kerewin's whine cellar

Baby Duck + Embarrassing Story

Baby Duck

On one of our last days in South Africa we went to the Company's Gardens in Cape Town. (Pretty sure the Company in question was the Dutch East India Trading Company.) We came upon this pond with all these baby ducks swimming around. I was very busy taking pictures when I saw a baby duck try to jump out of the pond. At first it failed. Then the mom came and jumped out, as if to show the little baby.

If I ever figure out how to embed a video, I will add it.

I quickly started filming a video through my digital camera. The whole crowd was watching the duck try to get out of the pond. When he succeeded we all gave a little cheer. I turned off the camera and started talking to my friends. Then I looked up, they were gone and I was commenting to absolute strangers. Oops. I ran off in the direction they were last headed and a couple minutes later caught up. So there were a few minutes in South Africa where I was pretty sure I was going to end up in a police station, crying about being lost.

Embarrassing Story

Back when I was young and I had to go poop, if it was a tough one coming out, I always felt as if it helped to grunt it out. Like the noise was an integral part. So I was in the bathroom at home and really having a tough time of it so I started grunting. It worked, in fact, it felt great.

Then I came out of the bathroom. Standing there were my older sister and a really good friend of hers. The second they saw me they busted up laughing. "What?" I asked.

"Having a good time in there?" asked my sister's friend. Then a lot more laughter. I think they were crying from laughter.

It never crossed my mind that anyone could HEAR me grunting. I was mortified. The worst part? When I was caught out it was the summer before my junior year of high school. In other words, I was SIXTEEN. Sixteen years of grunting in bathroom stalls and in the house. No one ever called me out on it (how is that even possible?). I wanted to die. To this day, I pretty much hate my sister's friend. Not that I have seen her since then.

I remember the next time I really had to go poop. I was afraid it wouldn't work without the noise. Turns out to work just as well. Wish someone (family, I'm looking at YOU) had told me a few years earlier than sixteen.

Slumdog Millionaire

I have been a fan of Danny Boyle for a long time. I loved the movie Shallow Grave and the first date I had with my husband was to see Trainspotting. We've been together ever since. Let's just say that Danny Boyle has told me a lot more about life than anyone I've ever met.

This afternoon we saw Slumdog Millionaire and it was GREAT! Great music, great plot, great ending. GO SEE IT. Seriously, I cried from happiness through the credits. I would tell you more but I am surprisingly distracted by watching The Godfather for the first time.

I will make you an offer you can't refuse.

Pondering

A weird thing happened tonight. A relative told me that she was happy to live in an age where an African-American could be elected president. Much later I found out that she voted the McCain ticket.

Huh?

Gobble, Gobble

I wonder if Sarah Palin has pardoned another turkey today?

My family is downstairs playing pinball and I am enjoying the 10 minute calm before the cooking storm. Turkey is about to come out of the oven. Everything is prepped for mashed potatoes, green beans sauteed in bacon and shallots, and for my dad, Stove Top Stuffing (hilarious).

I am very grateful for a nice calm day that involved getting up with the cats and having the house to myself until 2pm. Bring on the FOOD!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

T Minus One Hour

It is starting to feel like the holidays. Everyone is wishing each other a happy Thanksgiving. Work petered out an hour early. I am starting to feel positive about life again.

Must be time for family visits, stress, and turkey! Since I am cooking this year, we are going simple. I brined a turkey that I am cooking tomorrow afternoon. We will have mashed potatoes and green beans. I just cooked up some homemade cranberry sauce, so, no can marks (which is kinda sad, really). When my mom gets here she will make her "world famous" pumpkin pie. Pretty basic. No yams, definitely no marshmallows, and no stuffing.

House is (mostly) clean, and I can sleep in tomorrow. Sounds like heaven.

Pick Barrel

Back to South Africa. Marc Kent cares so much about his brand that even the bins into which his grapes are picked have his name on the side. Also, the grapes are picked into much smaller bins than usual so the weight of the grapes doesn't crush the fruit underneath, creating a better product.

After I got home at a reasonable hour tonight, had only a reasonably stressful day at work and then spent several hours at a friend's house having dinner, I might be a better product. That might be reaching a bit far for a metaphor but I just feel so much calmer and in place. Thanks to friends.

Lowering the Bar

I've been seeing this nutritionist/naturopathic doctor about my digsestion, which went seriously awry around June. We discovered that wheat wasn't my friend but I was still had problems AND my blood pressure wasn't that spanking. Apparently, if you have food allergies (sensitivities) it can affect your BP. That meant I "got" to do a dairy elimination (no dairy, of any sort for 2 weeks and then 2 good days of dairy binging). Turns out dairy isn't really my friend, either. Thank god butter is still in or I might crack.

So today I had a doctor's appointment to talk about how the dairy thing went. Stomach pain, doubled over, etc etc. Check my BP. REALLY off the chart. So, I did just binge on dairy AND we had a dinner party the night before where much wine was consumed (I didn't share this with the doctor) and before the appointment I only had time for a half cup of coffee, no food. Still, I let her know that the last 3 weeks have been the most stressful, work wise, of my life. She asked me how I relieved the pressure.

Um, drinking excessively and bitching non-stop to my husband?

Oops, that isn't appropriate. She's a Naturopathic doctor so she suggested that I do hourly deep breathing, take these orange blossom essence drops when stressed, and get massages. Or just do something nice for myself.

Well today was right up there in stress toppers. AT&T wireless towers went squirrely and my work computer wouldn't send orders. Which meant I had to drive to the warehouse and connect directly. 30 miles away in rush hour with 20 minutes to go before order cut-off time. Easy Peasy.

By the time I got home I still had to buy cat food, make dinner, and get groceries for Thanksgiving. My parents are coming here, I am cooking and the original plan was to cook a salt-brined chicken. Now some other people might come so one little chicken won't cut it. So, turkey it is. A very small turkey. 8 lbs!

Side note: we didn't get a real vacation this year and my husband has lots of vacation time, he's been grumpy so I told him to take a week off and get away. He left for Portland this morning. I've been dreaming about my three night of sitting around watching whatever television I wanted.

At the grocery store I saw a beautiful bunch of flowers I wanted and thought about my doctor's advice. How about doing something relaxing for myself? So, I decided to buy a nice steak, some flowers, and go home and rest. Oh yes, turkey, too.

Get home, almost make myself a drink and decide I should get this turkey brining, since I was already a couple days late with that idea. Brine calls for bay leaves, we have a bay plant outside so I walk out and shut the door behind me. Click.

Locked out, no keys, no coat, no phone. 7:45pm and husband in Portland. I felt pretty damn brilliant. I walked up to our local coffee shop where they let me borrow the phone to call my husband who called my sister to come get me. Since I don't have a phone I don't get the message that the kids are in bed, neighbor has the flu and she has to wait for her husband to get home to come get me. She finally arrived at just after 9pm. My sister hung out with me while I got my shit together (low blood sugar, stuck outside for an hour tends to make one weepy), brined the g-damn turkey, and made myself dinner.

Dinner was great, the flowers are beautiful. I am emotionally spent. Some stress-free night.

Almost Forgot

We had company tonight for dinner, one I started cooking yesterday. Today when I woke up my concentration was on cooking, cleaning (boy our house needed it) and some small breaks.

Dinner was awesome. Have a great meal coming up in couple weeks with same friends and frankly I could use some help. Anyone with ideas on main course?

Shoulda

So I should have fallen asleep at 9, instead I tossed and turned until 2am. Should have slept waaaaay in but I woke up at 8 and then 10 (shut up, just 8 hours is barely sleeping in). Should have done some work but I started in on a meal for tomorrow instead. Should have posted an entry earlier but here I am.

On our way to a Kathy Griffin's late show at the Paramount Theater. Should be awesome. I hope she talks about Clay Aiken!

Things I Miss About College

1) Reading a book for pleasure in less than 3 days.

2) Long naps on the couch several times a week.

3) Taking luxurious baths all the time in the winter.

Of course, my serious internet addiction is somewhat to blame for my inability to do these things anymore.

Things I Like About Being Thirty-Seven

Going to bed at 9pm on a Friday after a really early, long work day isn't *completely* lame. Although, it is still partially lame.

Oh, A.B.

Really? I mean, the commercial is very "Alton" but Welches effing grape juice? I am torn between my admiration for A.B. and my disgust with this idea.

So, You Wanna Be a Wine Rep

I can hear the thundering rain and I am just about to leave today to make a delivery of cooking wine. Then go to the warehouse, about 25 miles away, and get some more wine to deliver. The warehouse is so far backlogged I will be lucky if I don't have to pick it myself.

Tell me again how glamorous my job is.

South Africa, Day One

When we first got to South Africa (Honestly, I can't even remember how many hours it took to get there.) we were picked up and driven in the dark to our hotel in Paarl. Some food and wine was offered but mostly we all went to bed.

The next day I basically consider our first. We got up, had breakfast at the hotel and jumped in our mini-bus. Mostly sight-seeing on the first day, we headed towards Hout Bay with Sentinal Hill, then down towards the Cape, which was totally socked in.

There were baboons almost everywhere we went. We were told to stay away as they can be fairly violent and are far too placid with humans due to expecting food. Still, baby baboon butt, how can you resist?

After a couple hours on the bus, seeing Sentinal Hill and Houts Bay, then the disappointment of the Cape not being visible, we were hungry.

We had an awesome lunch, lots of seafood and wine. This is the same lunch where we had all the oysters. This dish is called the Neptune Platter. Where is the Trident?

After lunch we headed towards Boulder Beach where the largest colony of Jackass Penguins (very noisy things, they BRAY!) live.

How cute is that? There should be a card with these little guys on it.

Seriously, can't you hear, "Mr DeMille, I'm ready for my closeup."? They were posing!

They were amazing. If penguins didn't crap so much and smell so much, I would be hanging out there, even now.

Boekenhoutskloof

I went to South Africa with a bunch of other salespeople and buyers. We were invited by a supplier because of how much of their wine we sold. This supplier, Vineyard Brands, has many great South African brands. They treated us exceptionally well, picking us up at the airport and taking care of everything along the way.

One evening we got to spend time with Marc Kent, a truly amazing character. His wines at Boekenhoutskloof are without parallel. Everything is of extremely high quality. He is also a bit of a nutter. He completely spoke out of school about other winemakers and his supplier. It was a hysterical evening. Many of us spent the evening with our jaws dropped. I think those wines that evening were my very favorite.

Boekenhoutskloof is located in the Franschhoek area (French quarter) of South Africa, a place known for its outstanding food and wine quality. Marc is part owner of the best (I was told) restaurant in Franschhoek and he had them cater our meal. It was several hours with an outstanding winemaker on an amazing night. We all laughed and cried (with joy) a lot that evening.

It was just turning night when I took the following picture and it is blurry. It is very fitting of Marc, a man who can't keep still or his mouth shut.

That article I linked to from the Wine Spectator is great and my favorite question/answer is:

WS: What’s your favorite food pairing with your Syrah?

MK: I seldom drink my own wine, and food-and-wine pairing is not something I deliberately emphasize. I’d probably enjoy it with an aromatic Asian duck dish. In fairness, I’ll enjoy that with most wines!

I love a winemaker who will admit he drinks other peoples' wines. Here's to Marc Kent, a man bigger than life!

Welcome, Father Norton

Several years ago (three at least, I think) I put my name on this and sent links to my family. Figured it was better than them finding it accidentally. To small surprise, no one ever stuck around. Ha! I can't even write well enough to keep my family interested. Today I found a fun comment from my dad on the last post and also a funny email.

Anyway, welcome Dad. Congratulations on learning how to Google.

For the last year I have been meaning to sort of change things here but I didn't know how. My life is about cooking, selling wine, tasting wine, and traveling with a dash of lazy gardening tossed in. I am also a smartass and a grumpy gus. So, while it doesn't look any different around here (lots of white space) hopefully the content will focus on the things in my life.

I have a ton of pictures from my wine trip to South Africa, last February. I was laid-off from my job the day after I got back and somehow I have this mental block about it. I am still dealing with the anger. Going through those pictures, the place where I was SO happy only to have it turn on a dime, well, it blows. I took pictures in vineyards and collected FUCKING rocks knowing that I would come back and use those to sell wine. I bought presents for all the people I worked with. I dragged cheese home in my bag, for crying out loud.

Well, it is time to focus on my life. To post things here that are about me. Probably, I will post more because of it (I hope). That and I am going to start posting pictures of my trip to South Africa*, there are so many great photos.

One of the great employees from MAN Vintners with some of their perfectly cool marketing materials.

*Some photos already started appearing this month.

Whisky River Take My Mind

Currently we are sitting at Dad Watsons, each with a laptop. Right now, we are that couple. The modern-day equivalent of the married couple, each with their newspapers, not talking.

There is some groovy music playing (first Dylan, now Willie Nelson - both unusual for this place) and we are each involved in our own thing. But it feels somewhat companion-ly. We are doing things together.

I found out a couple months ago that I have a wheat intolerance and it makes dining out a bit of a landmine. Especially considering that all beer has wheat in it of some sort. Having worked in the industry, I try to be easy. Instead of modifying the menu I just try to find one single thing to eat. Salad is a pretty decent standby but gets old, fast.

However, pubs are really hard. Our favorites have great beer, great sandwiches, and pretty crappy wine lists. At Dad Watsons I can either have a salad or a burger, no bun. FYI, burgers without buns are dull. The bread, ketchup, and mustard add a lot. Upside, all the fries I can eat.

Take what you can get, I guess.

Less Like A Date With Couch, More Like Flirtation

So I ended up making a delivery today and then messing around a bit in the house. I blame the USA network for not having a Law & Order: Fill In The Blank marathon today.

So back to that February trip to South Africa. Here is a photo of the end of a barrel at Hamilton Russell winery:

We went to a housewarming party tonight for some friends. Ex-coworkers of AmigaBoy and frankly I have to say, "What the hell is it with the shoes-off party?"

Seattle is cold and rainy. Even if I had a shoes-off policy in my house I would never enforce it during a party. I hate walking around in socks in someone else's house. Weird. The party itself was fun, though.

Just Keep Swimming

Before I did this job I would think anyone who was complaining about 5 hours of learning about wine, 2 hours of drinking champagne, and then watching the new Bond movie for free was an asshole. Of course this is on top of working 44 hours already this week. Can I be done, please?

Tomorrow my couch and I have a date. Maybe there is a crappy, crime-drama marathon on the USA network?

Anthony Hamilton Russell makes the best Chardonnay in South Africa - some sommeliers say the best New World Chardonnay, period. His Pinot Noir is pretty damn skippy, too. This is a picture of his dining room looking out onto the veranda. It is almost summer in South Africa right now...

How I Love Thee

Until about 1999 (so, it took about 27 years) I never ate oysters. Neither raw, nor cooked. I also refused to try any shellfish that wasn't shrimp - I had a lot to learn. Then I worked in a restaurant where they served about 12 or 13 kinds on the half shell. A part of service training required that you spend an half-hour with the oyster expert and then actually try an oyster.

David, resident oyster expert, recommended eschewing cocktail sauce and just using a little bit of mignonette (just dip the cocktail fork into the vinegar sauce and hold it over the oyster letting some drop on) and fresh grated horseradish. He also told us we should chew. Apparently swallowing is low-grade. *Snicker*

I was expecting to throw up but my first oyster was................holy shit, DELICIOUS! At the table I had a couple more and ever since then have been a big fan. I can now explain the flavor profile I like (medium size, slight copper with melon finish) and definitely make sure to get the nectar sitting in the shell. Here are some oysters we had in South Africa:

Don't they look delicious? This is my current wallpaper. Sure makes me want to travel (and eat!).

Cinzano Is Just Like Fernet Branca, Except Delicious

I have a set of friends who really like Fernet Branca, a digestive that tastes a lot like ice-cold mint and old man. In other words, like ass but horrible-er.

The one time I tried it, I had no idea what I was in for. Jason got himself one and decided I needed to try it as well. Came neat, like a shot of black death. Usually, I can man up. I've tasted lots of bitter, stringent drinks before and liked them. So I sipped it. I already described the taste but I forgot to mention how it lingers. Since I had a glass of ice water I fished out some of the ice and put it in. It was just as bad. More ice. God, in fact it was cold and shitty. Even worse. I finally conceded that the drink might not be for me and Jason took my drink and polished it off with his own. I really think it might be worst thing I ever put in tasted.

*Shudder*

The company I work for is bringing on several new suppliers and we had a meeting tonight with one of them. They have Cinzano, an Italian vermouth - supposedly the origin of the Italian toast "Cin Cin" comes from a historic Cinzano ad. The dry version wasn't there but they had a bottle of the sweet Cinzano open. I decided to try it based on the advice of a co-worker. Upon first pour I was leery. Quite dark and the smell was extremely reminiscent of the old-man I smelled in Fernet. Then I sipped it.

It was fantastic. I love it. I even asked to take the open bottle home so I can take it around and show all my accounts. The co-worker who told me to have some also suggests that it is fantastic used for a Manhattan or with some soda water, ice and lemon zest. Just sipping it was fantastic for me.

So you heard it here. Cinzano Sweet Vermouth is a crowd pleaser.

***Strange NaBloPoMo note: On Monday and Tuesday I published posts at 11:something pm and today realized that our server downstairs must not have changed time last week? Or there is a strange ghost reposting me an hour later. Regardless, I fixed the time stamp and really have posted every day so far.***

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

Two days in a row working until 11:30p and no vacation this year because of getting laid off in March and starting new job in April. This makes Karri a dull girl.

Does it make me feel any better that this late night work likely gets me a free case of wine? Ask me on Friday when I find out which wines they are.

Overbooked

I have a lot of things going on work-wise right now and on a daily basis you can find me generally complaining about it. However, when I have some free time I tend to fully book myself socially.

What does this say about me? That while I long for the many hours of just doing nothing, or housework, or yardwork, I still manage to wreck all my couch-sitting time. This week, at night, I find myself on a new wine-supplier website updating myself on all their "learning modules" that have tests afterwards. Do I have to do it? Well, yes and no.

No, if I don't give a crap about my job and only want to sell the wines I already know about. Yes, if I want to win a bunch of wine at the end of the week and also look really good in front of my fellow employees and earn a bunch of brownie points. Which, I do, disgustingly. I also like being the most prepared that I can so there is that.

On the other hand, the couch looked fucking awesomely untouched tonight. God, I miss the couch.

Yes We Can!

As a community organizer in Chicago in the '80s, Obama had been influenced by the teachings of Saul Alinsky, a radical with a realist bent who once wrote, "Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people."

From a very comprehensive look at the long run up to the election by Newsweek. I found the link here and he posts links to the other 6 parts of the story. Very long and interesting, I haven't worked through the whole set, yet.

Ark Time?

We are headed to the Southern Washington shores for a friend's birthday celebration. I just looked up the weather there for the weekend and it doesn't look good.

Thunderstorms and 100% chance of precipitation. Hope they were planning on celebrating inside!

Personal

When we got married 7 years ago we were looking for someone personal to marry us. Although it works for many people we didn't want a close, newer friend to be certified and marry us. We wanted someone from our young life. We wanted to have a wedding that pointed out the value of friends and family and long term commitment.

At first, we hoped for the father of a close friend of mine. He knew us both and was a pastor. Unfortunately, near that time he and his wife moved to Arizona and couldn't come. Then we asked a very close friend of Kevin's family, who was a judge in Oregon. Again, very sad, he wanted to be a part of our wedding but it would have to be in Oregon to be legal. Since we were getting married in Seattle that wouldn't work.

I called my parents and asked about our family friend Keith. Keith, a Presbyterian minister baptized me and my siblings and was an important part of my parents' marriage and subsequent life in the church (and then life out of the church which isn't a long story but belongs somewhere else).

Keith lived in Michigan and was delighted to be a part of our wedding. Since he knew me from birth he added a real personal component to our wedding. He was perfect. We loved it.

After our wedding he and his wife moved to Florida and he got cancer. Somehow my parents lost touch and only recently found out that he died about a month ago. He was a very important person in a lot of my parents' life and then again in my wedding. Honestly, very important.

I am extremely sad to hear that he died and even sadder that we lost touch and I wasn't able to be there for him as he got sick.

Keith, if you are there watching, I hope every joke makes you laugh. I hope you know how much you meant to my life, from the beginning to now. I hope everyone is sparkly where you are.

The New Beginning

I am trying really hard not to be the employee that used to push me to the limit. The person who had been there too long. Everything was wrong or difficult. I used to say (in my head), "If everything is wrong, maybe you're wrong."

As a manager there is nothing worse than dealing with that person who cannot be made happy.

We are acquiring a lot of new brands at work and making sure everything gets in place is a lot of hard work. A lot of man power to get the right things on the truck.

Now, as the non-manager I get tired of hearing, "you have to have patience." Seems like they require patience of all of us and the support staff isn't required to have that. When do we get our goals changed because things don't go out? When do we tell customers that things just have to wait and they have to be patient? We don't. So as the sales staff we are this odd patience stop gap. Patience doesn't seem to go up the channel and we have to be sure to show patience down the channel.

Yet here I am trying not to be the perennial dissatisfied employee. Maybe I should just apply for management?

Ugh

I think I celebrated a bit too much yesterday. Today I felt like drek. Still feel like drek and I had to attend a wine dinner. The food was good, the wine made me a little green.

Blech. I am off to bed.

the First Time in a Long Time

We have elected a president I support. Cue lots of hand clapping.

In the Restaurant

So I sell wine to restaurants and wine shops. Generally, my job is super fun. I like what I do and who I sell to. Yet.....I find myself in this strange situation. Big sales happen during the holiday months; October, November, and December (Otherwise known as OND). This also tends to mean a lot more hours in October and November.

So, is it wrong to complain that I am sick of eating out? I had lunch with my boss today and then at 6 I met a supplier at a wine bar and had drinks and snacks. All I really wanted to do was go home and put on my sweats and veg out. Also, I spent the day with the phone to my ear. God, I hate people who do that.

I understand that many people would kill to have my job. Hell, *I* would kill to have my job but it reaches a limit. About the time that you busted your ass all week, worked through the weekend and then didn't get home on a Monday night until 7:30pm. Fine, I had my meals paid for. What I really would like is a night on the couch.

Cue crying.

Sense of Smell

Often you cook with your eyes and your sense of smell, sometimes with your hearing. Very often overlooked is your nose. So many times you can smell when something is reaching the right flavor or temp just because all of a sudden your whole kitchen smells right. Or it starts to smell a little......crispy.

Learn to listen to your nose and you reach a new plateau in the kitchen.

To Flip or Not to Flip?

I love to cook. I am a pretty good cook. I used to suck at flipping things. I didnt' realize it was a widespread phenomenon until recently. I turned steaks on the grill and they would stick. When I served them, they weren't quote cooked right. I couldn't flip an egg to save my life.

Then I learned that things don't stick when the are cooked. It was pretty easy to see with anything grilled or any kind of meat. Somehow eggs came a lot harder. I used to shy away from fried eggs. To me, poached, scrambled and even "en cocotte" was a lot easier. Until this morning when it dawned on me. Every food will stick until it is properly cooked on the bottom.

That is why my two fried eggs on hashbrowns were so very sweet.