by The Skimm
Drink it if you like…
lemons, limes, pears. Pretty much anything you’d find on a sundress.
Pair it with…
salad, flaky fish, light cheeses. Anything a health nut or bird would eat.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Albariño (from Spain; more citrusy), Soave (from Italy; more fruity).
Riesling
Raise your hand if you have a sweet tooth. Riesling’s known for being sweet, light, and fruity. It’s mostly made in Germany and sometimes sipped as a dessert wine. Das candy.
Drink it if you like…
apples, limes, pears, floral notes.
Pair it when…
the spice is right. This one’s a good contrast for Chinese and Indian food. If you’re drinking it with dessert, a peach cobbler is just…peachy.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Moscato (from Italy; sweeter).
Chenin Blanc
Bonjour, blanc. This one’s from the Loire Valley in France and can vary from dry to sweet.
Drink it if you like…
melon, citrus, peach.
Pair it with…
sweet and sour. This wine goes well with dishes that have both sweet and sour elements. The most obvious choice: sweet and sour chicken. For the gold star: pork chops with apples.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Viognier (drier), Riesling (sweeter).
Chardonnay
Not just your mom’s wine. Chards get a rep for being heavy and buttery, but they can’t be pigeonholed like that. If they’re oaked (aged in an oak barrel) they’re fuller bodied with an almost spicy taste. But if they’re unoaked (young and wild and free from the barrel) they are zesty and citrus flavored. Chardonn-yay for sticking a cork in the stereotypes.
Drink it if you like…
lemon, banana, pineapple (unoaked), or butterscotch, caramel, cinnamon (oaked).
Pair it with…
a lot. This goes well with shellfish, chicken, and pork. Also, Brie. Because cheesy is always the way to Brie.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Sémillion (lighter), Viognier.
Pinot Noir
Rhymes with mid-sized car. It’s a medium-bodied red that was first widely planted in France. It leads with higher acidity than most reds and softer tannins.
Drink it if you like…
cherry, cranberry, first-impression roses (this smells like one).
Pair it with…
pork, chicken, duck, veal. Keeping it veal. Also works with oilier fish like salmon. Opposites attract.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Gamay (from the Beaujolais region). It’s Pinot Noir’s lighter, more floral cousin. Florals, for wine? Groundbreaking.
Merlot
Rhymes with low. But it’s a high. This is a medium-bodied red that goes down smoothly.
Drink it if you like…
plums, cherries, jam. This is your jam.
Pair it with…
pasta, lamb, red meat. Can also work with veggie dishes featuring a rich sauce. This one’s pretty flexible.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Syrah (fuller-bodied), Malbec.
Zinfandel
The wine that works from A to Zinfandel. It’s a medium red that’s generally high in tannins and alcohol content. It’s known for being made in the USA.
Drink it if you like…
berry, cherry, spice.
Pair it with…
pizza, cheese, grilled cheese. No cheese left behind.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Negroamaro (from Italy; same fruity richness).
Syrah
Aka Shiraz. Pronounced sear-ah. It’s a full-bodied red that’s heavily planted in the Rhône Valley in France. Bonjour, meaty flavors. Wait for it…
Drink it if you like…
black pepper, blueberries, meat.
Pair it with…
the meat sweats. Sensing a pattern? This will go down well with lamb, smoked meats, etc.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Malbec (more chocolate and coffee flavors), Petite Sirah (more tannins and intensity, different from Syrah), Pinotage (South African; more intense/smoky vibes).
Cabernet Sauvignon
The Beyoncé of wines. It’s one of the most popular wines in the world, and it originally came from Bordeaux in southwest France, though now it’s produced around the whole wine world. It’s a full-bodied red and high in tannins.
Drink it if you like…
the dark side. Black cherry, cedar, and spice flavors are here.
Pair it with…
meats on meats. Lamb, beef, and smoked meats are Cab’s friend. You can also get cheesy—firm cheeses like aged cheddar and hard cheeses like Pecorino will taste Gouda with Cab.
If you like it, you’ll also like…
Merlot (sweeter), Cabernet Franc (higher in acidity), Sangiovese (from Italy; more fruity).
Note: When people say a wine has “hints of cherry,” that doesn’t mean it’s actually made with cherries. It’s referring to the flavor of the grapes, which a winemaker can control through how they’re grown and pressed.
What about rosé? You forgot rosé!
Just saving the best for last. The final rosé stands alone.
Rosé
The Goldilocks of wine.
It’s not too white, not too red, jusssst pink. Rosé’s made when the skins of the grapes touch the wine for a short period of time. Some think that, like white pants, it’s best between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Be a rebel and drink it all year.
Not to whine (er, wine) but I also want some cocktail halp.
Got your back. Your spirits animal is out there. Yes, spirits. Here are some of Skimm’ologist’s favorites and what’s in them, so you’re never left panic-ordering a vodka soda again.
Moscow Mule
The Best Picture of cocktails.
As in, the glasses are shiny like an Oscar statuette. It’s vodka, ginger beer, lime, and a whole lot of kick.
Negroni
The bitter end.
Except it’s the beginning. This bitter drink is poured as an aperitif pre-dinner. It’s gin, vermouth, Campari, and an orange peel garnish.
Aperol Spritz
The Italian Riviera’s arm candy.
This summery favorite is also an aperitif, made up of prosecco, Aperol, and soda. Bon aperitif.
Old-Fashioned
The OG.
It’s made with bourbon or rye whiskey, sugar, an orange peel, and Angostura bitters (flavored extracts concocted by infusing things like herbs, seeds, and berries with alcohol—aka the every-flavor beans of cocktail ingredients).
Caipirinha
Brazil’s national drink.
It is sugary and tasty. Make it using Brazil’s national spirit, cachaça, sugar, and lime.
French 75
Bubbly with le twist.
It’s champagne, gin, lemon juice, and sugar.
Paloma
Margarita’s (grape) fruity cousin.
It’s tequila, grapefruit soda or juice, and lime juice stirred together.
Pisco Sour
Peruvian special.
Peru’s fave liquor, pisco, plus lime, simple syrup, and an egg white. Omelette not included.
Gimlet
Flapper water.
This one’s been around since the Jazz Age and includes gin, lime, and simple syrup. Plus a lot of different variations (think: cucumber gimlet). Gim-me gimme.
Dark ’n’ Stormy
And simple ’n’ strong.
Dark rum plus ginger beer.
Sazerac
The cocktail of New Orleans.
It’s rye or brandy, Peychaud’s bitters, lemon, and absinthe.
Thing to know
Bitters. Nothing to do with the taste. It’s liquor that’s intensely flavored with plants and herbs. Think of them like a concentrated shot of flavor for your cocktail.
Brb, tipsy on an empty stomach. Give me something to eat?
As Noah Calhoun said to Allie Hamilton, “What do you want?” When it comes to food, the answer is never simple. This is not a cookbook, although The Barefoot Skimm’tessa has a nice ring to it. You’re not going to get recipes here. You will get some go-to hacks for convincing people you can kinda cook and stay alive on a budget.
For when that pan you’ve had since college needs a makeover…
Dress your kitchen for the job it wants: to pass as a place where adults live. Here are some pieces of kitchenware you need to whip up something edible. This doesn’t include plates and silverware because there’s no fun in obvious.
Thing to know
Stainless steel vs. cast iron vs. nonstick pans. Gang’s all here. Cast iron is the best for extreme heat, nonstick is good for easy cleaning, and stainless steel is an overall star player. Start with stainless steel and then get some others if you’re cooking a lot.
theSkimm’s List for Making Your Kitchen Less Sad
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Stainless-steel 10-inch skillet
This is HQ for many meals you’ll make. Throw in some olive oil and a protein, add some heat, and you’ve got yourself a Michelin star.
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Two cutting boards
One for raw meat, another for produce. Consider making one of them a wood board, since plastic cutting boards can dull your knives. That ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed.
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Chef’s knife
Make it eight to 10 inches. Chop to it.
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Measuring spoons and measuring cups
There’s a difference between liquid and solid measuring cups—they’re specifically designed to measure those types of ingredients, so get both.
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Mixing bowl set
For mixing salad dressings, marinades, sauces, and more.
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Whisk
Hi, scrambled eggs. And much more.
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Locking tongs
A locking mechanism makes it easy to store these.
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Slotted spoon
Easy to drain liquid and grease.
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Colander
For washing fruits and vegetables, draining canned food, and making a lot of pasta.
For when you’re pressed for time and people are coming over…
Say cheese. Can’t go wrong with a cheese plate. While we don’t discriminate (looking at you, string cheese) there are different types of cheeses you want on your plate.
Fresh and young
Usually made with sheep or goat milk, these are light and white. Includes goat cheese, farmer cheese, and ricotta.
Bloomy rind
Soft and fluffy with a mushroomy or earthy taste and a white rind. Includes Brie and Camembert.
Washed rind
Soft to semi-soft with an orange rind and a “stinky cheese” vibe. Includes Taleggio and Époisses (pronounced eh-pwahz).
Semi-firm
Tangy, savory, and, yup, semi-firm in texture. These cheeses keep longer than their softer plate peers. Most can last one to two months in the fridge if the package is unopened and a few weeks if it is. Includes cheddar, Gouda, and Gruyère.
Firm and aged
Savory with an intense flavor, often of hazelnuts or sautéed butter. Mmmm. Includes Pecorino, Manchego, and Parmesan.
For when the oven timer feels like a countdown to the apocalypse, and you’re starting to resent Ina Garten…
Order takeout.
theSkimm: Drinking wine and cooking food are supposed to be fun. The more you know, the more comfortable you’ll be with the list or the whisk. Pour it up. Fry it up. Make sure the glass is always half full and you’re fully full.
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Things That Need a Deep Breath
theSkimm on De-Stressing
You’re busy. Congrats—so is everyone else.
Sometimes it can feel like a competition for who’s more overscheduled. This is not a competition you want to win. Insert the de-stress trifecta: sleep, organization, and self-care, aka finding what works for you to stay balanced.
First stop: sleep. It’s cliché to use “get more sleep” as a solution to every problem. But clichés are cliché for a reason. Your relationship with your bed is one of the most important ones in your life. It’s generous, silent, and doesn’t care if you kick it in the middle of the night.
How much sleep should I get?
What’s your age again? Use the wisdom of Blink-182 to decide how much zzz you need. You probably think eight hours is the golden rule. Turns out, that depends. If you’re a newborn, congrats on being a baby genius and reading so early. Also congrats because you’re supposed to sleep 12 to 16 hours. Every. Night. Kids who are no longer babies get nine to 11 hours. Adults are supposed to clock in seven to nine hours. Adults over 65 should get seven to eight hours. Then there are those people who say they only need four hours. We say they’re lying or they’re vampires. PS: Yes, you do need to sleep. Benefits include strengthened memory, higher energy, a faster metabolism…and staying awake at work.
What about when I can’t get to sleep?
Sometimes sheep don’t cut it. It’s important to relax the mind before you drift off. People will tell you to meditate before bed and consider taking melatonin. But here are some other, lesser-known tricks that have worked for us.
For the person who has literal sugarplum dreams…
Make dinner. In your mind. No, really. Close your eyes and think of the dream meal you’d like to cook, and in your mind, go through all the steps to get that dinner ready. Nothing brings sweet dreams quite like mincing garlic in your head at midnight.
For the person who’s soothed by a crossword puzzle…
Flip it and reverse it. Aka sing the alphabet backward. Warning: Do not freak out when you get stuck; you are not having a stroke. Warning two: You will soon realize you can get quite good at this, and it will lose its power over time. You can also try counting backward from one hundred.
For the person who thinks history’s a snooze…
Get schooled. As in, read a long biography. Because there’s nothing like a good book about a former president to get your eyelids into gear.
For when you’re prone to Instagram rabbit holes…
Distance makes the double tap grow fonder. People will tell you to keep your phone in another room. We know you won’t do that. So keep it charging on your dresser or somewhere you can’t reach, instead of on your bedside table. Or switch your settings to grayscale to make your phone less appealing. Screens (and that includes TVs) are like a traffic jam en route to the Land of Nod.
For when you have the same thing for breakfast every morning…
Make bedtime a habit too. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every PM and AM. Your circadian rhythm (your daily sleep and wake cycle) will stay on track, and you won’t feel the need for a post-lunch nap.