Because someone thought mixing mold with rice would come to define Japan’s culinary identity...

It’s time to sip some sake, but you haven't the slightest idea how to choose a bottle (Hint: the grocery clerk doesn't either). Sake is, well, sake, right? It's like wine; there's a red one and a white one. What could go wrong? 

While much of Europe languished, the monks endeavored to keep the flame of many traditions alive and innovate existing ones. Among these included developing distillation (the first ‘Scotch’ is attributed to a monk) and the discovery of brewing beer with hops and developing Parmesan cheese. 

It’s got everything from using old seawater and vinegar to spicing things up by mixing in a few odd ingredients that, as my Princeton friend discovered, tasted something akin to alcoholic Gatorade.

As Jancis Robinson aptly notes, "Semillon is not a fashionable variety," a sentiment that seems ironic given its similarities to Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.