Practically Green by Mindful Momma, Micaela Preston

Practically Green takes the guesswork out of reading labels and will show you how to make smart, healthy purchases for your family without spending tedious hours researching the pros and cons of all the products available on the market today. Each chapter is broken down into a “Buy It” section that provides key information about everyday purchasing decisions, and a “Do It” section that gives DIY ideas for how to make things that are good for your family and good for the environment. Plus, the author shares some of her favorite recipes that are sure to please the entire family!

Reisenthel (www.reisenthel.com) has an entire line of reusable shoppers and accessories that are make perfect gifts!

With the Reisenthel Bottleshopper dining essentials can now fit safely in one tote, complete with six pockets for beverages that won’t bang into one another. A great way to bring wine and cheese along in a uniquely designed reusable bag.

The Reisenthel Bottlebag Single safely holds a wine bottle, complete with its own thank you note.

The Reisenthel Streetshopper is perfect to bring on board with six outer pockets and a deep interior. Made from durable sail material and adorned with graphics based on the international code of signals.

All products are available at www.touchofeurope.net.

Choose the perfect wine for your big day and remain sustainable

Tips from an Expert: Choose the perfect wine for your big day and remain sustainable by Leslee Miller

As the most important day of your life approaches, you check your lists over and over, dotting your I’s and crossing your T’s making sure that every last detail is in place for the big day. Don’t worry over the wine list – it should be fun! Take the stress out with these easy steps.

1. Be original! When the banquet manager passes you the wedding wine list, don’t get roped into the traditional ‘wine packages’
that are provided by the hotel or event space. Ask to take a look at their regular wine list, one coming from their main dining room or bar area.

2. Pick up to four wines; one should include your ‘toasting’ bubbly. Keep it simple with the number of varietals. It eliminates headaches for your guests, the staff, and your budget.

First, choose a sparkling. Champagne from the Champagne Region in France is expensive. Your best bets for bubbly are: Cava, Prosecco or Sekt. Cava, sparkling from Spain, Prosecco, sparkling from Italy, and Sekt, sparkling from Germany, are all great options to save money. Many are produced sustainably or organically.

Next, choose a white. To satiate the appetite of all your white wine drinkers, your best bet is to select something crisp, clean and delicious. Chardonnay is a white grape that most will recognize. Pick an ‘unoaked’ version of the grape, and for a great tip on ‘affordable’, I’d go with one from the Pacifi c NW. Washington and Oregon do a wonderful job producing organic and generally, inexpensive delicious Chardonnays.

Reds, Reds, Reds… This is where most folks will head if they are drinking wine for the night. My first recommendation is to chose a lighter bodied red – something like Pinot Noir or even, Tempranillo. Pinot Noir is a great grape- however, it has taken a big price increase in recent years due to demand. Check into northern Italy or even Argenti na to fit your bill. Many are grown sustainably and fit the profile…easy-drinkin’, light and delicious.

Most folks like Cabernet. You can also lookinto Malbec or Syrah as a savvy alternative. Chile and Argentina give you great price
points, and again most are grown in part, organically. As your last red, for selecting a good, green, affordable wine head to South America; some of my favorites come from Spain, Argentina and Chile. The farming in many of these regions truly sticks to the livelihood of these green areas. Handled and produced by people, in a way that sticks to keeping the wine traditional.

3. Ask questions. Ask the banquet manageror event space director questions. Is the wine sustainable or organic, does the winery use recycled glass or labels? What are your favorite wines on the list and why? Can we taste through a couple of them before we
decide? Do some homework before you go. Pick up some of these regional wines, and try them for yourself.

4. And, last but not least…enjoy! Because, after all, it’s just grape juice for Pete’s sake, and it is, don’t forget, the biggest day of your life, so enjoy it. Salut!