Maia Parish

Though often thought of as a sweet varietal, Riesling ranges from semi-sweet, to off-dry, to sparkling and bone dry, and pairs well with a wide range of food. Riesling is planted predominantly in Germany, France, Austria and New York’s Finger Lakes, but there’s another region producing worthy options: Colorado. The home of the Rockies is having a breakout moment, with recognitions for its Rieslings attracting the attention of local wine bars and sommeliers.

My Auntie Eileen loved sardines. She would mix them with sour cream and onion soup mix, then serve the tiny fish with potato chips. As a child, I often enjoyed this dip with Auntie Eileen — it was our thing. She loved to cook, and I miss her. As an adult, it was no surprise that I came to love Caesar salads, with pungent anchovies as one of the dressing’s key ingredients. You either love sardines and anchovies or you don’t, and I obviously fall into the former category.