Using AI For Wine Recommendations

I asked the Google Gemini chatbot to "Recommend 5 highly-rated red wines under $20," and the results are shown below.  I've had the Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel several times, and it's always delicious.  Same for the Colombia Crest Cab.  Both of those should be easy to find at most wine shops.  The other three I haven't tried, but I do like Argentinian Malbec and Italian Chianti Classico.  If you're invited to a party, any of these will make a great gift.

https://gemini.google.com

1. Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington)

   This is consistently one of the best values in American Cabernet. It typically features bold flavors of black cherry and plum with a touch of vanilla and cocoa from oak aging. It is smooth, reliable, and pairs perfectly with grilled meats.

2. Catena High Mountain Vines Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)

   While some Malbecs can be one-dimensional, Catena is a pioneer in high-altitude viticulture. This wine offers deep violet colors with intense aromas of black fruits and a hint of spice. It has a velvety texture that makes it very approachable.

3. Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel (California)

   For those who enjoy a robust, "jammy" red, this is a standout. Sourced from vines that are decades old, it delivers concentrated flavors of raspberry and peppercorn. It’s a hearty wine that stands up well to spicy BBQ or rich pasta dishes.

4. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge (Rhône Valley, France)

   A classic Syrah-based blend, this wine is famous for its consistency. It offers a savory profile with notes of blackberry, Garrigue (dried Mediterranean herbs), and a hint of black pepper. It is elegant, earthy, and a great introduction to French reds.

5. Castello di Monsanto Monrosso Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy)

   If you prefer something with higher acidity and bright cherry notes, this Sangiovese-heavy blend is excellent. It features the classic "dusty" tannins of Tuscany and a bright, food-friendly profile that shines alongside tomato-based dishes or hard cheeses.

A Tip for Value: When looking for high-quality bottles under $20, regions like the Rhône Valley (France), Mendoza (Argentina), and Rioja (Spain) often provide the highest quality-to-price ratio compared to premium regions like Napa Valley or Bordeaux.

Chicken Marsala

Until recently, I had never tried Chicken Marsala, even though Gourmet Chef Elaine raves about it when she gets it at our local Figlio restaurant.  As you can see in the recipe at the link below, it's a simple cook.  The key ingredients that kick up the flavor are the cremini mushrooms, shallot, and dry marsala wine.  Buying an entire bottle of the wine is a waste, so next time we'll try substituting it with dry vermouth, which is shelf-stable for months.  

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/the-best-chicken-marsala-7195830

Peach Cobbler

On a recent trip to Texas, we made our usual stop at Buc-ee's in Bastrop.  I picked up one of the warm Peach Cobblers you see below.  Sitting in our rental car, I opened it to have a few bites, but it was so good I devoured the whole thing.  Now that our local Buc-ee's in Huber Heights is open (I-70 and SR-235), I may have to buy a few of these to have an awesome dessert when we entertain.  Or maybe I'll just pig out again.

https://buc-ees.com

Just Walk Out

While roaming around the Dallas Love Field airport, I noticed the "Just Walk Out" store you see below.  Turns out to be an Amazon invention that enables a seamless shopping experience.  You enter the store using your Amazon account and pick up your purchases.  AI and sensors to monitor items picked up or put back, and keep track of what you have.  When you leave, your Amazon payment method is charged.  No cashiers means no checkout lines.  Read more about it at the link below.

https://www.justwalkout.com

Using Grams

Our small kitchen scale measures weights in ounces and grams, but I never had a reason to use grams.  at least, not until I started making little balls of ground chuck for smashburgers.  We typically buy 1.5 pounds, enough for eight, three-ounce balls, but by the time I get to making the eighth ball, it usually comes out a little too small or a little too big.  That small difference is due to rounding, so it dawned on me one day that a rounding error with grams is way smaller.  So I now make 85-gram ground chuck balls, like you see below, and life is a little easier.

An ounces-to-grams conversion is available at the link below.

https://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/ounces-to-grams.htm

Using AI To Sound Like A Pirate

AI chatbots can create output in multiple languages and in different voices.   I decided to try that out by asking Google Gemini to "Write a half-page speech for the best man, Pat, to give to his younger brother Brian and new wife Deborah at their wedding reception in the voice of a pirate."  I also uploaded three photos, asking, "Use the pictures to create an image appropriate to the speech."  Here's what it came up with...

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Gather ‘round, ye scurvy dogs, landlubbers, and fine-dressed folk! Silence yer tongues or I’ll have ye walk the plank into the chocolate fountain!

I stand before ye today not just as the Best Man, but as the elder Captain of the crew. I’ve known the groom, Brian, since he was naught but a wee cabin boy—constantly tripping over his own boots and stealing my gold doubloons (or, as the Mutiny of ‘98 remembers it, my favorite action figures).

Brian, ye’ve always been a brave sailor, but ye were drifting aimlessly in the fog without a compass. Ye spent many a night searching for treasure in all the wrong ports. But then, across the horizon, appeared a vision of beauty—the formidable Deborah.

Deborah, me lady, ye didn’t just board his ship; ye took the helm! Ye brought order to his chaotic deck, ye polished his rusty heart, and ye taught him that "sharing the loot" actually means letting ye pick the restaurant. Ye are the finest gem in the Seven Seas, and how this scallywag convinced ye to drop anchor with him is a mystery greater than the Kraken itself!

So, raise yer grog, ye salty lot!

To the Captain and his new First Mate! May yer winds be fair, may yer hull be strong against the storms of life, and may yer hold always be overflowing with rum, riches, and joy.

To Brian and Deborah! May ye sail together ‘til the stars fall into the briny deep! Huzzah!

---

https://gemini.google.com

Stuffed Bell Peppers

There's a pop of color in these stuffed peppers that Gourmet Chef Elaine cooked up.  We're not fond of green bell peppers, but the yellow and red varieties are delicious.  Add our favorite flavorful tomatoes, Roma, pepper jack cheese, onion, and garlic to the milder flavors of ground beef, zucchini, and rice, and it's an all-in-one meal that pleases.  Takes about an hour and a half total, and all those nitty directions can be found at the link below.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/stuffed-bell-peppers-3325315

Luggage Scooter

When I first spotted the luggage and 3-wheel scooter combo in the Austin airport, I thought it was kinda genius.  The kid hauls his own luggage, easily keeps up with his parents, and amuses himself at the same time.  But after his Dad had to chase him down because he was too far ahead, I wasn't as keen on the idea.  This is the first one of these I've seen, but after seeing all the options available on Amazon, they must be quite popular.  You can check them out at the Amazon search link below.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=luggage+scooter

Siri On Apple Watch

I talk to our various Alexa devices all the time.  I talk to Google smart speaker and Pixel 7 smartphone daily.  But I never talk to Siri, even though "she's" available on my iPad and my Mac Mini.  So when Gourmet Chef Elaine was frustrated with her Apple Watch, I would never have guessed that Siri could come to the rescue.  

A recent update to her Apple Watch changed the location of the Workout app, which she uses to track the progress of our frequent 3-mile walks.  Multiple taps and lots of scrolling were now needed, made very difficult by the precision needed for the small watch face.  I was hoping to find a way to rearrange the Workout icon and put the Outdoor Walk at the top of the list, but I couldn't figure out how to do that.  But while searching for a solution, I found the easy way.

"Hey Siri, start an Outdoor Walk."

Done.

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-use-siri-on-the-apple-watch

SuperTool

I used the Gemini AI chatbot to repair the photo you see below, but I wanted to create an animated GIF that starts with the original photo and slowly shows the image being repaired.  I found that the Supertool website can do just that, along with a whole bunch of other neat PDF and image utilities.  You just upload the two photos, adjust a few settings, and download the animated GIF.

I can't tell if you can see the animation or not.  It appears some email systems will render it properly, while others just show a static picture.  But you should be able to see the animation by going to this blog's website, https://dailyposts.paulishing.com.

https://supertool.org/make-video-gifs-from-two-images