The discussion today moves to the growing role that Sommeliers play in restaurants today. We discuss what actually goes into becoming a Sommelier, the study, the examinations, etc. While it is wonderful to see Sommeliers being recognized for their work, their rise in the awareness of the American diner has increased steadily over a 15 year period. However, the bulk of the dining public is still wary of this service. We can only hope that this service can be better received over a period of time.

Our featured appliance of the week is the Vitamix. These are the best blenders available on the market. Tommy cites how he uses them daily now with fruit smoothies in the morning, veggie shakes in the afternoon and soups in the evening. The Vitamix is remarkably durable which helps to explain the lofty price.

Finally, Mary and I had a cookoff of our Chicken Pot Pies. While we were hoping for a vicious battle, we found that our recipes had surprisingly similar ingredients. I am very comfortable recommending either dish as they were both great. For the recipes, please check out our website Gastrotommy. There we will recommend wines to match as well.