Veltliner; cousins to Riesling?
September 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Austrian Vineyard
Austria is home to many very interesting wines made from varieties unique to the region. Its wine regions, like all of its agricultural land, are concentrated in the eastern part of the country (staying away from mountains as much as possible). Gruner Veltliner is Austria’s most widely planted grape, accounting for over one-third of the vineyard plantings in the country. Like Riesling, this variety adapts easily to many soil types and can tolerate higher crop levels. Thus, it seemed a natural fit for the Lenz Moser vine training system. This system, named for the Austrian producer who developed it, was designed for high yields in widely spaced vineyards that could easily be worked with machines to reduce labor costs. The result was light, simple wines — and lots of them.
A wine made from Gruner Veltliner typically has a perfumed nose (or smell), with hints of peach, apple and other citrus and, most notably, hints of white pepper - white pepper is usually what distinguishes Gruner Veltliner best.
Velt 1 Gruner Veltliner 2007 $12.50/btl
Its ability to age beautifully is one of the many interesting characteristics that Grüner Veltliner shares with Riesling. Both varieties have naturally high acidity, an essential component of wine that will age well. Veltliner, is generally light to medium-bodied but can be made in a richer, full-bodied style also.
Asparagus
Atlantic Cod
Artichoke
The food pairings with this type of wine is long and fun! Some suggestions are with Asian dishes: oyster sauce, stir-fries or peanut sauce. It’s so versatile that it also pairs well with cheese dishes, lighter meats (poultry, pork, veal); try it especially with chicken skewers and satays. Any dishes spiced with caraway, coriander and cumin make great connections with this wine. Lastly, try it with seafood, especially with meatier white fish like bass and cod…and of course all kinds of shellfish. For all of you prefer the vegetable route, this wine didn’t forget you! Try paring it with tofu dishes; and this wine is one of few that tastes fantastic with asparagus and artichokes!
One of my personal favorite’s Gruner Veltliner is not too sweet like Riesling, but not oaky like most Chardonnay’s. It’s versatile with food and comes from a romantic history as well, what’s not to like about this wine!
Cheers!
Lindsay
The History of Peter Rabbit (in honor of his Birthday)
September 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Peter Rabbit, along with Benjamin Bunny, was named after a pet rabbit Beatrix Potter had as a child. The first Peter Rabbit story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, was originally created in 1893 as a letter to the young son of Potter’s former governess. The boy was ill, and Potter wrote him a story to help him pass the time and to cheer him up. The letter included sketches illustrating the narrative. It wasn’t until June 1902 that the story was published by Frederick Warne & Co, but by the end of the year, 28,000 copies were in print. Over the years, The Tale of Peter Rabbit has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and as of 2008, the Peter Rabbit series has sold more than 151 million copies in 35 languages.
The rabbits in Potter’s stories are anthropomorphic and wear human clothes; Peter wears a blue jacket and a little pair of brown shoes. He is surrounded by a large family: his mother Mrs. Rabbit and his sisters Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail. There is also his cousin Benjamin Bunny and his father Mr. Benjamin Bunny, later called Mr. Benjamin Bouncer.
Peter Rabbit was the first soft toy to be patented, in 1903. This makes Peter the oldest licensed character. Frederick Warne & Co owns the trademark rights of the Beatrix Potter characters. However, most of the stories are in the US public domain as they were published before 1923.
Peter Rabbit made his first appearance in 1902 in Beatrix Potter’s first book The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Peter disobeys his mother’s orders and sneaks into Mr. McGregor’s garden, eating as many vegetables as he can before Mr. McGregor spots him and chases him around. Peter manages to escape, but not before losing his jacket and shoes, which Mr. McGregor uses for his new scarecrow.
In The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, first published in 1904, Peter’s cousin Benjamin Bunny brings him back to Mr. McGregor’s garden and they fetch Peter’s clothes from the scarecrow. But after they gather onions to give to Peter’s mother, they are captured by Mr. McGregor’s cat. Benjamin’s father shows up and rescues them, but also reprimands Peter and Benjamin for going into the garden by whipping them with a switch.
In The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, first published in 1905, Peter and Benjamin make a cameo appearance when Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, a hedgehog washerwoman, returns their mended clothes.
In The Tale of Ginger and Pickles, first published in 1909, Peter and other characters from Potter’s previous stories make cameo appearances in the artwork.
In The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, first published in 1909, Peter and his friends are grown up. His sister Flopsy is now married to Benjamin Bunny and they have a big brood of little Flopsy Bunnies. Peter keeps a nursery garden and the bunnies come by asking him for spare cabbage.
In The Tale of Mr. Tod, first published in 1912, Benjamin and Flopsy’s children are kidnapped by notorious badger Tommy Brock. Peter helps Benjamin chase after Brock, who hides out in the house of the fox Mr. Tod. Mr. Tod finds Brock sleeping in his bed and as the two get into a scuffle, Peter and Benjamin rescue the children.
We Want You
September 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment
The image above presents a rousing illustration of the venerable “Uncle Sam”, as he appeared in a World War I Army Recruiting poster. We will examine how this popular image came about, and how “Uncle Sam” became the popular symbol of the United States.
Uncle Sam, is a popular name for the government of the United States. Its origin was as follows: Samuel Wilson, commonly called “Uncle Sam,” was an inspector of beef and pork, in Troy, N. Y. He inspected the meat purchased for the government after the declaration of war against England in 1812. A contractor named Elbert Anderson purchased a quantity of provisions, and the barrels were marked “E. A.,” the initials of his name, and “U. S.,” for United States. The latter initials were not familiar to Wilson’s workmen, who inquired what they meant. A facetious fellow answered, “I don’t know, unless they mean ‘Uncle Sam.’ ” A vast amount of property afterwards passed through Wilson’s hands, marked in the same way, and he was rallied on the extent of his possessions. The joke spread, and it was not long before the initials of the United States were regarded as “Uncle Sam,” which name has been in popular parlance ever since. Even a popular song says: “Uncle Sam is rich enough to give us all a farm.”
Prior to the Civil War, Brother Jonathan Was the Popular Icon of the United States
So, by 1820, Uncle Sam was sometimes used as a term for the United States. The popular image of Uncle Sam did not emerge until some time later. In fact, prior to the Civil War, another character was much more commonly used as a symbol for our country; Brother Jonathan. The Cartoon above is from an original 1862 Harper’s Weekly newspaper. The cartoon deals with the controversial Trent Affair, in which US naval officers boarded a British Ship, and arrested Confederate Commissioners Mason and Slidell. In the cartoon, the figure representing the United States is Brother Jonathan. It can be seen that Brother Jonathan has many of the features we have come to associate with Uncle Sam . . . striped pants, a coat with tails, and a tall top hat. At the start of the Civil War, Brother Jonathan was almost always used as the symbol of the United States.
To the left we present one of the first ever published images of Uncle Sam. Again, he is dressed in patriotic attire, with stars on his hat, and stripes on his shirt. The image is a cartoon from the December 21, 1861 edition of Harper’s Weekly. The cartoon is captioned, “Chief Cook CAMERON divides the VIRGINIA GOOSE between MARYLAND and DELAWARE. ” This cartoon appeared shortly after the start of the Civil War, and is dealing with the issue of Virginia being split into two states.
By 1864, Uncle Sam had become the more pervasive symbol of the United States in newspapers and other publications, as Brother Jonathan gradually faded away.
Our popular image of Uncle Sam (As seen in the image on the top of this page) was defined in large part by Thomas Nast, who was one of the most popular artists of the 1800’s. Nast was also responsible for our popular images of Santa Claus, the Republican Elephant, and the Democratic Donkey. Nast’s first illustration of Uncle Sam appeared in the November 20, 1869 edition of Harper’s Weekly.
Thomas Nast’s First Image of Uncle Sam, “Uncle Sam’s Thanksgiving Dinner“
While Uncle Sam does not show the top hat and striped pants that we have come to associate with him, he shows something much more important in this image. In this image, Uncle Sam is a symbol of unity and equality. The image shows many people welcomed at Uncle Sam’s Thanksgiving table . . . Black, White, Chinese, and Indian, as wall as many others are seen sitting around the table. The image is captioned, “Uncle Sam’s Thanksgiving Dinner; Come One, Come All, Free and Equal.” The image clearly shows that Uncle Sam was originally a symbol of freedom, and equality. Uncle Sam was a unifying symbol.
By 1876, Nast’s Image of Uncle Sam had evolved into one that we would recognize today. The image to the left is the cover of the November 24, 1876 Harper’s Weekly. The image features Uncle Sam with striped pants, a long overcoat, and a top hat. In this image, the top hat also has feathers. This image deals with Reform of the Civil Service System.
While the exact image of Uncle Sam has evolved over the years, one thing remains constant. He is a symbol of the best ideals of the United States. From the earliest days until today, he has stood for Freedom, Equality, and Justice. While as a Nation, we do not always perfectly achieve these ideals, Uncle Sam remains a poignant symbol and reminder of the goal and objective . . . One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All.
Happy 196th Birthday Uncle Sam. We Want You to have a drink on us!
Cheers!
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