Wendy Hector
School
CSU Northridge, Bath Spa University
Expertise
Home Cooking Techniques, Spirits & Craft Cocktails, Italian Wine
- Wendy is an experienced home cook and an unabashed lover of garlic, so much so that she was once a finalist in the Gilroy Garlic Festival recipe competition
- She holds a Diploma in Wines from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and is a certified specialist in Italian wines and Sherry.
- An avid traveler, her goal is to eventually visit and experience the cuisine and wine of every region in Italy.
Experience
Wendy is a freelance writer focused on the world of food and beverage. Based in California, she has covered the Bay Area dining scene for platforms including Eater SF and the San Francisco Examiner. Wendy has worked on both sides of the restaurant industry, as a bar program director and sommelier, and as restaurant critic focusing on the San Francisco Bay Area. A lover of all things potable, she holds multiple wine certifications and spent years of her career creating custom cocktails.
Education
Wendy earned both a B.A. and M.A. in creative writing, focusing on literary fiction. After years of working in restaurants, she decided to blend these two interests and pursue a career in food writing.
The Daily Meal’s content comes from an authoritative editorial staff that is dedicated to current and comprehensive coverage. With an aim to provide only informative and engaging content, our writers, editors, and experts take care to craft clear and concise copy on all things food-related, from news in the food service industry to in-depth explainers about what’s found in readers’ refrigerators, original recipes from experienced chefs, and more.
Our team also regularly reviews and updates articles as necessary to ensure they are accurate. For more information on our editorial process, view our full policies page.
Stories By Wendy Hector
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As you plan your 2025 grocery budget, be sure to take into account that these foods and drinks might end up costing you more next year due to tariffs.
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Because of its greatness, rarity, and time and effort to make, Champagne tends to be quite costly. However, there are still some great deals out there.
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Cocktails are stronger than wine or beer, so you'll need to be more careful when pairing them with steak. Certain liquors and flavors will clash with your meal.
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Fruitcakes are often referred to as what you'd give someone you're not particularly fond of. So of course, many fruitcakes could use an upgrade or two.
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Costco's whisky selection is well-curated and offers bottles that are hard to find at traditional liquor stores. But are the prices worth making a special trip?
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Dolly is not only known for singing, but she's penned a cookbook and has various food lines as well. So how does her new wine fare? We took a sip to find out.
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We tasted the newest, limited edition fall flavors from Simply Spiked to find out if they would get us into the spirit of the season. Here's the verdict.
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There are wildly different pumpkin beers available, so we tasted 12 and ranked them based on flavor and how successfully pumpkin is integrated into the brew.
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Costco's pumpkin pie is a fan favorite and many people wait for its arrival in stores each year. We bought one to review, to see how it fares.
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If your usual cocktails have become a bit boring, and you're looking to branch out to more adventurous libations but don't know where to begin, start here.
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As a fan of tequila-based cocktails and spicy drinks, I enjoyed Devil's Reserve, realizing that it could be a shortcut to making some fabulous drinks.
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From draft beer to colorful cocktails, bars serve all kinds of drinks, but some can be more trouble than they're worth. Here are a few to reconsider ordering.
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Cocktails were all the rage in the 1960s, but many of them fell out of style. Now, cocktail bars are bringing some of them back with a few modern twists.
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From adding an ingredient or two to switching up the cooking method, it doesn't take much to elevate the humble onion ring and raise it to gourmet status.
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From using the proper tools to selecting the right ice, there are plenty of reasons cocktails are better from a bar. Our resident mixologist explains them all.
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If you can only have one sauce for all of your taco needs, which bottle should make the cut? We tasted 12 brands from the grocery store to answer this question.
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Tiger's blood is a delicious syrup with an unusual name, popular on shaved ice and snow cones. Here's everything you need to know about this fruity treat.
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There are tons of store-bought tartar sauces out there. Our ultimate ranking of the best options out there will help you pick the tastiest one of all.
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Tuna casserole invites all kinds of flavor and texture experimentation. From spicy peppers to a cheesy topping, here's how to really elevate this classic dish.
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It's easy to think that all carbonated water is the same, but seltzer and sparkling water have a few distinct differences. Here's our guide to the two.
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Planters nuts offers a huge variety of flavors. From espresso and cocoa to buffalo ranch, we're ranking every single one from worst to best.
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The perfect cocktail sauce should be sweet and hot, savory and tangy, and able to bring out the freshness of the seafood it graces without overwhelming it.
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No cocktail bar should be without a bottle of bitters. Here's a guide to these essential mixology components, using them, and even how to make your own.
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Serving repeats year after year can make for stale dinners and bored diners. Mix it up with some of our best holiday side dishes and impress your guests.
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For Thanksgiving dinner, the savory flavor of a rich gravy is essential. Why not try giving your old gravy recipe new life, with one of these tasty twists?
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You can put ranch seasoning on just about anything to level up your meals and snacks. Here are the most delicious ways to use it on your food.
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If you're looking to get creative with your Crock-Pot, check out these unexpected foods you can make with this device, and add them to your regular repertoire.