Author Archives: Charles Waters
The Social Aspects of Drinking Wine
“Nothing more excellent or valuable than wine,” observed the Classical Greek philosopher Plato “was ever granted by the gods to man.” Drinking Wine and Me Our relationship with this valuable commodity is described in detail in Homer’s Iliad and The Odyssey; it is well documented in Christian and Hebrew texts, and in Confucius’s Analects (collection…
Wine and the Movies: a journey through decades
Ask an average group of people, who aren’t movie buffs or professional critics, to name 2 movies that feature alcohol in some form or another and the chances are most people choose Sideways (2004) and A Good Year (2006). Wine and the Movies Our myopia needs a reality check. Alcohol, in its many guises, has…
Festive fizz: your guide to sparkling wines. Champagne, Prosecco, Cava.
“Pleasure without champagne” Oscar Wilde once said, “is purely artificial.” That great wit has a point. Christmas without a glass of bubbly in your hands somehow seems rather flat. The first thing your host shoves into your hand at this time of year, once the coats and initial formalities have been dispensed with, is some…
Cooking with Wine: tips on how to successfully cook with wine
What is cooking with wine about? “I cook with wine,” the great American comedian W.C.Fields once quipped, “sometimes I even add it to the food.” As you start to stress about what to feed family and friends this Christmas, never was a truer line more pertinent. Wine has been used in cooking, as well as…
An Organic Christmas: a time to reconnect with your primeval soul?
‘‘Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas……..perhaps….means a little bit more.’’ When Doctor Theodor Seuss penned his children’s classic tale ‘How the Grinch stole Christmas’ in 1957 he was, perhaps, gently making us ponder how far this annual festival has strayed from its origins over two millenia. What is organic Christmas?…
From Baudelaire to Doughnuts: units of alcohol, our health and the future
“One should always be drunk. That’s all that matters” Charles Baudelaire, the 19th century French poet once said. You can be absolutely certain, in the 21st century, that government, the health service and advisory bodies such as drinkaware would take issue with him for disregarding alcohol units. Units of alcohol, alcohol by volume and personal…
No More Headache With Wine!
Learn Wine Basics and Enjoy More!
Healthier Living: Learn How to Meditate
