and oyster bar inspired by the elegance of simple European culinary life; while El Tucan offers a vibrant dinner and show experience reminiscent of the sophisticated glamour of 1940s Cuba; MarionMiami.com; ElTucanMiami.com. — Sandy Lindsey

Aromatic Breaths
Having to let wine breathe is truly a thing of the past thanks to Louis J. Christen III, creator of the Aervana Wine Aerator. Not satisfied with what was currently available when it came to aerators, Christen created the world’s first electric wine aerator. The design provides enhanced air contact surface to speed oxidation more than any other aerator to reduce tannins, acidity and sulfides. This clever battery-powered gadget has a long tube to reach down into the bottle and a stainless steel pour spout on top that’s conveniently push-button operated; Aervana.com. — Stacy Wynn

Instant Oenophile
Wine has a language all its own with a large dictionary going well beyond dry, sweet, fresh and fruity. Here’s a quick cheat sheet for those just getting into the grape game.
Text by Stacy Wynn

Tannin
To use the term properly, assess the pinched feeling you get in your mouth after a sip. Tannin comes from the amount of stems, seeds and stalk crushed with the grapes and is usually a positive thing.

 

 

Austere
This is the polite oenophile’s posh way of saying he doesn’t really like what he’s drinking. It is often a term reserved for wine that didn’t breathe enough or wasn’t stored properly is sipped.

 

 

Brooding
This is used for wines that has as many highs and lows as the Twilight films. They are complex vintages notable for their extremely strong flavor. They usually have some very pronounced deep notes.