While many people will not freely admit to drinking Rose wine, I am not afraid to acknowledge my enjoyment of a pink beverage. While that might make me sound a little communist that is a misconception. Rose wine is made from noble grapes - in the case of the wine I have in mind Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. During the fermentation phase the juice of the Cab has only a few hours contact with the skin of the Cab. Sort of the casual sex equivalent of wine making. The result is a wine well suited for casual occasions like after a tennis match on a hot summer evening. The particular wine I intend to praise here is the 2005 Miguel Torres Santa Digna Rose. Although Miguel Torres is a Spanish company, this wine was made at their vineyard in the Curico Valley of Chile. Complex flavors, not too sweet, I recommend it to any casual drinker.
My Flight to Miami
Flew Ted to Miami today for the Accenture CRM Leadership Council. Ted is the low cost arm of United Airlines (get it? Ted Uni-ted). The biggest difference between Ted and United seems to be while on United you pay for the movie but the food is free, while on Ted the movie is free while they charge you for the food. A tattered $5.00 bill bought me a beautifully packed box of organic junk food. Inside were was a little can of tuna fish that smelled like cat food and a bottle of humus that tasted like baby food.(1)
Once the airlines really prided themselves on their food. Each meal would feature more than one course, there were entries choices of beef and chicken, salads, and cold little rolls with butter. The meals were sometimes served on a table cloth. Of course they still ended up tasting terrible - what food cooked in a microwave at 30,000 feet would not? But back in the day they at least tried to put a decent meal on the table.
The airlines remind me of my mother who one day during the feminist drive of the 1970’s decided she was done cooking meals and never set foot in the kitchen again unless she got lost on her way to the bathroom. The meals we ate after that were a lot like what the airlines serve today, light on formality and heavy on salt, sugar, and convenience.
So hungry passengers were treated to the film called an Unfinished Life. The film featured a very big cast: Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Lopez and a bear and was directed by a sometimes good sometimes bad director Lasse Hallström. It would not be fair of me to comment about the film since I watched with the sound off while napping. Still I seemed to be able to follow the plot pretty well. Redford is the only man in Wyoming without a working car and spends a lot of time hanging out at someone's gravestone. Lopez is in an abusive relationship. Freeman is old and wise and doesn't work very much. They capture the bear in the beginning and release it at the end but not before beating up the abusive boyfriend. Of course Freeman, the worst looking of the three, is the one who spends all his time lying naked in bed so it must be serious film. Did I miss anything?
Personally I prefer a free film over free food. It keeps the people who don't travel much from getting too restive. Time to see what Miami offers.
(1) For the record I my Right Bite package consisted of Bumblebee Sensations Lemon & Pepper Seasoned Tuna Medley, Late July Organic Crackers, Wild Garden Hummus, Stacy’ Multigrain Baked Pita Chips, Fino Selections Gouda cheese slice, Newman’s Own organic California raisins, and a Mini Toblerone bar (1) For the record I my Right Bite package consisted of Bumblebee Sensations Lemon & Pepper Seasoned Tuna Medley, Late July Organic Crackers, Wild Garden Hummus, Stacy’ Multigrain Baked Pita Chips, Fino Selections Gouda cheese slice, Newman’s Own organic California raisins, and a Mini Toblerone bar
The Pacific Rose Apple
Pacific Rose Apples were on sale today at Safeway so I tried one. The practice of following Benjamin Franklin's dictum about using apples to keep doctors away* is starting to make me something of a connoisseur of the malus domestica.
The Pacific Rose was bred in New Zealand specifically for export. Its appearance, color, and ability to keep were considered desirable characteristics as well as flavor. Even though it has become New Zealand most popular apple and accounts for about 10% of the pacific nation's $340 million apple crop, I found it had less taste than the apples I enjoy most. It was not tart and somewhat bland - a children's apple. Maybe they taste better in New Zealand.
Also I tried DelMonte's Fruit Naturals Red Grapefruit which tasted great, but was somewhat unnatural because in addition to grapefruit and water contained sodium benzoate or potassium sobate, ascorbic acid, citric acid, color and 13 grams of high fructose corn syrup. This may be a little picky since the woman ahead of me at the market was buying donuts and cigarettes for breakfast. I could not help but think that if I am really careful in my eating habits someday my health insurance will pay for her heart bypass. Maybe I should eat more donuts.
*If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, how do you keep lawyers away? - be poor!
How to Bake a Potato
One of the charms of bachelor life is learning to cook again. Here is great recipe I found on the Food Network courtesy of Alton Brown.
1 large russet potato
Canola oil to coat
Kosher salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees and position racks in top and bottom thirds. Wash potato (or potatoes) thoroughly with a stiff brush and cold running water. Dry, then using a standard fork poke 8 to 12 deep holes all over the spud so that moisture can escape during cooking. Place in a bowl and coat lightly with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place potato directly on rack in middle of oven. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drippings.
Bake 1 hour or until skin feels crisp but flesh beneath feels soft. Serve by creating a dotted line from end to end with your fork, then crack the spud open by squeezing the ends towards one another. It will pop right open. But watch out, there will be some steam.
NOTE: If you're cooking more than 4 potatoes, you'll need to extend the cooking time by up to 15 minutes
