Archive for October, 2009
Sunday, October 11th, 2009
Okay, all you oenophiles, we know you can recommend the perfect pairing for line-caught Chilean sea bass vs. the farm-raised variety. Big deal. In honor of National School Lunch Week, Oct. 12-16, we’ve dreamed up a much tougher test.
John F. Kennedy proclaimed the first School Lunch Week back in 1963, and it’s been observed in mid-October ever since. The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is the major cheerleader behind this annual observance, though we suspect financial backing is provided by the hair net industry, which is pretty much wholly dependent on lunch ladies all across America.
Naturally, SNA recommends milk for lunch every day, and since we’re lactose intolerant, that got us thinking: If the recession sent us back to school for some major job re-training, what on earth would we drink? Please take a moment to enter your suggested wine pairings in the “Comments” section below, and we’ll refer any disagreements to our favorite sommelier. Thanks for your input. And as always, Prost!
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Tags: special weeks, wine pairing
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Friday, October 9th, 2009
Always on the lookout for reasons to celebrate with a bottle of wine, we’d be remiss if we failed to mention National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11. 
Gay men and lesbians have come a long way since Stonewall, but pressure from family and society can still make it difficult to live a fully open life. So if you have a friend or loved one who came to grips with their sexuality in the last year, make it a point on Sunday to offer your support … and a toast.
What’s the proper drink for celebrating National Coming Out Day? Tough question. The stereotype would be “long necks for lesbians and cosmos for queers” — and if you’ve ever read this blog, you know we never pass up the chance to have fun with a good stereotype.
But if you’re looking for a slightly more thoughtful way to mark the occasion, try this: Take your friend to a wine shop, set a dollar value, and allow them to choose. Whatever they select, you have to drink without judgment and without criticism. Even if they go for a white Zinfandel. Or something in a box. Because really, that’s what National Coming Out Day is all about — the freedom to choose who you want to be without fear of judgment or reprisal.
Whatever your flavor, we salute you. Prost!
Tags: celebrations, coming out, special days
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Thursday, October 8th, 2009
Looking forward to a few extra drinks in honor of Columbus Day? Well, good news: There’s no need to wait until Monday to celebrate European imperialism in the New World. Friday is Leif Erikson Day, named in honor of the Scandinavian explorer who first brought Europeans to these shores some 500 years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
 The day has been recognized under federal law since 1964, though bankers and mail carriers for 45 years have grudgingly continued to show up for work on Oct. 9. President Barack Obama, perhaps thinking of his favorite Golden Girl, even signed a presidential proclamation on Wednesday, noting that “Nordic Americans have contributed immeasurably to the success of America.”
Celebrating Leif Erikson Day in a culturally sensitive way can be difficult — not because Native American organizations might object, but simply because Scandinavian alcoholic beverages are relatively unknown in the U.S. A Google search for “Scandinavian wine” was fruitless (so to speak), so if you have any good suggestions, please note them below. In the meantime, we did turn up a recipe for spiced Scandinavian mulled cider that sounded promising.
Rather than wine, Scandinavia seems to be best known for aquavit, a potato-based liquor flavored with caraway. In Chicago, home to a large Scandinavian-American population, the North Shore Distillery makes a Private Reserve aquavit that sounds worth a special trip. From the tasting notes:
“Yellow straw color with a chartreuse cast. Vibrant and stimulating aromas of pink peppercorns, cardamom, lemongrass, medicinal roots and herbs, and sandalwood follow through on a silky entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with a touch of tilled earth a long, spicy fade. Excellent flavor, purity and depth.”
Aquavit, like tequila, varies greatly in quality. If you can’t find one worth savoring straight from a shot glass, you can still toast the Vikings with an aquavit cocktail. We found lots of recipes, including the Cloudberry Dream and the braver-sounding Harm’s Way.
After a couple of these drinks, we might be ready to call a cab and join our friends from the Norwegian National League in their annual laying of a wreath at the Leif Erikson statue in Chicago’s Humboldt Park. Cheers … and oofdah!
Tags: recipes, special days, tv
Posted in Cause for Celebration | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
Good news from the science world: Abstaining from alcohol does not lead to better mental health. But we’ll get back to that in a moment. First a note about Oct. 8:
There are lots of ridiculous “special” days out there (National Kick Butt Day, anyone?), but Thursday is one that actually matters: National Depression Screening Day. If you and your loved ones don’t suffer from depression, then offer a toast tonight to good mental health.
If you suspect you may be depressed, then seek help. Mental Health America offers an online screening tool that’s free and confidential. Knowing the symptoms is the first step to getting better.
Worried that alcohol may be contributing to your depression? If you drink in excess, it just might be. But a new university study shows that abstaining from alcohol entirely is almost certainly not the answer. As reported by Time magazine, the study of 38,000 Norwegians found that “those who never drink are at significantly higher risk for not only depression but also anxiety disorders, compared with those who consume alcohol regularly.”
Researchers say there are multiple explanations, but one in particular caught our attention: Non-drinkers tend to have fewer close friends than those who imbibe regularly.
So the next time you’re out with your friends, buy them a round and thank them for being part of your support network. Maybe you’re not ready to eat, drink and be merry, but at least you can eat, drink and be not-depressed.
Tags: celebrating, drinking, health
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
Sure, everyone knows this is the month for Oktoberfest, but did you realize that back in 1987 Congress declared Oct. 6 to be German-American Day? Clearly a celebration is in order, so go get a nice Riesling or Gewurtz, then raise your glass to toast a famous German-American like Babe Ruth, Dwight Eisenhower, or Elvis Presley. 
Not sure where to start with German wine? German Wine Estates offers a great primer, including tasting notes and tips for deciphering those scary-looking labels.
If you’re celebrating tonight with a German-American friend, add a prost!card to your bottle to help memorialize the occasion. And for heaven’s sake, don’t say “Cheers” when you clink that glass. Say it the German way: Prost!
Tags: elvis, riesling, special days
Posted in Cheers to that! | No Comments »
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