In 2004, Jameson Fink’s IT job ruled his Monday to Friday, but his weekends were full of wine.  No, he wasn’t drowning his sorrows in Thunderbird, he was exploring the wine regions of France, Italy, and America, all inside Randolph Wine Cellars and the Tasting Room in Chicago’s West Loop. He started blogging that year, and since then his writing has taken him all over the world, to vineyards on five out of seven continents (One of those unvisited being the very-grapeless Antarctica).  He has written for Dabble Magazine and became Wine Editor at Foodista in 2010.  Jameson’s writing is direct and accessible, even when he ventures into more complex discussions of growing, aging, and food pairings, and though he’s clearly an expert in wine, he resists holding himself up as one.  In his own words, Jameson is less concerned with right and wrong, and more interested in “enthusiasm, excitement, and discovery.”  His current blog, Wine Without Worry, articulates this attitude perfectly.  Wine in Jameson’s mind ought to be simple, easy, and, above all, pleasurable.  Most recently, Jameson came off a month living and working at Finnriver Farm in Chimacum, Washington, where he helped with their cider making operation.  The writings from Finnriver are heady and excitable and remind us of the indefatigable sense of adventure that pulled Jameson into wine writing in the first place. more »

Everywhere you look, you’ll see details that say Urban Roots is a community farm: an oversized get well card cut from construction paper and taped to a barn door; a random assortment of vegetables dangling on twine from the branches of a peach tree; a stray bottle of water — “Reynesha” scrawled in sharpie on one side, and a line from a Chris Brown song on the other.  At any given time at Urban Roots, you’ll find the farm manager Marysol Valle there, tinkering with her spader or leading a group of volunteers.  Marysol’s farming career started unsteadily twelve years ago, with sudden moves, money woes, and an uncertain future.  But Marysol pursued farming with a steady drive that eventually landed her a job at this locally loved non-profit in Austin, Texas.  Employing students ages 13-17, Urban Roots uses sustainable agriculture to empower Austin’s youth, while increasing the city’s access to fresh food.  Last year the crew at Urban Roots grew over 30,000 pounds of vegetables, 40% of which was donated to local hunger relief efforts and food banks.  The other 60% was sold at Austin farmers markets by the very youth who helped grow it.  Marysol has been with Urban Roots for three years.  To her, farming should be close to all foodies’ hearts.  After all, without farms, there is no food. more »

Triple-pattied, bacon-topped, and always with a side of fries, Rodney Blackwell is on a quest to find your town’s best burger.  Then he’ll put it on Burger Junkies so you can find it, too.  Based in his hometown of Sacramento, California, Rodney travels the country finding, eating, photographing, and writing about the most delectable beefy sandwich creations.  Drawing from a love for food photography, Rodney’s images are intense and immodest.  A sloppy, half-eaten triple-cheeseburger, iceberg lettuce stuck to a bun, french fry crumbs scattered on crumpled silver paper — Rodney finds a way to make it beautiful.  Or maybe there’s just something inherently appealing about all hamburgers that Rodney captures with each shot.  In his reviews, he assigns his subject a number score based on five factors: bun, flavor, juiciness, value, and the ever-mysterious “B” factor–that certain unspoken something that makes each burger experience unique.  From clean, artisan kielbasa sliders to a quick Quarter Pounder with Cheese,  Rodney has little pretense when it comes to burger consumption: a good burger is a good burger.  And while Rodney prefers his medium rare, you can be sure each Burger Junkies review will be well done.  more »