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acryofpain · 5 years ago

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Whump Rewrites: Part 3

Excerpt from chapter 4 of John Dies at the End by David Wong.

•••

I woke up in Hell. Darkness and pain (so much pain), time standing still. No wailing, though. I was sure Hell would have wailing.

The creak of a floorboard, and then a FLUMPH sound, like a lit gas grill.

I blacked out.

I came back. How much time had passed? I smelled smoke, was sure I was in Hell this time. Or was I dreaming?

I forced my eyes open and they were heavy, too heavy. Something was wrong. My nose was filled with an acidic itch and I was disappointed to discover that Hell had a cheap tiled ceiling, partially browned with water damage.

My chest hurt, throat and lungs stinging. I was shocked to find I still had an arm and could move it, albeit barely – it was even heavier than my eyelids were, if that was even possible. I felt a wet patch right in the middle of my shirt that made the fabric stick uncomfortably to my skin, which I noticed whenever I shakily breathed out. It hurt to breathe. I was cold all over and distantly thought that it was possible I was in shock. Or something. I thought of Frank Wambaugh.

A couple years ago, at an ammunition production line he worked at, Frank was manning his station as a third-line inspector, the last step in a meticulous quality control process to prevent possible legal liabilities if a cartridge should explode in a policeman’s face. Nonetheless, there was a bad bullet among the half-million produced that day, thanks to a fly that had crawled inside one of the casings. It was the first one to pass unnoticed by the first two inspections, and when it was Frank’s turn, he was distracted by a man behind him.

Or so he thought. He turned, and saw no one.

The defective round thus passed all three inspections, was packaged, sold, and finally distributed to a Detective Lawrence “Morgan Freeman” Appleton six months later. A year after that he loaded said cartridge into his revolver and fired it into my chest. The projectile had only a fraction of the normal propellant and less than one tenth of its usual impact force. The bullet had promptly bounced off the thick breastbone over my heart.

I opened my eyes, didn’t remember blacking out again. I was so tired, just waiting for the flames to engulf me now. With great effort, I raised my head and saw the couch completely devoured by fire, black smoke roiling up to the ceiling. The panelling bubbled and blackened and the carpet was saturated with high octane. The moment a spark fell it would –

I was moving, just like that, crawling on my hands and knees. It was exhausting and I fought the urge to just lay back down and curl up into a ball. Damn, the smoke was filling in so fast now; it was like breathing wads of hot cigarette butts. Gotta get to the door, gotta get to the door. Can’t see shit. I saw something that looked like a door, reached out, touched smooth metal. Refrigerator.

I had crawled in the exact wrong direction. I turned, clambered on again, hands and knees soaking with gasoline. The carpet was on fire now. Shit, hot as hell in here. I crawled. Crawled and crawled. Ah, here’s the door. Thank God. I reached out a quaking hand.

Refrigerator again.

My skin burned, pulled tight on my skull. The place was an oven, a blast furnace. Is that my hair burning? I squinted around. The living room was an orange blur behind me. Could I even make it through there now?

I felt this weird twitching in my chest and realized I was coughing, unable to hear it over the flames roaring and crackling around me. I lowered my head to the floor, hoping to find a few inches of fresh air down there. So tired. My eyes closed all on their own accord.

Darkness again, the familiar back of my own eyelids. Heat was all around me, so intense I could barely recognize the sensation.

A low sound. Wailing?

It was outside. Getting louder. A car. A dog barking.

Get back. Get back!

Who said that?

There was a thunderous, terrible noise – glass shattering, metal screaming, wood snapping and tearing. The kitchen was exploding around me. I was flung backward and suddenly a blast of fresh air washed over my body.

I was looking at the grille of a car, my car, the Hyundai “H” symbol a foot from my face. It reversed itself and wrenched free of the wreckage that had been the trailer’s west wall. There was now a rupture near the floor, frayed with tufts of pink insulation and shredded aluminum siding. Using whatever remnants of energy I had left, I rolled myself out of the hole and fell hard onto the cool grass outside. I coughed, and coughed.

Coughed some more.

Passed out.

I woke up what felt like hours later. Or maybe it was seconds, because the trailer was still a fireball behind me. I was too wiped to appreciate that I had just avoided death twice within a few minutes, first by a fraction of an inch then by a few smoke-filled breaths. I turned over in a half-attempt to get up but found my eyes fluttering. I wasn’t inside the trailer anymore and was mostly out of range from the flames, so I deemed it safe to have a short nap right there on the lawn.

“Dave? David, you alive?”

What? I glanced up, saw someone jogging towards me from my car, which was sitting about twenty feet away. Was that John?

He reached me and pushed me onto my back, wide, concerned eyes taking in my bloodstained clothes and soot-streaked skin. When I didn’t say anything I saw the muscles in his jaw twitch and he said, “Dude, say something. Are you okay? Did – did you get shot? Shit, that’s a lot of blood. What the hell happened to your face?”

“You –“ I was interrupted by a bout of coughing, but was quick to continue. “You almost ran me over, you asshole.”

John’s shoulders visibly relaxed and he donned a wide grin. “Firefighters and cops’ll be here soon. C’mon, let’s go.”

He helped me sit up and my head spun, which meant he was pulling my arm over his shoulders and hauling me to my feet without any help from my end. I was dead weight for a moment before I willed my leaden legs to move, but with me stumbling along, John still had to half-drag me over to the car. He helped me into the passenger seat and I pushed my head back into the headrest, grimacing, a hand pressed over my chest. I was shaking over so slightly, which I only noticed when I realized that it was not, in fact, my Hyundai, because the vehicle wasn’t even running.

John hopped into the driver’s seat and shot me a worried look before turning the key in the ignition. He didn’t even take the time to buckle up before we were shooting off, and the sudden movement of the car rocked me into unconsciousness.

Soon enough (too soon, if you asked me), I was being shaken awake and it took me a long moment to get my bearings. My heart thumped painfully against my ribs as I thought, for a second, that I was still trapped in the burning trailer and that I’d hallucinated the whole being saved thing. But then I took in the familiar dashboard of my car, and John tugging at me so I would get out of the seat. I blinked hard and did so, my one knee giving out as soon as my singed shoes hit pavement, but thankfully John was prepared to keep me upright.

“Where’re we?” I croaked, unable to focus long enough to take in my surroundings so I could figure it out myself.

John looked at me curiously, his eyebrows pinched together. “Munch’s. You should know that. Aren’t you on the sauce?”

Actually, yeah, I had known that. As soon as I’d stepped out of the car I knew we were at Munch’s. I shook my head in an attempt to clear it but all that managed to do was make it feel like the ground was pitching out from beneath me for a split second.

“I’m tired,” I mumbled, not even having the energy to add “as fuck” on the end.

“Yeah, yeah. Munch will know how to patch you up and he probably won’t care if you get blood and soot and the smell of gasoline all over his couch so that’s also a plus. Then you can sleep. But after that we have to book it to Vegas, ‘kay?”

I just grunted. We climbed the steps of the apartment building and then made a beeline for the elevator, which thankfully wasn’t out of order for once. John let go of me and pressed the button for the third floor, and when the elevator jerked into motion, I had to press myself into a corner in order to keep myself upright. The movement really wasn’t helping with my vertigo at the moment and I felt my stomach lurch, but I swallowed against the bile rising in my throat.

Then we were out and I was being led down the corridor at a pace that was almost too fast for me to manage without tripping over myself, and the knock that John delivered to Munch’s door reverberated around my skull, making me scrunch up my nose. At first, there weren’t any noises coming from inside, and I dryly said, “Watch him not be home.”

“Dave, if he’s not home I will break down this door myself and call him from his own landline.”

He was serious.

We both released a sigh of relief when the door’s lock clicked and it swung open, revealing Munch, who was wearing pyjamas, his hair an absolute mess. His eyes landed on me and he stared in shock, not inviting us in or anything. John exclaimed a “hey, man” as he pushed his way in, dragging me after him and across the room so he could put me on the couch. I sat down heavily and I decided right then that this was the most comfy couch I was ever going to encounter in my entire life.

Munch closed the door and slowly walked over, looking like he was at a loss. John crossed his arms and quirked an eyebrow expectantly.

“Well? Fix him.”

“Uh... right. Okay, yeah, um, I’ll go grab the first aid kit.”

Munch scurried into another room and was back in seconds, already unzipping a red kit. He told me to take off my shirt and normally I would’ve been pissy and snapped at him to take off his shirt but I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible so I could just sleep. I pulled my charred shirt over my head with a wince, littering flecks of ash over the couch and the floor, and discarded it at my feet. Munch gaped at the hole in my chest before looking helplessly at John.

“He was shot? This is a bullet wound? I can’t – I can’t do anything about –“

“Defective bullet,” I offered. “Kind of just... bounced off. It’s shallow. Hurts like hell though.”

Munch had paled, but he nodded and kneeled down, pulling out rubbing alcohol and a small cloth. He doused it with the alcohol and started to dab at my chest and I threw my head back, clenching my teeth to stop myself from screaming at him, fingers digging into the cushions beneath me. Once he finished cleaning the wound I was lightheaded and had to blink several times to chase away the white spots in my vision. Munch carefully bandaged that, then moved up to the hole in my cheek and wrinkled his nose in disgust. Pausing – as if he was steeling himself or something – he got out a needle and thread. I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut in preparation, and when the needle first went in, I nearly passed out from the white-hot pain that engulfed my entire face. The sensitive nerves all around the gaping wound were just on fire, and I felt John’s hands holding my head in place. It took much, much too long and after that was also bandaged up I hung my head, cradling it in my hands, breathing heavily.

“Dave? You good?”

I gave a shaky thumbs up. Munch apologetically said, “I don’t have anything for burns, I’d have to go to the store. You could run a cold bath or something for now, though? ... Dave?”

I shook my head loosely. “I’m gonna have a fuck’n nap. A long one.”

With that, I swung around and plopped down on my back, wincing as the scratchy fabric irritated my skin. I’d deal with that later.

I fell asleep to the sound of someone trying to ask me if I wanted a blanket.

#whump #whump prompt #whumpee #fire #smoke inhalation #burns #shot #gun wound #bullet wound #unconcious #jdate #john dies at the end #tbifos #this book is full of spiders #writing #drabble #rewrite

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k1reynolds · 6 years ago

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Nestled on the southwestern slopes of the Haleakala volcano, just past a stretch of white-knuckle switchbacks, near the community of Ulupalakua, lies an oasis. A wine oasis. Yes, a wine oasis in Paradise!

We had been planning a trip to Hawaii, to include a few days on Oahu, then a week on Maui. Knowing that there are now wineries in all 50 states, we turned to Google to find out where might be the Hawaiian wineries. As luck would have it, right there on Maui, there is MauiWine. We contacted them in advance to arrange a tour and tasting, and General Manager Joe Hegele graciously offered to be our personal tour guide.

MauiWine’s story is rich in history and culture. The winery lies on a property formerly owned by Captain Makee, a whaling captain in the mid-1800’s. The story goes that Captain Makee spotted the land while passing by the south side of Maui on the way to Oahu. He committed to himself that one day he would live there.

Prior to Captain Makee owning the land, however, King Kamehameha III leased it to a rancher, L.L. Torbet, who established a plantation and ranch. Torbet raised potatoes, and during the California Gold Rush, bought a boat to carry his crop to hungry gold miners on the mainland. Unfortunately, his boat sank, and he lost everything.

Meanwhile, Captain Makee was having his own challenges. A crewman aboard ship, upset at being denied leave, snuck into Captain Makee’s cabin at night, and attacked him with a hatchet. The attack failed, the crewman escaped, and Captain Makee decided it was time to retire. After settling in Honolulu, he eventually followed through on his commitment to settle on the land he had seen on Maui. In January 1856, he purchased the Torbetsville plantation, establishing a home and cattle ranch.

Having survived the attempt on his life, Captain Makee came to understand that life is a gift, and devoted his days to celebrating life. He loved the local roses, Lokelani, and dubbed the property Rose Ranch. He soon became known for his hospitality and day’s long parties. Dignitaries, including Hawaiian King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani would visit for hula dancing, poker games, and relaxation.

Even today, the property is considered sacred ground. As you enter, in front of the King’s Cottage, you pass a hula circle, carved from cypress trees planted in the 1870’s for King Kalakaua, known as “the Merrie Monarch”, who would sit and watch hula dancers on that spot. The cypress trees stood for nearly 150 years, until a storm in 2012 brought two of them down. Local artist Tim Garcia, was brought in to carve the remaining trunks into representations of King Kalakaua, hula dancers, and vessels. Joe said that even to this day, ōlapa (hula dancers) from around the world will visit the MauiWine Hula Circle to perform their dances.

Joe has a long-standing connection to Rose Ranch. He was raised here from the age of five. Though he did head to the mainland to attend college and gain some work experience, he returned to Rose Ranch five years ago to manage winery operations.

Once known only for their pineapple wines, under Joe’s direction, MauiWine has undergone renaming, rebranding, and the expansion of their grape wine program. Though they do source juice from the mainland, their 16 acre vineyard is planted to several varieties, including Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, and Chenin Blanc.

Unlike most vineyards, where sun exposure is paramount to encourage ripening, the MauiWine vineyards biggest threat is fruit rot. With the humid climate in Hawaii, the vines and grape clusters here are pruned to encourage air flow. This includes a canopy management program focused on leafing, rather than shade, and fruit drop to open up the clusters. From flower to fruit set, they have about a 40% conversion rate. They have also been experimenting with grape shattering, which further reduces rot risk. All of the vineyards are harvested, then field sorted to ensure only the best fruit comes in. No sorting tables are used in the winery.

At about 2,000 feet elevation, and relatively short sun exposure; just 11 to 12 hours per day, despite to the tropical location, MauiWine is considered a cool climate vineyard, with average temperatures in the mid-70’s. The grape growing season on Maui runs from about January through August. The early season helps to avoid hurricanes, which could – and have – damaged crops.

On August 8, 2014, Hurricane Iselle made landfall on Maui. Harvest had begun, but the entire 6 acre Syrah crop remained in the vine. Winds from the hurricane blew the vines over and there was fear the crop would be lost. However, MauiWine put out a call on Social Media, and volunteers arrived to help. The harvest came in, and production went on as normal. It turned out the the vines were not severely damaged, and they continue to produce today.

When most people think of wine from Hawaii, they think of pineapple wine. And they’re not necessarily wrong. Pineapple is a year-round crop, which enables MauiWIne to run it’s production year-round as well. More than 84,000 pounds of Maui Gold pineapple is processed at MauiWine each month, and turned into three different styles of wine.

This may come as a surprise, MauiWine pineapple wine is NOT the syrupy sweet wine you may be expecting!We had the opportunity to sample all three pineapple wines offerings:

Hula o Maui – Pineapple Sparkling Wine

A brut sparkling wine made entirely of Maui Gold pineapple. Pale straw color, with vigorous streams of bubbles. Dry and fruity, and quite tasty. Produced in the traditional champagne method, this is a serious bottle of bubbles, that also doubles as a playful mixer for mimosas!

Maui Blanc – Off-dry Still Wine

Here’s a wine sure to please the Mosacto lovers in your party. Semi-dry but with plenty of character and depth. Also produced from 100% Maui Gold pineapple, this wine would pair nicely with spicy foods. This was the first wine produced by MauiWine, back in 1977, while waiting for their grape vineyards to mature. Don’t miss this one of a kind wine!

Maui Splash – Pineapple Wine infused with Passion Fruit

The sweetest of the trio, and perhaps the most popular. It retains the pineapple character, but adds a splash of tropical sweetness on the palate and finish. It’s like a day at the beach, in a glass. Great on it’s own, or add a splash of soda for a refreshing spritzer. In production since 1992.

As good, and intriguing, as the pineapple wines were, the real treat of our visit was the personal tasting of the Rose Ranch Wine and Estate Wine lines. MauiWine is proud of their pineapple wine, and as we learned, there is good reason for that. Still, the vineyard is the passion project, and the one that intrigued us most. Joe hosted us in The Old Jail; an historic building on the property that was once, well, the local jail. MauiWine has updated the space nicely – no dank cells and bread & water here – this is as upscale a tasting venue as we’ve ever visited. While most guests enjoy tastings in the King’s Cottage tasting rooms, club members and others looking for a deeper experience may reserve personalized tastings in the Old Jail. Here, Joe poured us samples of the best that MauiWine has to offer.

No. 001 – Traditional Method Sparkling Wine

From the Estate Collection. A crisp, delicious wine, made from 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. The juice is sourced from California, from a well known Napa producer (but who cannot be named for proprietary reasons.) Vigorous streams of fine bubbles rise in the glass. Flavors of almond, yeast, and fresh-baked bread, with apple and pear, and a nutty finish. If I didn’t know this was a MauiWIne, I’d swear it was from Champagne!

LoKelani – Sparkling Rosé

A Rose Ranch Wine Collection wine. A brut sparkling wine made from Syrah and Pinot Noir. Very pale pink. Honestly, neither of us would have known it was a Rosé if Joe hadn’t said so before pouring. Flavors of strawberry, cranberry, and some citrus notes. Quite a delight!

2017 Ulupalakua Vineyards Viognier

Another from the Estate Wines collection. We are big fans of well-made Viognier. And we’re now big fans of the Ulupalakua Vineyards Viognier! Dry, with floral aromas and flavors of apricot, citrus, and mineral notes, with a spicy finish.

2017 Ulupalakua Vineyards Rosé

Estate Collection. A blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Grenache, and an interesting blend it is. The Syrah from Block 2 is farmed specifically to be vinified into Rosé, in the maceration method; harvested early to preserve acidity, and left on the skins after harvest for a very short time, just to add some color. Meanwhile, the Grenache portion is made in the Saignée method, in which the grapes are pressed for red wine production, and a small portion is bled off (saignée in French) to intensify the color of the red wine. The bled off portion is then made into a Rosé wine, and in this case, added to the Syrah Rosé. The result is a delightful, dry, crisp Rosé wine with flavors of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, and tropical fruit.

2017 Ulupalakua Vineyards Grenache

Estate Collection. You might think of Grenache as a full-throttle, big red. In this case, you couldn’t be more wrong. This Grenache is as elegant and restrained as we have ever had. Pale ruby color; crystal clear (look at that color in the photo!) But don’t let the pale color fool you. This beauty is bursting with flavors of black cherry, plum, licorice, and earthy notes. It is bone dry, with zippy acidity and a spicy finish. Joe recommends serving slightly chilled, and since that is how he served it to us, we absolutely agree!

2016 Ulupalakua Vineyards Syrah

Estate Collection. This is the big, bold, meaty red you’ve been looking for! Inky purple color. Big flavors of crushed blackberry, chocolate-covered cherry, licorice, and earth. Big, chewy tannins balanced with medium acidity, On the finish there is kirsch and mineral. A stunning wine, indeed!

After we wrapped up our Old Jail tasting, Joe escorted us on a walking tour of the winery production area. MauiWine is a study in contrast; the vintage, plantation-style buildings housing the facility and cellar are juxtaposed with state-of-the-art winemaking equipment. Joe pointed out their new bottling line; a shiny stainless steel workhorse that has the capability to seal bottles with all four major wine closures: traditional cork, screwcap, crown caps (part of the sparkling wine production, for secondary fermentation), and the familiar sparkling wine cork, secured with a wire cage. The facility, view, and surroundings are all very impressive, and well worth a visit! Tours are complimentary, so come on up!

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Before delivering us into the capable hands of the tasting room staff, Joe had one more surprise for us. We followed him a couple of miles back up the road to the vineyards. Joe mentioned to us that the vineyard is greatly protected and generally reserved for staff and family. The views here are spectacular, and the photos we took simply cannot do them justice! On the slope of Haleakala, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Kaho’olawe island, and the U-shaped volcanic crater that is Molokini, the views literally took our breath away. Rather than try to describe it, just enjoy the photos.

With Hurricane Lane approaching, we asked Joe if any special precautions were necessary. Not very many vineyards or wineries have to contend with hurricanes! Joe said that all of this years’ harvest is in, so there is no worry about the fruit. The only concern is loss of power from winds and falling trees.

After we returned to the King’s Cottage tasting room, Joe introduced us to Denae and Tamara, two of the friendly and knowledgeable staff members. There, we sampled Pineapple Wines (described above), the rest of the Rose Ranch Collection, and a taste of the 2012 Syrah – the hurricane wine!

Kula – White Blend

Photo Credit: MauiWine.com (not sure what happened to our photo!)

An enticing and delicious blend of 44% Sauvignon Blanc, 44% Viognier, and 12% Muscat. Lots of citrus and tropical fruit flavors. Dry, yet fruity with zesty acidity.

Mele – Red Blend

Racy and delicious, this is a blend of 40% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 10% Sangiovese. Medium body with smooth tannins, flavors of blackberry, raspberry, and cherry, with hints of green bell pepper and black pepper spice.

Sway & Stride Blend

An Aussie style blend with 80% Syrah (or Shiraz, if you prefer!) and 20% Viognier. Nicely balanced and delicious, with blackberry, cherry, and spice.

Cool embossed label!

Ulupalakua Vineyards GSMV

Photo Credit: MauiWine.com (another one we were so into we forgot to take a picture.)

Not your typical GSM! Grenache, Syrah, Malbec, and Viognier. Big and bold, yet elegant, with violet, blackberry, cranberry, and tobacco notes.

2014 Ulupalakua Vineyards Syrah

The hurricane wine! Very few bottles remain, and are available only in the tasting room. This is an amazing wine of deep character and flavor. RIpe blackberry and plum, earth and tobacco. Big, bold tannins, with a long, satisfying finish.

We were honored that Joe hosted us as guests of MauiWine. Relatively small in production, with about 30,000 total cases annually, and their estate wine releases range from about 100 to 400 cases each, they are mighty and impressive. Although available for purchase online, they are well worth a visit if you happen to be in Hawaii.

In conclusion, Robyn would like to share her personal impressions:

As we planned for our trip to Maui and our visit to MauiWine, I envisioned that it would be beautiful and unlike any winery I had experienced thus far. I had no idea how understated my vision was. I may be back on the mainland, but I can assure you that my experience has left a lasting impression. The rich legacy of culture, the majestic grounds, the sense of value for close relationships with staff and customers, and the passion behind how MauiWine came to be, is a hidden treasure. When Joe explained how the climate is unlike any other traditional grape growing region and that even all the “experts” truly can’t predict the outcome of a crop, I said, “it’s like a big experiment every year?” To which he replied, “exactly”, with a smile on his face! Like a biography, Joe described the triumph, heartbreak, and thrill, that is MauiWine. The common thread connecting all of them is passion!

Mahalo, MauiWine!

By Kent Reynolds and Robyn Raphael

Photo Credits, unless otherwise noted: Kent Reynolds and Robyn Raphael

Wine Tasting in Paradise at MauiWine Nestled on the southwestern slopes of the Haleakala volcano, just past a stretch of white-knuckle switchbacks, near the community of Ulupalakua, lies an oasis.

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wineanddinosaur · 5 years ago

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We Asked 15 Brewers: What’s the Most Comforting Beer You’ve Had in Quarantine?

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, and bars and brewery taprooms remain closed for on-site consumption as part of concerted efforts to suppress the infection’s spread, you’re likely drinking more than usual at home.

A few weeks ago, we looked at the growing trend of beer enthusiasts digging into their cherished collections and opening special bottles during quarantine. But in these uncertain times, it turns out that many of us — including brewers — are reaching for what’s easy, as well as what comforts us in these uncertain times.

While social distancing, we spoke to 15 brewers about what they’ve been drinking while sheltering in place. It turns out, they’re reaching for everything from bourbon-barrel-aged barleywines to triple-hopped lagers — and yes, hazy IPAs.

“It’s a simple answer: Sante Adarius’ Amongst Friends, a barrel-aged, mixed-fermentation beer with cherries. Featuring soft, subtle acidity, which is rare amongst cherry mixed-ferm beers, this wasn’t bracing in any way. And it was gone from my glass too soon, just like times spent with close friends, cooking up tacos or pizza when general revelry was involved. A beer I wish I had been able to share amongst more friends, but look forward to in the future.” — Zac Ross, Owner and Brewer, Marlowe Artisanal Ales, New Haven, Conn.

“The most comforting beer I’ve had during quarantine is easily the All Together IPA, a worldwide collaboration spearheaded by Other Half that’s supporting hospitality professionals. Since I’ve been self-isolating down in Miami the past month, I picked up the version brewed by Tripping Animals, and wow, did this beer have me missing Brooklyn more than ever. It immediately reminded me of riding the G train all the way to the Smith & 9th Streets stop, and taking a routine photo of the Manhattan skyline before taking the short walk over to Other Half. I’m looking forward to the day that I can get back to the city, but until then I‘ll bide my time in Florida and watch people make bread.” — Kyle Gonzales, NYC Field Marketing, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn

“I’m drinking some funk right now, because that’s what we like and focus on. We had a couple of collaborations that we had to shelve the first week of shutdown in Minnesota. One of those collaborations was with Branch & Bone Artisan Ales. A few weeks prior, their team sent us their house yeast culture along with a few of their bottles. One was Silence Mill, a gin-barrel-aged, mixed-fermentation saison with local honey. I had this beer in Chicago at FOBAB, where it medaled, and then had one last night after a long day of delivering beer, doing what we can to keep the doors open. The beer reminded me of simpler and less chaotic times.” — Jason Sandquist, Co-founder, Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis

“I’ve had a love affair with Oxbow’s Italian-style pilsner Luppolo since my first sip, and it’s everything I want in a beer: crisp, citrusy, floral, malty, and dry AF. The head’s incredibly pillowy and fluffy, which always makes me smile. With a lot more free time on my hands, Luppolo is perfect at 5 percent ABV because I need to treat each day like a marathon, not a sprint. It’s my safety beer even when the world isn’t turned upside down.” — Jen Wyllie, Director of Marketing and Events, Austin Street Brewery, Portland, Me.

“Jarl by Scotland’s Fyne Ales is a session blonde ale hopped with Citra that you can drink throughout the afternoon and well into the evening. However, don’t be fooled by it’s low 3.8 percent ABV; Jarl is packed full of citrus flavors and a really clean, refreshing finish. And what has elevated it into my top lockdown tipple is its availability in 5-liter mini-casks, meaning you can pour yourself a full pint (remember them?) within the comfort of your own home! Which, if you’re like me and you’re missing pubs and well-kept cask beer, this really will provide you with some comfort.” — Harriet Edgar, Brand Development, 71 Brewing, Dundee, Scotland

“You would think that drinking during quarantine would mean a beer you can crush throughout the day, but I’m a hophead at heart. My usual go-to is a clean, crisp, refreshing West Coast IPA. Yet during this lockdown, my faith in hazy IPAs has been restored with Equilibrium’s scientific approach to the fundamental process of brewing. Its dHop series, for example, is a perfect display of how hops can change a beer, and I feel it keeps redefining the New England style with each release. Right now, I’m drinking a collaboration with Arkane Aleworks: For Every Action Is A Reaction. This triple IPA is bursting with tropical mango, papaya, and guava hop flavors, complemented by a creamy, pillowy, soft mouthfeel that keeps me coming back for more.” — Kyle MacDonald, Head Brewer, Inu Island Ales, Kaneohe, Hawaii

“Sierra Nevada and Bitburger’s collaboration, Triple Hop’d Lager. It’s perfectly balanced and endlessly drinkable with an incredible hop profile that lets you know you’re drinking a German beer. But it still flashes with a lot of Sierra Nevada character. Pilsner or hoppy lager has been a mainstay for me lately, and I think that’s just reflective of my current state of mind: trying to stay simple and balanced, but kinda freaking out too!” — Brett Smith, Founder and Head Brewer, Branch & Bone Artisan Ales, Dayton, Ohio

“That’s a super-easy one for me to answer: NYS Pils from Big aLICe in Queens [New York]. It’s super crisp and clean, soft and delicate; everything you would want from a pilsner. It’s a beer we love to drink and share with friends around a fire, which I am so looking forward to doing again!” — Liz DeSousa, Co-owner, Kismet Brewing Company, Westfield, Mass.

“Things are getting kind of crazy out there, and drinking Temporal Artisan Ales’ Ruby Continuum is a great distraction from the stress and pressures of our current environment. Ruby is a heavily fruited, oak-aged wild ale with raspberries and tayberries. The beer is a blend from wine and port barrels, giving it a layered complexity that takes my mind away from the here and now. It’s jammy. It’s bright. It’s tart. It’s what I want to drink right now.” — Kent Courtice, Founder and Brewer, Boombox Brewing Company, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

“Hitchhiker’s Bane of Existence hazy IPA has been my go-to comfort beer during this quarantine, which, as an extrovert, has been the bane of my existence, though I know it is 100 percent necessary. Brewed with flaked wheat and oats, and liberally hopped with Simcoe and Citra, Bane has an approachable hop bitterness and medium-full mouthfeel. Top notes of candied tangerine, mango, and passion fruit are supported by a resinous fresh-pine undertone, with citrus pith carrying through the finish. At 6.6 percent ABV, it’s quaffable and explains why I just finished the last of my stash. Hitchhiker was the last brewery I visited before the world shutdown, so I’m holding on tightly to those memories of sitting in its Sharpsburg taproom with some of my dearest friends, laughing, and being able to actually clink glasses in person instead of over Zoom.” — Hannah Gohde, Brewer, Free Will Brewing Company, Perkasie, Penn.

“The Lost Abbey’s Angel Share that I drank out of my cellar. The bourbon-barrel-aged version. I believe a 2009, when it was still in the 750-milliliter bottle. One of my favorite barleywines of all time. The dark fruit and bourbon characteristics that come across are amazing. Lost Abbey nailed that beer, in my opinion.” — Johnathan Wakefield, Owner and Head Brewer, J. Wakefield Brewing, Miami

“I’ve been drinking a ton of Silver City’s Ride the Spiral. I love Silver City for a ton of reasons, but it’s really heartwarming because my husband and I sat at their bar while we decided to buy our house in Bremerton, Wash., where we’re currently quarantined at. The beer is strong, sweet, and pretty tropical so it makes going on hikes in the woods behind my house a joy and is usually the only thing that gets me back!” — Sarah Flora, Owner, Flora Brewing, Los Angeles

“I’ve been trying to keep the drinking light during these times, so I‘ve been leaning toward lagers. Indoctrination is a great collaboration from Threes [Brewing of Brooklyn] and Hudson Valley [Brewery in Beacon, N.Y.]. This hopped-up pilsner is crispy AF and has a great body, created by aging in foudres. Also, it uses the super-fun Zuper Saazer hop. I’ve been drinking this one on my stoop daily. Cheers to everyone, stay home and stay safe.” — Geriz Rameriz, General Manager, Other Half Brewing, Brooklyn

“It’s hard not to go drink Triple Hop’d Lager with friends because it seems that’s what it’s made for. Consistency and creativity from two amazing breweries such as Sierra Nevada and Bitburger is what makes this a comforting beer to me during this dreary time. It’s crisp, clean, and perfect for porch sittin’.” — Matt Denham, Head of Brewing Operations, American Solera, Tulsa, Okla.

“Honestly, I wasn’t very excited to celebrate my 30th birthday in the thick of a pandemic, but I was able to hang with some of my best friends, one of whom was gracious enough to open a bottle of Side Project’s coveted stout, Beer: Barrel: Time. To describe it, think bourbon dark chocolate cake batter; silky and full of caramel, while having a touch of roasty bitterness, reminiscent of coffee. It was just a small gathering outside on a patio, but it was relieving to drink beer with a few of my closest friends during these strange times.” — Cameron Owen, Brewer, The Eighth State Brewing Company, Greenville, S.C.

The article We Asked 15 Brewers: What’s the Most Comforting Beer You’ve Had in Quarantine? appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/15-comforting-beers-quarantine/

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johnboothus · 5 years ago

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We Asked 15 Brewers: Whats the Most Comforting Beer Youve Had in Quarantine?

The article We Asked 15 Brewers: What’s the Most Comforting Beer You’ve Had in Quarantine? appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/15-comforting-beers-quarantine/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/we-asked-15-brewers-whats-the-most-comforting-beer-youve-had-in-quarantine

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dinosaurdiscs · 7 years ago

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“Poetic frenzies and other unprofitable conditions of mind”

This is a clipping from the Detroit Free Press from June 1st 1890. The illustration above isn’t part of the article, but that’s the Opera house where the company was stationed and this article takes place. Three records by Schremser’s Fourth Regiment Band were included in my recent release of brown wax cylinders from the Library of Congress.

Making Records: Not political, philanthropic, athletic, military or financial, but musical. The Michigan Phonograph Company, aided by Schremser’s Band, the perpetrators.

The top floor front of the Detroit Op’ra House, but a few feet below the level of the City Hall tower, and away from the noise and dust of the great Campus below, is just the place to meet the needs and fancy of some dreamer who, loving quiet and pure air, might go there to indulge in poetic frenzies and other unprofitable conditions of mind. The aforesaid top floor is one large room with oblique high bits of ceiling and dormer windows set here and there, well lighted and in hot weather a very acceptable substitute for the typical refrigerator. If one is an athlete, the apartment may be reached by climbing 125 or more steps, but it is fully as agreeable, whether one is athletic or otherwise, to utilize the quick acting elevator that is provided.

A light tap on the only door to be seen on the upper landing will bring a response either in the words “come in,” or by the courteous presence of a genteel, peaceable-looking young man.

Entering the apartment one is apt to be greeted by a scene which will cause him to pause and wonder whether he had come upon one of the chambers in Zamiel’s stronghold. Great demijohns, glass jars and earthen jugs stand about on the floor, innumerable small-sized and peculiar-looking boxes embellished with tiny wheels, shafts and governor balls – easy to imagine as infernal machines – are seen, a strong odor of acids prevails, while at the far end of the room are seen two young men who, kneeling on the floor with jars in front of them, seem to be amusing themselves producing bright flashes of green and white (alternately) light. In the center of the room stands a wooden frame, a sort of clothes-horse device, depending from which are five huge funnel-shaped arrangements.

The spacious bells of these funnels point directly toward the door, as though ready to discharge a volley at any intruder, and behind them, where the small ends of all the funnels concentrate at a single point, are four or five of the small mechanical infernal appliances, seemingly prepared to do the deadly work of a new fangled battery of artillery. Just in front of these funnels, and seated as closely together as possible, with their several brass and reed instruments at their respective lips, and with those instruments aimed as near as may be at the funnels, are members of Schremser’s Fourth Regiment Band.

At a given signal from the natty young conductor the band begins to play, and at the other end of the room, giving emphasis to the measure of the selection that is being performed, those two young demons on the floor are flashing their green and white illuminations. The band plays a selection from ‘Somnambula” and at the end of the number the young man who ushered in the writer briefly manipulates the little machines at the small ends of the funnels and then the band plays again. This time it is an alchemistic selection from “Faust” and in perfect keeping with the aciduous and sulphuric fumes which come from the flash light pranks of the diabolic duet at the farther end of the room.

It seems strange that so striking a musical incantation should be going on in the very heart of a great city and within a stone’s throw of the high school and the public library building, but just then the band gives a medley from “Erminie” and the possibility of seeing a flock of gnomes come flying through the open window is driven away by the enlivening and very human strains of the music. The selection is ended, the musicians pack away their instruments and light their pipes and the manipulator of the little machines (a blonde young man with a picturesque head and whose name is George Greim), announces that the “record rehearsal” is at an end.

“What is a record rehearsal?”

“In this particular instance,” he answers, “it is a musical record rehearsal for the Michigan Phonograph Company. You see our company has had exceptionally good success in getting musical ‘records.’”

“What is a ‘record’?”

“In the language of technical phonography it is the cylinder used upon the phonograph after it has received the almost imperceptible undulations of the recording needle as it receives and transfers the sounds spoken into the phonograph. Those sounds may be as varies as are the sounds of nature. In a general way the theory of the phonograph is quite well known to the people at large, so I will simply say that any cylinder upon which a succession of sounds has its intaglio representation is a ‘record.’”

“Is the demand for musical records very considerable?”

“Quite so and increasing regularly. As I have said, there has been much difficulty in getting good records of band music, and our good fortune in that direction has added considerably to our business. Besides that we have introduced the Gilliland nickel-in-the-slot attachment (made at Adrian), so that in that way our business is improved.”

By invitation of Mr. Greim the representative of The Free Press indulged in an experience with the automatic phonograph, automatic in its work because it is operated by dropping a nickel in the slot – Mr. Greim providing the nickels.

“Merry melody fills the ‘phone. Full of harmony, rich in tone, ‘till you wonder how it’s got, and then you tumble to the slot.”

It is difficult to explain the operation of the automatic arrangement, beyond saying that the ‘phone cannot be made to give its concert until the nickel goes into the slot. After the nickel is dropped in it remains in sight until the end of the concert, so that the use of leaden or other valueless imitations may be detected before the perpetrator of the cheat has time to escape. Another ingenious arrangement dups upon the floor outside the machine any coin or other article that is smaller than a five cent nickel piece. In this way the use of pennies, buttons and silver three cent pieces is not available. Once a genuine nickel is in the slot, all a person needs to do is to push upon a small but stout piston at the right end of the ‘phone’s case, the electrical circuit is thus completed, the record cylinder operates and with an ear ‘phone in either ear the patron hears whatever musical program is on the “record.” As yet but one of these automatic phonographs has been made, and that is now in this city.

“If this is the only automatic machine” asked the reporter “where do you get your demand for music ‘records’?”

“From all over the country. Of course, as far as phonographs are concerned, our company only controls instruments used in Michigan – we have about 160 of them in use in the state at present – but we are authorized to dispose of ‘records’ wherever we may. So you see the demand for ‘records’ depends, undoubtedly, upon their excellence. That we have all we can do to keep up with our orders is the best evidence that we – our company and Schremser’s band – produce goods.”

“How are the ‘records’ duplicated?”

“You’ll have to ask Mr. Edison, and I doubt very much, even then, if he would tell you.”

“He’s the greatest man the century has produced” ventured the reporter in a plac[id?*] sort of way.

“And yet he, himself, says he has not accomplished anything.” said Mr. Greim. “He thinks that the people of this company ought to be ashamed of themselves, that we have not accomplished more. That’s why he studies so continuously and works so [hard?*]. He says he wants to do something great before he dies.”

*I transcribed this from a photo I took on a research trip and didn’t notice that the last bit of newspaper had folded in on itself a bit. I think these are right.

#Michigan #Michigan history #Recording history #Michigan Phonograph Company #North American Phonograph Company

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myintrodivazmedia · 5 years ago

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How to Prepare for a Vocal Audition

Audition preparation is a tricky thing. It seems like all the preparation should take place in the few weeks leading up to the audition, right? Let’s check to How to Prepare for a Vocal Audition.

That isn’t always the case, and if you are intending to make performing a big part of your life, preparing for auditions is also going to be a big part of that.

When your voice isn’t cooperating, nothing else matters!

Professional voice over artists know that there are certain things they need to do in advance of a performance. Not only are these tips essential for performing but they are also great to ensure you’re delivering your best audition possible.

Here are 6 ways you can prepare for a great vocal performance:

Have a Good Night’s Sleep:

Make sure that you get a solid, undisturbed night’s sleep before you have a recording session or performance. Your body needs time to recharge. While you might think sleep is overrated, think again.

According to science (and experience), the hours slept before midnight add extra oomph to the quality of your sleep.

Even celebrities know you’re only at your best when you’ve invested time and energy into strategic slumber. It is recommended that you remove obstacles to sleep like screens and cellular phones from your bedroom.

If you rely on your mobile device to wake you up in the morning,replace it with a battery-powered alarm clock. Make sure your bedroom is also dark enough – it’s never a bad idea to invest in blackout curtains.

Get Hydrated and Stay Hydrated:

You’ve probably heard that singers, actors and public speakers need to keep their voice hydrated, but what does that actually mean?Just bringing a bottle of water on set or to a session is not going to cut it.

For your vocal folds (also called vocal cords) to be performance-ready, you need to have been drinking a decent amount of water at least one hour in advance of using your voice.

To understand why this works, think about how marinating translates into more tender meat. When you take time to marinate before cooking, the end result is that meat becomes tender and more enjoyable to consume.

Water is to your voice as the marinade is to meat.

By drinking a cup of water at least one hour before you need to use your instrument, you’ve taken steps to optimize your vocal folds. When fully hydrated, your vocal folds become more elastic.

Hydrated vocal folds allow you to do more with your instrument because they are pliable and ready to respond.

Watch What You Eat (and Drink):

Dietary considerations are important. There are foods and beverages that either help or hinder your ability to have a good, clean vocal performance.

Some foods, like dairy, can set the stage for mouth noises you had not anticipated. Many voice artists point to dairy as something they believe impedes their ability to voice as well or as easily.

You might not think that having a glass of milk or a bar of chocolate before a session is harmful, but just think of all that extra mucus your body will create.

Spicy foods may create their own challenges, be they acid reflux or flatulence (not great in any case when you’re center stage or behind the mic). While we’re at it, we may as well add carbonated beverages to the list.

Many voice actors also stay away from drying beverages or diuretics like coffee, tea or alcohol in advance of a performance — both because they dry your vocal cords and result in more trips to the bathroom.

Lastly, on this topic, maintaining good oral hygiene is the best practice among voice artists. Brushing your teeth is a given, but have you considered the benefits of flossing? Anything that is stuck between your teeth is a candidate for creating excess saliva.

Protect and Pamper Your Voice:

Just as a parent looks out for and meets the needs of his or her small child, you should be pampering your voice and protecting it from the various dangers in your immediate environment.

Remove yourself from situations that you know irritate your voice or make it difficult for you to maintain good vocal health.Many voice actors avoid strong scents, may ‘fake cheer’ (open their mouths to cheer but not actually yell) during sporting events or even skip spicy foods, especially if they have acid reflux.

You know your body and your voice better than anyone, so you know what these ‘hazardous’ things are and the steps you can take to baby your voice.

Something else you can do to protect your voice is minimize its use.

Opera singers, for instance, may go an entire day without speaking in advance of a performance. While you might not be using your voice as intensely as Renée Fleming or Roberto Alagna, vocal rest is a definite must for anyone who relies on their voice as part of their profession. This goes without saying, but yelling is never a good idea when trying to save your voice.

Whispering puts stress on your vocal folds because whispering in the classic sense (not stage whispering) doesn’t allow for the vocal folds to vibrate. The folds need to come together to create resonance. When you whisper, those folds are tight and strained, unable to meet in a way that creates a healthy, resonant sound.

Warm Up Well:

Your voice is kind of like a car. In order for the engine to purr, you need to give it time to warm up. Once your vocal folds are sufficiently hydrated, warming up your voice is so much easier. It’s supple and moves more freely during your vocal warm up.

And on that note, your voice needs to start slow. Humming is a great go-to for easing in your instrument. When you are humming, be sure that your jaw is loose and your teeth are separated to create more room for resonance.

You can also try yawn-sighs that take your voice from the top of its range all the way to a growl in the depths of your lower register.

Remember, as a voice artist, your instrument is your entire body. That means all of you! From your head to your toes. Roll out your shoulders to release tension, perform breathing exercises and ensure you attain proper posture to help you prepare.

Physical tension can live anywhere though, so if you hold tension in a certain place (it your neck, in your fingers, clenched toes, etc.), aware of it and find ways to release it.

Because language is central to a voice artist’s performance, you also need to think about other parts of your body that should be warmed up like your resonators and articulators.

Tongue twisters, facial exercises and sung scales are good for any voice artist, whether the performance is for spoken word or belting on a Broadway stage. The tongue in particular needs to loosen up so that you don’t trip on your words. A good vocal warm up should explore all aspects of phonation.

The sillier you look when you warm up, the better your warm up will be. Try standing in front of a mirror and don’t be afraid to look foolish!

Right Before Your Session:

You can do all of the above and still fall prey to unexpected vocal pitfalls. Here’s a strategic plan to preserve your voice starting 1 hour before your performance.

Be awake at least one hour before you need to use your voice. This will give you time to properly hydrate, as well as go through with any dietary choices you have made in advance of a performance.

Drink a glass of water one hour before you need to perform. Remember, the water will only take effect one hour after it has been consumed. Expecting water to work in the moment only sets you up for disappointment.

Protect your instrument from the elements. This may come in the form of cold weather, cigarette smoke, or seasonal allergens that affect your sinuses (which can affect the way your voice sounds) and more. Take appropriate measures to protect your voice.

If you live in a region where you experience cold temperatures or endure high elevations, wearing a cotton scarf or tightly knit neck warmer that covers your mouth (and possibly your nose) will provide somewhat of a barrier between your instrument and the air you’re breathing.

There’s nothing worse than preparing to perform and letting something like a blast of cold air, dry air, smoke from a wildfire, the exhaust from a vehicle or secondhand smoke mess with you doing your best.

#divazmedia myintro howtoprepareforavocalaudition audition

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fitnesshealthyoga-blog · 6 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://fitnesshealthyoga.com/maggi-seasoning-the-bright-yellow-package-is-what-so-many-global-cuisines-have-in-common/

Maggi seasoning: The bright yellow package is what so many global cuisines have in common

Say the word “Maggi,” and like Pavlov’s dogs my mouth starts watering for the brick of instant noodles wrapped in bright yellow plastic that my mom would keep on the hardest-to-reach shelves of our pantry. It was, and still is, impossible to resist the beloved noodles that cook in as little as 2 minutes. As India’s more heavily spiced answer to Top Ramen, Maggi delivers the same satisfying tangle of chewy noodles but swaps a milder seasoning packet for one with a lot more punch.

It was one of my favorite after-school snacks, something a distracted teenager could whip up while simultaneously texting friends about our crushes, watching MTV’s “Total Request Live” and supposedly doing calculus homework. To this day, it’s one of my favorite meals to eat when I’m under the weather. Some people crave chicken noodle soup, but I reach for the sinus-clearing and life-affirming package of masala Maggi. The instant noodles have become so entwined in the Indian mealtime lexicon, even after a five-month recall and lead crisis in 2015, they are used as the base for everything from omelets to pizza.

Say the word “Maggi” to Andrea Nguyen, and it elicits a similar, visceral, nostalgic response but for a completely different product. For Nguyen, a Vietnamese writer, cook and the author of “Vietnamese Food Any Day,” Maggi means a small, brown glass bottle with a square bottom and slender neck filled with an inky seasoning sauce. “It is transformative to many foods but is really part of the flavor profile of banh mi,” she notes. “You can’t quite get real banh mi without Maggi.” For Mexican American chef Wesley Avila in Los Angeles, Maggi also denotes a beloved seasoning sauce that gives stews and meat an extra oomph. But the version Avila loves is Jugo Maggi, more syrupy and milder than its Vietnamese counterpart.

[Cooking Vietnamese food in America used to require a trip to an Asian market. No more.]

For D.C.-based chef Kwame Onwuachi, Maggi was also a staple in his kitchen growing up when making Nigerian and Jamaican dishes. Except, if you say “Maggi” to Onwuachi, it means one thing only: foil-wrapped bouillon cubes that took such dishes as jollof rice and hearty soups to new, umami-packed heights. Shayma Saadat, a Pakistani Afghani cook and food writer who lives in Toronto, also has fond memories of the bouillon cubes she would pick up from South Asian grocery stores to give daals and yakhni, a deeply flavorful broth used to make rice dishes, a meaty infusion of flavor. But Maggi for Saadat also means tall glass bottles filled with a zippy chile garlic sauce. “I always keep a bottle in my fridge,” Saadat says.

(Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post; food styling by Amanda Soto/The Washington Post)

Peek into homes and restaurants in China, Poland, the Philippines, France and Australia, and you’ll probably find Maggi products — most often a seasoning sauce, bouillon cube, noodle or soup mix — on one of the shelves. The seasoning sauce Maggi Würze, which is reminiscent of the flavor of lovage, has become so popular and beloved in Germany that Germans often colloquially referent to lovage as “maggikraut.” Like salt, fat, acid and heat, Maggi is one of the few great unifiers of the world’s kitchens and may be Switzerland’s largest and most influential culinary contribution.

[The future of American food is here, and it’s chicken tikka poutine and meatball dumplings]

In 1886, the Swiss government asked Julius Maggi, a miller, to create a food product that would be easy and quick to make but would be nutritious and affordable for the working-class population. Meat was expensive, and only the wealthy could afford to make it part of their regular diets. So Maggi created three instant soups — two made from peas and one made from beans. Shortly after, Maggi invented his namesake seasoning, a dark, concentrated sauce made from hydrolyzed vegetable protein. The result made soups, consommes and other foods taste meaty without animal protein. Maggi continued to innovate — at one point creating mock-turtle flavored soup and even a truffle-flavored Maggi seasoning sauce — and they became an instant success, spreading to Germany, France and Britain by 1888.

Thanks to such forces as colonization, immigration and trade deals, the products also quickly became popular in countries across Asia and Africa. “Maggi products were first imported into China as early as the 1930s,” says Nelson Pena, president of baking and global foods at Nestlé USA, Maggi’s parent company. Maggi eventually brought a China-specific blend to market in 1994. Today, the French version of Maggi is still highly revered in Vietnam, Nguyen says. “For cooking, you use the Chinese version,” she says. “If you really want to impress people, you whip out the French version. It’s more expensive.”

Maggi continued to expand its product line, first introducing noodles to Malaysia in the 1970s, before it eventually gained extreme popularity in India and decent market share in such places as South Africa, Ukraine and New Zealand, Pena says. Today, the Maggi empire — one of Nestlé’s billion-dollar brands — sells more than 7,000 products across 98 countries. All of them remain extremely affordable.

The Maggi expansion hasn’t been without hiccups, particularly in India. In 2015, after government tests there showed elevated levels of lead (along with MSG, which is legal in India but requires a warning label that wasn’t on the packages), Indian consumers were so incensed they burned the noodles in the streets, along with photos of celebrity Maggi endorsers. The crisis went on for months, with India eventually banning Maggi products nationwide and Nestlé — while insisting that the government tests were wrong — recalling the products, incinerating 37,000 tons of them. Later that year, after Nestlé sued, India’s High Court lifted the ban, allowing the company to resume sales if the products passed extensive tests, which they did. By the following spring, Maggi was at the top of India’s noodle business again, with 50 percent market share.

Activists burn packets of Maggi noodles during a 2015 protest in Kolkata, India. (Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP/Getty Images)

Even though the products that Maggi sells in each market are very different, they have become integral to the cuisines of many countries. Nguyen, Avila, Onwuachi and Saadat agreed that Maggi seasoning sauces and bouillon cubes give food this umami je ne sais quoi. No one could quite describe what the taste of Maggi was, but they could definitely tell if it was missing from a dish.

The flavor is so necessary that Avila and Onwuachi, both chefs who have cooked in fine-dining kitchens, insist on using Maggi at their restaurants. At Guerrilla Tacos in Los Angeles, Avila uses Jugo Maggi in a marinade for his pork char xui tacos. You can also find it in the quesadilla, where maitake mushrooms are tossed with Jugo Maggi, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. He also avidly cooks with it at home, noting that it is one of the secret weapons in his carne asada.

Onwuachi takes his commitment to Maggi to new heights at his D.C. restaurant Kith and Kin. “I import cubes of Maggi from Nigeria,” he says with a laugh. “We use it to make suya and other dishes. I need it for that traditional taste.” The Maggi is so important to the kitchen, one prep cook has the pleasurable task of unwrapping hundreds of foil-wrapped bouillon cubes, one-by-one, before service.

[At Kith and Kin, chef Kwame Onwuachi tells his story — and hits his stride]

Maggi, like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Starbucks, is adept at localization, adapting products to fit the flavor palates of local markets. This helps to explain its global success. “Where possible, we optimize our sourcing and selectively source ingredients locally that drive authentic taste and flavor, like herbs and spices,” notes Pena. On one hand, this is advantageous for local cooks (and curious Maggi collectors). On the other hand, it makes it difficult to substitute one Maggi product with a similar one from another country.

Avila has tasted the Chinese version of Maggi seasoning sauce but much prefers the light flavor of Jugo Maggi. Nguyen insists the French version tastes more high-end than the Vietnamese version, which is closer to soy sauce. And Onwuachi will use only Maggi bouillon cubes from Nigeria for certain dishes and cubes from Jamaica for others. Saadat says that she once tried to use Maggi bouillon cubes purchased from a Canadian supermarket instead of a South Asian grocery store and found them to be completely lacking in flavor and nearly inedible.

With such products as 2 Minute Cheese-flavored instant noodles and instant mushroom soups, Maggi surprisingly isn’t a household name in the United States. According to Pena, Maggi’s biggest markets are Germany, India, Brazil, the Middle East and West Africa. Many Maggi products contain MSG, which naturally occurs in hydrolyzed vegetable protein. And though MSG has been falsely maligned in headlines, there is no doubt that it adds a deep umami flavor to anything it touches. For now, acquiring a bottle or cube of Maggi usually requires wandering down the “international aisle” at a supermarket. If you’re lucky, you might just find five different versions.

More from Voraciously:

Far from her homeland, my mother finds comfort at a Patel Brothers grocery store

On this the Italians all agree: True ragu needs time.

Cooking Vietnamese food in America used to require a trip to an Asian market. No more.

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#andrew nguyen #current health news usa #healthcare news usa #hydrolyzed vegetable protein #instant noodles #kwame onwuachi #latest health news usa #maggi #maggi jugo #maggi seasoning #maggi wurze #MSG #nestle #wes avila #Health News

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slayeroftears · 8 years ago

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Analyzing RWBY Chibi, because I have nothing better to do

So my younger brother and I decided to sit down one day and rewatch all of RWBY Chibi, in order to really look at it and see which jokes and segments work, and which ones don’t. There won’t be an extremely huge amount of detail put into it, just us saying what was funny and what wasn’t, with some suggestions on what would have worked. I’ll eventually go into extreme detail at a later date.

AND YES, WE BOTH DO UNDERSTAND THAT HUMOR IS SUBJECTIVE AND BASED OFF THE VIEWER.

RWBY Chibi Episode 1

Baking skit: Funny when Ruby cracks the egg, and when the glass hits her.

Pin the tail skit: Not that funny.

Yang vs Weiss skit: Meh.

Smut book skit: Ruby being a perv is funny. The Katana line? OVERDONE AND BORING.

RWBY Chibi Episode 2

Cat burglar skit: Would have been better if it stopped after Blake ran out of the room after stealing the remote, leaving the three to look at each other and then the camera.

Pool Skit: Should have ended it after Yang speaks up. Leave out the "Yep".

Jump rope Skit: Jaune’s lines were amusing.

Ball of Yarn skit: Not really funny.

Zwei skit: Predictable.

RWBY Chibi Episode 3

Jaune phone skits: Dragged on and just weren't funny.

Ammo skit: Ehhh, worth a giggle, but not really funny.

Tag skit: Somewhat amusing.

Final Jaune phone skit: Should have ended it after Blake found Weiss’ scroll. Leave it to the viewer’s imagination on what happened afterwards.

RWBY Chibi Episode 4

Game skit: Funny if you've been in that situation.

Ice sculpting skit: Meh

Box skit: Yang should have glared at the camera, then it would have been funny.

Yangry skit: Meh

RWBY Chibi Episode 5

Outfit party skit: Eh

Card tower skit: Eye twitch makes it work, as does the relative silence.

Kitchen skit: Ruby should have walked by with deadpan expression instead of stopping.

Slap fight: Unfunny. Only Weiss' flat "What" is snicker worthy.

Shadow people skit: Just not funny. Dragged on too long and felt forced.

RWBY Chibi Episode 6

Vacuum skit: Meh.

Cape skit: Only funny part was Jaune walking across Ruby's cape and her saying "Dude".

Book skit: Works because it builds up to the joke and isn't dwelt on.

Fourth wall skit: *Pukes*

RWBY Chibi Episode 7

Prank skit: Should have ended it with "Now THAT'S ice water." with emphasis on the word that.

Arcade skit: It's OK.

Jaune weapons skit: Ehhhh.

RWBY Chibi Episode 8

Pickle skit: Entertaining due to being relatable, but not too funny.

Workout skit: Nora ballooning up is amusing. Should have made Yang just fall over instead of getting angry.

Pyrrha skits: Some work more than others. Compass one worked best.

Elevator skit: Where's the punchline?

RWBY Chibi Episode 9

Studying skit: Meh.

Tag skit: Went on too long. Nora knocking him flat out was amusing though.

RWBY Chibi Episode 10

Notice me skit: Pyrrha's adorable.

Painting skit: Weiss' final reaction was the only good part. (Meme worthy though)

Hair skit: Amusing only for the shippers.

RWBY Chibi Episode 11

Pancake skit: Goes on too long, and just isn't funny.

ASMR skit: Not that funny.

Sick skit: No real punchline.

RWBY Chibi Episode 12

Junior Detectives skit: Not too funny, though Jaune's line "You're talking to me. Never thought I'd see the day" WAS amusing.

Theater skit: Only funny part was Ruby's line about putting grandma in a home, and Blake's deadpan delivery of her lines.

RWBY Chibi Episode 13

Bottle skit: Subjective, based on humor.

Blake & Zwei skit: Meh.

Nora's workout skit: Funny. Samantha KILLS it with her delivery of Nora. Should have ended it after Jaune said "Try living with her" though, instead of adding Nora's last line.

RWBY Chibi Episode 14

Zwei snuggles skit: Meh. Only funny line was "I will shave your butt."

Vacation skit: Meh.

Junior Detectives skit 2: Just like before, it drags on too long, and isn’t that funny. Should have ended it after Neptune shouts about dance class and Sun stops.

RWBY Chibi Episode 15

Chopper skit: Should have ended it with Yang saying "Off. Now."

Hydrophobia skit: Drags on for WAY TOO LONG. ESPECIALLY the Jaune drowning bit.

Secret admirer skit: Subjective, based on humor.

RWBY Chibi Episode 16

Racing skit: Should have ended it at "What and how?!" to make it funnier.

Puns skit: Should have just had Yang telling bad puns, have her ask if the mic's on, and it ending with Sun yelling "UNFORTUNATELY".

Side-character skit: Just not funny. Too forced.

RWBY Chibi Episode 17

Bathroom skit: Funny because it's relatable, but mostly due to Mile's delivery as Jaune.

Grimm skit: Not that funny. Nora trying to drag the Beowolf was amusing though.

Junior Detectives skit 3: Not funny, goes on too long.

RWBY Chibi Episode 18

Pickle skit 2: Missed opportunity. Should have had Ruby rib on Sun for not being able to open it after he said "Let me show you how a REAL man handles this." In fact, the whole skit should have been a nod to Lindsay and Michael being husband and wife.

Evil plans skit: Cinder's voice doesn't fit her facial expressions and body language. Also the skit wasn't that funny. Except for Emerald getting hit on the head. Slapstick is always funny (for the most part anyways).

Cake skit: Goes on too long, and it's just not funny. Except for when Ruby hits Weiss in the head with the fire extinguisher. Again, slapstick is funny. People getting hurt in the show is funny.

RWBY Chibi Episode 19

Zwei skit: Just not funny.

Pillow fight skit: Had potential, if it was pure slapstick. Ren throwing a book at Sun? Hilarious (though him saying "my brainbox" wasn't). The ACTUAL pillow fights? Not funny. (Also the skit went on too long)

RWBY Chibi Episode 20

Shadow clone skit: The punchline isn't that funny or satisfying.

Dog problems skit: Subjective, based on humor (and if you own a pet).

Roman skit: Obvious references and 4th wall breaking just aren't funny. Neo's first sign and expression was amusing though.

RWBY Chibi Episode 21

All skits subjective, based on humor. ESPECIALLY considering they were based off fans’ comics.

RWBY Chibi Episode 22

Compost king skit: Nora hitting Ren with her hammer? Funny. Ren's line of "I was fine before all the head trauma"? Hilarious. Nora saying "Tell me, tell me, tell me! So I can CRUSH YOU ALL!"? Side-splitting. The actual skit? Ehhhhhh.

Metal legs skit: Funny. No dialogue, and it's a scene that would be funny to see happen in the actual show. Also the tear drop was great.

Lava floor skit: Funny. Ends quietly, and Gray is fantastic.

RWBY Chibi Episode 23

Crime sense skit: Goes on too long, and isn't funny.

Dance skit: Subjective, based on humor (I found it funny).

Acid trip (Nora’s Cofee) skit: Goes on for too long. Should have ended it with Nora having a seizure on the ground, instead of whatever it is that happens.

RWBY Chibi Episode 24

(Just because it's satire doesn't mean it's exempt from criticism)

Peeping Girls skit: Actually kind of funny, if not for the laugh track and it continuing after Yang sees Port.

Pyrrha cereal skit: Adorable, but not funny.

Neo's Neo skit: Ehhhhh.

Final skit: The bit with Sun and Blake was actually amusing, to an extent. Missed an opportunity to have Yang say "You win some, you lose Sun." The rest, however, was actually cringe worthy.

#RWBY #RWBY Chibi #Rooster Teeth #Ruby Rose #Weiss Schnee #Blake Belladonna #Yang Xiao Long #Jaune Arc #Nora Valkyrie #Pyrrha Nikos #Lie Ren #Sun Wukong #Neptune Vasilias #Cinder Fall #Emerald Sustrai #Mercury Black #Roman Torchwick #Neopolitan #Comedy

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isaiahrippinus · 5 years ago

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We Asked 15 Brewers: What’s the Most Comforting Beer You’ve Had in Quarantine?

The article We Asked 15 Brewers: What’s the Most Comforting Beer You’ve Had in Quarantine? appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/15-comforting-beers-quarantine/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/617552307896369152

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biofunmy · 6 years ago

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Other Visitors Report Falling Ill At Dominican Republic Resort Where 3 Americans Died

Supplied

Susie Lauterborn and her husband, Doug Hand, vacationing at the resort before falling ill.

Three more people have told BuzzFeed News they became ill at the same Dominican Republic resort where three visitors recently died.

Edward Nathaniel Holmes and Cynthia Ann Day of Maryland were found dead in their room at the Grand Bahia Principe La Romana hotel on May 30, with police saying they died of respiratory failure and pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs.

Five days earlier, another tourist, Miranda Schaup-Werner, collapsed and died at the resort’s adjacent hotel, the Luxury Bahia Principe Bouganville. Local authorities determined that Schaup-Werner died from a heart attack, according to the resort.

In a statement Wednesday, the resort chain that owns the two hotels, Bahia Principe, said it had found “no indications of any correlation between these two unfortunate events.”

Robin Bernstein, the US ambassador to the Dominican Republic, told Univision that considering 2.7 million Americans visit the island nation each year, the deaths are “very punctual and unique.”

“They come to visit the beautiful beaches and enjoy the great culture,” Bernstein said. “Unfortunately, sometimes those things happen to people.”

But three other people who have stayed at the resort — one as recently as just over a month ago — told BuzzFeed News they feel very lucky to be alive after suffering severe and mysterious health crises there.

Susie Lauterborn, 38, and her husband, Doug Hand, 40, took a trip to the Grand Bahia Principe in January 2018. But the Philadelphia couple’s island getaway quickly turned into a “nightmare,” Lauterborn told BuzzFeed News.

Within a day of arriving, she began experiencing severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, fatigue, chills, and cold sweats. A bright-red rash covered her entire body, and she ran a fever above 100 degrees.

Provided by Susie Lauterborn

“The stabbing pain in my stomach was unlike anything I’ve experienced before,” Lauterborn said. “And I’ve had an intestinal infection previously in my life and had to go to the hospital for that. This was worse than that.”

She went to the hotel medical center, where a staff member prescribed over-the-counter pain and nausea medications before sending her on her way.

“They literally told me I’d partied too much … but we don’t even party,” she said.

Lauterborn said that the previous night, she’d had just two alcoholic drinks. Her husband does not drink. But a couple of days into the trip, Hand also became sick with similar, though less severe, symptoms. The couple wanted to leave early, but it would have cost too much money, they said.

Provided by Susie Lauterborn

The prescription Lauterborn got from the hotel medical staff.

“We didn’t leave the room for a couple days, and contemplated heading home early, but changing our flights was painfully expensive, so we waited it out,” Hand told BuzzFeed News.

The food and drinks at the resort all tasted not quite right, Lauterborn said.

“Everything there was weirdly, bizarrely off,” she said. “The food all tasted off, the drinks all tasted off, to the point where I was like, ‘I’m not even going to drink a glass of wine because it just tastes off.'”

She and her husband, who are vegetarians, wound up sticking mostly to bread and water during the trip.

“I can’t even explain — we ate pasta one night, and it was so bad I couldn’t finish it,” she said. “It tasted acidic, like battery acid.”

Hand also remembered the air conditioner in their room smelling of mildew.

“I thought it could be the AC [making us sick] because it had a strange, dirty smell,” Hand said.

Both of them remained sick for the entire trip and for several days after they returned home. They did not seek medical attention at home because “it takes a lot for either of us to go to a doctor,” and their health improved on its own.

Provided by Susie Lauterborn

Lauterborn’s Instagram story celebrating their arrival home.

“I remember thinking I should go once I was home and still sick about three to four days later, but then I guess we both started to feel better eventually,” she said. “It was silly to not go.”

Afterward, the couple complained to Apple Vacations, the travel agency through which they booked the trip.

They didn’t hear back for three months, and when they finally did, they were denied a refund and instead given $100 each in Apple Vacations vouchers.

The resort is also still being advertised on the travel agency’s site.

“In this case, we have been in regular contact with management of the Bahia Principe hotels about its protocols and procedures, as well any findings from the investigations, one of which is still ongoing,” an Apple Vacations spokesperson said. “Any decision regarding a change in our relationship with the hotels will not be made until all investigations are complete.”

After recently seeing news that a couple had mysteriously died at the same hotel, Lauterborn said she was shocked, frightened, and grateful to be alive.

“I truly believe that the only reason we weren’t sicker or didn’t have the same outcome that these poor people had is probably because we were a bit younger and healthier,” she said.

Now she wants the resort and the travel agency that’s advertising it to fully investigate before anyone else gets sick or dies.

“You can sell a $600 four-day vacation in quote-unquote ‘paradise’ all day … but then you get there and have a nightmare vacation and no one’s doing anything about it,” she said.

Provided by Myroslav Sparavalo

Myroslav Sparavalo, a 58-year-old in New York, also said he had a medical scare just over a month ago at the Luxury Bahia Principe Bouganville.

Three days into the trip with his wife, he began feeling unwell at dinner. Hours later, he experienced hypertensive crisis, or a severely high increase in blood pressure, which can lead to a stroke.

His blood pressure medication, which he takes regularly, did not help, even when he took double the usual dosage.

Early the next morning, he visited the hotel medical staff, who immediately told him to go to the hospital. Paramedics took him to the hospital in Santo Domingo, where he remained in intensive care for 24 hours.

There, a doctor noted he had “noisy lungs,” typical of a smoker, even though Sparavalo does not smoke. The doctor also noted that he had fluid in his lungs.

“Today my wife told me the news about the official investigation of [Holmes’ and Day’s] deaths. It was pulmonary edema,” he said. “The news sent a shiver down my spine.”

Sparavalo was released from the hospital and returned to the resort. But every morning, his blood pressure would be elevated.

“I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do,” he said.

He isn’t sure whether his worrying over his condition worsened it, but within three days of his return to New York, his blood pressure returned to healthy levels.

“Looks like I was very lucky to survive,” he said. “It’s me who could be dead, not just them.”

Supplied

The Grand Bahia Principe La Romana.

A spokesperson for Bahia Principe did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the stories of additional illnesses. But a representative who answered the resort’s corporate line said people are “making a fuss about this.”

And in a statement Friday, Bahia Principe criticized the “dissemination of false information issued publicly, which threatens the image and reputation of the company,” although the resort did not specify what reporting it had deemed false. (Some news outlets, including BuzzFeed News, initially incorrectly reported that the deaths occurred at the same hotel, rather than two hotels on the same resort grounds.)

“The safety and comfort of our guests and staff stand at the core of our company values and we work daily to ensure it,” the resort added.

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weditchthemap · 6 years ago

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Planning a Wine Tasting Trip To Mendoza’s Wine Region: Maipu, Lujan de Cuyo, and Valle de Uco

The Wine Capital of Argentina

Located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, the province of Mendoza is famous for wine, particularly malbec. Wine production spurred by Italian immigrants has flourished in Mendoza thanks to its long sunny days, unique soil composition and high elevation. Three regions make up the majority of Mendoza’s grape growing area: Maipu, Lujan de Cuyo, and Valle de Uco. Touring wineries, or bodegas, and tasting wine is Mendoza is popular among wine connoisseurs and backpackers alike. An added bonus is that here, at the source, wine is very affordable. Needless to say, we tried our fair share!

Maipu

The city of Mendoza makes a great base for a day trip to the small vineyard-filled region of Maipu, only 9 miles (14km) away. To get to Maipu you can take a taxi or uber, rent a car, organize a trip through one of the many agencies in town, or use public transit. Maipu is 45 minutes away by public bus. To catch the bus from Mendoza’s city center go the Rioja 1150 bus stop and take bus 920, 816, or 817.

Biking Around the Wineries

Maipu’s 5-mile (8km) stretch of wineries is easily explored by bike. Maipu Bikes, right on the main strip, rents bikes for about $9/day (350 ARS). Maipu’s main road is equipped with bike lanes and the side streets are quaint country roads filled with views of trellised grape vines. Click here to view the bike map. If biking, remember to bring water to off set the sun and alcohol. Return your bike by 5pm to catch happy hour at the bike shop with free wine and empanadas.

What to Do

While there are many vineyards to choose from and some tourists may feel the need to maximize, we’ve found that visiting 3 to 4 makes for a nice full day that isn’t overly ambitious, the idea is to enjoy, after all! You truly can’t go wrong with any winery you choose, though they are different and range from small and quaint to large scale production. The wineries typically offer a few tours each day in Spanish or English. You can opt for a tour and tasting or just a tasting. Tours take about an hour and tastings can be short or leisurely depending on your style. Bodega Trapiche requires a reservation in advance for a tour, but the owner of Maipu Bikes can reserve you a spot the morning of. In Maipu we visited Bodega La Rural, Bodega Domiciano and Bodega Trapiche.

Lujan de Cuyo

Lujan de Cuyo is perhaps Mendoza’s most recognized wine growing region. Located 12 miles (19km) south of the city of Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo has a smaller urban presence but plentiful fincas and wineries. The grapes here grow at an average elevation of 3,000 feet (914m) above sea level. In Lujan de Cuyo you’ll find three types of wineries; the old original wineries that now produce on a large scale, small mom and pop bodegas, and chic modern wineries as a result of foreign investors. Wineries here fall in a larger radius so they are best explored by taxi, car, or organized tour.

What to Do

Some places to include on your itinerary are Bodega Familia Cassone, Bodega Alta Vista, and Bodega Lagarde. At Bodega Familia Cassone you can take an intimate tour of the grounds where the grape vines are over 100 years old. You can also chat with the amicable owner while sipping wine and sampling olive oil. At Bodega Alta Vista sit outside in the shade of their olive trees for a picnic lunch.

What’s truly not to miss is the elegant 4-6 course lunch and wine pairing at Bodega Lagarde. You can spend a relaxed afternoon savoring the expertly paired courses while sitting in the shady courtyard beside grape vines. The entire meal, from homemade bread to delicate dessert is perfection. The service and food is impeccable and they attentively ensure that your wine glass is never empty!

Where to Stay

If you want to locate yourself central to all of Lujan de Cuyo’s vineyards, check out Lujan de Cuyo B&B. This charming B&B is a green oasis with tranquil grounds and swimming pool. There are spacious rooms the brick buildings lend a country-rustic flair. The owner is passionate about the area and takes pride in helping guests plan out their ideal itinerary, whether that be hiking, sight seeing, or wine tasting.

Valle de Uco

Valle de Uco is Mendoza’s largest and most scenic wine region. Here the mountains provide a scenic backdrop to fields of grape vines. Valle de Uco is the furthest wine region from the city of Mendoza, about an hour drive away. It’s closest to the Andes and the combination of sunshine and high elevation leads to perfectly balanced sugar and acidity content resulting in dynamic and refined wine. Some of the most noteworthy names in Argentine wine can be found in Valle de Uco. This is largely due to international money flooding into the region after the 2001 economic crash in Argentina. Now striking palatial bodegas dot the landscape. Being more remote and expansive that the other wine regions, Valle de Uco requires a car rental, private driver, or organized tour to get around. But, don’t let this discourage you, the region is absolutely stunning and well worth a visit!

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crackface5-blog · 6 years ago

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How To Rose All Day

Separated in to 12 distinct parcels, the Petrus vineyard is actually located at the top of the highest elevation on the Pomerol stage. Santa Barbara a glass of wine country is sandwiched in between 2 chain of mountains along with elevations ranging from 200 feet in the valley to 3400 feet in the hill vineyards. One-of-a-kind to this region are actually the higher magnesium mineral web content in the soils as well as scorching daytime temps (coming to a head in the 90 F). Going laterally for Santa clam Barbara wines. At that aspect, his earliest boy Jean-Franois Moueix took cost of Petrus, while, Christian Moueix, his various other son handled the development. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Kennedys came to be enthusiasts. Petrus delivers its ideal drinking and also ought to hit peak maturation in between 15-45 years of age after the vintage. Saarloos as well as Sons. Soils range coming from wallets of calcareous sedimentary rock that assist sustain acidity, diatomaceous earth (also known as DE) generates powerful white wines, soft sand dirts produce additional fruit product driven types, as well as finally, clay-based loam mixes maintain dampness for dehydrated vines. Santa clam Maria includes Bien Nacido winery, an in-demand 900 acre winery for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Foxen Vineyard (Conserve at Foxen Vineyard with the Concern Red wine Pass) foxen white wine sampling. From that point onward, the whole entire Pomerol appellation started creating red wines deserving of its terroir, with prices to match. Petrus was now marketed to a select group of negociants along with to Ets. Foxen has 2 great sampling areas for you to go to. You can find a number of comfy spots to appreciate your red wine while relaxing with fellow a glass of wine lovers. What Does wine clubs Mean? Close by Bridlewood is Brander winery. Contrasted to the top Bordeaux white wines in the Medoc, it's also a reasonably brand-new manufacturer. - Laterally Motion Picture Banner. - ballard-canyon-wine-region. - St. - Skip those. - [12] Mme. Currently available in a 250ml light weight aluminum can easily for quick and easy trip to the beach front, swimming pool or even picnic. We recognize that some people will certainly differ with our selections. This channel shaped region entertains to probably the lengthiest increasing time in California (125 times) as a result of coldness common temperature levels around 64 F. Due to its unique positioning, temperature is the absolute most mixed here. The kid of the Voisin loved ones, Pierre Voisin eventually offered Petrus to MM. In the wineries, they do certainly not environment-friendly produce, liking to clip the lots to lessen the returns. This Grenache increased has a stylish aromatic nostrils of red fruit products and is actually refreshing as well as new on the taste buds with a delightfully long, fruity surface. Pinot Noir 5561 acres/ 2250 ha. The vineyard of Petrus is planted to a creeping plant density that has to do with 6,600 vines every hectare for the oldest tracts. Draw over at one of the turnouts and delight in the truly exceptional scenery. Also though it is actually created from 100% Merlot, Petrus is among the longest resided Bordeaux wines. Jean-Francois Moueix and also his kids, are actually the proprietors of Petrus today.

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raptorginger · 6 years ago

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Chemistry & Conservation: Chapter 12 - Confluence, or Business as Usual

The beginning of the term passed fairly smoothly for Rey, in spite of her worry. Her students were engaged and interested in what she had to say despite the class’ late hour, and she found the practice of teaching them quite enjoyable. They watched her with rapt attention as she demonstrated various conservation techniques and different the chemical interactions they might encounter in a conservation lab.

After her first class ended at 8:00pm, she’d headed back to her office and was slightly surprised to see Ren standing there. The Chemistry offices were typically deserted at this hour.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, secretly pleased to see him. She hadn’t asked him to come by after her class, trying to seem nonchalant, but she was hoping he’d see through it and come anyway.

“I wanted to see how your class went,” Ren replied, playing along. “You’re practically glowing, so I assume it went well?”

Unable to hold back her pleasure at having nailed her first day teaching any longer, Rey leapt at Ren, his arms reacting quickly to catch her, as she squealed “Yes!”

He held her tight and gave her a little spin before setting her back down on her feet and planting a kiss on the top of her head. “I knew you’d do great.”

Rey flashed him a brilliant smile before heading into her office to collect her things. As she pulled her door shut, she asked, “How was your day?”

Ren shrugged. “Fine. Got some work done. Bossed the team around. You know, the usual.” Ren wasn’t teaching a class this term, so he was able to spend most of his time in the lab working on his catalyst with his team of RAs.

As they walked, Rey slipped her hand into his, interlacing their fingers together. Ren smiled. Pushing the ‘DOWN’ button on the elevator, Ren turned to Rey and asked, “Hungry?”

In response, Rey’s stomach let out an audible growl. Her class was on Tuesdays from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, which left her little time to eat a proper dinner. Rey nodded enthusiastically, “Very!”

After the elevator doors closed, Ren bent down and captured Rey’s mouth with a deep kiss, pulling her close. His free hand came up and cupped her warm cheek as his tongue coaxed Rey’s mouth open. He kissed her until the elevator stopped at the ground floor, releasing her only when the doors slid open.

“Maz’s?” Ren asked casually, as if he hadn’t just spent the last thirty seconds ravishing her mouth.

Rey could only nod, leaning into his side, wrapping her arm around his waist as they headed out of the building onto the dark, quiet street.

***

It was a few weeks before Rey’s boss at the Conservation Lab, Doctor Amilyn Holdo, was back from her trip. She had been granted access to the secretive archives of the old Corellian Empire in order to assess the archive’s preservation needs. It had taken her quite a distance away with limited communication for the entire summer.

Rey had been working on a small painting from the Plagueis collection when Holdo called her in to her office. It was a spacious if sparse room. Holdo wasn’t one for unnecessary clutter. Original blueprints for the University and libraries were hung in modern glass frames on the walls, and a modern desk stood proudly off to the left. A few mid century modern chairs were around a small table in the corner. At the table, Holdo sat across from an older man, a document resting on a piece of acid free board between them. Rey recognized the man immediately - Luke Skywalker, Head of the History Department. He was distinguished looking, with trimmed grey hair and a matching neat beard. His shoulders carried a slight slump, the result of years of bending over old documents, examining them for the tiniest details. His blue eyes were still bright though. Both of them looked up when Rey walked in.

“Rey,” Holdo greeted her warmly, holding out her arms.

Rey came forward and grasped Holdo’s hands. After a brief lean-in, Holdo released her hands and gestured toward the document sitting on the table. Rey could see now it was the charter that she’d asked Doctor Skywalker to examine several weeks ago. The one she suspected was a forgery.

“I’ll cut right to it,” Holdo began. “Doctor Skywalker agrees with your assessment of this document.”

Taking the cue, Luke said, “Yes, partially, anyway. I believe the actual document is original, and that dating will confirm that, but someone has indeed tampered with it.”

Rey sighed with something resembling relief.

“The seal has clear signs of having been heat manipulated, as you suspected. And, as you noted, some lettering has been changed.”

“Right,” said Holdo, taking back the conversational ball. “I am giving you permission to take samples of the ink on this document and run chemical and dating tests on them, to determine their composition and age. Having examined the document myself, I believe the lettering alterations and the seal manipulation were done at a later date, and that testing the ink will reveal this. There isn’t much we can do chemical-wise on the seal. I want extensive photographs taken of this document.”

Rey nodded, eager to get to work.

“Rey,” Holdo said, her tone and expression deadly serious, “I don’t need to tell you how sensitive this information is. You are not to discuss this outside of this lab. Doctor Skywalker has agreed to this condition as well. The head of special collections is aware that there is an issue with this document, but he isn’t aware of the specifics.”

“Understood, Doctor Holdo,” Rey replied.

“Excellent. After your testing has been completed and the results are in, we’ll decide how best to proceed.”

“Agreed, Doctor Holdo,” Rey said, nodding her assent.

“Alright then. Get to it, my dear.”

Rey said goodbye to Doctor Skywalker and turned to begin collecting the supplies she’d need to take her samples. It was going to be an interesting day.

***

Taking the samples from the document had taken most of the day. Rey then spent about half an hour carefully packing the test tubes containing the ink samples into a padded travel case to take to the Chemistry Lab. As she snapped the case shut and headed out, she groaned inwardly. She’d have to ask Hux for use of the Lab’s resources for her tests. Hux wasn’t so petty as to outright refuse her, but she knew he’d be difficult about it. Rey sighed and steeled herself. All he could do was delay her by saying there was a queue, and she’d just have to wait until it was her turn; the tests would get done. Rey was by nature impatient, but she had to hand it to Hux, he’d helped her fix that, on purpose or not.

Fifteen minutes later, Rey was standing in front of Hux’s secretary. She sighed as the woman told her Hux was in a meeting.

“You can wait though,” she said sympathetically. “He shouldn’t be too much longer.”

Rey gave her a smile, “Thanks, I’ll do that.” Rey took a seat, holding the case carefully in her lap.

It was about five minutes before Hux’s door cracked open. Hux’s posh British voice filtered out. “Excellent, excellent. Thank you, Magister Snoke.”

Rey straightened in her seat. She’d never seen the Magister in person. The door opened wider and a aged man, tall, completely bald, imposing, sauntered out. He carried an intricately carved ebony cane, although he didn’t seem to be leaning on it for support; it appeared to be more for decoration than function. He wore a smart black suit and shirt and a gold tie. His skin was mottled, and he had a mass of scar tissue on his skull, above his right eye. He wore a massive gold ring on his right hand. It bore the Plagueis seal.

Snoke paid Rey no mind as he passed her. Rey hadn’t realized it, but she’d been holding her breath. She exhaled quietly as she held her case tighter. She glanced at Hux’s door again and had to stifle her surprise as Ren walked out next.

He looked grumpy as he walked out; obviously he hadn’t wanted to be in whatever that meeting was. Hux was all smiles as he clapped Ren on the back as he walked out. Ren winced, but Hux couldn’t see his face. His eyes found Rey’s and his expression brightened marginally. He nodded cordially to her. “Doctor Jinn, what a pleasure to see you.”

They’d agreed to maintain an air of professionalism around their colleagues. Some were beginning to suspect that there might be more to it than that, Ren’s RAs had a tendency to gossip, but Hux was none the wiser.

“Doctor Solo,” Rey said quietly when he passed. Ren surreptitiously ran his fingers along her arm. Rey shivered. She was going over to his place tonight, she remembered. Her stomach flipped in anticipation.

Hux was talking to his secretary when Rey stood and cleared her throat. “Doctor Hux, may I have a moment?”

Hux sighed, “Only a moment, Doctor Jinn.”

“Thank you, Sir.” She followed him into his office. As Rey passed the secretary, the woman gave her a knowing wink.

Keeping the door ajar, Hux said to Rey, “Luckily you’ve caught me in a good mood. I’m sure you saw Magister Snoke just now.” His chest puffed out proudly. Rey stifled a snicker.

“Yes,” Rey replied, schooling her features into a face of seriousness. “I’m sure you were quite honored to receive him.”

“Indeed, Doctor Jinn. He came to discuss further funding of our department’s work.”

“Is that why Doctor Solo was here as well?” Rey asked.

“More or less. As you know, Doctor Solo is a visiting researcher. His position with the University is subject to change depending on their whim. Magister Snoke wants him here and that’s what the meeting was about. Magister Snoke wants to fund a position, specifically for Doctor Solo to continue his research without worry that the University might drop him.”

Rey kept her expression neutral, but internally wondered why Ren looked so angry coming out of the meeting if it had all been about funding a position for him.

“It would be a boon to the University,” Hux continued. “I’m sure the Board of Regents will agree.”

Rey nodded in agreement, “They would certainly be foolish to disagree.”

Hux smiled at her, glad she was agreeing with him for once. “So, what can I do for you, Doctor Jinn?”

“Well, I was hoping to run some chemical tests on a few ink samples, Doctor Hux.”

Hux waved his hands, “Of course of course,” he said amiably. “There is a queue right now for that kind of thing, but you’re more than welcome to store your samples in the climate controlled secure room until it’s your turn. I think there’s only three groups ahead of you, Doctor Jinn.” He passed her a slip of paper with his approval signature to attach to her request.

Rey decided not to push her luck. “Thank you so much, Doctor Hux. I’ll be on my way.” She headed out of his office, flipping his secretary a wave as she passed.

She took the elevator down to the main floor where the Chemistry Lab was. She punched in the code to enter the Lab’s vestibule type room, dropping most of her things off in a locker before donning the required protective equipment. She punched in another code and entered the Lab, heading toward the back where the secure room was located. Rey moved quickly past the different stations, each one in the midst of performing some task or experiment. Huddled figures, clothed in lab coats and sporting protective goggles, masks, and gloves were busy writing notes, stoppering test tubes, or typing at the computer stations along the wall. A few waved in greeting, and Rey would wave back.

Reaching the store room, Rey typed in a third code. The door hissed open, and Rey moved quickly inside before the door hissed back shut. She set her case down on the available table and began filling out the necessary paperwork for her request and place in the queue.

Finishing that, she set her case in one of the empty glass compartments that lined the opposite wall and slipped her paperwork into the hanging slot in front of it. Punching in the code again, she made her way back out into the Lab and through the gauntlet of keypads.

She was struggling with her bag when Ren’s voice behind her made her jump.

He laughed, “It’s just me.”

“You scared me!” Rey exclaimed.

“Obviously,” Ren replied teasingly. “What are you up to down here?”

“Dropping off some ink samples that I have to test when my turn’s up,” Rey replied.

“Oh, from the document that’s a forgery?” Ren asked.

“Shh! You’re not supposed to know that,” Rey hissed.

“Why not?” Ren whispered, leaning forward to hear her better.

“My boss doesn’t want other people to know, so pretend you weren’t there and that you know nothing,” Rey whispered urgently.

“Nothing about what?” Ren asked, all innocently, as he straightened.

“Exactly,” Rey replied, smiling up at him. “Heading in?”

“Yeah. Have to check on something the team found.”

“What was that meeting about earlier?”

Ren’s eyes darkened, a slight frown crossing his face. “I’ll tell you later.”

Rey looked up at him, worry written in her expression. “Ok,” she said gently.

Ren’s face softened. He looked around quickly before he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a quick embrace. Rey rose on her toes and kissed him briefly before he let go.

“See you tonight,” Ren said seductively as he punched in the code.

Rey blushed as she hurried away, feeling his eyes on her until she was out of sight.

#reylo #reylo fanfic #fanfiction #modern au #reylo modern au #university au #professor/professor #rey #ben solo #ben x rey #multipart #chem & con #the secret's in the telling #fluff #smut

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