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Wine and Thai Food
When choosing a wine to accompany a Thai meal, the same thought should be given to equilibrium as it is in cooking Thai. Riesling and pinot noir are probably your two best bets for spicy hot dishes: a good rule of thumb being that the spicier the food, the sweeter the wine. For example, pair a slightly dry number with a tangy but mild lemongrass and coconut chicken soup. But use a more sugary vintage to tone down the fire of a curry.
Remember that spicy food exaggerates the tannin and natural bitterness in wine. The addition of salt and sour flavors will help counteract this effect, as they make the wine milder, fruitier and less bitter. Read more
Due to increasing products liability litigation, American liquor manufacturers have accepted the FDA's suggestion that the following warning labels be placed immediately on all containers:
Warning: The consumption of alcohol may leave you wondering what the hell happened to your bra.
Warning: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
Warning: The consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like an idiot.
Warning: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
Warning: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to think you can sing.Read more
surrealpartyetiquette
For many guests, dinner parties are daunting affairs. Common party phobias include fear of arriving too early -- or too late -- being dressed inappropriately, forgetting names and drinking too much. It’s courteous to anticipate these potential scenarios and preempt any dramas du soir.
Introductions: My dream is to eliminate the following form of introductions: "Do you two know each other?" As you might guess, the other person invariably says yes just as I’m saying no. "Do you know me?" and "Do you remember my name?" should also be outlawed. Instead of embarrassing your guests, risk being redundant by introducing them to one another as though for the first time.
It’s a fact: Martians have stolen our short-term memories. Help save face for your intergalactic victims by continuously weaving guest’s names into the conversation. Read more
Did you Know.....
According to J. Walter Thompson, Generation X (young adults aged 23 to 43) spend 10 percent more on everything than Baby Boomers do, whether it's cars, washing machines, soap, travel or alcohol (except on wine).
Wine and Thai
Thus, if you're drinking a merlot or cabernet sauvignon with duck in red curry, the addition of fish sauce to the curry - or salt to the duck - will help counteract the chilies. Similarly, the addition of lime juice to a green mango salad will offset the spiciness and pair nicely with a sauvignon blanc/semillon blend. For a moderately spicy, ginger-rich dish, a good gewurztraminer makes an excellent contrast.
Another thing to consider is the method of food preparation. Generally speaking, grilled or pan-roasted foods will be better matches with your wines than those that are deep-fried. For example, Kai Yang (chicken marinated in garlic, pepper and lemongrass, and then grilled) is delicious with a crisp white wine or a fruity red . Back to top
Warning
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may lead you to
believe that ex-lovers are really dying for you to
telephone them at four in the morning.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think
you can logically converse with members of the
opposite sex without spitting.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think
you have mystical Kung Fu powers, resulting in you
getting your ass kicked.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to
roll over in the morning and see something really scary.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol is the leading
cause of inexplicable rug burns on the forehead, knees
and lower back.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the
illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and
better looking than most people.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may lead you to
believe you are invisible.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may lead you to
think people are laughing WITH you.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause a
disturbance in the time-space continuum, whereby gaps
of time may seem to literally disappear.
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause pregnancy.
the art of seating . .Who is seated next to whom can stimulate conversation and enrich the natural energy of the evening. A little policing is usually required. Keep the silent types out of the far corners and away from the ringer (to avoid their being trampled). Split up couples and good friends who may get too insular, and pair those who have the potential to complement -- and hopefully to compliment -- one another. If you have a seating plan in mind and don’t want your guests to deviate, put a place card at each setting. If place cards seem too formal, spell out the names or initials with alphabet cereal or letters clipped from a newspaper. If you want to avoid place cards altogether, do it subtlely ("Quincy, why don’t you sit here..."). For a change of pace, ignore the conventional boy/girl, boy/girl tradition.
the smoking issue . .Decide in advance where you would like smokers to smoke, i.e., anywhere, in just one room or only outside. Placing ashtrays in the designated areas is a subtle signal that most smokers are accustomed to looking for. If the only suitable option is outside, make your guests feel comfortable, not ostracized. The longer they are out in the cold (figuratively, if not literally) the more time they will have to do that smoker’s bonding thing -- which invariably leads to dredging up stories about your checkered past.
the drinking issue . .There are two types of people who require extra attention at a party: those who don’t drink and those who drink too much. Nondrinkers usually fall into three categories: teetotalers who have never fancied drinking, pregnant women, and "reformed" drinkers who used to drink too much and now don’t drink at all. For some members of the latter group, abstinence is no picnic. Being surrounded by a group of revelers who get collectively looser and more boisterous can compound the abstainer’s discomfort and turn a seemingly fun time into an unpleasant experience. Some of this is inevitable, but you can reduce the discomfort level by: a) not drawing attention to nondrinkers; b) stocking a full complement of nonalcoholic beverages; c) serving these in the same glasses you are using for cocktails and wine; and d) offering to brew a fresh pot of coffee or tea at any time without making it seem like a bother.
the drug issue . .If you think President Clinton only took one puff and didn’t inhale, I have two words for you: spin control. The reality is that many responsible, otherwise law-abiding adults are forced into the closet by the laws and stigmas attached to smoking marijuana. As with the cigarette smoking issue, decide in advance what your response will be. If it’s yes, designate an appropriate area -- you’ll be amazed at who participates, once the ice is broken. If you feel uncomfortable, for whatever reason, don’t succumb to peer pressure. Just say no.
the great escape . .Here’s a nifty trick for the next time you find yourself held captive at your own party in an extended one-on-one conversation with no polite avenue of escape. It was taught to me by a savvy band tour manager who claims it’s used by the Queen of England. As is the case for most escape artist tricks, an accomplice is required.
Before the party, establish a distress signal with your accomplice. It should be something very simple, i.e., tugging your right earlobe, but not something you do unconsciously. If you find yourself cornered during the party, catch your accomplice’s eye and tug your earlobe, signaling an immediate need to be called away due to "an impending culinary disaster." My advice is, keep it subtle -- or you will look like a third base coach giving the bunt signal.
party games
• twister (do not play immediately after a full meal)
• charades
• pictionary
• trivial pursuit I, II or III
• karaoke
• scruples
• balderdash
• the dictionary game
• guess who
• write the opening to a short story and have each guest add a paragraph Back to Top