Midlife's Profile
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
I doubt that Bill will reply, so let me say that he is probably the least likely person I've read here who would be "snarky" about anything.
My experience (10 years in the trade; 40 years reading, taking classes, and tasting) is that people almost always first associate what they're drinking with aromas and flavors they can relate to. While it is absolutely useful to and important to understand how these elements develop, that takes education to a higher level. I find that MOST people are happy to be able to get comfortable with aromas and flavors in wine and do that BEFORE they move on to deeper levels. Just my 2¢.
Bitchin' Kitchen - Are they kidding???
I'd watch Margaret Cho do a cooking show in a heartbeat.
Bitchin' Kitchen - Are they kidding???
I think they've developed The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia with you guys in mind. ENJOY!!!!!!!!
how do you handle this??? [Moved from New Jersey]
Waiting anxiously for an update after a week.
I'd hope the owner is trying to avoid a personal confrontation over this, but will take care of it. What she doesn't seem to understand is that speaking to or meeting with you personally is the best way for her to make amends and preserve any kind of positive relationship with you as a customer. In these times of Yelp, etc. people in any business should learn to get out in front of mistakes as soon and as positively as they can.
Do people really drink a 4-ounce cup of coffee?
See...... that's the point of my question. If there's more than one standard for what a "cup" is then THAT IS ANNOYING. I'm going with the 4 ounce standard until further notice. ;o]
Do people really drink a 4-ounce cup of coffee?
It's possible some other poster was being given a hard time about pleading the case that reduced package sizes are annoying and less than proper.
Do people really drink a 4-ounce cup of coffee?
I really don't want to get in the middle of this, JohnE, but you're defending a principle here and not (IMHO) making that specific point as clearly as you could.
What you're saying (if I may) is that manufacturers are taking advantage of consumers' naivete when they reduce content weights and volumes of 'traditional' packages. What I see coming back at you is from consumers who aren't that naive.
I started this topic with a rather tongue-in-cheek question and got back replies that suggest I shouldn't be annoyed by a cup measure that is simply a useful comparative. I knew that before I asked the question. I find my intention misunderstood often here, but usually chalk it up to my offbeat view of things.
Do people really drink a 4-ounce cup of coffee?
It may be only in California but our markets all include a 'per measure' cost on their shelf price tags. So............. you can see the per-ounce price of the ice cream you're looking at and compare it with the same measure cost of another. Looks like our legislature did something right on this one, or it may have been the markets themselves to highlight comparative value in their house brands. Either way it is very helpful.
Do people really drink a 4-ounce cup of coffee?
How are you getting 64 ounces from a 48 ounce coffeemaker? Cuisinart cup = 4 oz x 12 = 48). Sounds like Bubba's drinkin' short cups. ;o]
Storing onions and garlic
My wife contributed a pair of old pantyhose she didn't need any more. One leg makes a really simple 'bag' for onions that lets air in but keeps them in one place on a pantry shelf. I think I got the idea here several years ago.
five guys burger sucks
Somewhere above I commented that what I'd like is 5 Guys fries with an In-n-Out burger. I was very disappointed in 5 Guys burgers and In-n-Out fries are OK if you order them crispy but miss the mark overall. We need a 5 In-in-Out Guys around here. ;o]]]
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
I don't think we're really disagreeing on this except that, using the piano analogy, I don't think ANYONE could learn to play the way a concert pianist plays. And............... I have a hard time believing that someone (like myself) who can't carry a tune to save themselves, could learn to sing well. But I think we both agree that wine is mostly about enjoyment so it doesn't matter what level of understanding you reach.
I simply assumed that the OP was asking what I am asked often, which is whether or not ANYONE can learn to pick out the aromas and tastes that they read about in winemakers' notes and also to discern flaws in wine that are not the obvious ones. THOSE things, I still feel, are dependent upon a person's physiology to a degree which can be limiting.
This is just my 2¢ of course.
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
Yes, but my point all along has been that people have widely varying abilities in these areas and I question how far the average person can go. Not everyone can 'learn to play the piano'. No question that it's fun to learn, and progress is a joy. But there are limits for lots of people.
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
Bill, I think you summed up the main issue in one sentence..... "one thing that will really help, with understanding wines, is a great flavor/aroma memory." The question for me is how far can one train oneself in this area. The recognition (aha moments!) is tough enough for lots of people, let alone being able to remember.
Pizza Stone (or Tiles) Oven Position
All deference to esdondido123...... but I caught a TV piece with an American guy who won the World's Best Pizza title in Italy and he said TOP of the oven. Personal taste is personal taste, though, so try it both ways and see.
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
IRFL, just as a useful factoid............... there are 4800 or so wineries in California and (as best I can tell) another 500 or so in Washington and Oregon combined. That compares with 27,000 wineries in France ALONE. I'm assuming you mean that, with the exception of CA's Central Coast, there are only a small number of varieties grown, so getting comfortable with profiles is difficult?
I've always been a bit annoyed at the way French wines are not labeled with varietal information (for the mostpart), but I'm now thinking that's a pretty smart way to deal with such a huge number of wineries. I may just have to re-assess my bias on that subject.
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
Easy there sunshine. While experience and education can get people to the level I said is "just fine" I (and it may be just me) feel that really good tasters need more than a little bit of talent. How much is "a little bit"? I don't know. I was just trying to quantify something that's obviously difficult (or impossible) to quantify.
Bottom line............ the OP's three points are all anyone really needs to enjoy wine.
Jarred pickles - what's best?
The way I see it this phenomenon requires at least two different experiences. It is a product of having been exposed to a specific and forever searching to match it. If Claussen is the only pickle you've ever experienced in your life you are not comparing it to anything else, so you can never experience this frustration.............. and I DO mean frustration.
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
Aw............. comeon. ;o] I've been tasting for decades and I still don't have the sensitivity to certain aromas and flavors my wife does. After years in 'the biz' I've found that some people just don't have the sensitivity beyond a certain level. That level is usually just fine, but there definitely seem to be differences among tasters.
It's kindof like the ability to carry a tune, though I think someone that has the natural ability can progress farther with wine. You'd far prefer watching me describe a wine over listening to me sing.
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
For pure 'tasting' info there's Jancis Robinson's "How to Taste". Really on point for that skill training.
Foods you dread making because they’re time-consuming
I really like Boeuf Bourgignion, specifically from Julia Child's recipe, but it is so time-consuming that I just keep making more simple beef stew recipes.
Jarred pickles - what's best?
And............. pickles take their rightful place in the very specific worlds of bagels, pastrami, corned beef, pizza, and a whole list of things people like only the way they like them..
;o]]]]]]]
Is understanding wine a talent, or can a novice oenophile learn?
I've found that just about anyone can "understand" wine but not everyone has the "technical" ability to speak the language correctly. By that I don't mean just memorizing terminology but REALLY being able to discern the aromas, flavors, and complexities that some people can. People's palates vary and so do their sensitivities to aroma and taste (which are completely intertwined).
Don't worry, though, you can have a whole lot of fun trying, and most people can learn enough to be able to get by. To me that means being able to describe what you like well enough to avoid ordering or buying wine you don't like. It really doesn't take all that much sophistication to get down enough basics for that.
To answer your specific question..... beyond a certain level I believe it IS a talent, but there's a whole world of enjoyment below that level. Relax and enjoy!
Do people really drink a 4-ounce cup of coffee?
>>"Europe drinks 2- and 4-ounce coffees all the time (and has little cups to serve each size) -- but they don't use ounces, and I can't imagine why you'd mark a US coffeemaker as such."<< - sunshine 482
I may have misinterpreted sunhine482's comment to mean that he/she was suggesting that. I see now that wasn't the meaning.
My question was (I think) trying to get at the reason these things use a 'standard' that doesn't seem to be very standard, except on Wikipedia and wherever that general measure comes from.
Do people really drink a 4-ounce cup of coffee?
US coffeemakers are marked in 'cups', not ounces. I've just gotten used to multiplying by 3 or 4, depending on the size of mug we're serving.
We changed from a 12-cup machine to a 14-cup when the last one died, just so we could serve a 5th person without having to make a fresh pot. Apparently there are not a lot of machines that make that much as we had to order on line when one cracked recently (our fault, not the carafe's). 12-cups is more typical.
Do people really drink a 4-ounce cup of coffee?
This has always made me scratch my head.
We've used a Cuisinart coffeemaker for years and years, and almost every time I fill the carafe I ask my self why I'm filling it to FOUR cups to make myself one moderate-sized mug of coffee. Seems as if all coffeemakers share this same measure (at least the ones I've seen).
A "standard" cup of coffee (according to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasse_%C3%A0_caf%C3%A9 ) is 4 ounces. I get that! BUT................ who drinks that small a cup??? That's just slightly larger than an espresso or demi-tasse cup (which is supposedly 2 to 3 ounces.
So............... why do manufacturers use that small a measure? Just because it's a "recognized" standard? Recognized where and by whom these days?
Not a huge issue, but I AM curious if this bothers other people and what you all think about it. (Obviously a little too much time on my hands this afternoon. ;o])
Jarred pickles - what's best?
Interesting! A $21.00 gallon of sour pickles will cost $44.62 to ship to CA... total $65.62. :o[[[[
Jarred pickles - what's best?
Costco has carried Carnegie Deli dills in some stores here in SoCal. My standard is New York deli older dills, so they are really the best we've found at retail.
When the host is late serving the meal - also rude? Is it ok for guests to leave?
Whiskey, cheese, crackers, and fruit? Nice!!!
