Drink

Like fraught fellow dipso Blanche Du Bois, as imagined by Tennessee Williams, I too have "always depended on the kindness of strangers." A free meal here, a Press trip there, the occasional (sole) useable content of a goody bag, and a bottle of a client's dubious rocket fuel, palmed off on me by their hopeful PR. Vile booze that is finally succumbed to in desperation - faute de mieux at 4am - unleashing a one-man Country and Western cat's chorus and much hollering from those poor bastards I've just woken up, fellow slum dwellers in a ramshackle tenement that , anywhere else but in K and C, would be rented out for 10 quid a month - 'roach spray not included. Yes, I really should have stuck with that 'promising job' in the City but. oh now-long-dead sneery old careers master - you who sniffily suggested this pupil woulds be lucky to get a job flogging lucky bags at his local tuck shop - would life, however precarious, have been so much fun? And just how many duvet days can a high-paid/ bored rigid wage slave at Deloitte take without getting fired, by the way? Tonight, in a fairly faithful pastiche of a steamy seen-better-days Big Easy pile, I am relying on the kindness of a lovely Big Apple-born door whore called Elle to score me drinks at a bar besieged by greedy hooch Hoovers. Result! Not only does said stranger/ guardian angel set up me up with a nob-stiffeningly sexy sazerac, the barman recognises me from God-knows-where and decides I'm cool enough to be plied with a de la Louisiane and similar New Orleans swallows. Joy! Meanwhile, Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd - flown in for tonight's heaving launch party - whips the place into a frenzy with his roisterous line in boogie woogie and hellcat rock. The launch is a happy-fuzzy blur but I've been back since and, all in all, I am most taken with NOLA - a bar that comes on like a crazy Shoreditch night back in the days before dick-head ad agencies moved in and - always the kiss of death, this - Italian Vogue latched on (about 3 months before the blonde breadsticks at British Vogue did, I shouldn't wonder). Take the Overground Train Named Desire to the ' Ditch. Yes, even if you're well over the ol' 'hood, I urge you to check out this peeling sepia tone Basin Street film set, not least for its fine range of drinks inspired by that other fact of N'Orleans life - hurricanes: in NOLA's case, stiff breezers fit to blow your toupee off.66 Rivington Street EC2A 3AY http://nola-london.com/

Any day now… Georgia P arrived nine days before her “official” due date. Baby P 2013′s due date is July 15 but the doctor says second-time mothers generally deliver early. So mutatis mutandis, Parzen family expansion could happen any day now. Little Georgia P doesn’t know how our lives are about the change and we’re really enjoying these last few days as a family of three. She’s such a sweet girl and she sure knows how to make her daddy melt with her smile…

At first glance, it seemed like an innocent dinner among friends or colleagues. The group gathered at the Chez Francoise restaurant in Paris last Wednesday, where they sipped top-notch Bourgougne wine and dined on frog legs and veal. The group ended their meal with Cuban cigars according to French weekly Le Journal de Dimanche. While it might have seemed like a nice celebratory luncheon, many are concerned about the timing of the meal considering the guests that attended. Just one week after Health Minister Marisol Touraine announced a new bill to ban the use of e-cigarettes in public, Soraya Zoueihid, French President of British American Tobacco hosted the €10,000 meal. Curiously, his guests were some important political figures. Luncheon guests included several deputies and a senator: Andre Santini, Patrick Balkany, Francois Sauvadet, Jean-Claude Lenoir, Odile Saugues, and Dominique Bussereau. Gladeric Sabatier was also in attendance and he works within the finance ministry, acting as third in command over the customs administration that determines tobacco prices throughout the country. With a major tobacco company hosting such an elaborate lunch for French politicians and lawmakers, many are left to wonder about the state’s relationship with big tobacco. After all, France has seen a lot of policy changes in the past few years, including major tax hikes on tobacco products and new requirements for plain packaging in some regions. According to Le Journal de Minache, Zoueihid did mix in some business affairs during the lunch. He reportedly discussed tobacco regulations including the upcoming bill to ban e-cigarettes. He called for balance in making future decisions related to tobacco products. Interestingly, British American Tobacco also has a stake in the new bill banning e-cigs as it currently sells e-cigs and is even planning to launch a new line of e-cigarettes in the coming months. The luncheon clearly contradicted France’s previous stance against tobacco lobbyists. In fact, France signed an initiative from the World Health Organization that addresses these kinds of meetings. This initiative says, “The state must guard against politicians being influenced by the interests of the tobacco industry.” However, this extravagant luncheon seemed to be an opportunity for British American Tobacco to influence politicians towards their objectives. Luncheon attendee Odile Saugues defended the gathering, claiming that it was nothing more than an opportunity to dialogue about issues surrounding the tobacco industry. He told local reporters that “BAT maintains its relationships in order to weigh up and share ideas, but that doesn’t change anything. I vote in favor of all price increases (on tobacco products).” The timing of the expensive lunch still leaves many people skeptical. While tobacco prices are continually increasing each year for the French public, an estimated 500,000 residents are using e-cigarettes as a more cost effective solution. Many chose e-cigarettes for use in public places where tobacco was not allowed. However, the upcoming e-cig ban would eliminate that possibility and potentially cause a substantial drop in sales for e-cig companies. Is it possible that the €10,000 luncheon was just another example of tobacco lobbyists trying to get what they want from politicians? British American Tobacco certainly stands at risk for falling sales if the new bill banning e-cigarettes is passed. Do you think this luncheon was out of line?

I recently went to Burgundy for the first time and have [...]The post A visit to Domaine Jean Francois Rapet ets Fils, Burgundy appeared first on The Wine Sleuth.

A collection of links from the reporters and editors of the Dining section.

craig.camp posted a photo:

craig.camp posted a photo:

Riesling has become known as Washington State’s signature white variety. Washington is the largest Riesling producing state in the United States. And, Washington State’s own Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest Riesling producer in the world. Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State’s founding winery with its roots dating back to the repeal of Prohibition. In 1976, Ste. Michelle built a French-style chateau in Woodinville, just northeast of Seattle. While all of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s vineyards are located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, all of their white wines are made in Woodinville. Riesling is one of the most versatile grape varieties. It can be made in many different styles from bone dry to very sweet, reflect the regional character of where it is grown, and is extremely food-friendly. And, it is probably the most age worthy of all white wine varieties. We recently had the opportunity to taste a couple of Chateau Ste. Michelle Rieslings in a blind samples tasting, the 2012 Dry Riesling and the 2012 Harvest Select Sweet Riesling. Both wines are very good, so no matter your preference on the sweetness scale, Chateau Ste. Michelle has you covered. And with suggested retail prices of $10, and which can frequently be found for far less, these wines deliver serious bang for your buck. 2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale straw yellow. Beautiful nose with white peach, citrus, and floral aromas. White peach and lime come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 0.71% Quality: 4 stars (out of 5) QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5) Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $6 to $12 2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with peach blossoms and honeysuckle on the nose. Peach, apricot, and floral notes come through on the palate. Medium sweet and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a very long finish. Residual Sugar: 4.71% Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5) QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5) Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $8 to $10 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling: Something for Everyone was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

As you expand your tea palate, one of the most useful things you can do is to record your impressions when you taste a tea. For one,

Awhile back I posted some info about a very Asian style of teapot: the Kyusu. I have also written about a distinctive style of clay teapot from the Yixing area of China. But others abound. They speak of hundreds, and possibly thousands, of years of craftsmanship building up and being preserved as an object of delight to tea drinkers today.Read the rest of the article on The English Tea Store Blog.Thai tea set as seen on Facebook© 2013 A.C. Cargill photos and text