If you are already a fan of the hand-made, wholesome breads created by Alice and Jeanette at "Perk Up/Brotgarten", then I probably don't have to remind you that they are VEGAN too. And many of their food items are vegetarian. (Don't forget those scrumptious hand-made pastries, pies and cakes. Koffee Klatsch Sundays here we come!)

Alice is also a star coffee roaster. I liken Perk Up's coffee bean mastering to that of a winemaker. Why? Because she roasts each to extract the flavor and aroma of the bean itself. You won't smell "burned coffee grinds" like you do in most coffee houses. Instead, you will smell and taste the fruity, brightness or rich, smooth nutty elegance of the specific coffee bean you choose for your cup of freshly ground and brewed coffee.

Pairing vegan foods and enjoying coffee like wine, made me think about...what else, WINE that works with vegetarian dishes but also exudes an amount of flair.

Risque Sparkling wine from Toad Hollow in California. The bottle is beautiful. The label is fun. And the juice inside is the PERFECT wine for vegetarian, vegan or even spicy foods. Pour a glass and see soft, tiny bubbles fizz while fresh aromas of green apples and d'anjou pear waft up from the crystal clear wine. Take a sip and savor silky, flavors of apples and pears with a subtle fresh fruit sweetness, not cloying at all. It's more of a crisp, lip-smacking refresher to the palate that makes you want to take another sip, and another.

Pair it with a spinach salad, or quinoa/kale/black beans or some of those amazing Brotgarten Pretzels or Vital bread with a hunk of cheese. Even spicy Thai food would be tamed to perfection by the refreshing flavors of this California gem. This is one "Risq" worth taking.