Portsmouth Vs Arsenal. Goal less but entertaining

This was an entertaining open game played like a Cup tie at a fast pace, probably one of the paciest type of games that Arsenal played this year.

The reason was Portsmouth’s positive approach by playing two strikers up front, Arsenal old boy, Kanu and Mwaruwari and pushing their midfielders forward at every opportunity. They were not interested in playing 10 men behind the ball and defending for a nil nil.

Their positive approach was of course dictated by their need to get the three points and give themselves a chance to qualify for Europe. So it suited Arsenal very well. They were allowed to play their passing game, counter attack at pace and use their skill and accuracy in passing to cut through Portsmouth and create a handful of chances. And miss them all! Again.

Mostly by the ever so wasteful Baptista whose only real positive attribute is his ability to position himself for goal scoring opportunities. The biggest opportunity of course was the penalty which was blasted to the right of James but not wide enough, allowing the keeper to push it away for a corner.

Baptista missed a string of other good chances to score notably two clear headers on goal and two shots from very promising positions; both saved by James who also saved from the impressive Clichy with Traore clearing the ball as it was about to cross the line.

Hleb also missed the other big chance of the match when on a one to one with James contrived to shoot wide of the near rather than aim for the far post; as any shooting manual will have advised!

Strangely he was much more alert and busy for this game like his old self of last season. Someone should have told him this was the last game of the season not the first!

Portsmouth are still smarting from one piece of indecisiveness shown by Graham Poll who was officiating the last game of his refereeing career. He first gave a goal for Portsmouth and then after persistent protests by the Arsenal players and consultation with his assistant proceeded to disallow it.

Kranjcar was indeed in an offside position when the original shot was made thus we suppose was deemed to be interfering with play. Although the ball eventually came to him off an Arsenal player!

A shot was spilled by Poom and then again from the oncoming player. The ball then rebounded back to Kranjcar, who had remained behind the defence, off Senderos and that was why Portsmouth claimed that it was not offside.

Arsenal’s penalty was won by Eboue who, interestingly enough, was selected by Wenger to start at the right midfield position with Hoyte at right back.

We say “interestingly” because we have been advocating on this site the merits of this arrangement prior to the home game against Chelsea. Eboue proved a very useful midfielder utilising both his attacking and defencive capabilities.

Another pet topic that usual visitors to this site will know about is our love of the 4 5 1 or 4 3 3 formation for Arsenal.

And Wenger showed us a taste of things to come adopting the 4 3 3 formation with Baptista in front, Hleb and Eboue in the wide midfield positions and the three central midfielders of Fabregas Diaby and Djourou. The latter proving his versatility with flying colours.

There is a lot of strength in depth in this Arsenal squad!

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Arsene. Who to buy?

There were three glaring weaknesses this season:- Could not keep a clean sheet. Especially at set plays- Seriously lacked width- Real problem in scoring from open play. Especially after Henry and Van- Persie got injured.Arsenal Analysis resident season ticket holder at the Emirates, South Stand: Row 5 using his “hands on experience” discusses the team’s weaknesses and comes up with the names to fill in the vacancies at Arsenal Football Club. Could not keep a clean sheet. Especially at set playsI watched every single home game this season live at the Emirates – except Bolton and CSKA - and a few of the away ones (It’s always fun going to the Lane!) and my mind is clear as to what the problem with the defence was (is). Neither Kolo Toure nor Gallas are comfortable in attacking the ball at set plays or from long throws. For this reason Gilberto was usually recruited. But in doing this he was getting dragged out of position – remember he is not a centre back – and if the ball was not cleared effectively there was no player on the edges of the box to stop the opposition from resuming their attack.Both Gallas and Toure are exceptional defenders, but they are too similar. They both like using their speed as their main asset. However their pace comes in handful as the fullbacks are hardly ever in position to defend and the central defenders are usually there to cover.Seriously lacked widthWe have missed Reyes and Pires a lot this year. They are the two players that made it viable for us to play a 4 5 1 formation, especially in Europe. Reyes provided natural width and in the process helped create space for Fabregas to dominate the midfield, and I always thought Pires would find a way to score. His link up play and his understanding with Henry created so many goals.Without the natural width we have struggled this year. Rosicky and Hleb tended to drift towards the middle making it an even more congested midfield and very complicated to get the ball to the strikers. They are not really wide players are they? They are more your roaming attack minded midfielders. More like a traditional number 10 and this is why they probably drift infield rather than stretch the right or left backs on the line. Not, as Henry has suggested, because of the wide spaces of the new stadium! Everything is being blamed on the new stadium! We don't buy that! Wenger is in denial… again Real problem in scoring from open play. Especially after Henry and Van-Persie got injuredWe have missed way too many easy chances this year. If we had converted only a third of them we would have been at least second in the league, gone to Anfield for a Champions League quarterfinal and played an FA cup semi final! At least.Think about it. Aston Villa, Boro, Chelsea, Everton, Newcastle and West Ham were points thrown away at home. Man City and West ham were games we should have won away.The crucial question about the attack for next season is whether AW believes that Henry is going to be fit and back to his best. Because without Henry we need to invest very heavily on a forward. Even with a fit Henry we still need to get another quality striker so as to widen the options and create cover. Adebayor and Van Persie can not in my opinion get enough goals between them to make us serious contenders next season.The jury is still out on Bendtner. Who knows he might even end up a better player than Henry. But surely he will need next season to be blooded into the squad and accustom himself to the demands of the Premier League.Copa America and the Africa Cup of NationsOn top of all the above there are two more things to consider when planning for next season: the Copa America and the Africa Cup of nations. This means that we will be without Gilberto until late September and we will lose Ade, Eboue and Kolo in the middle of the season for around six weeks.Diaby will probably get a chance in the middle first up, and maybe Song will be used as back up so I think that area will not be strengthened. I am still a bit surprised however that Wenger decided to sell Muamba especially as Flamini is on his way out as well.Wenger seems to have lost faith in Senderos in the second part of the year, but we have Djourou and Gilberto that can play there as cover.Up front Bendtner will probably get his chance in the period after xmas. And Hoyte will cover for Eboue’s absence.We need a wingerI wish Reyes came back as he is the only decent winger with premiership experience and he can provide cover as a striker when required and not use any of our transfer budget! Failing that Ribery, Malouda and Quaresma would be excellent additions. Walcott will learn a lot from any of them.But another option is to go for Micah Richards! Yes at right back and later as a central defender when he matures. As a result promote Eboue into a wide right midfielder! We need a strikerBest possible buy would be Eto’o but due to his price that is probably never going to happen especially if they want Henry as part of the deal. Why not go for someone who is already playing in the Premiership. Arsenal Analysis has advocated Anelka (Anelka for Arsenal), but there are others who would score goals for fun; especially with the number of chances that this team creates! Such as Tevez, D. Bent, Martins,Nugent. They are all decent goalscorers. Or if from abroad Kone of PSV and the Brazilian Wagner Love. They will require a settling in period which could be from six months to a year though.My personal choice however would be Kanoute – now playing exceptionally well for Sevilla and is a former Premiership player, albeit with Spurs. He is very quick, a good finisher and decent in the air. We need left back coverI know that Gallas can play there but that would disrupt his partnership with Toure and would leave us exposed during the Africa Cup of Nations. Traore is good but too young. Go for Abidal, Gareth Bale, Leighton Baines (not all, one of them). I wander what list Wenger has drawn up. I hope he has one!

Crazy Match

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Arsenal starlet joins Glasgow Rangers

It is reported that Giorgos Efrem a Cypriot under 19 international and a member of the Arsenal Reserves squad is about to join Glasgow Rangers on a two year deal. It is believed to be a free transfer as his contract with Arsenal has run its course. He has been considering offers from Greek and Cypriot clubs recently but has finally decided to join Rangers.Giorgos signed with the Gunners in August 2005 after a successful trial period in 2004. He was an important member of the Arsenal reserves last season, who finished third in the league, and scored twice from ten appearances. He also played for the Under-18s scoring three times. This looks like the start of the annual clear out so that the ground at youth and reserve level is prepared at Arsenal for the arrival of even more promising talent from all over the world. It is expected that the Mexican wonder kid Vela, whose loan with Salamanca a second division side in Spain is going to be cut short in its first year, could join the array of young stars at Arsenal. "He's a special talent and I believe 100 per cent that he will make it at the highest level." Wenger has said of Vela. It appears that Wenger has been impressed enough by his performances in Spain and intends on counting on him for the coming season.Arsenal Analysis has advocated that Arsenal need to sign another forward and a wide midfielder What does Arsenal need to do to challenge for next season? Arsenal need two but may sign only one playerWe wonder however whether, Wenger’s desire to bring Vela back one year ahead of his loan spell in Spain and the addition of Bendtner to the squad, is an indication that he will stick with the current forward line up at his disposal.And ride his luck again?

Arsenal close to Ribery but not to Bellamy or Reo Coker

We all know that Wenger likes to buy young and this is for various reasons: Developing a young player appeals to him more as a challenge; It creates loyalty from the player himself as he will owe a lot to Wenger for making him a star;In these days you have to splash out silly money just to buy an average player and you then have to compete with Russian roubles;And lastly it allows Wenger to school them properly as they are young and impressionable. The decision making process with Wenger contains various steps that have to be surmounted before signatures are put in red ink. The first step is whether of course he considers that there is a need for a player in that position, then it’s a matter of the player’s technical and physical ability and then if the player fits these it’s his character. After all these criteria are satisfied the price plays a major role. It is said, though we don’t necessarily believe it, that financial people know the price of everything and the value of nothing! Well Wenger is not a financial man; he is a trained Economist who knows a lot about the value of players and he can set that against the price being asked.If the price does not represent what he thinks is the real value for that player then he may not go for it. He is just as happy to stay with what he has as he believes that he can improve players. And he can certainly do that. Look at his record!We therefore think it is unlikely that Bellamy will be recruited by Wenger. Yes he is a forward that can also play wide midfield. Arsenal need two but may sign only one player We think he probably possesses enough skill to satisfy Wenger that he can fill that vacancy that has been accepted by many Arsenal supporters and other Arsenal blogs as waiting to be filled; even if he is 27 years old!But remember that for Wenger that is not enough! As described above the player has to satisfy two more criteria. The first is character. There is no denying it that Bellamy comes with an attitude. We do not have to recite his past misdemeanors at Newcastle and elsewhere. They are well known. And so is his grass hopping of football clubs.The second is that Arsenal have to pay a premium price because he is British. And the price put on his head by Liverpool at 12m is enough to make Wenger run the 100 meters to get away from the deal as fast as the Hoyte family does!As for Reo Coker, again we doubt whether he will be snapped up by Wenger. Yes he is 23 (which makes him young enough to appeal to Wenger) and he is a capable and strong box to box central midfielder. He appears however to have let all the praise he received during West Ham’s previous year’s campaign to get to his head (as did a lot of the so called stars at West Ham). But even this would not have deterred Wenger as he believes that the man management approach would have worked with players such as Reo. No, there is a much simpler explanation why we think that Wenger will probably not go for him. There are enough top quality central midfielders at the Arsenal making the 9m or so required to purchase him as not only an extravagance but a waste. Arsenal's transfer targets There is Fabregas, Silva, Diaby, Denilson and don’t forget Song who has really impressed us with his performances for Charlton in central midfield (especially at the away fixture at Manchester United where he excelled). So why add a sixth central midfielder where all of them will be challenging for at most three places if a 4 5 1 (come 4 3 3) formation is preferred next season. The only way that his recruitment might make sense is if Silva is moved into central defence thus liberating a berth in midfield. But why do this when there are four capable central defenders on the cards in Toure, Gallas, Djourou and Senderos. And at the expense of 9m or more! We just do not see it.Now Ribery is another kettle of fish. He has all the characteristics that Wenger would value. He is a wide midfielder with pace to burn, is young but not too young at 24 and has of course international experience at the top level. We have not heard anything negative about his character and he is French! He is also best mates with Henry and has expressed the desire to play for Arsenal!There is however one item that is needed to complete the jigsaw puzzle. The price. This unfortunately will need to be negotiated in a market place that will be awash with the monies coming from the new multimillion pound deal that the Premier league has secured for its clubs.At least Bayern (with the Hargreaves transfer money now available) and Liverpool will be bidding for the player. Real Madrid and Chelsea have also been mentioned as possible bidders. If they do and the fee is pushed beyond 15m Wenger may pull out!"Ribery will leave for a significant fee that is good for l'OM," said Olympique Marseille president Pape Diouf."At the end of next week, we should know more about my future” Ribery told a French newspaper. Fingers on the buzzers.

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Enjoy A Cold Glass of White Wine In the Sun Without The Red Cheeks!.. No More Wine Allergies

The Red face, The itchy Skin, The almost hangover like symptoms coming on while you are still drinking, headaches, sneezing, irritation! Sound like you... or someone you know? Unlike Santa Clause... a flushed faces at a dinner party, or picnic is not so appealing, when it comes to drinking wine, some people are allergic... but you can still have your wine and drink it too! So What Causes the Irritation. Well the Majority of people have a reaction to white wine, this is due to the high levels of sulphides within white wine, ( or Preservative 220) this can cause a number of side effects, as mentioned above. One of the sure fire ways to combat feeling under the weather when drinking is firstly, not to over indulge, and secondly to keep your fluids up, And i mean water not more wine, simply by having a glass of wine between drinks, you help your body to keep its fluids up, and may reduce that dehydrated, hungover feeling. How Sever Are Wine Allergies Well wine allergies can have a range of reactions, depending on the severity of allergy a person has. Sulphur dioxide has had minor reactions, and in its pure form, deadly reactions, but you can avoid high levels of it when drinking wine. For the average person reactions such as, flushing, wheezing, nausea, headaches, stomach pain, congestion, There are a few ways to combat certain symptoms, some may result in drinking certain types of wine, and some just thinking about what you drink. Well it is known that high levels of sulfur dioxide can cause asthma attacks, and tightness of the chest and even anaphylactic shock, these is in extreme cases thou, but for those with sensitivity even minor exposure can cause some nasty side affects. Allergies and Treatments Look out for wines with a higher sulphur level, this is wines found in casks, and sweet white wine. So What is left to drink you ask, well red wine, sparkling wine, and dry white wines like chardonnay, they have lower amounts of these additives in them, you will also find organic wines have lower sulphur dioxide levels. When it comes to a Blushing face when drinking wine, things get a bit trickier, When you drink your body produces a number of chemicals, a lot of allergic people lack a chemical called alledalsehyde dehydroenase, which counter acts alcohols presents in the body, and for those people this means symptoms such as drowsiness nausea asthma and facial flushing. There is not really a lot that can be done against this, other then building up an immunity over time, this way symptoms will lessen as your body learns to cope with wine. The Red Wine Head Ache If you suffer from head aches when it comes to red wine, you may find the tannins in the red wine are triggering histamine production, the majority of people have no problem with histamine, but it can cause some to suffer from sever headaches. So how can you counter act the infamous wine head ache your ask, well some suggest popping an aspirin an hour before drinking. And if that does not work, you can try drinking softer reds... and if all else fails try less reactive wines such as champagne and method traditionale sparkling. So get those wine allergies under control, one you identify what it is in wines that irritates you, then you can drink, and feel good, and avoid those nasty side effects.

Preparing Your Barbecue For The Summer Season

One of the greatest pleasures of the long summer days is standing over a scalding barbecue grill in your backyard blackening a row of your favorite sausages. When daylight saving starts, barbecues across the country will be wakened from their winter hibernation and prepared for the summer season. That is the time to do a few routine checks and preparations which will keep your barbecue operating safely for the season. Cleaning the inside of your barbecue The first step to annual barbecue maintenance is cleaning. It has to be done! The secret to cleaning your barbecue is to do it every time you use it, but don't go over the top - a coat of natural food oils on the cast iron parts protects them from rust. Eventually those oils, fats and burnt-on food will build up excessively and need to be removed. Warm barbecues are easier to clean than cold ones, so start it up for a short time first then turn it off and disconnect the gas before dismantling the entire barbecue to wash all the parts one by one. The grills can be spread out on some newspaper and scraped clean with a grill scraper which is normally specially shaped to fit around the grill bars. Alternately, grab a grill stone. These man-made stone blocks are soft enough to grind to the shape of the grill as you use them, removing grease and burnt-on food as you go. This is a great tool as it customises to your grill shape. Spray on some cooking oil before scrubbing the grill clean with warm water and soap mixed with white vinegar to remove any residue. Once dry, spray on a little more oil and spread it with a paper towel or cloth. Make sure that the soap mixture is well cleaned off. If you have ceramic flame-tamers or cooking grids these should be cleaned with soapy water and a brass wire barbecue brush. Soak in the soapy water for an hour first. The outer casing If your barbecue has a stainless-steel outer casing and trolley, then all it will need is cleaning. Harsh cleaners and abrasives shouldn't be used on stainless-steel as they will scratch it - the soapy water and vinegar mix is all that is needed. After cleaning the outer casing, it can be buffed with cleaning oil, or even a little baby oil. The oil will remove watermarks and fingerprints and will also make it easier to clean next time. If you have a casing and hood that is vitreous enamel you may have to use an oven cleaner type product (preferably non-toxic) to remove the baked on grease. Depending upon the state of the grease you may have to do this several times and then the grease can be removed with scourers and cloths. You should also wash the complete casing thoroughly. De-rusting and re-oiling If your grills and burners are cast iron, they may have corroded over winter. Scrape off any flaked rust and then give the surface a good scour with a wire brush, wash all the parts and then spray with cooking oil before they rust up again. If the outer casing is developing rust spots, these should be rubbed back with steel wool and treated with rust converter before retouching with heat-resistant paint. Timber barbecue trolleys can be kept in good order by re-oiling them once a year. Give the trolley a light sanding then use outdoor furniture oil or a specially formulated barbecue trolley oil. This will not only soak through oil stains on the top of your trolley but help protect against new ones. Renew volcanic heating rocks each year as they become clogged with grease and oil. Empty the old sand from the drip tray, clean the tray and give it a spray of vegetable oil before lining it with aluminium foil. Place new washed sand on top of the foil. Keep it working (and safe) Gas taps can become stiff over winter, causing plastic controls to break. Remove the plastic knobs and spray the mechanisms with a lubricant like WD-40 to free them up. Apply a drop of sewing machine oil to each tap and then cover them with Vaseline to keep the oil in. If one or more of your burners doesn't seem to generate a flame then it may be because a gas jet has become clogged. If you lift the burner out of the barbecue you will see the small brass jets - these are like a small covered nut with a tiny hole through them. They can be simply removed with a small spanner. If you can't clear the blockage, buy new ones from a barbecue shop. Reconnect the gas and check all the connections by coating them with a mix of 50/50 dishwashing liquid and water. If gas is leaking you will detect bubbles forming in the mixture. Try tightening the connections or replacing the seals. Follow these simple hints and tips and your barbecue will last for years.

The 411 on Chafing Dishes

Planning your next big get-together? Whether it's a birthday bash, church fundraiser or holiday gathering--serving buffet-style is the way to go. When setting up a buffet table, chafing dishes are the best way to keep food hot. They allow a large number of guests to serve themselves while the host can mix and mingle without having to worry about food on the stove or in the oven. Even if you don't entertain frequently, purchasing or renting chafing dishes can't be beat. Chafing dishes, sometimes called steam pans, are simply large serving dishes in which food is kept warm (or cold). The different types of chafing dishes consist of a frame or wire rack, a water pan, a food pan and a cover. Water in the pan is used to conduct the heat which maintains the food at a proper serving temperature. The heat source is sterno or an electrical heating element placed underneath the water pan. TYPES Oval or round, ornately decorated chafing dishes, would be perfect for an elegant or formal gathering. They are generally made of silver and sit on a platform with tapered legs. They can be used with sterno or a heating element and are available to rent from party rental stores, or for purchase at department stores or restaurant and catering supply outlets. The most widely used chafing dishes are long and rectangular in shape and made of stainless steel. The water pan is placed on a wire or chrome rack and will hold up to two half-sized food pans. Rent these from a party rental store or purchase at a party supply store, department store or restaurant and catering supply outlet. Disposable chafing dishes are the least expensive and are designed like the stainless steel set-up. They consist of a large aluminum water pan and one or two smaller aluminum food pans. The wire racks are somewhat thinner. These are sometimes called caterers' racks and are usually found at party supply stores, discount stores or restaurant and catering supply outlets. For the home buffet table, stainless steel and aluminum rectangular food pan sizes range from 20 x 12 x 4 (full size) to 10 x 12 x 2 (half size). Water pans are sized to fit and the wire racks are usually full-sized. Other chafing dishes vary in size. HOW TO USE The first thing to remember is that chafing dishes cannot be used to bring foods up to serving temperature. Food must first be at the proper temperature before adding to the pan. Stainless steel and aluminum food pans can be used for cooking and/or heating the food in the oven. The water pan is placed in the wire rack and filled with HOT water to a level that is close to but not touching the food pan. The sterno is then lit and placed under the water pan. The resulting steam will maintain the temperature of food that is already at serving temperature. The water pan should be checked periodically to make sure the water level is maintained and the food should be stirred occasionally to evenly distribute the heat and prevent scorching. Using a lid or cover will keep food moist. Chafing dishes will also keep cold foods cold. Fill the water pan with cold water and ice and of course, don't light the fuel! A WORD ABOUT STERNO Sterno fuel is a formulation of denatured alcohol, water and gel and is perfectly safe when used as directed. It comes in small cans and is generally available from hardware stores and party supply stores. The sterno wick is lit and placed underneath the water pan. A full-sized water pan may require two sterno cans placed at opposite ends, particularly if the food is dense (such as pasta and cheese). The flame is blue in color and an 8-oz. can burns for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The fuel can be extinguished and relit. QUICK SAFETY TIPS -DO NOT LEAVE AN OPEN FLAME UNATTENDED -Open the pan cover carefully, to avoid burns from the escaping steam. -Do not use anything but sterno-type fuel in the burner. -Properly working chafing dishes keep hot food at a safe temperature of 140 degrees or above to avoid bacterial growth. Ideally, temperature should not exceed 160 degrees to avoid overcooking Chafing dishes make your buffet table look professional, appetizing and attractive. They also allow you to cook food ahead of time and place in the dishes just before your guests arrive--leaving you free to mingle with your guests. Yes, chafing dishes are a party hosts' dream come true. Happy Cooking Debra Haydel

Organic Wine: Reprieve for the Allergic

When I was a kid, I developed an allergy to peanut butter, something I loved to eat by the spoonful. While others ate it, mixing clumps with strawberry jam and putting it between two slices of bread, I stood by drooling; then, with a sense of defeat, I went to stick my head in my Easy Bake Oven. To me, there was nothing worse than being five years old and having a peanut allergy; it‘s the equivalent to having a wine allergy when you’re over 21. Lucky for me, I’m not allergic to wine. I’ve self-tested with hundreds of bottles and I can confidently declare that I would definitely know by now. Definitely.. But, many others aren’t that lucky; some people have wine allergies, an allergy that hinders their ability to savor one of life‘s greatest pleasures.. This allergy leaves people with an empty wine glass, an empty wine cellar, and a unyielding impulse to look up to the sky and scream, “Make me allergic to diary, make me allergic to cats, make me allergic to my siblings, but please don’t take away my Cabernet.” While no one wants a wine allergy, those who have one are forced to take it seriously. This is particularly true if they are allergic to sulfites, compounds often used as a means to preserve wine by helping it to avoid oxidation and spoilage. Unfortunately for those with allergies, sulfites are added to a vast majority of wines. Because of this, checking the label doesn’t just become a matter of hoping to find the best tasting wine, it also become a matter between being well and being ill. When someone who is allergic to sulfites drinks wine containing this compound, they run the risk of experiencing an allergic reaction - an allergic reaction to wine makes a wine hang over look like a walk in the park. Some people may experience sneezing, or hives, while others may have difficulty breathing and need emergency medical attention. Sulfites can also cause anaphylaxis, the most severe of allergic reactions.. During this kind of reaction, a person’s blood pressure dangerously drops and their bronchial tubes narrow, making it increasingly harder for them to breathe.. If left untreated, this can lead to death in a matter of minutes. For these reasons, many people with sulfite allergies avoid wine altogether: not even the greatest wine in the world is worth compromising health. However, luckily for those affected by sulfites, organic wine has come to the rescue, wearing a red cape and giving those allergic to regular wine a second chance. Organic wine doesn’t necessarily mean “sulfite free,” a tidbit of information extremely important to those sensitive to even the most minute levels of sulfites. In fact, wines are rarely sulfite-free; sulfites occur naturally in wine. However, conventional wines go above and beyond the naturally occurring sulfites, adding many more sulfites to their finished product. Organic wine, on the other hand, tend to believe that the naturally occurring sulfites are enough - they don’t want to compound the situation. The true definition of organic wine depends on where the wine is produced. For wines produced in America, the National Organic Program, the federal agency overseeing the production of organic food, has mandated that any wine claiming to be “organic” must not contain any added sulfites. Wines merely claiming to be made with “organic grapes,” however, aren’t subject to these regulation.. Along these lines, wines that are produced outside the US are governed under their own regulations: these wines generally have added sulfites, but the amount is roughly a third of the amount found in conventional wine. Thus, for those with sulfite allergies, it’s important to read the label very carefully. Drinking organic wine isn’t just limited to those with sulfite allergies - it’s not a secret club people are allowed into by submitting their medical records.. Many people simply find organic wines better tasting, healthier, and good for the environment. Organic wine is composed of grapes that are grown in an organic vineyard with organic farming techniques. Essentially, this means that the grapes were grown in a manner void of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides and full of natural fertilizers.. These vineyards also contain cover crops between their vines and work to attract beneficial insects, insects that will feed on harmful pests. Though no scientific provides credence, there is strong speculation that drinking organic wine instead of conventional wine decreases the chance of a hang over. This has led many people down an organic path, a path paved with the healthiest of soil. Though not widely available, organic wine has recently begun to gain in popularity. Sommeliers are finally beginning to get the hint as bottles of organic Pinot Noir approach, tapping their fingers and impatiently saying, “Ahem.” Still, organic wine remains harder to find than conventional wine - many restaurants do not serve it and some liquor stores have either no collection or one that is minimal.. But, rest assured, there are places to find it, and soon they’ll be more.. Online is a great place to start, booming with shops that will ship organic wine to your house. Organic food stores - such as Whole Foods - have also jumped on the organic band wagon, obviously needing a ride from drinking too much. Along these lines, there are certain liquor stores that do carry a large selection of Organic wines.. To find one in your area, try calling around, doing an Internet search, or going to http://www.wine-searcher.com. It might take a little research, but you’ll be rewarded once you are cradling that bottle of organic wine in your hands with a straw in your mouth. Then, it will all be worth it…naturally.

Learn Which Juice Extractor Is Right For You

What are Juice Extractors? Juice extractors are electric machines from a variety of manufacturers such as Breville, Kenwood, Green Star, Omega, Champion, Jack Lalane, Samson and L'Equip that are used for the extraction of juice from fruit and vegetables. Juice extractors are perfect for healthy, refreshing and freshly blended treats like fruit and vegetable juices. Juice extractors are the best way to get great tasting nutritious drinks. Juice extractors are not the same as citrus juicers, which are designed to remove the juice from citrus fruit and nothing more. Juice extractors are perfectly suitable for making juice of soft and hard fruits and vegetables as well. Orange, apple and grape juice are all excellent juices that should be included in a healthy diet. Carrots, wheatgrass and barley grass have many outstanding health properties. Types of Juice Extractors Typically, automatic juice extractors are categorized into Centrifugal Juicers or Masticating Juicers. Centrifugal Juicers use cutters that shred the food into small pieces that are spun in a basket (where the centrifuge comes in) to extract the juice from the pulp. These centrifugal juice extractors can create oxidation that degrades nutrients over time which means that the juice should be drunk right away. Masticating Juicers "chew" the food up and are lower speed units that produce a higher quality juice because they produce less oxidation and release more nutrients. The juices produced have a longer shelf life. There is also a third type of juice extractors and these are the Hydraulic Press Juicers such as the Norwalk Juicer which cuts and grates the produce using a vortex triturator, with the resulting mass extracted into a linen bag which is then placed under a hydraulic press. The hydraulic press then exerts a huge downforce that sees the extraction from the Norwalk Juicer of 50%-100% more juice than other juicers. These juice extractors produce very little oxidation and are touted to make the highest nutrient juice, but are also much more expensive than the centrifugal or masticating juice extractors. Which is the Best Juice Extractor? The answer to this really lies with the user. The fastest juice extractors are the centrifugal juicers, but they are unable to handle leafy greens and wheatgrass as well as the other types. The hydraulic press extractors produce the best juice but are very expensive. And the masticating juicer requires more physical effort. So, to pick one machine from one manufacturer is not possible with each manufacturer having a range of home, commercial, pro or professional juice extractors. When buying a juice extractor, the best way is to decide which features you require in a machine, the type of juice you want to extract, whether from fruit such as apples, vegetables such as carrots or leafy greens such as wheatgrass, and the power needed.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Vino Novello (New Wine)

We interrupt our series on the wines of Italy’s twenty regions to present a very timely subject, Vino Novello, Italy’s version of New Wine. Once a year, starting in early November, Italy releases Vino Novello, to the delight of many, and to the eternal disappointment of many others. We describe New Wine, in particular the Italian version, and then taste locally available samples. Will you be delighted or disappointed with the 2006 offering? After reading this article, rush to your favorite wine store and sample the wines. Whether you are delighted or not, you probably will have fun. What is exactly is new wine (vino novello in Italy; vin nouveau, often Beaujolais nouveau in France)? New wine is the first of the crop, released in early November. The exact date depends on the country. In 2006, Italy permitted the sale of Vino Novello on November 6th, beating France, the major player in the new wine market, by a full 10 days. New wines are produced by a special method, carbonic maceration, in which whole grapes ferment in stainless steel tanks, often reaching a temperature of 25 to 30 degrees Centigrade (77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit). This process lasts for about 5 to 20 days, and may be followed by crushing the grapes, which then undergo traditional fermentation for a few days. The exact procedure varies from one winemaker to another, but the ensuing wine is virtually tannin free. The lack of tannins implies a short shelf life. While you don’t have to drink the wine immediately, most people finish the season by Easter. New wines are usually colored bright red or violet. They tend to be fruity, tasting of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, banana, and freshly squeezed grapes, depending on the grape variety used, the production method, and the area in which the grapes are grown. Detractors talk about bubble gum, lollipops, nail polish, and jello. Many feel that new wine tastes of grape juice with alcohol. One thing is certain, if you don’t like a given new wine, don’t store it away to try it again in two years. It won’t improve with time. Italy is a major producer of new wine, bringing to market about 18 million bottles a year. About one third of its output is exported to Germany. The most important Italian new wine regions are Veneto and Tuscany, followed by Piedmont and Trentino-Alto Adige. Let’s take a closer look at two new wines. Wines Reviewed Nosio Spa Novio Mezzacorona 2006 Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT 12% about $8.50 and Cantina di Negrar Novello del Veneto IGT 12% about $8 I went to a small wine store and bought these two bottles on the day that the 2006 Beaujolais Nouveau was released (November 16, 2006). The following day I went to a major wine store, expecting additional offerings from Italy, but there were none. I did buy one bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, which I will review in another article. The Novio Mezzacorona is produced from Teroldego and Lagrein grapes native to the Trentino-Alto Adige region in northeastern Italy. Interestingly enough, the Teroldego grape is quite tannic. Furthermore, the Lagrein grape is known for meaty wines. Neither of these characteristics showed up in the final products. The Novello del Veneto wine, with a designer label, is made from Corvina and Rondinella grapes native to the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. Interestingly enough, the Corvina grape is quite tannic, but you would never guess from tasting the final product. You may be familiar with these two grape varieties; they are the major components of Valpolicella and other well-known Veneto wines. I’ll spare you the gushing marketing materials that purported to describe these two wines. I first tasted these wines with braised, slow-cooked beef ribs and potatoes. The Novio Mezzacorona was fruity, a nice complement to the food’s grease. It lingered in my mouth. In contrast, the Veneto tasted of bubble gum, both with the meal and on its own. The next tasting involved bagels and smoked salmon, accompanied by a dainty grilled artichoke dip and caponata, a savory Italian-style salad composed of eggplants (including their skin), tomatoes, and onions. The Novio Mezzacorona was weak when paired with the smoked salmon but handled itself better with the caponata. The wine showed its strength with the artichoke dip, without overpowering it. The Veneto was a bit fruitier with the smoked salmon, the bubble gum flavor no longer dominated. Then I moved on to the cheeses. Asiago is a semi-sharp cheese produced in both the Trentino Alto-Adige and Veneto regions. The Novio Mezzacorona was almost pleasant with this cheese. The Veneto did better, it came close to being a winner. Montasio Veneto is a sharper cheese, produced in the Veneto region. This cheese overpowered the Novio Mezzacorona and rendered the Veneto wine flat. The final tasting involved an omelette containing non-imported Provolone cheese, and once again a side of caponata. The Novio Mezzacorona was round and tasted of dark fruits but was quite short. It was more complex when imbibed with the caponata. The Veneto wine still tasted of bubble gum. It also tasted of dark fruits and was short. Final verdict. For many years I have not been a fan of new wines. I taste them every year, and am always willing to change my mind. These two bottles gave me no reason to budge an inch. Having said this, there still is the Beaujolais Nouveau to taste and review. I cheated a bit; I bought the most expensive bottle available. Let’s hope that it works out better than these two wines

Brine - It's Not Just for Pickles Anymore

Holidays bring out family traditions. That ornament you made in second grade hangs on the Christmas tree at your parents’ house, and the stories of Aunt Mary’s turkey fiasco make the rounds at the dinner table. Talking turkey eventually comes around to a problem that has plagued turkey cookers since the beginning of time: how do you keep the meat in a roasted turkey from drying out? Our modern age of innovation - which has given us the tofu-built ‘tofurkey’ and the turkey-duck-chicken construction known as ‘turducken’ – has also provided an answer to this eternal question. It’s called brining. Fans of brining say it brings many benefits. Brining can keep turkey meat moist even if it overcooks by as much as ten degrees. Water conducts heat, so because the meat absorbs water during the process, brining can make the bird cook faster. By adding salt, sugar, and herbs/spices to the water means the turkey does not require additional seasoning later. Thus, brining provides a measure of ‘do-ahead’ convenience for harried holiday cooks! Following are some important tips to help you brine your first, but certainly not last, turkey: 1. Select a turkey It’s important to get the right kind of turkey if you are going to brine it. Any fresh or thawed frozen turkey can be brined successfully as long as it has not been ‘pre-basted.’ It is pointless to brine a ‘pre-basted’ or ‘self-basted’ bird. These turkeys have already been injected with broth and/or vegetable oil to facilitate cooking. Kosher birds are recommended for brining. 2. The soaking container Containers should be made of a material that will not interact with the salty brine solution. The container must also be large enough to hold the turkey and sufficient brine to cover it. Extra-large stockpots, clean buckets lined with clean kitchen trash bags, or specially designed brining bags can be used. Five-gallon plastic buckets also work well if they are lined with two, clean, plastic trash bags. If there is no room in your refrigerator for a large container, it’s possible to put the turkey in cold water in a clean container with a weighted lid and keep it in a cool basement or garage as long as it stays at 40 degrees or colder for the whole brining period. 3. The brining solution A basic brining solution is a combination of water, salt, and sugar. The salt opens up the cells in the meat to allow it to take in moisture, while the sugar helps to keep the water inside the cells. Expert briners recommend using kosher salt, which is less ‘salty’ than regular table salt. Sea salt can also be used but it is more expensive. If you use regular table salt, use the kind without iodine and use only half as much. The basic recipe for brine: 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of kosher or sea salt (or 1/2 cup of table salt), and 1/2 cup of sugar. This can be multiplied by as much as you need to cover your particular bird. For a 20-pound turkey, figure about four gallons of brine. Some cooks add their favorite herbs and spices to the brine, and some substitute apple cider for half of the water in a brine recipe and molasses or honey for the sugar. Optional herbs and spices may include whole peppercorns, sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, anise, orange or lemon peel, cardamom pods. 3. Timing Experts recommend keeping your brining turkey in a refrigerator during the entire process. A turkey should be put into the brine at least a day ahead of cooking. Place the bird into the brine, cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours, turning the turkey halfway through the brining time. About 24 hours is a good rule, but an hour or two either way won’t make much difference. To speed up the process, you can double the amount of salt and sugar. This will cut the brining period in half. The bird must be rinsed off very well before cooking, preferably under running water for several minutes, to remove any saltiness. Then pat the bird dry and continue with your favorite cooking method. 4. Roasting You don’t need to salt a brined bird before it goes into the oven. Some basic roasting times for a turkey in a preheated 350-degree oven are listed below: 8 -12 Lb. 2 ½ - 3 ½ Hours 12-16 Lb. 3 ½ - 4 Hours 16-20 Lb. 4 – 4 ½ Hours 20-28 Lb. 4 ½ - 5 ½ Hours Remember, only by using a meat thermometer will you know when the turkey is ‘done.’ Put the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. When the turkey is done, the temperature will be between 175-180 degrees F. Juices should run clear. If you check the temperature in the breast, it should be 165-170 degrees F. when done. If you stuff the bird, check the temperature of the stuffing too – 160-165 degrees F. indicates doneness. 5. Things to know about a brined turkey Interestingly, a brined turkey will not taste overly salty. Be aware, though, that some people are sensitive to salt or may be on low-sodium diets. A brined turkey is not best for them. You can reduce the saltiness by adding sugar, decreasing the amount of salt used, reduce your brining time, or soaking the turkey in fresh water for 1 hour before you cook it. There may not be many drippings available in the pan for making gravy because all the juices are sealed in. You might have to figure out another way to get your gravy fix if you cook a brined turkey. The cooked meat of a brined turkey is slightly pink in color. This could be upsetting, since we are told practically from birth that poultry must be well-cooked. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer and then reassure any worried dinner companions that the color is normal. A brined turkey does not have crisp skin when done. This problem can be avoided by removing the turkey from the brine the night before you roast it. Discard the brine; rinse the turkey inside and out under cold, running water. Pat it dry inside and out, then place it, breast side up, on a wire rack over a pan, and refrigerate it for 8 to 24 hours, uncovered. Letting the bird sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight before cooking results in a crackling and crisp brown skin once it is roasted. The moisture remaining in the skin from brining evaporates overnight, allowing the skin to crisp in the oven instead of steaming from excess moisture. Last but not least - don’t overcook the turkey! Brining makes it cook faster, so check the temperature often with your meat thermometer and prepare to sit down to the juiciest, most delicious turkey you’ve ever eaten! © 2006, Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprints welcomed so long as the article and by-line are reprinted intact and all links made live.

Healthy Cooking

Healthy cooking or healthy eating doesn't mean denial. Changes that we implement towards a healthier lifestyle will impact our health, the way we feel and perhaps extend our life. Cooking is a personal experience and we can implement different methods for the same meal. For example, if we want to make mashed potatoes, we could boil the potatoes, or we could steam them, we could peel the skin, buy instant mixes, etc. The choices we make will modify and transform the quality and the nutritional value of the food you put on your table. So here are a few tips that you can easily implement in your kitchen. Healthy Cooking For a healthier lifestyle, you may want change what you cook as well as how you cook. Depending on the method you choose, you may be depleting the nutrients out of your food. You could be preparing a meal with the right nutritious ingredients but after you are done cooking, you may end up with a dish that has no nutritional value. When heat is applied, many vitamins and minerals are burnt away. The higher the temperature and the longer you cook it, the fewer nutrients you will have in your meal. It is important then not to overcook your meals, try to cook your meals in the shortest time possible and with the minimum amount of water possible. However, dry cooking methods such as roasting and baking are perhaps the worst method, as they require a longer cooking time. Microwaving, frying, boiling and sautéing are some of the methods that you need to consider before you cook. Steaming and stir-frying are better choices, as they will allow the natural nutrition to remain in your food. It is also important to consider the oxidation that occurs in vegetables once they are cut, as oxidation will neutralize the vitamins. For this reason, try not to cut or chop your vegetables way ahead of time. Seasonings You may also want to think about the seasonings that you add to your foods when cooking. Consider adding unrefined sea salt to your meals instead of the commonly available commercial table salt, which is a highly refined product containing 99.5% sodium chloride with almost no trace minerals left. Unrefined sea salt taste wonderful and depending on the method of processing, it contains 0.5 to 3% trace minerals in addition to sodium chloride and small quantities of other elements found naturally in the ocean. You also need to remember that too much salt can cause hypertension, excessive fluid retention and other complications. You could also add a lot of spices and herbs instead if you need to add more taste to your meals. Try adding fresh lemon juice or lime juice to add a little extra taste. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). It is used to enhance flavor and some people are extremely sensitive to it. It is believed to cause headaches, muscle tightening. Baking powders that contain aluminum. Cooking utensils Quality cookware and utensils that do not interact with food are also important to consider. Natural materials such as earthenware, ceramic, glass and metals such as stainless steel, cast-iron or enamel coated steel are recommended. Avoid aluminum, plastic, Teflon and other synthetic materials. Nonstick cookware such as Teflon will emit toxic fumes when heated to a high temperature. Inhaling these toxic fumes can lead to respiratory disease, weakening of the immune system, cancer, depression, asthma and other health problems. More Things to Consider Choose quality vegetable oils. Avoid hydrogenated oils and fats, refined margarines and oils, animal oils and fats and shortenings. Hydrogenated oils are manufactured oils. Studies have found that they attack the arteries with a risk of heart disease, the kidneys, liver, spleen, intestine and gallbladder. Avoid Aspartame. MSG and Aspartame are both considered excitotoxins. Studies have found that Aspartame is the cause for many medical problems, such as headaches, hyperactivity in children, seizure disorders and memory loss. Both Aspartame and MSG and other similar substances cause harm to the brain and nervous system. Try using less white flour and introduce more fiber by adding bran and soy flour and wheat germ to your bread recipes. Avoid white processed sugar. The living vitality is not there. Organically grown unprocessed living sugar can be found at health food stores. Avoid artificial sweeteners, they are manufactured chemicals. Use raw organic honey, fresh organic fruit juices or organic raw evaporated sugarcane juice. Balance your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables versus frozen or canned. Choose 100% organic fresh produce that is free from chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Have a salad every day. Make your own salad dressing. Here is the one I make for my daily salads. In the food processor chop garlic, ginger, onion, jalapeño pepper and parsley. Add fresh squeezed lime juice (from 4 or 5 limes) or lemon juice, extra virgin oil, and unrefined sea salt, that's it, and it is delicious. You could also add honey for a little extra flavor. As far as the amount for each ingredient, I would say, 5 cloves of garlic, a 1/2" piece of ginger, 1/2 onion, 1 jalapeño pepper, a handful of parsley and 4-5 limes. Add oil and salt to taste. Yields about a pint. Storing foods depletes their vitamin and mineral content. So remember not to keep leftovers in the fridge for more than a couple of days. Instead, try freezing your leftovers right away, as soon as your food has cooled. And last but not least, cook with a light heart and avoid meals prepared by people who are sick, angry or they have an unhappy attitude when cooking.

Recipes -- Healthy Snacks

In today's hectic life style it probably feels like there is no time for healthy eating, or you simply can not find recipes that are both healthy and quick to make. As a result it is tempting to reach for the quick and easy snacks such as potato chips or candy. Do you ever run out of healthy recipes for snacks, or find them to time consuming? Snacking is a major part of our lives, especially when it comes to kids. This article looks at why healthy snacks are important for all the family and will provide you with some straightforward and interesting recipes. Foods with natural colours are on the whole good for you, like red apples, yellow bananas or orange carrots. Possibly the most important thing to remember is variety, a balanced diet will keep you healthy and fit as well as feeling good. First of all I am going to give you some snacking tips. Always make your snacks interesting A rice cake is better than a packet of potato chips but is probably considered boring, so why not spread peanut butter and raisins on the top, or find some quick recipes for a salsa. Prepare snacks in advance When you have some time chop up carrots, celery sticks, cucumber portions and other vegetables, place them in a sealed container in the fridge so as soon as you feel like snacking you can reach for the healthier option Keep snacks with you To save yourself getting caught out needing a snack when you are out keep snacks with you in your bag. Again the easiest and quickest are fruit and vegetables. Swap food When shopping always think of a healthier alternative to what you pick up. Instead of potato chips go for low fat crackers or rice cakes. If you want biscuits chose one that contains fruit alternatively make your own (see recipes to follow) Buying packed or ready made food and snacks usually means it will be less healthy than making your own. I will now provide a few easy recipes to make that are both tasty and good for you OAT BISCUITS Melt in Microwave - 1 dessert spoon golden syrup1 dessert spoon cold water4oz margarine Stir in 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda(It will become frothy)Now add - 1 cup oats1cup SR flour 3/4 cup sugar Mix together dried and melted ingredients.Roll into balls the size of a teaspoon.Put onto a greased tray and squash balls. Cook 125 degrees 10 - 15 minutes, until light golden brown. QUICK SMOOTHY RECIPE You will need 2 x bananas 1 tablespoon of honey 2 cups of milk 1 x tablespoon of yoghurt Method Peel the bananas, break them up into pieces and place them in a large bowl Take a fork and mash the banana so that it changes from lumpy to soft squidgy and creamy. Add the honey and yoghurt, mix well with a fork until it's all creamy Place the milk into the bowl and whisk the mixture with your fork until everything is mixed and pour into glasses. MUSTARD AND LEMON CHICKEN 4 skinless chicken breasts halved 1.5 tablespoons of Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons of margarine 2 tablespoons of lemon juice ½ teaspoon of tarragon Method Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in a shallow oven proof dish In a saucepan, melt the margarine, add the mustard, lemon juice, and tarragon. Stir well and pour over chicken. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until cooked There are simply heaps of quick, easy, fun and surprisingly nutritious recipes for all the family to enjoy.

Getting to the Root of Nutrition: The Pillars of Nutrition

What are we made of? While this may seem like a simple question, the answer is essential to the study of nutrition. Over hundreds if not thousands of years the study of nutrition has aimed to break down the different compounds from which the body is made and to understand where they came from. The simple fact is that the entire human body is made out of food and water and to a lesser extent air and light. The things that do not fall into these categories may be toxins and actually cause a burden to the structures and functions of the normal body. Many toxins are added to our food today and you may be surprised by what some of them are. Knowing what supports correct bodily function and what burdens it can help you make better choices about your lifestyle and your diet and the result is an improved level of wellness. Understanding that from the very beginning you were and continue to be made out of the compounds found in food and water, nutrition and the study of it is obviously primarily health care and neither alternative nor complimentary. Nutrition is the most fundamental aspect of life. What makes the food that makes us? First we have the so-called “pillars of nutrition.” These are also known as macronutrients because they take up the largest portion of the food, apart from water which makes up a substantial portion of any food. · Protein · Fats · Carbohydrates Just like the basic parts used to make a car, these parts are all required for life and in a ratio of about 30% protein, 20% fats and 50% carbohydrates. The quality of each of these pillars is very important. After all, do you want to be made from high quality parts or low quality parts? Protein is composed of twenty different amino acids. In adults there are eight essential amino acids. Essential means there is no way for your body to get these building blocks other than through your diet. With children there are ten essential amino acids and premature babies require eleven amino acids. Again, they cannot get in these other way than through diet. Meat from animals contains a complete profile of the essential amino acids, but some erroneously believe that vegetarians have a difficult time getting enough protein in their diets. Protein is a basic building block in all life and vegetarians eating a reasonably varied selection of foods not only get complete protein support, the protein from plants tends to be easier to digest and does not cause a build up of toxins like uric acid in the kidneys as is the case with all animal protein. Modern diets tend to have the least amount of high quality essential fats but large amounts of low quality and harmful fats. These essential fats are found in foods such as flax seed, fresh nuts, avocados and certain types of fish. Processed foods and red meat contain saturated fats and trans fats which are neither essential nor beneficial. The essential fats not only assist the body in the management of inflammation and other bodily processes, they make up some critical structures in the body as well. Over 50% of the mass of a healthy brain is composed of these essential, unsaturated fats. A word of warning: have you ever opened a jar of raw nuts and discovered the smell of “oil paint”? This is a sign that the essential fats have gone rancid. Throw this food out. The final pillar is the much maligned carbohydrate group. These foods provide energy as well as fiber to the diet. Fiber is found in most plants and is not considered a nutrient, but it is important for normal bodily function and waste elimination. Fruits and vegetables provide the best source of carbohydrates and varying amounts of fiber. Grains also provide beneficial carbohydrates as long as they are whole and are an excellent source of fiber. Refined grains provide the lowest quality source of carbohydrates and in excess may now only lead to unwanted weight gain, but also an increased risk of diabetes, and heart disease. These three pillars of nutrition are very important and provide the bulk of any healthy diet. For hundreds of years, they were considered to be the only components of nutrition in food. That all changed as research moved forward in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the next article, we will peer further into the essentials of food.

Wine Tastings for Singles

Dating, for those of us who are tired of being single, can be a royal pain. From speed dating to online dating, from the taverns to the grocery stores, we have several outlets where we can meet potential matches. But, unfortunately, these matches often extinguish before they can light even the slightest spark, leaving those of us frustrated to long for the days of arranged marriages: someone just marry me and give my parents a llama. My own personal experiences have led me to meet dates a variety of ways. I’ve been set up by friends, I’ve been set up by computers, I’ve gone to functions for singles, and, of course, I’ve met many a’people at the bars. But, it wasn’t until recently that I found a dating medium I truly enjoyed: wine tasting for singles. Wine tasting for singles had a lot of similarities to a regular wine tasting event. A sommelier presented three red wines and three white wines, conveying the regions where the wines were from and their general flavors. Each wine was tasted one at a time, appetizers were served, and people dared each other to take a sip out of the spit bucket. The main difference between a wine tasting for singles and a regular wine tasting is simple: no wedding rings allowed. Why a Wine Tasting? Now, for those of you who are in the dating scene, the lack of wedding rings at wine tastings for singles might not be enough persuasion: you may be posing the question of what makes a wine tasting superior to meeting people through other means. Well, I’m glad you asked. To begin, at a wine tasting for singles, as opposed to going to the bars or hoping to meet someone in the Laundromat, you automatically have the advantage of knowing three things: everyone there is single, everyone there is looking, and, most importantly, everyone there enjoys wine. Having these three things in common arms you with the ability to approach that cute stranger, bat your eyes, point to his Pinot Noir and ask, “Are you going to finish that?” Is it Better than Online Dating? A wine tasting for singles is much more realistic than meeting people online, otherwise known as spouse shopping. This is because online people can easily pretend to be anyone: the old can pretend to be young, the short can pretend to be tall, the men can pretend to be women and vice versa. Along these lines, because the majority of communication is nonverbal, meeting someone in person at a wine tasting allows you to gauge certain things that you wouldn’t be able to see over email. From the tone of a person’s voice, to the way they carry themselves, to the way they sip their wine, body language is a major element in discovering what a person is truly like. Is it Better than Blind Dating? Mingling at a wine tasting for singles, where the room is filled with a variety of women and a variety of men, allows for less pressure than the one on one situation of blind dating. In one on one situations, people often get nervous, sweating, stuttering, accidentally revealing that they live in their mom’s basement with six cats. In a wine tasting, however, people are free to mingle in groups, removing the one on one pressure and allowing a wingman or wingwoman to be standing by, ready to swoop in at the first mention of something like the latest Star Trek convention. Is it Better than Speed Dating? Many people in the dating scene have probably been on several dates that they wished were speed dates, having had their fill within the first five minutes. However, this isn’t always the best concept: people aren’t always themselves in the first five minutes, some people need a second chance to make a first impression. In speed dating, people are only allowed to talk to each other for a set amount of time, usually only a few minutes. It’s hard to tell anything important about someone in a few minutes, it takes at least twenty minutes before you can feel secure inquiring about your date’s annual salary. At a wine tasting event, conversely, you are free to talk with someone for as long as you choose, whether it’s three hours or just a few minutes that felt like three hours. Will you Meet your True Love? Like all avenues of dating, a wine tasting for singles can not guarantee success: you may meet someone you really like or you may find no commonalities with anyone in attendance. But, because wine tastings allow for lengthy, in-person interaction, they automatically give you better dating opportunities than other avenues of dating. And, even if you don’t meet the love of your life, a wine tasting can almost assure that you will find a bottle of Merlot with which you can live happily ever after.