Ok, not really The Adversary, at least not in a religious sense. Wine.com has, in the past year or so, the company known for it's innovation in interstate wine mailing has been running a sting operation, targeting small retailers, intending to shut down their above-and-beyond concept of customer service by asking them to mail wine to states where it's illegal to receive out-of-state wine shipments unless you are a wholesale distributor/importer, then reporting them to the state authority. Not only have they pushed the envelope when it comes to what a private company (even a massive corporation) can legally do, they are doing so, not out of respect for out-of-date laws, but to eliminate their competition. It is, in brief, an anti-trust issue.
However, this is about the story that popped up as soon as I opened Decanter's news section this morning. Amazon moves into wine with wine.com.
I like Amazon. I use them often, and not just for books. Hell, I have several different wishlists, and they grow on a monthly basis. So this story causes a problem for me. I feel the need to join with a number of other bloggers who refuse to buy from Wine.com as a result of their sketchy business practices. But, with Amazon now partnering with them, I feel like Amazon has become the enemy.
Huh, that reminds me of the South Park episode where we first see Satan and Saddam in bed together.
Anyway, I'm just not sure what to make of all this. There's far too much imbalance of power in the wine industry, most of which comes from these outdated and nanny-statish laws in effect in many states.
3.06.2008
3.05.2008
Another post about "how we eat" and "those damned French"
Michael Ruhlman writes about the paradox of the French diet, and how our low-fat, low-salt, high-sugar diets are killing us.
I've been attempting to increase my intake of fresh foods, eliminating the processed, boxed, and tagged crud from my shelves and my fridge. To this end, I've kept only a few items in boxes and bags in my cabinets.
1. Wheat Thins (preferably reduced fat, I actually enjoy the taste better), to be paired with Wispride Port Wine cheese spread. I've been addicted to this combination since I was a kid, and it doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.
2. Thomas' Hearty Grains English Muffins. Put peanut butter, cream cheese, jam, or regular old hard, aged cheddar (Cabot) on these and I'm in heaven.
3. Kellogg's Raisin Bran. Love that stuff. I know it's loaded with sugar, but good lord I love that stuff.
4. Amy's frozen dinners. Namely, the Vegetarian Lasagna (it's just so time-consuming to make, and then most of it gets frozen and forgotten. There are only two of us in the house), and a couple of the other dishes. If it's been a long day, it's easy to just throw this in the oven and wait the hour for it to be done.
5. Ben & Jerry's. 'Nough said.
6. The odd container of a Pillsbury product, like Grands' biscuits or cinnamon buns. Again, time-consuming and more than I'm really capable of handling in my little New York kitchen.
7. Fluff. Again, 'nough said.
8. Fried tortilla chips. Tostitos, usually. Paired with Muir Glen medium Salsa, great snack.
Beyond those, and the occasional chocolate bar (I love you, Dove), I think we do alright.
1. Fish. Lots and lots of fish. Mostly salmon, since we're trying to keep my heavy metal-intake down (and no, I don't mean Pantera and Slayer), tuna on occasion, shrimp, and whatever strikes our fancy at the market this week.
2. Spinach. I loves me some of that. Baby spinach, tossed with broccoli, cherry/grape tomatoes, a bit of balsamic vinegar, and a touch of feta cheese is wonderful. Add in some bell peppers and shrimp and I have a meal.
3. Asparagus. Make it and I'll eat it.
4. Whatever fruit/melon looks good. We eat a ton of berries, apples when in season, and only when we're in NH, since I'm spoiled, and some citrus in the winter, supplemented by a lot of melon.
5. Cheese. Have I mentioned how much I love cheese? I eat more of this than anything else.
6. Chocolate. Wait...does that fall under processed?
7. Occasional meat. I'm mostly vegetarian (as I mentioned in the EATAPETA post), but I also have some iron issues, so I'm not above eating a bit of meat every now and again. Mostly lamb and beef, but occasionally some bacon will find its way into a stew. If I hadn't lost the enzymes necessary to digest meat, as can happen with long-term vegetarians, I would eat it a lot more often. There aren't many ways you can substitute vegetables in a meat stew and still have the heartiness.
8. Milk. Lots of milk. Skim.
9. Whatever Jason feeds me. The man is a genius in the kitchen. Out of the kitchen too, but especially when it comes to food. In many ways, he's the one who taught me how to cook creatively.
So there you have it. A basic look at the pros and cons in my cabinets and fridge. I left out the spices, but be assured, they're in there.
I've been attempting to increase my intake of fresh foods, eliminating the processed, boxed, and tagged crud from my shelves and my fridge. To this end, I've kept only a few items in boxes and bags in my cabinets.
1. Wheat Thins (preferably reduced fat, I actually enjoy the taste better), to be paired with Wispride Port Wine cheese spread. I've been addicted to this combination since I was a kid, and it doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.
2. Thomas' Hearty Grains English Muffins. Put peanut butter, cream cheese, jam, or regular old hard, aged cheddar (Cabot) on these and I'm in heaven.
3. Kellogg's Raisin Bran. Love that stuff. I know it's loaded with sugar, but good lord I love that stuff.
4. Amy's frozen dinners. Namely, the Vegetarian Lasagna (it's just so time-consuming to make, and then most of it gets frozen and forgotten. There are only two of us in the house), and a couple of the other dishes. If it's been a long day, it's easy to just throw this in the oven and wait the hour for it to be done.
5. Ben & Jerry's. 'Nough said.
6. The odd container of a Pillsbury product, like Grands' biscuits or cinnamon buns. Again, time-consuming and more than I'm really capable of handling in my little New York kitchen.
7. Fluff. Again, 'nough said.
8. Fried tortilla chips. Tostitos, usually. Paired with Muir Glen medium Salsa, great snack.
Beyond those, and the occasional chocolate bar (I love you, Dove), I think we do alright.
1. Fish. Lots and lots of fish. Mostly salmon, since we're trying to keep my heavy metal-intake down (and no, I don't mean Pantera and Slayer), tuna on occasion, shrimp, and whatever strikes our fancy at the market this week.
2. Spinach. I loves me some of that. Baby spinach, tossed with broccoli, cherry/grape tomatoes, a bit of balsamic vinegar, and a touch of feta cheese is wonderful. Add in some bell peppers and shrimp and I have a meal.
3. Asparagus. Make it and I'll eat it.
4. Whatever fruit/melon looks good. We eat a ton of berries, apples when in season, and only when we're in NH, since I'm spoiled, and some citrus in the winter, supplemented by a lot of melon.
5. Cheese. Have I mentioned how much I love cheese? I eat more of this than anything else.
6. Chocolate. Wait...does that fall under processed?
7. Occasional meat. I'm mostly vegetarian (as I mentioned in the EATAPETA post), but I also have some iron issues, so I'm not above eating a bit of meat every now and again. Mostly lamb and beef, but occasionally some bacon will find its way into a stew. If I hadn't lost the enzymes necessary to digest meat, as can happen with long-term vegetarians, I would eat it a lot more often. There aren't many ways you can substitute vegetables in a meat stew and still have the heartiness.
8. Milk. Lots of milk. Skim.
9. Whatever Jason feeds me. The man is a genius in the kitchen. Out of the kitchen too, but especially when it comes to food. In many ways, he's the one who taught me how to cook creatively.
So there you have it. A basic look at the pros and cons in my cabinets and fridge. I left out the spices, but be assured, they're in there.
Added Tannins
Alice Feiring, a great name in wine, has an interesting story from a week ago. I excerpt the relevant portion to my comments (emphasis mine):
I'm allergic to nuts. They exacerbate my already existing eczema to a point where I can't function. As a result, I'm finding that there are many things I can't eat or drink, because of added nut oil, or other elements that we don't think of as coming from nuts.
Chestnuts are a particular evil for me, followed by walnuts and almonds. If I'm allergic to the proteins in nuts, will I be allergic to the tannins as well? Is there now an entire region of the grape world I cannot consume?
I proposed that she might be allergic to added tannins--those nasty ones so common in modern wines. The tannins are added because some winemakers are obsessed with pumping up their color and believe this can do this or cure sunburnt grapes and also adjust mouthfeel. The tannins available are grape, oak and chestnut. This woman had some of those clients and drank mostly Californian and Australia wines. I ordered a bottle of Genetet Pansiot Gevrey and asked her to call me in the morning if her husband complained. I was the writer and she could blame me, so we ordered the wine.
There was no problem. She was really happy about the outcome. Red wine was hers again, (as long as she didn't have to drink her client's)
I'm allergic to nuts. They exacerbate my already existing eczema to a point where I can't function. As a result, I'm finding that there are many things I can't eat or drink, because of added nut oil, or other elements that we don't think of as coming from nuts.
Chestnuts are a particular evil for me, followed by walnuts and almonds. If I'm allergic to the proteins in nuts, will I be allergic to the tannins as well? Is there now an entire region of the grape world I cannot consume?
Can I have his character sheets?
Gary Gygax died yesterday. While I'm enough of a geek to have loved the concept of D&D, I've never been able to put together a group to truly learn how to play.
Interestingly enough, I took a quiz (link on my computer at home, to be posted later) which established me as a Neutral Chaotic Human Ranger/Wizard (2nd/2nd), which probably fits me very well. Though I thought I'd be an Elf. Humans are whiny.
UPDATE: Here's my sheet
Interestingly enough, I took a quiz (link on my computer at home, to be posted later) which established me as a Neutral Chaotic Human Ranger/Wizard (2nd/2nd), which probably fits me very well. Though I thought I'd be an Elf. Humans are whiny.
UPDATE: Here's my sheet
Chaotic Neutral Human Ranger/Wizard (2nd/2nd Level)
Ability Scores:
Strength- 13
Dexterity- 13
Constitution- 14
Intelligence- 16
Wisdom- 13
Charisma- 14
Alignment:
Chaotic Neutral- A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last. He values his own liberty but doesn't strive to protect others' freedom. He avoids authority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions. A chaotic neutral character does not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, he would have to be motivated either by good (and a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire to make those different from himself suffer). A chaotic neutral character may be unpredictable, but his behavior is not totally random. He is not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it. Chaotic neutral is the best alignment you can be because it represents true freedom from both society's restrictions and a do-gooder's zeal. However, chaotic neutral can be a dangerous alignment because it seeks to eliminate all authority, harmony, and order in society.
Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.
Primary Class:
Rangers- Rangers are skilled stalkers and hunters who make their home in the woods. Their martial skill is nearly the equal of the fighter, but they lack the latter's dedication to the craft of fighting. Instead, the ranger focuses his skills and training on a specific enemy a type of creature he bears a vengeful grudge against and hunts above all others. Rangers often accept the role of protector, aiding those who live in or travel through the woods. His skills allow him to move quietly and stick to the shadows, especially in natural settings, and he also has special knowledge of certain types of creatures. Finally, an experienced ranger has such a tie to nature that he can actually draw on natural power to cast divine spells, much as a druid does, and like a druid he is often accompanied by animal companions. A ranger's Wisdom score should be high, as this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.
Secondary Class:
Wizards- Wizards are arcane spellcasters who depend on intensive study to create their magic. To wizards, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art. When they are prepared for battle, wizards can use their spells to devastating effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. The wizard's strength is her spells, everything else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards. In addition, over time a wizard learns to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. A wizard can call a familiar- a small, magical, animal companion that serves her. With a high Intelligence, wizards are capable of casting very high levels of spells.
Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)
EATAPETA
Meryl, in her infinite wisdom, is sponsoring Eat A Tasty Animal for PETA day, yet again.
I'm mostly vegetarian (basically only when I'm around family do I consume tasty, tasty animal), but I'm willing to put aside my personal convictions to show that not all vegetarians are pro-PETA. I personally find them abhorrent and disgusting, as well as hypocritical.
On that note, anyone want to do a meat-up (pun intended)? I can think of a couple places here in Brooklyn, and I welcome any recommendations.
I'm mostly vegetarian (basically only when I'm around family do I consume tasty, tasty animal), but I'm willing to put aside my personal convictions to show that not all vegetarians are pro-PETA. I personally find them abhorrent and disgusting, as well as hypocritical.
On that note, anyone want to do a meat-up (pun intended)? I can think of a couple places here in Brooklyn, and I welcome any recommendations.
3.04.2008
Who are these 'experts' anyway?
Latest news from Decanter.com: Health expert wants smaller bottles to stop binge-drinking
From the point of view of a wine professional, this is stupid. Smaller bottles age faster, and are much more likely to go bad. Even from a health point of view this is stupid. There are so many products out there these days, like Vineyard Fresh that use a combination of argon and nitrogen gases to keep wine fresh for as long as you can conceive of. If one's reason for drinking the whole bottle is that it would go to waste otherwise, one is either drinking wine outside one's budget, or one doesn't want to spend the $15 on a product that can be used for four cases of wine.
Full disclosure: I work with the local rep who sells Vineyard Fresh, although this is an unpaid endorsement. I do feel it's the best of the available products.
From the point of view of a wine professional, this is stupid. Smaller bottles age faster, and are much more likely to go bad. Even from a health point of view this is stupid. There are so many products out there these days, like Vineyard Fresh that use a combination of argon and nitrogen gases to keep wine fresh for as long as you can conceive of. If one's reason for drinking the whole bottle is that it would go to waste otherwise, one is either drinking wine outside one's budget, or one doesn't want to spend the $15 on a product that can be used for four cases of wine.
Full disclosure: I work with the local rep who sells Vineyard Fresh, although this is an unpaid endorsement. I do feel it's the best of the available products.
3.02.2008
Twinkly bits
One of the things I miss about living in New Hampshire, where I grew up, is the sheer abundance of stars. I step outside and the entire sky is filled with them. And I can still identify most of the major constellations.
I also miss the snow, but after driving through the tunnels created by the 7+ foot snowbanks, I don't miss it quite as much. However, it's still an incredible sight, and I do wish I had been able to go skiing this trip. Next trip, maybe. I expect this snow to be around for a couple months.
On that note, I'm off to bed, have an early flight tomorrow.
I also miss the snow, but after driving through the tunnels created by the 7+ foot snowbanks, I don't miss it quite as much. However, it's still an incredible sight, and I do wish I had been able to go skiing this trip. Next trip, maybe. I expect this snow to be around for a couple months.
On that note, I'm off to bed, have an early flight tomorrow.
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