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Valerie Quintanilla

Valerie Quintanilla

Ciao I'm Val, an American expat living in the Langhe, a magical wine region in Northern Italy. I'm a marketing pro by trade, but since living abroad have been working in travel planning, wine tourism, and freelance writing. My expat chronicles include wine, cooking, travel, and other bits and bobs. I'd love to have you join me virtually - and look me up if you make it my way. I'm always up for a glass of vino. Cin cin!

mount etna wine
Italy Travel, Mount Etna, Sicily, Wine May 2, 2020 July 8, 2020

Mount Etna Wines: Volcanic soil, Etna DOC, and more

The wines of Mount Etna are captivating, the history entrancing, and the location itself, breathtaking.  I think y’all know that my heart belongs to…

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blueberry chicken recipe
Cooking with Denise, Food and Wine, Food and Wine Pairing, Recipes, Wine April 25, 2020 July 8, 2020

Denise’s Balsamic Blueberry Chicken Recipe with wine pairing

Blueberry chicken never ever occurred to me – and, now I can’t get it out of my mind!  I’m not going to lie, but…

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risotto wine pairing
Cooking with Denise, Food and Wine, Food and Wine Pairing, Recipes, Wine April 24, 2020 July 8, 2020

Sausage, Asparagus, and Mushroom Risotto with wine pairing

Yummy – Sausage, Asparagus, and Mushroom Risotto. So, my risotto lesson with Denise was a huge success. It’s now a dish heavily in demand…

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best basic risotto recipe
Cooking with Denise, Food and Wine, Food and Wine Pairing, Recipes, Wine April 24, 2020 July 8, 2020

The Best Basic Risotto Recipe

The best basic risotto recipe – use Denise’s formula for a most amazing meal.  Our recipe focus here comes in two parts: The Best…

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spring beef stew
Cooking with Denise, Food and Wine, Food and Wine Pairing, Piedmont Travel, Recipes, Wine April 22, 2020 July 8, 2020

The Ultimate Spring Stew with wine pairing

Spring stew – I never knew! Magic in a bowl and easy to make!  What a discovery. If you are in the mood for…

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Wine, Wine Offers April 20, 2020 May 27, 2020

Order Form: Need Wine? Free Shipping on 12+ Bottles

Welcome to Girl’s Gotta Drink! Ready to order some amazing Italian wine!? We didn’t expect our deals to get so much attention, so our…

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eggplant parmesan stacks recipe
Cooking with Denise, Food and Wine, Food and Wine Pairing, Recipes April 19, 2020 September 1, 2020

Eggplant Parmesan Stacks recipe with wine pairing

Eggplant parmesan stacks – traditional and a smoked mozzarella variation – yum!  I love eggplant parmesan and have enjoyed some amazing iterations since living…

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how to make basic marinara sauce
Cooking with Denise, Food and Wine, Food and Wine Pairing, Recipes April 18, 2020 July 8, 2020

How to make yummy basic marinara sauce

To kick off our wine pairing cooking series, we’ll start with a kitchen staple: basic marinara sauce by Denise of Castello di Sinio. For…

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Cooking with Denise, Food and Wine, Food and Wine Pairing, Piedmont Travel April 11, 2020 July 8, 2020

The pantry essentials: Cooking and wine pairing

Pantry essentials – turns out, I didn’t have a clue. I’ve long fancied myself a serious rookie chef. I love to cook. There’s something…

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Food and Wine, Piedmont Travel, Wine April 10, 2020 July 8, 2020

More Piedmont wines – with free shipping!

The wines from our first offer have been arriving and we love to see the photos – keep ’em coming! Thanks to everyone for…

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Wine, Wine Offers April 10, 2020 May 27, 2020

Order Form: Piedmont Wines, Beyond the usual 

Let’s get you some wine! Please fill out the form with your contact and shipping information. We will be in touch with a final…

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Alba, Dining, Food and Wine March 27, 2020 July 8, 2020

Roero and Langhe Home Delivery: Food, Beverages, Grocery, Misc.

Hello from Alba. We’ve been busy compiling a thorough list of area home delivery options during our lockdown (information below is in English and…

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Food and Wine, Piedmont Portraits, Piedmont Travel, Wine March 23, 2020 July 8, 2020

Stock your cellar and Support the Langhe! #GotItalianWine?

Greetings from lockdown in Northern Italy – we’re at the top of week three, but who’s counting?  First, a huge thank you for all…

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Expat Life March 10, 2020 September 1, 2020

Coronavirus Italy Update: What I know about the nation-wide lockdown

My son is three years old and despite schools being closed since 25 February 2020, I am trying to keep his schedule relatively consistent…

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