BUZZ - trends, news and views

By Editor: April 2007,


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Our quick (and unscientific) look at some of the trends and news we find interesting and relevant.

Cigars and red wine?

Cigars and cognac are a classic combination, but now Villafonté, a U.S.-South African winemaker, is attempting to marry cigars with red wine. It is marketing a mild “Corona Long Filler” that won’t, according to the promotional material, “overwhelm the most subtle and elegant flavor of the world’s top wines.”

(excerpted from Maclean’s magazine, Jan. 15/07)

…and after that glass of red, should you brush, wipe or rinse?

In an era of blindingly white teeth, red wine drinkers are becoming more and more conscious of the effect that their favorite cabernet has on their smile. And according to a recent Maclean’s report (Jan. 15), there’s not much we can do to keep those purplish stains from happening. Among the advice corralled in the article from a variety of “experts” on how to minimize the damage:

Wipe your teeth with tissue after drinking red wine (brushing right after drinking is not advised due to the presence of enamel-eroding acids from the wine);
Smear glycerin liquid or gel around the gums and lips prior to tasting wine;
Search out “protective toothpastes for red wine drinkers,” which are reported to exist;
Nibble on some cheese during wine tastings, which may “scrape away” some of the stain;
Put a drop of prescription-strength bleaching gel on your toothbrush and brush with it to remove recent stains; and finally
Rinse your mouth out with water after indulging.

Virtuous vino: “Biodynamic” the new buzzword in fine wines

Just when organic wines and spirits started becoming more commonplace, a new label enters the marketplace: biodynamic. Think of biodynamic as überorganic. The farming method is based on principles put forth in the 1920s by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner.

Best known for being the inspiration behind the Waldorf school movement, Steiner’s unique blend of spiritual science touches on every aspect of humanity and its relationship with the universe, especially agriculture and diet. Biodynamic farming thus combines organic practices—like the banning of pesticides and chemicals—with somewhat mystical ideas such as basing planting and harvesting schedules on the position of the moon, sun and stars.

Within the past decade, biodynamic farming has gone from a fringe movement to a fairly mainstream one, and some of the world’s greatest vintners have converted centuries-old operations to its methods. Why? Apparently the wine tastes better, with more “purity,” and less acidity. It’s a little more expensive, but enthusiasts say it’s well worth it.

(from Time magazine, March 5, 2007)

Raising a glass to the first cocktail bars

Bottums Up

Cocktail menus from some of Toronto's first cocktail bars are among the artifacts on display at an exhibit, "Bottoms Up: a Spirited History of Drink in Canada," that opened March 7 at the Steam Whistle Brewing Gallery, in the old railway roundhouse near the base of the CN Tower where Steam Whistle beer is brewed.

Prepared by students in the University of Toronto's Museum Studies graduate school, the exhibit samples the history of booze in Ontario and reflects on our conflicting attitudes toward alcohol over the past century. Among the historical events recounted in the exhibit: April 3, 1947, the first time people could go out and order a stiff drink at a bar since Ontario had gone dry in 1916. At Club Norman on Adelaide Street East, enthusiastic patrons enjoyed Manhattans, grasshoppers, daiquiris, and maple leafs (rye, maple syrup, and lemon juice).

Meanwhile, in the Elbow Room in the Barclay Hotel, the elegant new Silver Rail, and at lounges in the Royal York and Windsor Arms, Torontonians were ordering Sidecars, Pink Ladies, and Scarlet O'Haras. The cocktail of the night? Rye highballs for 45¢ to $1.60. The Bottoms Up exhibit is open until April 2. For more information visit www.SteamWhistle.ca.

(from the Toronto Star)

Think you make a great Caesar? Your chance to prove it and win

Share your secret recipe for making Caesars and win.

Best Caesar in town... Our friends at Mott's are reporting lots of great entries into their "Best Caesar in Town" contest. Recipe entries have included ingredients that range from maple syrup to smoked salmon! You still have time to share your favorite recipe with the rest of the world, and have a chance to win cash prizes - but hurry- the contest closes April 5, 2007.