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Each of the 20 years I have written this weekly column, I have always finished the year by listing the 10 most memorable meals that I enjoyed throughout the year. It’s one of my favorite things to do because it forces me to look back over the year and re-live some of the moments thatContinue reading “RSJ’s Top 10 of 2018”

Pork Tenderloin with Muscadine Glaze 2 Tbl Olive Oil 1 Tbl Unsalted Butter 3 Pork Tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds) 2 tsp Kosher Salt 1 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground 2 Tbl Shallot, minced 1/2 tsp Garlic, minced 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 cup Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Riesling Wine, or Muscadine wine if you canContinue reading “RSJ’s Christmas Eve Dinner”

Life is full of reunions. There is something deep inside of me that is hard-wired for any type of reunion— family, school, old friends— I don’t need an excuse, just a date and time of where to show up. I was built for reunions. My dictionary gives three definitions of reunion: “1.) an instance ofContinue reading “Reunions”

MILAN, ITALY— “We don’t have your rooms, Mr. St. John.” Those are the words a tour leader never wants to hear. The words weren’t, “We don’t have your rooms ready, Mr. St. John, because housekeeping is running a little behind.” Or “We don’t have your rooms ready, Mr. St. John because the laundry is down,Continue reading “The Cold Shower Happy Hour”

VILLA IL SANTO, TUSCANY— December is the “slow period” over here. The grapes have all been picked. The olives have almost all been pressed. It’s cold and most Americans who would be traveling over here are gearing up for holiday schedules back home. Despite all of that, it’s one of my favorite times to beContinue reading “5232 Miles”

BARBARINO VAL D’ELSA, TUSCANY— I sit and write this column at 10:15 p.m. in a one-thousand-year-old converted barn while 14 weary Americans have just retired for the evening after a very long and full day of eating our way through the Tuscan countryside. It is quiet in Villa il Santo, but there is still anContinue reading “Tuscany 2018”

My uncle and his wife were diehard Francophiles. He was originally from my hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. After his undergraduate work at Mississippi State, he received his MBA from Harvard and was headed for a career on Wall Street until the military called him back into service. He ended up being stationed in France andContinue reading “Corner Market”

A man once said, “You can call me anything you want, just don’t call me late to dinner.” It’s an old joke that’s been around since the 1830s. It’s not a very funny joke, and no one truly knows the origin of it, but I can relate to the statement on several levels. No oneContinue reading “Dear John”

I “fell back” yesterday. I didn’t hurt myself. No neck brace, stitches, or crutches were needed. I fell back in the sense that I didn’t spring forward. I set my clocks back one hour. Years ago, the physical act of changing the time wasn’t a hard thing to do. These days it takes someone withContinue reading “Daylight Savings Time”