The Connected Table

The Connected Table We connect you to the people who enrich the food, wine, spirits & hospitality industry. Listen to The Connected Table podcast on more than 65 channels. We eat.

Watch on YouTube. Work with us to create compelling content and events and to share your story., We drink. We explore. We share stories of the people who shape our industry and we help you tell yours in a compelling way,

The Connected Table® Live radio show connects you to the people, stories and places in food, beverage and hospitality. Hosted by industry insiders Melanie Young and David Ransom

(the insatiably curious culinary couple), the show airs live on www.w4CY.com, Wednesdays, 2 p.m. ET and is podcast to iHeart.com and the free iHeart App. Does your brand need a story or have one that needs to be shared? The Connected Table creates custom special events and promotional programs for wine, spirits, food and wellness. David is a wine and spirits writer for Tasting Panel Magazine, SOMM Journal and others outlets and lectures on wine.

Melanie is a Certified Health Coach and author who writes and speaks about healthy living and writes about wine and lifestyle. Learn more at www.melanieyoung.com

We went Island Hopping at Always ready to travel by plane or, in this case, our palates, we attended Wine Director Cla...
08/30/2026

We went Island Hopping at

Always ready to travel by plane or, in this case, our palates, we attended Wine Director Clayton Fox's "Island Life" Cellar Experience at Restaurant R'evolution at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on August 26. This dinner featured wines from Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Canary Islands and Madeira. (swipe for photos)

First wine: Benanti Noblesse Metodo Classico Brut Carricante from Sicily’s Etna DOC. The Benanti family is one of this region’s most venerable producers. This spumante had lemon, green apple and white floral notes. Our two amuse-bouches were a Bayou Rosa oyster with cucumber foam and lemon zest and a Canary Melon with a sliver of cured ham and sorrel.

The first course took us to Corsica. The Clos Venturi Vermentinu “1769 Blanc” delivered crunchy, herbal-citrus notes with a hint of saline on the finish. The dish was a simple Gulf shrimp over Fregola pasta with bottarga, preserved lemon and basil.

Our second course took us to Spain’s Canary Islands with a Bermejos Listán Negro Rosé paired with chargrilled octopus in sweet pepper and mojo verde served with crispy smashed potatoes. The fruity pomegranate, strawberry and blood orange notes in this rosé complemented the spicy heat of this delicious dish.

A Sardinian red, Agricola Punica “Montessu,” was paired with the main course of herb-crusted roasted rack of wild boar. This red wine from the IGT Isola dei Nuraghi in Sulcis in southwestern Sardinia. Made from Carignano del Sulcis, the wine has notes of black cherry, raspberry, and rosemary and chewy tannins.

The finale was New York Malmsey Madeira from Rare Wine Co's Historic Madeira Series commemorating . Malmsey is a richer and sweeter style of Madeira. This one had notes of toffee, caramel, dried fig, roasted nuts and dark coffee. It was paired with a sticky toffee and fig cake topped with whipped crème fraiche.

The Cellar Experience series continues through 2026. Reserve .

Late Summer in Provence- September 16,
Little Treasures of Bordeaux- October 21
The Rhône from Top to Bottom- November 11, 2026

In the Northern Peloponnese, Theodora Rouvali Continues her Father’s Winemaking Legacy- The Connected Table Live August ...
08/25/2026

In the Northern Peloponnese, Theodora Rouvali Continues her Father’s Winemaking Legacy- The Connected Table Live August 26

High on the steep slopes Aigialeia in the northern Peloponnese, cultivates its grapes on terraced vineyards overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. Founded in 1990 by Angelos Rouvalis, considered a pioneer in Greece’s modern winemaking, Rouvalis Winery is now run by Theodora Rouvalis and her partner, Αntonio Ruiz Pañego, both trained oenologists. This isolated region is known for its extreme “heroic” viticulture with a unique microclimate tempered by air currents from both mountains and the Gulf waters. Rouvalis' US importer is VOS Selections.

On this week's edition of The Connected Table podcast, Theodora Rouvalis discusses the region and wines, her father’s impact in Greece’s wine history and her work overseeing her family winery.

Watch on YouTube 2pm EST. Listen or your preferred podcast channel anytime. We will share a link below.

Looking for a taste of romance in what feels like a country retreat just a short drive from New Orleans's CBD? Last nigh...
08/22/2026

Looking for a taste of romance in what feels like a country retreat just a short drive from New Orleans's CBD? Last night we dined at for the first time and recommend! August is COOLinary month in New Orleans, and we are trying restaurants that are out of the ordinary in terms of location, setting and food.

Saint Claire is the newest restaurant of Chef-Owner Melissa Martin, a Louisiana native and owner of (which we still need to try). Martin grew up in fishing family and shares her Cajun roots through her cooking.

Saint Claire is located at Algiers Point near the banks of the Mississippi River in a large white house surrounded by old oak trees with a circular driveway. You feel miles away from the city proper even though we only drove over a bridge to get here. The property once served as a quarantine station and a residence for the doctors. Later it was an immigration center. To us it felt like someone's country home.

We settled in at a table in the large, screened-in back porch just before a storm darkened the skies and whipped through the trees. The rain cooled the air and delivered a whisper of a mist that felt refreshing. The music was French. The menu is rustic and seasonal with a French accent. It all felt intimate.

We started with smoked beets served with trout roe and creme fraiche. This dish paired beautifully with wine we chose, a Red Tail Ridge (Finger Lakes) Pet'Nat Pinot Noir.

Entrees were duck confit served with poached peaches, country ham and golden raisins, mint and tarragon and seared grouper with corona beans. okra, tomato vinaigrette and basil topped with vegetable fritters.

Desserts were chocolate semifreddo with candied pecans and Pecorino with fig confiture and cranberry pecan sourdough.

Saint Claire's owners are Melissa Martin and Cassi Dymond. The Wine Director is Kimblerly Faith Wald- so another fabulous woman-run restaurant in New Orleans!

Saint Claire is located at 1300 Richland Street at Algiers Point. Dinner is served Wed.-Sun. 4 - 9 p.m. Book In the spirit of New Orleans, Geaux there soon!

We are going "island hopping" through the great wine producing islands of Europe: Sicily, Sardinia, Canaries, Corsica, a...
08/20/2026

We are going "island hopping" through the great wine producing islands of Europe: Sicily, Sardinia, Canaries, Corsica, and Madeira? Well, we may not be hopping on an airplane, but are heading to the French Quarter Wednesday, August 26, to attend 's Island Life Wine Dinner, part of a series of cellar experiences organized by Wine Director Clayton Fox.

We have heard good things about Restaurant R'evolution's wine program, so it is time to see for ourselves. We hear there are still a few reservations available. A link to reserve through is provided in the comments below.

Here is the menu with wine pairings:

Bayou Rosa Oyster & Canary Melon with Benanti 'Brut', Sicily

Gulf Shrimp & Fregola with Clos Venturi, Vermentinu, '1789 Blanc', Corsica =

Charcoal Grilled Octopus with Bermejos Rosé, Listán Negro, Canary Islands

Roasted Rack of Wild Boar with Agricola Punica, 'Montessu', Sardinia

Sticky Toffee and Fig Cake with Rare Wine Co. 'New York Malmsey' Madeira

Price is $180 pp + tax. Book at

And who says August is "slow" in New Orleans? Not us! Check out the Coolinary menu at Restaurant R'Evolution offered throughout August. And Mondays, there is no corkage fee to bring your own special bottle of wine.

A Seat at the Table with Rick Blount, Fifth Generation Family Owner of Antoine’s Restaurant in New Orleans- The Connecte...
08/18/2026

A Seat at the Table with Rick Blount, Fifth Generation Family Owner of Antoine’s Restaurant in New Orleans- The Connected Table Live August 19, 1pm CST

Since 1840 Antoine's Restaurant has served the New Orleans community and visitors to the city with its world-renowned French-Creole cuisine, impeccable service, and unique atmosphere. Antoine's is the oldest restaurant in New Orleans and the oldest family-run restaurant in the United States.

Many legends of the arts, politics, sports and more have dined at Antoine’s and many iconic dishes were created here like Oysters Rockefeller, Eggs Sardou and Pommes des Terre Souffle. Beloved by locals and a "dining must" for visitors to taste Chef Ralph Pausina's menu selections which include beloved classics and his own signature dishes like Oysters Ronquille (charbroiled with a blue crab, Asiago, Parmesan and herb crust).

Each dining room at Antoine’s is a miniature museum filled with historic curios. Overseeing the USA’s oldest continually family run restaurant now falls under the stewardship of fifth generation member, Rick Blount, a descendent of founder, Antoine Alciatore who joins us on The Connected Table August 19.

713 Saint Louis Street. Lunch, Brunch, Dinner, Happy Hour.

Watch this show at The Connected Table TV on YouTube. Listen on the podcast channel of your choices. Check back for links.

Watch show here or click comments Below Deckhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttnF2ZG9qUo

We stopped by NOCCA today where there was a celebration for Frank Brigtsen's Color of Flavor, new cookbook.What a great...
08/09/2026

We stopped by NOCCA today where there was a celebration for Frank Brigtsen's Color of Flavor, new cookbook.

What a great gift for someone who appreciates New Orleans finest Creole cooking and recipes- with fabulous photos- from one of the city's best chefs.

Because August 5 is National Oyster Day, we share this story and link to our show (in comments) about P&J Oysters, a 150...
08/05/2026

Because August 5 is National Oyster Day, we share this story and link to our show (in comments) about P&J Oysters, a 150-Year- Old Beloved New Orleans Institution and the nation's oldest family-run oyster company,

P&J’s story began in Sicily and Austria along the coast of the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. The Italian side of the business started with Agostino Mazzola and his wife Giovannina Lauricella who came to New Orleans in 1857 from the island of Ustica, located between the mainland of Italy and Sicily. The family worked as merchants in the dockyards in New Orleans and brought in fruits, vegetables, seafood and oysters. They built a successful business over time.

The Austrian side of the business began with two farming brothers, John and Joseph Jurisich, and a colleague named Antonio Popich. They arrived in New Orleans in 1870 to start an oyster farming business in the town of Olga on the Mississippi River. In 1876 the Jurisich brothers with Popich opened an oyster shucking house on Royal Street which was named, P&J Brand Oyster Company.

Today P&J Oyster is run by the fifth and sixth generation of the Italian side of the family whose descendants include, Sal Sunseri and his brother Al, and their sons, Dominic and Blake. Still continuously family run, P&J Oyster Co. is based in an historic building on Toulouse Street in the French Quarter and works with oyster farmers throughout Louisiana. The family business has withstood the test of time, including two World Wars, economic depressions, catastrophic hurricanes and environmental disasters including the devastating BP Oil spill.

Here’s the thing: to enjoy P&J Oysters you need to come to New Orleans. They are not available elsewhere in the country. So, whether you prefer fried, grilled or raw, you will find many succulent oyster dishes here in the Big Easy, all served with local pride at many New Orleans restaurants and oyster bars. Or pick up a container and chargrill them at home.

Fried, Steamed, Stewed and Nude....How do you like your oysters? August 5 is National Oyster Day. With more than 70% of ...
08/05/2026

Fried, Steamed, Stewed and Nude....How do you like your oysters? August 5 is National Oyster Day. With more than 70% of the nation's oysters harvested from the Gulf of Mexico, we feel blessed to live in New Orleans where it is Oyster Day every day!

Here are our fave New Orleans oyster spots (among many). We asterisked those with special Oyster Happy Hours.

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** manale **
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(see the month of August oyster specials)
(chargrilled oysters!)
(chargrilled

Of course, you can pick up Louisiana Oysters at family-run P&J Oysters in the French Quarter and pop them on the grill with at home with ceramic oyster shells, ideal for chargrilled your fave bivalves.

So many choices. Feel free to add yours below.

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