The Tweet Life
I love Twitter. I’ve been on it for about a year now and follow nearly 100 people, mostly in the food and wine world. And @KanyeWest, naturally.
I don’t tweet a lot, mostly new blog postings and the occasional observation about the weather or a particularly good piece of work by someone else.
I’d like to post more, but … I’m afraid the tweet bar has been set a bit high.
For instance, I’ll log in of a morning and see something like this:@WellKnownWineWriter Just checked into (major airport) on way to (hot wine destination) to meet with (legendary winemaker).
I could post: @Me Just dropped child off at (battered public school) on way to (living room) to meet (deadline that I must have been insane to agree to). But … it just doesn’t seem to have the same ring to it.
Lunch time rolls around and I might see, @FamousChef Just popped in to @OtherFamousChef”s (new restaurant). Had the (exotic entree I don’t know how to pronounce). Fantastique!
And once again, my option might be, @Me Just peeked into (fridge from which I have yet to remove stuffing crumbs from Thanksgiving). Sampled the (turkey, even though it’s been a few days and I’m beginning to wonder whether it’s still gastronomically viable). Loves!
Now that’s verging on pathetic.
But things may not be as bleak as they seem.
I just emailed two very soignée friends of mine in the food and wine business, complimenting them on their glam life and recent tweets about being out and about in the culinary stratosphere and got back a gleefully honest response that at the time they got my e-mail one half of the couple was typing away while slathered in a face mask and the other was also hard at work while sporting “two days worth of beard combined with his chic ensemble of a gray T-shirt and khaki shorts, which he keeps wearing despite the fact that his wife tells him the colors clash and, oh by the way, it’s winter.
“I feel a bit better now.
Perhaps it’s time to go sniff the turkey.
Bon appetit and Happy Tweeting!
10 Scary Things about Food/Wine/Travel Writing
3. Start thinking it’s perfectly normal to taste wine at 10 a.m.
7. Discover that getting there is not half the fun.
9. Wake up at 2 a.m. muttering, “Wait, did I say 2 TABLEspoons of baking powder?”
Mood and wine pairings
Sure, you know all about food and wine pairings. Red with beef, white with chicken and fish.
But how about mood and wine pairings? This is something to which I’ve given a great deal of thought, not to mention research hours, resulting in these rules to drink by.
When you’re feeling a little low _ merlot. And I’m not just saying that because I’m a sucker for assonance. Warm, soft, peppery, this is just what you’re looking for when you want to relax with a glass of something comforting. Yes, I realize it’s fallen from favor in recent years and, in fact, there was some overplanting that resulted in mediocre wines. But there’s plenty of good stuff out there; I’ve had some nice bottles from Sonoma County recently.
When you’re feeling effervescent _ bubbly. Napoleon is alleged to have said, “Champagne _ in victory you deserve it; in defeat, you need it.” Maybe so, but my feeling is there’s nothing like a slim flute of something sparkling for when you’re feeling on top of your game.
If you’re feeling the heat _ moscato di Asti. Serve it cold, cold, cold.
Feeling mischievous? Maybe it’s time to get a little zin-ful. I’ve been drinking Rosenblum zinfandel, dirt cheap in Costco, lately. Very tasty. To the point that Mr. Vinecdote finished off my bottle before going back to his beloved Two Buck Chuck.
And should you feel in the spirit for intellectual inquiry, pour a pinot noir. This is an intriguing and complex wine, which like merlot is feeling the perils of popularity. Good or bad, it will give you something to think about.
Cheers.
Crime vs. wine
After I made the switch from covering general news, mostly crime, to covering lifestyles topics, mostly food and wine, I took a lot of ribbing from people who seemed to think I had hitched a ride on the gravy train. All misguided, of course. Reporting’s reporting no matter what the subject. You still have to look stuff up, figure out what’s new and get people’s names right.
And pressure? You ever print a cake recipe with double the amount of baking powder in it? Hell hath no fury greater than that of a person who just wasted 2 hours in the kitchen, friend.
Still, there’s no denying there are a few teensy disparities between my new and old beats.
Herewith are my Top 10 Differences Between Covering Wine and Crime:
10. When people see you driving up, they give you the electronic gate code instead of changing it.
9. People gather at wine events to open bottles, not throw them
8. Winery dogs will greet you, junk yard dogs will eat you
7. When someone tells you to put a cork in it they’re most likely expressing an opinion about wine bottle closures, not your rhetorical skills.
6. In crime, you need evidence of wrongdoing before opening a case.
5. On the wine beat you cover people at bars. On the crime beat you cover people behind them.
4. In the wine world, “fining” easier on your wallet. (Eds note: What?) (Dear Ed: “fining” means filtering, finishing off process for wine. Also don’t make me explain my jokes.)
3. It’s OK for wine judges to drink on the job.
2. “Hang time” refers to grape ripening, not punitive measures.
(drumroll, please)
1. On the wine beat you drink to learn more about your subject. On the crime beat you drink to forget it.