Rain Numbers - 30 December 2008

.01", for today
.01", for the storm
4.78", for the month
12.01", for the (rain) year

It Can’t Be That Time of Year Already!!

Can it??

A frog was croaking late this afternoon…

Rain Numbers - 26 December 2008

.01", for today
2.99", for the storm
4.77", for the month
12.00", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 25 December 2008

.98", for today
2.98", for the storm
4.76", for the month
11.99", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 24 December 2008

.84", for today
2.00", for the storm
3.78", for the month
11.01", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 23 December 2008

.11", for today
1.16", for the storm
2.94", for the month
10.17", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 22 December 2008

.09", for today
1.05", for the storm
2.83", for the month
10.06", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 21 December 2008

.96", for today
.96", for the storm
2.74", for the month
9.97", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 19 December 2008

.36", for today
.65", for the storm
1.78", for the month
9.01", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 18 December 2008

.29", for today
.29", for the storm
1.44", for the month
8.65", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 16 December 2008

.3", for today
1.09", for the storm
1.15", for the month
8.36", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 15 December 2008

.26", for today
.79", for the storm
.85", for the month
8.06", for the (rain) year

Rebecca Aguilar is Despicable

A tale of two media coverages, from Ed Driscoll, via YouTube.

I’m Agreeing With Joe Biden? I Must Be Mad!!

OTOH, he certainly should be able to get his new puppy from wherever he damned well pleases; PETA and the HSUS can go pound sand (until they get their priorities straight).

From csmonitor.com today: Biden gets new dog - animal rights advocates not happy.

Rain Numbers - 14 December 2008

.48", for today
.53", for the storm
.59", for the month
7.80", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 13 December 2008

.05", for today
.05", for the storm
.09", for the month
7.32", for the (rain) year

Drinking Problem

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Electricity is actually made up of extremely tiny particles called electrons, that you cannot see with the naked eye unless you have been drinking.
- Dave Barry

The Golden (Shaw) Rule

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.
- George Bernard Shaw

Rain Numbers - as of 8 December 2008

.04", for the month
7.27", for the (rain) year

’Tis the Season…

On the spine of this month’s Real Simple:

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rain Numbers - as of 30 November 2008

5.58", for the month
7.23", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 26 November 2008

At least as of about 9:30p, when we left for Oregon…

.33", for today
.33", for the storm
5.55", for the month
7.2", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 21 November 2008

.01", for today
.01", for the storm
5.22", for the month
6.87", for the (rain) year

Canadians Need to Retrieve Their Supreme Court…

…from whatever alternate universe they seem to have slipped into.

From gadling.com yesterday:

Obese passengers in Canada have the right to two seats for price of one:

“…According to Reuters, today the Supreme Court of Canada ruled… that obese people have the right to two seats for the price of one on flights within Canada.…”

And I thought the 9th Circuit Court came up with some doozies!

Introducing:

Mark Romano!!

Rain Numbers - 9 November 2008

.01", for today
.12", for the storm
5.21", for the month
6.86", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 8 November 2008

.11", for today
.11", for the storm
5.2", for the month
6.85", for the (rain) year

Not When I Was Growing Up…

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Conscience is what makes a boy tell his mother before his sister does.
- Evan Esar

Rain Numbers - 5 November 2008

.01", for today
6.06", for the storm
5.09", for the month
6.74", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 4 November 2008

.01", for today
6.05", for the storm
5.08", for the month
6.73", for the (rain) year

Good Advices

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Here’s a rule I recommend: Never practice two vices at once.
- Tallulah Bankhead

Rain Numbers - 3 November 2008

1.28", for today
6.04", for the storm
5.07", for the month
6.72", for the (rain) year

Adjust This

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.
- Martin Luther King Jr.

Rain Numbers - 2 November 2008

.53", for today
4.76", for the storm
3.79", for the month
5.44", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 1 November 2008

3.26", for today
4.23", for the storm
3.26", for the month
4.91", for the (rain) year

Would You Believe…

…a rain rate of 4.12" per hour???

Wow!!

The rainfall picked up a bit a minute or two back, so I checked the weather station console; it was coming down at a rate of 1.55" per hour!! Fortunately, it’s backed off to a more comfortable .12" per hour.

Why Didn’t Someone Think of This Sooner?

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.
- Doug Larson

That’s Two…

Power dropped again at 8:25p; came back about 8:51p. Much cleaner on both ends this time around.

Fortunately, That Wasn’t Too Bad

Lost the juice about 3:20p; came back quite a bit sooner than PG&E’s predict (3:45p - 5:45p): 4:05p or thereabouts.

Rain Numbers - 31 October 2008

.89", for today
.97", for the storm
1.65", for the month
1.65", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 30 October 2008

.08", for today
.08", for the storm
.76", for the month
.76", for the (rain) year

How… Positive!!

From Quotes of the Day, today:

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
- Herm Albright

Laziness

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Failure is not the only punishment for laziness; there is also the success of others.
- Jules Renard

Udderly Hysterical!!

Follow Randy’s advice; really. I wouldn’t kid you about a thing like this… From True’s 20 October 2008 edition:

http://www.thisistrue.com/blog-udderly_ridiculous_photo.html

Science and Multitasking

From NPR, via Guy Kawasaki (on Twitter, of all things):

Think You're Multitasking? Think Again

Tell Me It Isn’t So!!!

It’s gawdawful funny, though!

The Art of the Layoff

From a 2006 post on Guy Kawasaki’s blog, How to Change the World, comes thought-provoking advice on layoffs:

“…Take responsibility. Ultimately, it is the CEO’s decision to make the cuts, so don’t blame it on the board of directors, market conditions, competition, or whatever else. In effect, she should simply say, “I’m the orifice. I made the decision. This is what we’re going to do.” If you don’t have the courage to do this, don’t be a CEO. Now, more than ever, the company will need a leader, and leaders accept responsibility.…”

Fate Intervenes

From Quotes of the Day, today:

To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself.
- Albert Einstein

Interesting Take on Voting Conviction vs Color

From snopes.com’s Update e-mail today:

Huntley Brown -- Why I Can’t Vote for Obama

I’m Twitterpated!!

I signed up for (joined?) Twitter; we shall see…

More on Economics

From Quotes of the Day, today:

The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable.
- John Kenneth Galbraith

Theoretical-Physics Economics 101

From Quotes of the Day, today:

There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it’s only a hundred billion. It’s less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.
- Richard Feynman

One of My Favorite Varieties…

…of one of my favorite beverages!

How to Drink Lambic Beer

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Lambic beer is a unique, archaic form of beer that is quite different than modern, commonplace ales and lagers. Authentic lambics are only produced in the Senne River Valley region of Belgium near Brussels. They are unusual because, like beers brewed in ancient times, they are spontaneously fermented with wild, naturally occurring yeast and bacteria. The yeast and bacteria reside in the air as well as in brewery equipment and entire brewery structures such as decrepit roofs. The specific, ideal microbial profile that exist in the Senne Valley enables the creation of true lambic beer that cannot be reproduced elsewhere. The brewery equipment that harbors and nurtures various kinds of yeast and bacteria is never fully cleaned and sanitized. The decaying, seasoned structures of breweries are maintained as such so that important microbial flora are not lost. This is in sharp contrast to modern ale and lager breweries that use pure, laboratory-raised strains of brewing yeast and constantly work to ensure that the beer is not contaminated with microbes other than their pure strain of brewing yeast. Brown, oxidized hops that have been aged for three or more years are also used to make lambics. Unlike the green, unoxidized hops that are used to make conventional beer, the oxidized hops do not contribute much or any bitterness or hop character. They are used primarily for their natural preservative properties. The wild, unconventional nature of lambic beer makes for a complex beverage that is best experienced when served at the appropriate temperature and in suitable glassware.

Steps

1. Find an authentic lambic beer. Authentic lambic beer must be from Belgium, and the label of true lambic beer should display the word “lambic” (or "lambiek"). Beer that is spontaneously fermented but is not from Belgium cannot be true lambic beer. Lambics are typically aged for six months to three years, and young and old lambics are traditionally blended. Lambics should be made from natural ingredients and not artificially flavored or colored. If the ingredients are listed on the bottle, look for malted barley, unmalted wheat, and hops. Fresh, whole fruit is also frequently an ingredient, and is added to the base lambic beer. The fruit is then fermented in the beer, as it is rich in fermentable sugars. Pits and other unfermentable material are removed before bottling. Look for beer that is packaged in 355 milliliter and 750 milliliter champagne bottles. Bottles of lambic are corked like wine and champagne, but some will have bottle caps that have been capped over corks. The cork will not be visible until the cap is removed from the bottle.
   
   • Fruit lambics are commonly labeled as kriek, pecheresse or peche, framboise, and cassis. These lambics are named according to the type of fruit that they have been made with, and will typically show pictures of the fruit that they are made with on their labels.
     
   • Gueuze (also spelled geuze) and faro are traditional styles of lambic beer that are not made with fruit. It is customary for gueuze to be a blend of one year old, two year old, and three year old lambics. Gueuze can be quite sour or tart, while faro is sweeter, as it is traditionally made with added sugar. The sour and tart qualities are primarily a result of certain bacteria, such as acetic acid and lactic acid bacteria, that act upon the fermenting beer.
     
   • Unblended or straight lambic can be young six month old lambic or considerably older, and traditionally contains very little carbonation. Faro is traditionally unblended. Other types of lambic tend to be highly carbonated.
     
   
   
2. Chill the lambic to serving temperature. Chill in the range of about 40F to 55F. Use cooler temperatures for fruit lambics and warmer temperatures for gueuze and unblended straight lambics. Warmer temperatures will bring out the complicated aromas and overall flavors that are produced by the many different microorganisms that ferment the beer. Oak fermentation vessels, long aging periods, the ingredients used, and other factors also influence the aroma and overall flavor. As refrigerators tend to be colder than the optimal serving temperatures, set a chilled lambic out on the counter for a little while so that it can warm up slightly before it is opened and poured.
   
3. Set out the correct glassware. Use tulip, snifter, and stange (slender cylinder) glasses for gueuze and fruit lambic. Use flute glasses for gueuze, fruit lambic, and faro. Most unblended lambics can be served in flute and stange glasses. Use personal preference when choosing among types of glasses. Different glasses will modulate aromas and flavors in certain ways, and specific lambics may be more enjoyable when drunk from a certain type of glass. Wine glasses complement lambics well, but short stems are generally desired. Also, collins glasses can be substituted for stange glasses. Specific lambics may be paired with proprietary glassware that is provided by the brewery. Consider how much capacity certain glasses have, and be sure that you can fill them appropriately. Also take into account that most lambics are highly carbonated and will foam a lot, and that it is usually desirable to serve such lambics with a good amount of foam.
   
4. Remove the foil if desired. Cut or tear off the foil that may be wrapped around the cap and bottle neck. Cut it neatly around the cap with a wine foil cutter or just tear it off like a brute. Alternatively, just pop off the cap without removing the foil, as the foil should not hinder the action of the bottle opener or hold down the cap. However, the bottle opener may slip somewhat if the foil is not removed initially.
   
5. Pop off the cap. If a cap exists, pop it off with a bottle opener. The cap may be larger than standard beer bottle caps, so some standard bottle openers may not work well.
   
   • Try using large openers that are typically used by bartenders.
     
   
   
6. Uncork the bottle. The bottle may be corked with a cork is that is underneath the cap, or with a large bulbous champagne cork. If the cork is under the cap, use a corkscrew wine opener to remove the cork.
   
   • Bulbous champagne corks should be kept in place by a wire cap until the bottle is ready to be opened, as the cork can shoot out explosively if not kept in place.
     
   • To uncork a bulbous cork, begin by removing the wire retainer.
     
   • Then, if desired, use your thumb or fingers to loosen the cork. It will most likely pop out with a good deal of force and fly across the room or up into the sky. The cork should pop out after the cork has been only slightly moved out of the bottle. To prevent the cork from popping out of the bottle and to prevent excessive foaming, hold your hand firmly over the cork while working it free of the bottle, or even hold a cloth napkin or towel over the cork while pushing it out. The napkin or towel should hold the cork within it.
     
   • Allow for foam to be released from the bottle as it is opened, especially of the cork was allowed to pop out freely. Don't further agitate the lambic by moving your arm or jumping around, because then it will just foam more and much of the lambic will end up on the ground or on your clothes.
     
   
   
7. Pour the lambic. Most available lambics such as gueuze and fruits lambics are highly carbonated, and will foam very easily. Try to get a good amount of foam when pouring, but not so much that there is not enough liquid beer. The exact amount of foam that is desirable for specific lambic beers can certainly vary, and there may be no perfect amount of foam for any lambic. Keep in mind that lambics are all quite different, and are the result of spontaneous, natural conditions.
   
   • Begin by pouring somewhat slowly down the side of the glass while holding the glass at an angle in your hand. This will minimize excessive foaming.
     
   • When the glass is about one quarter to half full, gradually move the glass upright. This will cause a decent, desired amount of thick, dense or rocky foam to form as the pour is completed. Increase the speed by which the glass is tilted upwards and the height from which the beer is poured to increase foam formation. Alternatively, pour at a lower height and pour for a longer period of time down the side of the glass to minimize foam formation. A fair amount of the glass should usually be occupied by foam, as the foam has a wonderful appearance and is often an important part of lambic beer.
     
   • The poured lambic may appear quite hazy, as it is traditional for lambics to be unfiltered. Such unfiltered lambics will also have a sediment on the bottom of the bottle that can produce cloudiness. To avoid a cloudy appearance, do not agitate the bottle before pouring, pour gradually without tilting the bottle much, and do not pour out the very last amount of beer. The bacteria present during fermentation can also be responsible for making lambics hazy. These bacteria can produce a slime that is subsequently broken down over time, and the remnants of the slime result in a haze. This type of haze is perfectly acceptable. Filtered lambics are not unusual, so don't be surprised if one lambic is hazy and another is not. Also, unfiltered lambics may appear quite clear if the lambic was not agitated and provided with enough time to allow the particles in the lambic to settle out naturally. In this instance, the lambic may pour clear initially, then become cloudy as the dregs of the bottle are poured into the glass. Fruit lambics may be quite dark, depending on the kind of fruit that was used.
     
   
   
8. Smell and taste the lambic. Expected aromas are typically described as fruity, citric, horsey, barnyard, goaty, sweaty, hay, horse blanket, earthy, and acidic. Lambics can taste quite sour and tart, and can be reminiscent of sherry or cider. Tannic astringency can also be present, and the oak that the lambic may have been aged in can be detectable. Hop bitterness should be low or absent. Undesirable aromas and overall flavors may be described as cigar-like, smoky, enteric, and cheesy. Very sweet fruit lambics may have added sugar primarily for the American market, but authentic, artisanal fruit lambics such as those brewed by Cantillon or Hanssens should only impart sweetness that is from fresh fruit and fruit juice. The flavor and color of the type of fruit that was used to make a fruit lambic should be apparent.
   

Tips

• Read the ingredients on bottles of lambic and verify that they are made from natural ingredients such as malted barley, wheat, and fresh fruit.
  
• While lambics are fermented by many kinds of wild yeast and bacteria, the beer is not harmful because it has a low pH and alcohol. The acidic low pH and alcohol suppress the growth of harmful microbes.
  
• Lambics are usually living beers that contain living microbes. Avoid exposing the beer to excessive temperatures so that these organisms are not killed. Store lambics in cool, dark places or under mild refrigeration.
  
• You don't have to follow these steps exactly. Feel free to open the bottle however you can, and you don't have to drink out of a specific glass.
  
• When opening a champagne style cork, undo the twisted wire but leave the cage on. Use the cage for added grip and twist the cork out of the bottle. Levering it out with your thumb could cause it to collide with something delicate.
  
• Not all lambics are created equal! There are bad, cartoonish examples as well as good, classic lambics (much like other styles of beer). Chapeau & most Lindeman (exception: the Gueuze Cuvee Rene) are lambics w/ training wheels, heavily sweetened & KoolAid-like fruit flavors. For a truly classic experience, seek out the best examples, such as: Cantillon, Boon (esp Marriage Parfait!), & Hanssens. These are much drier, acidic, & the fruit offerings are more subtle & natural. Enjoy!
  

Warnings

• When uncorking a champagne-style cork, don’t let it collide with something that is alive or delicate.
  

• Don't drink and drive
  

• Don't drink this to excess. It is to be enjoyed.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Prevent Skunky Beer
  
• How to Choose a Quality Beer
  
• How to Brew Antioxidant Rich Beer
  
• How to Open a Beer Bottle With a Dollar Bill
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.lindemans.be/start/home/en?PHPSESSID=df61659a4247a01c1c88e1451c54dcce
  
• http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer-News/Article-504.htm
  
• http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/glassware.php
  
• http://www.bjcp.org/stylecenter.php
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Drink Lambic Beer. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Rain Numbers - 4 October 2008

.47", for today
.68", for the storm
.68", for the month
.68", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 3 October 2008

.21", for today
.21", for the storm
.21", for the month
.21", for the (rain) year

It’s That Time of Year!

Today begins the rain year, and Bob reports we should be getting rain around Friday.

The End of an Era…

Paul Newman 1925 - 2008
RIP

From the Washington Post article:

“…They had a famously durable marriage. Newman spoke about their relationship by noting how they decided to act in the comedy A New Kind of Love (1963).

“He told Time magazine: “Joanne read it and said, ‘Hey this could be fun to do together. Read it.’ And I read it and said, ‘Joanne, it’s just a bunch of one-liners.’

“And she said, ‘You [expletive], I’ve been carting your children around, taking care of them, taking care of you and your house.’ And I said, ‘That is what I said. It’s a terrific script. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.’ This is what is known as a reciprocal trade agreement.…”

Stay Out of My Trash Cans!

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:



The things people discard tell more about them than the things they keep.

— Hilda Lawrence

Exercise vs Stress

From Quotes of the Day, today:

Exercise relieves stress. Nothing relieves exercise.

- Takayuki Ikkaku, Arisa Hosaka and Toshihiro Kawabata

Yes, I Like Lavender. A Lot!!

How to Dry Your Home Grown Lavender

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You can easily dry lavender flowers for use inside the home and enjoy the fragrance all year round!

Steps

1. Get a pair of sharp garden shears and a ball of string.
   
2. Cut matured lavender flowers just above the leaves, getting the longest stem possible on the flower.
   
3. Without crushing the stems, tie each flower separately, close to the cut end with a long piece of string. Leave about 3/4" between each stem. This will ensure that when you hang them to dry, air will be able to circulate and that the lavender will not rot or go moldy while drying.
   
4. Tie the ends of your string together to form a loop.
   
5. Hang the chain of lavender, ensuring the flowers point toward the floor, in a dark dry place for about a month.
   
6. Untie the lavender from your piece of string when it's dry, and use in dried flower arrangements, or chop up for potpourri.
   

Tips

• Lavender can discourage moths, so hanging the lavender in your clothes cupboards will not only smell nice to you, but could also save your clothes from insect attack.
  
• If you use half-hitch knots, you can re-use your piece of string numerous times.
  
• Drying time is weather-dependent. If you live in a humid area, they may take longer to dry out.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Dry Herbs
  
• How to Grow Healthy Plants
  
• How to Grow a Tomato Plant
  
• How to Grow Elephant Ear Plants
  
• How to Grow Basil from Seed
  
• How to Grow Cuttings from Established Plants
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Dry Your Home Grown Lavender. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

From the Plant to the Kitchen

How to Prune and Harvest Lavender

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Pruning and harvesting lavender is easy. You don't have to be scared of killing it. It is helpful, however, to understand that pruning and harvesting aren't the same thing. Here are some handy tips for pruning and harvesting lavender with some success.

Steps

Pruning

1. Learn to prune lavender the correct way. Cut back the green growth to within a few inches of the woody growth. Remove all the dead leaf matter, along with any stringy twigs and any other plant clutter.
   
2. Wait for the new growth to appear. Do not overwater or place in direct sunlight. However, do ensure that there is adequate access to light to stimulate growth.
   

Harvesting

1. Cut the lavender stems that have flowers. Do this early in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the heat of the sun draws out too much of the essential oils (you will want those intact to evoke the scent in your home).
   
2. Dry the lavender in bunches or on screens.
   
3. Dry and store in a cool, dark place. Some varieties are best for stems and others for flower buds.
   

Tips

• The bits you have cut off can make cuttings. Put them in a tray of soil, water them occasionally, and they should grow.
  

Warnings

• Watch your fingers. The sharper the secateurs, the better.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Dry Flowers
  
• How to Dry Fresh Grown Catnip
  
• How to Grow and Pick Melons
  
• How to Harvest Sweet Pea Seed Pods
  
• How to Make Violet Eye Cream
  

Sources and Citations

• For a good complete article, see Lavender care and tips
  
• Lavender Oil Profile
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Prune and Harvest Lavender. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

These Cookies Sound Really Good!

How to Bake Lavender and Lemon Cookies

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Lavender and lemon make a delightful combination for homemade cookies. Guests will not be able to resist taking at least two.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (about 1 gram) dried lavender flowers; must be culinary suitable and chemical-free
  
• 1 cup (227 grams) butter (ensure it is at room temperature)
  
• 2/3 cup (67 grams) sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) lemon extract
  
• 1/4 teaspoon (.5 grams) grated, fresh lemon rind (ensure lemon has been well washed)
  
• 2 cups (250 grams) flour (all purpose/plain)
  
• 1/8 teaspoon (.75 gram) salt
  
• Frosting of choice (optional)
  

Steps

1. Grind the lavender flowers. A mortar and pestle is easiest but you can also use a coffee grinder reserved only for food grinding use.
   
2. Cream together ground lavender, butter, sugar, both extracts and the freshly grated lemon rind.
   
3. Add flour and salt.
   
4. Mix the ingredients together. Combine until dough is soft. Add a little extra flour if the dough remains sticky.
   
5. Refrigerate the dough until firm. This may take 1 - 2 hours.
   
6. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC) before removing dough from the fridge.
   
7. Flour a clean surface, lightly, in preparation for rolling the dough.
   
8. Roll dough out. A quarter of an inch (.635 cm) is an ideal thickness.
   
9. Cut cookies.. You can use a cookie cutter or just make balls.
   
10. Arrange on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
    
11. Bake 12 - 15 minutes. Cookies should only be lightly browned at the edges to retain delicate flavors.
    
12. Remove and cool on wire racks.
    
13. Frost as desired.
    

Tips

• If you have purple food coloring, this can make a delightful complementary frosting for the cookies.
  
• If using fresh lavender, add about twice as much.
  
• If using a mortar and pestle, adding some of the sugar to the lavender may help you grind it finer.
  

Things You'll Need

• Medium mixing bowl
  
• Mixing spoon
  
• Cookie sheet
  
• Parchment or baking paper
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Bake Cookies
  
• How to Dry Your Home Grown Lavender
  
• How to Prune and Harvest Lavender
  
• How to Enjoy a Lemon Italian Ice
  
• How to Make Lemon Pie
  
• How to Make Lemon/Lime Water
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Bake Lavender and Lemon Cookies. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

I Know *I’m* Surprised!!

From RoughlyDrafted Magazine yesterday:

“After dumping its $10 million contract with Jerry Seinfeld after just three ads (only two of which even aired) Microsoft has created new ad copy where regular people and a few celebrities say, “I’m a PC!” One problem with the campaign’s credibility: the ad work was created using Macs.…”

Poor Spiders!

For some reason, the dratted video won’t embed… Oh, well… point your browsers thusly, then:

http://www.glumbert.com/media/spiders

The Inmates Have Escaped the Asylum…

…and they’re running us…

Bob was at the hardware store for various stuff this afternoon, and learned two very interesting things:

1. If you’re under 18, you are forbidden, under state law, from using the key-making machine
2. If you’re under 18, you are forbidden, under state law, from using the paint-mixing machine

Of all the moronic… Oh, never mind…

Dear St. Michael, guard my room.

Posted to Silouan’s blog today:

“A prayer to my guardian angel
“by Father Stephen Freeman

“O Holy Angel, who stand by my wretched soul and my passionate life: do not abandon me, a sinner, neither depart from me because of my lack of self-control. Leave no room for the evil demon to gain control of me through the violence of this mortal body. Strengthen my weak and feeble hand, and instruct me in the path of salvation.…”

Scary Times: Al Gore Invented the Internet…

…and John McCain helped invent the Blackberry??? Not that Obama is very bright…

From the LA Times politics blog this morning:

“John McCain helped invent the Blackberry? Who knew?

“John McCain’s technological acumen is back in the news – courtesy of one of his top aides.

“Barack Obama’s campaign sought to spotlight the subject late last week with a controversial ad that scoffed at the Republican’s computer skills.

At a gathering in Washington today, McCain domestic policy adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin was asked about his candidate’s grasp of high-tech matters. Holtz-Eakin held up his Blackberry and, in a nod toward McCain’s onetime tenure as head of the Senate Commerce Committee, said, “He did this.…”

Being a Food Critic is HARD Work!!

How to Become a Food Critic

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Introducing new restaurants and new dishes to the public is a demanding and competitive job with travel and new exciting experiences as the reward. If you enjoy tasting a wide variety of food and wines and love to write, this could be the perfect career for you.

Steps

1. Develop fantastic writing skills as a newspaper reporter. You can have the most discriminating palate in the world, but you'll never make it as a food critic if you can't communicate well. If you are heading for school, major in journalism or English. Work on the university paper and try to write as many articles as you can on food and the arts. If you can't go to school full-time, try to take courses part-time and/or look into getting an internship at a local magazine or newspaper.
   
2. Become familiar with the restaurant business. Owning or co-owning a restaurant is very practical for a food critic. At the very least, you should know how things operate behind the scenes. If possible, work in restaurants and study how they work from top to bottom. Ask many questions. Educate yourself.
   
3. Test the limits of your palate. To be a food critic, you must have an incredible and adventurous palate. Expand your curiosity and be prepared to try every kind of food and drink. You might have to be brave at times and go way out of your comfort zone. It really helps to be the kind of person who has tremendous zest for life willing to take many adventures and risks. This job is not for the faint hearted. Try anything and everything you come across, no matter how strange or foreign it may seem, and record your impressions as descriptively as you can. Training your palate is like exercising a muscle. You need to be able to detect the subtle nuances of flavor and seasoning in food.
   
4. Become an expert in food. Your goal should be to become a first class connoisseur of cuisine. Food should become your life! Dedicate yourself to searching out the finest, latest, rarest and most delicious incredible culinary knowledge. Read the cookbooks from all the great master chefs from all around the world. You should be obsessive in your search for new food trends and ideas.
   
   • Travel to food and wine festivals, from first class to the obscure.
     
   • Study the art of cooking. Take cooking classes non-stop. You should attain a "chef" level in cooking as a goal.
     
   • Build your culinary vocabulary. Frequent fresh food markets and learn about produce and herb seasonings from all over the world.
     
   • Try to take a few wine classes and make many visits to wineries. A good appreciation of wine is crucial. Knowing how to taste wine can also develop your palate.
     
   • Consider becoming an expert on certain foods, such as dark chocolate, later in your career. Many food writers also immerse themselves in the history and culture of food to add depth to their articles.
     
   • Study French, Spanish and Italian. Learn at least one language fluently as well as being versed in the languages of Japan, China and the Mediterranean.
     
   
   
5. Research other food critics and chefs. This is imperative. Everyone has there own style of food writing.You need to find your own "voice". You should read the works of M.F.K. Fisher, A.J. Liebling, Elizabeth David, Calvin Trillin, A.A. Gill and Robert Courtine.
   
6. Write reviews. When you go to a new restaurant, go with three friends. Bring someone who's familiar with that kind of cuisine (such as if the cuisine is ethnic, and your friend grew up in the country it originated from). Ask everyone to order something different (including appetizers and dessert) and take two bits of every dish, including your own. Then stop eating. The reason for this is twofold: it helps you maintain a healthy weight, and it helps leave enough room in your stomach for everything. (Besides, you can always ask to have things wrapped up and take them home, or your friends might have fun finishing what you didn't.) Between each dish, try to take a mental snapshot of the dish, and remember your impressions of it. Do not take notes at the restaurant. Wait until you get home, in the car, or even the bathroom. You don't want to tip the restaurant off that you're a reviewer. After your first visit to the restaurant, do it all over again. This time, you and your companions should order dishes that you didn't have the time before. That way, you'll have tried many different dishes and can get a good idea for how you're going to rate that restaurant.[1]
   
   • Also pay attention to the ambiance and service. Make note of anything that contributes to or takes away from the experience. Food critics often have an extensive checklist that includes, but is not limited to the impressiveness of the food.[2]
     
   • If you're going to make a career out of critiquing food, it's important that you don't become recognizable. Once people know who you are, they'll try especially hard to make sure you enjoy their food which, while nice, can interfere with your review of the food. After all, your readers won't get that kind of treatment, and your job is to let them know what they can expect as an average person, not a food critic. Make reservations under a fake name (or else they might recognize your real name with what's published in the paper) and keep a low profile (don't go to benefits, wine dinners, or other gatherings; don't appear on television or participate as a celebrity in events; don't accept offers to try a chef's cuisine).[1] Failing to keep your anonymity intact may warrant a lot of criticism from readers.[3]
     
   
   
7. Create a portfolio of at least 40 written articles that you have written on food, wine, restaurants, chefs, food festivals, etc. If your plan is to become a food critic, then you must write all the time to have something to show to editors. Schedule writing one article a week until you build up a body of writing work. Consider starting a blog.
   
8. Apply to different newspapers and magazines regarding writing food columns. A big part of your life will be writing newspaper stories about all aspects of food. You will not start out as a food critic in most cases. You will start at the very bottom. There will be no job you won't do. When you do land a job at a newspaper, keep a travel bag packed at all times in your office or car. You might even get a job that doesn't focus on food at all, but it'll put your foot in the door and you can write about food on the side--in some cases, you'll inherit a food critic's position as a result.[1]
   

Tips

• All food critics are food writers, but not all food writers are food critics. Remember that your job as a food critic is to scrutinize food and help the readers know if they'll enjoy it or not. If you give an inaccurate impression of the food, people will be dissatisfied with your work.
  
• Enjoy the fact that you will spend hours poring over menus from all over the world; food is one way to become more familiar with other cultures.
  

Warnings

• After a negative or mixed review, be prepared for a barrage of e-mails from the restaurant's fans telling you that you don't know what you're talking about.
  
• When you first start out it will very tempting to try many foods as well as the desserts and possibly gain a good deal of weight. This can be hazardous for your health. The best way to deal with this is to take a taste of a dish and not eat the entire thing.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Give Constructive Criticism
  
• How to Criticise
  
• How to Use the Compliment Sandwich to Critique
  
• How to Write a Critique in 5 Paragraphs
  
• How to Accept Criticism
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Boston.com - The Secret Life of a Restaurant Critic


2. ↑ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=26&entry_id=4946


3. ↑ 'Daily News' Food Critic Danyelle Freeman And Her Face

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Become a Food Critic. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

From a Politician to a Useless Politician

From Quotes of the Day, today:

In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.
- John Adams

Rain Numbers - 10 September 2008

.02", for today
.03", for the storm
.03", for the month
37.18", for the (rain) year

Rain Numbers - 9 September 2008

.01", for today
.01", for the storm
.01", for the month
37.16", for the (rain) year

Passing the Time at PDX - Music

Once the sandwich and football were done, and with plenty of time was left to kill, I wandered out of the “food court” and stumbled straightaway into Mario Carboni and Chazz Hamilton, piano and guitar players, respectively, extraordinaire!

What a treat!! These boys obviously have more than just a clue about ensemble playing and sound GREAT together! No surprise, I guess: according to MySpace, Mario and Chazz are Back Road Boogie. I’m gonna have to get back to Oregon RSN.

• Mario at MySpace
• Chazz at MySpace
• Back Road Boogie at MySpace; make sure you check out the songs!

You can sample, and buy, Mario’s CD, Big Bad Boogie, on CD Baby. It’s a good listen; why, oh why didn’t I think to have him autograph it when we were all still at the airport??

Passing the Time at PDX - Sports

So, I’m killing time in terminal/concourse/whatever-they-call-it C at PDX, having gotten to there with RenRen and Bwen, whose planes took off oodles earlier than mine, and stopped off for lunch at Big Town Hero (gobbled the tuna melt forthwith; saved the avocado delight for later!). They share a “food court” sort of central area with some other food vendors, so I took advantage and sat down and watched some football.

Interesting it was: Michigan beat Miami of Ohio 16-6, but it was 10-6 for a long time. And Ohio was leading OSU, but eventually lost, 26-14.

Historical Notes from OHSU: In memoriam: Robert J. Meechan, MD, 1926-2008

Historical Notes from OHSU: In memoriam: Robert J. Meechan, MD, 1926-2008

I Know Them! I Know Them!!

Also from the Senile this morning:

An “honest” chiseler from Hollywood to Felton - Santa Cruz Sentinel

“For years, they have been a landmark for commuters and parents dropping off their kids at school. And, to San Lorenzo Valley residents, the twisted whimsical animals, spirits nymphs and friendly bears fashioned from redwood burls are a familiar and comforting sight.

“Passers-by who stop to take a closer look are in for an artistic treat at the home studio of the “Honest Chiseler,” Cliff Short. He and his wife, Norma, have called the spot on Highway 9, across from San Lorenzo Valley High School, home since 1971.

“The path to the studio shaded by fruit trees meanders past towering wooden sculptures and intriguing works of art. Two bears gracefully support the back of an inviting bench. The inside of the tidy study is adorned with stained glass, tables and chairs, bowls, jewelry, clocks, paintings and small animal figurines. All of this is just a part of Short’s life work as a redwood burl artist.…”

Truth is Definitely Stranger than Fiction

From the Senile, er, Sentinel, this morning:

Composer of first Japanese national anthem traced to Santa Cruz

“A two-decade-old mystery that spread across the United States, Japan and Great Britain was recently solved within the boundaries of Santa Cruz.

“Toshio Akiyama, former president of the Japanese Band Directors Association, had been searching for information about the composer of Japan’s first national anthem, the late John William Fenton. Akiyama wanted to know how he died and where his grave was.

“According to a story on news Web site telegraph.co.uk, Fenton was considered the father of band music in Japan. Fenton composed the first version of the country’s national anthem in 1870, and set to the historic Japanese poem, “Kimi Ga Yo,” according to Santa Cruz historians. The official version was composed by Japanese court musician Hiromori Hayashi 10 years later.…”

I Never Thought of Myself as a '30s Woman…

60 As a 1930s wife, I am Superior Take the test!

Killing the Rabbit in Korea

Much Cooler Than the Pop up Lily, but Again, You Need the Original

How to Make a Unicorn Pop up Card

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Unicorns have always seemed like mysterious creatures, and in the imagination of the young, have always held some promise of adventure. Though the modern popular image of the unicorn is sometimes that of a horse differing only in the horn on its forehead, the traditional unicorn has a billy-goat beard, a lion's tail, and cloven hooves—these distinguish it from a horse.[1] With the 2008 birth of a real-life "unicorn" in Italy--a deer with a single horn growing out of its head[2]--make a card to celebrate!

Steps

1. Print out all the unicorn pieces (click here for PDF) and unicorn card (click here for PDF) on heavy paper, like card stock or construction paper. You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader[3] installed in your computer in order to view and print the templates.
   
2. Using a ruler as a guide, take the rounded end of a paper clip (or ballpoint pen that has run out of ink) and press along the dotted lines of the pop-up pieces and card.
   
3. Carefully cut out your unicorn pop-up pieces and card following the solid black line around the shape(s).
   
4. Note that you should have 5 pieces and 1 card.
   
5. Take your card and fold it in half. Unfold and put it back to its original position.
   
6. Take your pop-up piece with the horn on it. Fold it in half towards you.
   
7. Fold and crease the left tab up. Crease well and unfold. Repeat this step on the other
   
8. Take your pop-up piece with the ears on it. Fold it in half towards you.
   
9. Fold the bottom left tab up and crease well.
   
10. Continue to fold and crease. The E tab should fold towards the horse's shoulder.
    
11. Continue to fold and crease until it looks like this.
    
12. Repeat the previous three steps on the other side. Set this piece aside for now.
    
13. Take the head piece and fold it in half towards you.
    
14. Take the left tab and fold it down away from you. Crease well and unfold.
    
15. Do the same with the right tab.
    
16. Apply a small amount of glue to where it says "glue here A" on the card.
    
17. Take your pop-up piece with the horn and line it up against "glue here A". Press firmly and let the glue dry.
    
18. Apply a small amount of glue to "glue here B". Line up the tab and press down firmly
    
19. Let the glue dry.
    
20. Apply a small amount of glue to area C.
    
21. Press firmly and let the glue dry. Do the same to the other side by applying a small amount of glue to area D.
    
22. Glue the left side and press firmly. Wait for the glue to dry and set this pop-up piece aside for now.
    
23. Apply a small amount of glue to E and F.
    
24. Take your pop-up piece you just put aside and line it up over "glue here E" and "glue here F".
    
25. Apply a small amount of glue to areas G and H. Line up the tabs over G and H. Press firmly and let the glue dry.
    
26. Apply a small amount of glue to area I.
    
27. Take a leg and attached it over area I. Press firmly and let the glue dry. Do the same on the other side.
    
28. Close your pop-up carefully.
    
29. Open your pop-up unicorn! Color it in with markers and crayons. Share it with someone special!
    

Related wikiHows

• How to Make a Reindeer Pop up Card
  
• How to Make an Ark Pop up Card
  
• How to Make a Poinsettia Pop up Card
  
• How to Make a Wizard of Oz Pop up Card
  
• How to Make a Christmas Tree Pop up Card
  

Sources and Citations

• http://robertsabuda.com - Original source, shared with permission.
  

1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn


2. ↑ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25097986/


3. ↑ http://www.adobe.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Unicorn Pop up Card. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Jerry’s Getting More Intelligent All the Time!

From Quotes of the Day, today:

A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking.

- Jerry Seinfeld

Still Thinking This One Over…

How to Be Good

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Philosophers have been debating what is good and what is not for centuries. Many people find that it's more complicated than just being kind, and several complex religions have arisen with the attempt to understand the difference between good and evil. While every person's journey is different, being good has a lot to do with discovering yourself and your role in the world. Here's how to be a good person on your own terms.

Steps

1. Be proactive. It's tempting to infer that as long as you avoid doing the things you know are bad (stealing, badmouthing, lying, etc.) then that means you're a good person, but there's more to it than that. By avoiding bad behavior, you've made a big step towards becoming a good person, but you've only just begun. In order to be good, you actually have to do good things rather than just avoid doing bad things.
   
2. Consider the results. Have you ever heard the saying that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"? It's not enough to want to do good, and to try to do good--you must also think about whether your actions actually had good results. Not every attempt to do good will end with good results, so when things don't work out, be willing to reconsider your actions and change them accordingly. Never let your sense of duty, loyalty, or obligation get in the way of doing what's right.[1] For example, many parents feel that it's always good to help their children in every way they can, but there are times when children need to learn lessons on their own and face challenges in order to achieve or to avoid mistakes in the future. A child who has been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving needs to bear the responsibility of his or her actions. If the parent bails the child out, then helps the child avoid consequences, s/he will only learn that the parent will be there to help even if s/he does wrong. The intention is good (wanting to help the child succeed) but the action might not be (removing all obstacles from their path).
   
3. Think about the greater good. What might seem like a good decision in your situation might not have a very good impact on a broader scale (in the example above, the child doesn't have a DUI on his record, but is then free to go and violate the law again, this time possibly hurting or killing someone else). People often do right things for the wrong reasons, and wrong things for the right reasons. If you're playing a game with your team, for instance, it might seem good to try and score as many goals as you can to bring your team to victory. But look at the big picture. How will your teammates feel if you score all the points instead of helping set them up to score at times, never allowing them to get a shot in? How will that kind of victory affect the team spirit? Would you still feel good if your team won, but your teammates felt that it was an individual effort and they weren't involved?
   
4. Define what "good" means to you. Ultimately, you have to decide on your own code of ethics, and what matters is that you follow through with what you believe makes you a good person. At times, this may conflict with what others believe is good, and they might even accuse you of being wrong or evil. Consider their views - either they know something you don't, in which case you may learn something from them and "update" your morality, or perhaps their experience is limited, meaning that you should take their views with a grain of salt.
   
5. Be balanced. In the struggle to be good, it's easy to swing from one extreme to another. However, any form of extremism can lead to closed-mindedness, a quality that can be found behind what most people can agree are bad deeds. In Buddhism, there's a term for avoiding extremism: "the Middle Way". Whenever you find yourself leaning towards an extreme, try to find the Middle Way before you act. This isn't going to be easy, but if being good was easy, wouldn't every good-hearted person be good? Here are some dilemmas you may encounter:
   
   • It's good to be humble and kind, but is it good to be so humble and kind that you let people walk all over you, to the extent that it damages your physical and emotional health, or lessens your ability to care for, spend time with, and provide for your family?
     
   • It's good to be responsible (pay your bills on time, plan for retirement, save up for your kids to go to college) but is it good to be this way to the point that you hoard away hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets and wealth for your own family's financial security without ever giving someone else (who isn't fortunate enough to be born into your family) a helping hand?
     
   • It's good to be positive, but is it good to be so positive that you ignore risks and brush mistakes under the rug, never learning from bad decisions because you're always "positive" that it'll work out the next time around?
     
   • It's good to be honest, but is it good to be so honest that you hurt people's feelings unnecessarily, violate someone's privacy or prevent someone from finding answers that they might need to find for themselves?
     
   
   
6. Give people the benefit of the doubt. To the extent that it doesn't jeopardize your safety (like getting in the car with a group of people you just met), assume each person you meet is a good person, and act likewise. If you see someone do something that you consider to be bad, consider what they are dealing with in the context of their own life--don't jump to conclusions. Try to discover what motivated their bad act, and if appropriate, show them how it was hurtful by using nonviolent communication. Many times, helping someone else become a good person in a gentle, open-minded and unimposing way can help you learn and become a better person yourself.
   
7. Be good for its own sake. Don't try to be a good person because your parents told you to, because you want recognition or respect, or for any kind of reward except your own satisfaction in doing what you believe is good. Never act superior to anyone else or brag about your "goodness" or "righteousness". Your dedication to a particular creed, ideology, or set of guidelines does not make you better than anyone else. Do what you believe makes you a good person on your own terms, and remember that it's an individual journey--everyone's path is unique. Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.[2]
   

Tips

• Believe in the power of your actions to influence others. When other people see you doing good deeds, they will be reminded to take more positive action themselves.
  

Warnings

• Don't push your assistance on people who don't want it. If someone is telling you they don't want your help, just apologize if you presumed, and bow out gracefully.
  
• Don't be so nice and constantly helpful that people take advantage of you. Part of being a good person is helping others become better people. Doing everything for someone who is capable of taking care of him or herself is not helpful to either of you.
  
• Be very careful what you say to people. It can be incredibly affecting to say something thoughtless off the top of your head. A rash judgement. A poorly observed conclusion can resonate forever in someone's life. Particularly children and others with little or no defenses.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Be Honest
  
• How to Be Humble
  
• How to Be Kind
  
• How to Be Helpful
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ Isaac Asimov


2. ↑ Alexander Pope

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be Good. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Truth Is, well… the Truth

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:




The greatest homage to truth is to use it.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Challenge of Change

Today’s Daily Thought from Real Simple:




When we are no longer able to change a situation — we are challenged to change ourselves.

— Victor E. Frankl

Interesting Options

How to Host a Wine Tasting Party

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Would you like to have friends over for a wine tasting party without having to be Mr. or Ms. Wine Expert? Here are some ideas that require no wine knowledge... just friends who want to have fun!

Steps

1. Make a list of people to invite, and select a party theme.
   
2. Choose a wine varietal, and have everyone bring their favorite example of that varietal. Alternatively, choose a wine producing region, and have everyone bring an example from that region to get to know a particular type of wine in detail.
   
3. Assign everyone a different wine to bring wrapped in plain brown paper... you number the bottles and everyone must guess the varietal.
   
4. Everyone brings a wine with wine notes from winery or expert (i.e. very fruit forward wine with hints of vanilla with a lingering buttery finish). Guests must match the wine with the description.
   
5. Serve both varietals and dishes that pair well at a dinner party.
   
6. When supplying all the wines for a tasting, purchase wines that have something in common, wrap them in brown paper, provide a scoring sheet and discuss each wine as everyone tastes and scores.... total the scores and determine the winner.
   

Tips

• The choices are endless and the potential for fun is enormous!
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Wine by the Bottle
  
• How to Open a Wine Bottle Without a Corkscrew
  
• How to Remove Red Wine
  
• How to Put Together a Cheese Plate
  
• How to Open a Champagne Bottle With a Sword
  
• How to Pair Food and Wine
  
• How to Taste Wine
  
• How to Select a Bottle of Wine
  
• How to Open a Bottle of Wine
  
• How to Go Wine Tasting at Wineries
  
• How to Choose the Right Glasses for Wine
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.cheers2wine.com
  
• http://calwineries.com/learn/tasting-wine/wine-etiquette/hosting-etiquette
  
• http://www.wine-tastings-guide.com
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Host a Wine Tasting Party. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Aaaaahhhh!

How to Store Wine

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Wine has been around for thousands of years; from the ancient Romans to modern Americans, this lavish drink is enjoyed worldwide. Nowadays, most people simply buy their wine from the local grocery store wine rack, oblivious on how to properly store the wine to make sure it lasts as long as possible. The main thing to keep in mind when storing wine is, of course, avoid light and heat, as well as vibration. There are other things to remember, though, such as the different storage methods required for different types of wine, and it is vital to be as careful as possible whenever considering how to store your particular bottle of wine.

Steps

Before Opening

1. Keep it in the dark. Store all wines away from light, especially direct sunlight and flourescent fixtures. UV rays maderize (i.e. oxidize) wine, resulting in it become 'light struck' picking up the taste and smell of wet cardboard (especially in delicate white wines and sparkling wines).[1] Darker bottles are better protected and some bottles have UV filters built into the glass, but enough UV rays can still penetrate to ruin the wine. If you can't keep a bottle entirely out of the light, keep it lightly wrapped up in a cloth, or simply put the bottle inside a box out of the way. If it does get exposed to light occasionally, try to make sure it's light from incandescent or sodium vapor lamps.[2]
   
2. Store corked wine bottles on their sides. If they are stored upright for a long amount of time, the corks will dry out, and air will eventually get to the wine, spoiling it. If you store it label side up, it'll be easier to spot any sediments that may have formed in the wine over time when you do eventually pick it up.
   
3. Keep the temperature constant. For extended aging of wine (over 1 year), refrigeration is a must in most parts of the world; even a below-ground cellar is not cool enough.
   
   • Wine storage temperature should never go over 75 degrees F (24°C), except for brief spans of time. At 75°F, wine begins to oxidize. An ideal temperature for storing a varied wine collection is 54°F (12.2°C).[3] Letting the temperature drop below 54°F won't hurt the wine; it'll only slow down the aging process, as long as the temperature doesn't fluctuate dramatically.[4]
     
   • Temperature in a wine storage area should be as steady as possible; changes should be gradual. A 68 to 73 degree storage area is far preferable to one that is 45 to 65 degrees F, though the first approaches the dangerous 75 figure. Rises in temperature force wine through the cork; drops cause air to be sucked back in. The greater the changes in temperature a wine suffers, the greater the premature aging of the wine from overbreathing. The temperature should never fluctuate more than 3°F (1.6°C) a day and 5°F (2.7°C) a year, especially with red wines, which will suffer more temperature-related problems than white wines.[5]
     
   
   
4. Don't move the wine. If possible, store the wines in such a way that you don't need to move them in order to reach a bottle to drink. Try not to move a bottle at all once it is stored. Even vibrations from heavy traffic, motors, or generators may negatively affect the wine.
   
5. Keep the humidity at around 70%. High humidity keeps the cork from drying and minimizes evaporation. Don't allow the humidity to go too high over 70%, however, because it can encourage the growth of mold and cause labels to loosen.[6][7] You can purchase a humidity thermometer to track the moisture conditions and use humidifying or dehumidifying techniques as needed.
   
6. Isolate the wine. Remember that wine "breathes", so don't store it with anything that has a strong smell because it will permeate through the cork and taint the wine. Good ventilation may help prevent musty odors from entering the wine.[8]
   
7. Store for an appropriate amount of time. Not all wines improve over time. Champagne is one example. Red wines should be stored and aged for anywhere between 4-10 years to mature, while white wines should be consumed after 2-3 years of storage.[9]
   
8. Adjust the temperature before serving. Different wines taste best at slightly different temperatures, which may vary from the temperature in which they were stored. Right before drinking the wine, allow the temperature to rise or fall to the appropriate serving temperature:[10]
   
   • Blush, rose and dry white wines: 46-57F (8-14C)
     
   • Sparkling wines and champagne: 43-47F (6-8C)
     
   • Light red wine: 55F (13C)
     
   • Deep red wines: 59-66F (15-19C)
     
   
   

After Opening

1. Store opened white wine in the refrigerator. This will only keep the wine for three to five days if you have already opened it; make sure the cork is in the bottle as tightly as possible. If you want to keep it in the refrigerator for a longer period of time after opening, purchase a wine stopper and pump, and hope for the best. The important thing is to minimize the wine's exposure to air. If you have a smaller bottle, you may wish to transfer the leftover wine to it, because there will be less air for it to contend with. A wine cellar or closet would be better for it, though, simply because of the long amount of time many people spend with the refrigerator door wide open, letting in large amounts of light, and, if you leave the door open long enough, heat. If you happen to have a refrigerator that you do not use often, such as a pool house refrigerator, keep it there. You may even consider turning a small fridge into a wine refrigerator.
   
2. Leave red wine out. For the sake of the wine, and for yourself, only do this with red wine, never white. Place the cork in the bottle, put the bottle in a dark place, and don't worry about it. This will help for a couple of days.
   
3. Keep dessert wines like Sauternes, most everyday Ports and most Sherries for longer. They will resist degradation for more than 3-5 days, though exactly how long depends on the individual wine.[11]
   

Storage Options

• Wine cellar. This is an obvious one- if you have a wine cellar, worry no more! Just place the bottle of wine on the rack, close the door, and you are set. Make sure to have some type of system for finding certain bottles of wine in your wine cellar, though, otherwise it can be very easy to spend a good amount of time searching for that one particular bottle.
  
• Makeshift closet wine cellar. While digging a large hole in the basement would seem the most effective thing to do, that would be a major undertaking, and will cost you quite a bit. Only do that if you are an absolute fanatic about wine, and have dozens of bottles in need of long term storage. A closet wine cellar is ideal for the every day wine lover, and will probably only cost you around two, three hundred dollars. The major problem with this, however, is that if you ever want to convert this back to a regular closet, you very well may have to replace all of the sheetrock in the closet.
  
  • Find an empty, out of the way closet on the ground floor of your house.
    
  • Glue strips of 1" foam board to the walls and ceiling of the closet, using construction cement as a glue.
    
  • Replace the door with an insulated, preferably steel, door. If you would like, also glue the foam to this, just to make sure it is all even.
    
  • Attach weather stripping to the edges of the door to make sure that no air gets in or out- heat could ruin the wine.
    
  • Make sure that the temperature is relatively cool. There are numerous devices you can use to decrease the temperature in the closet- just find one that suits your particular closet.
    
  
  
• Wine cooler/refrigerator. This will keep the temperature constant, as long as you only store wine in there so that you're not always opening and closing the door. Good humidity levels are maintained, as well. Some have different temperature zones for different wines.
  

OR
Store your wine with a professional wine storage company.
(think self-storage but without the roll-up garage door) Wine storage companies are popping up all around the country, especially in areas with large wine industries such as Napa Valley or Santa Barbara County in California. These business offer private cellars, often in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. Some of these companies will even accept deliveries for you which means if you do find a favorite bottle at a great price you can have the winery ship a few cases directly to your wine cellar and bypass the hassle of having the mailman refuse to drop off your wine when your 8 year old answers the door.

Video

Tips

• Make sure the wine is safe, no matter how you eventually decide to store it. If it's only a short-term type of situation, this isn't as big of a problem, however, if you are hoping to keep a bottle of wine around for a while to help age it, you need to be sure to store it in a safe spot. 'Safe' means, in this case, out of the light, out of the heat, out of danger of being drunk, out of danger of breaking, cracking, or being dropped.
  
• If you threw the cork away but still want to store leftover wine, secure the opening with a piece of plastic wrap and a tightly wound rubber band.
  
• Some wines are designed to be enjoyed fresh, while others improve with age. You should only be concerned with long-term storage for the latter. If you have white wine that you want to improve by aging, do not place them in the refrigerator. This is where the wine cellar, or closet, or even just a cool, dark place, is key.
  
• Purposefully developing a wine's flavor with age by controlling the conditions in which it is stored is an art and a science that requires far more knowledge than a single article can cover.
  
• If you make your own wine, it would be best to have a wine cellar, especially if you plan on selling any of it. All other kinds of storage could possibly damage the wine after a long period of time.
  
• Wine that has been left out and has gone bad isn't worse for you than if it were stored properly, it just has a different taste. Don't throw it out- it will still be fine for cooking purposes.
  
• Talk to a local wine connoisseur who has their own wine cellar. See what they recommend, or even if they will hold on to a few bottles of your wine for you if you have no room for storage.
  
• Now that your wine keeps a lot longer, why not host a wine tasting party? They are quite enjoyable for wine lovers, and a great way to find out what wines your friends enjoy.
  
• Some companies across the U.S. will actually agree to store your wine for you for a fee; if you are in possession of a rare or delicate bottle of wine that you aren't planning on drinking any time soon, this is probably your absolute best bet for storage.
  

Warnings

• Don't store wine with foods that are capable of fermenting, especially cheese or anything that might rot (fruits and vegetables). Moldy flavors can actually enter stored wine through the cork.
  
• As always, drink responsibly.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Turn Your Mini Fridge Into a Wine Refrigerator
  
• How to Select a Bottle of Wine
  
• How to Taste Wine
  
• How to Go Wine Tasting at Wineries
  
• How to Open a Champagne Bottle with a Sword
  
• How to Become a Wine Connoisseur
  
• How to Brew Cheap Wine
  
• How to Reuse Old Wine Corks
  
• How to Rack Wine
  
• How to Make Watermelon Wine
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.cellarnotes.net/storing_wine.html


2. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html


3. ↑ Personal communication, Dennis Foley, wine appraiser and auctioneer


4. ↑ http://www.cellarnotes.net/storing_wine.html


5. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html


6. ↑ http://www.cellarnotes.net/storing_wine.html


7. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html


8. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html


9. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html


10. ↑ http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/wine-storage.html


11. ↑ http://www.cellarnotes.net/how_long_keep_open_wine.htm

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