Wednesday, December 31 2008
There must be something between us, even if it's only an ocean of wine.
Another year on it's way out, and a busy one it was: national elections in Canada and the USA (yes, America had one too, believe it or not), total financial meltdown (apparently I'll be retiring when I'm one hundred and sixty-five), grape harvests, the Wine Spectator spoofed, mergers and acquisitions in the kit industry wine running from water fountains (and vice versa) and Victoria British Columbia, Canada's Riviera, had the most snow of any city in Canada on December 25th.
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Posted by Tim AT 11:53PM
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Tuesday, December 30 2008
It's been a busy season for my liver
'Tis the season to be drinky, and to share good bottles with friends. Despite the cooler weather we've been eating some lighter dishes, and thus the spread is heavy on whites right now--with a few interesting exceptions.
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Posted by Tim AT 9:56PM
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Thursday, December 25 2008
Where's the Festivus pole? Photo by Wikimedia
The wheel of the year rolls on, and it's hjól. Whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hannukah or other midwinter and religious festivals may the season bring you blessings and the new year challenges and joys.
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Posted by Tim AT 9:35PM
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Tuesday, December 16 2008
If the glass fits . . .
There's an old legend that the classic coupe glass was modeled on the endowments of Marie Antoinette. I can understand how this has an appeal as a salacious story, but it's pretty darn silly. First, coupe glasses and the broad, shallow bowl style have been around a lot longer than 18th century France:
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Posted by Tim AT 7:36PM
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Tuesday, December 16 2008
Do you love potatoes?
"Oh, do you like potatoes?"
Do I like potatoes? I like:
Mashed potatoes
Boiled potatoes
Scalloped potato
Whipped potato
Curried potato
French-fried potatoes
Baked potato
"Hash browns!"
Potato chips
Potato roti
Potato soup
Potato salad
Potato knish
Potato pari
Potato gelatti
Potato fritters
Potato pancakes
"Buddy, oh I want a potato pancake!"
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Posted by Tim AT 6:14PM
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Sunday, December 14 2008
I'd drink to that
December 5th marked the 75th Anniversary of the enactment of the 21st amendment to the US constitution, repealing the 18th amendment, also known as the Volstead act. It ended an experiment in social engineering that started on January 16th 1920 (pretty visionary of them to enact it on an important date like my (eventual) birthday).
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Posted by Tim AT 6:53AM
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Wednesday, December 10 2008
Don't you wish you worked here?
What is it with Italians and plumbing? Attentive readers may recall my blog of October 21st, when I made fun of Italian plumbing and household taps suddenly running with wine (sure it won't get out stains in the wash, but you won't care).
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Posted by Tim AT 11:07PM
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Monday, December 8 2008
Oh, the humanity!
Just a couple of months ago the unbounded greed of French winemakers in the Champange region of France was on display for all to see. With ever-increasing demand for bubbly, they lobbied the INAO to expand the boundaries of 'Champagne' to include land previously on the basis of 'quality'.
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Posted by Tim AT 10:26PM
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Thursday, December 4 2008
I'd ride off into the sunset, except my horse can't swim . . .
My candle burns at both its ends;
It will not last the night;
But oh, my foes, and oh, my friends --
It gives a lovely light.
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Posted by Tim AT 5:14AM
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Comments
Russ Suereth
Posted 5 years ago
Here is an excerpt from an article on spud consumption in Ireland in 1944:On a typical day in 1844, the average adult Irishman ate about 13 pounds of potatoes. At five potatoes to the pound, that's 65 potatoes a day. The average for all men, women, and children was a more modest 9 pounds, or 45 potatoes. If you want to understand the devastation wrought by the notorious fungus Phythophthora infestans, you must begin with those astonishing numbers—numbers that led one 19th-century traveler to observe that "the Englishman would find considerable difficulty in stowing away in his stomach this enormous quantity of vegetable food, and how an Irishman is able to manage it is beyond my ability to explain."