Horn of Plenty

We got up this morning, somewhat refreshed by a little night rain and a certain optimism - perhaps knowing that the Olympic events are underway and that dreadful (or were we the only ones who thought so) opening ceremony is over with.  We guess that if you have unlimited air time and unlimited budget, poor taste will eventually win out.

To our far flung readers, the sweet corn is really in now and although the drought has taken its toll (a mini drought but high heat) it is good and sweet the the kids are consuming it by the bushel. The farm stands are full of all kinds of produce - may we suggest that light purplish eggplant grilled with olive oil and cracked pepper; the yellow beets roasted next to the burgers...my oh my.

Ospreys Dominion wines are at our shop today for the tasting from 3-6p (132 Front St., Greenport opposite the post office). So in 24 hours we are going to go from poor taste to a day and evening of great tastes and that is something of the joy of living, our joie de vivre as it were. 

Not to make too much of it but sometimes we just need to up the ante a bit on what we do hour by hour and day by day. One of our visitors likens it to buying a better brand of salt and, if you think of it some, that is what we mean.  There is that brand in the "if it rains it pours" round box and then there is something you actually pay hard money for - a couple bucks for a smallish container and not the "almost free" stuff. It makes a big difference on the corn let me tell you - difference between using butter perhaps as well.

If we made just one little change here and there - not everything - but just one nice thing...and presto a horn of plenty....

From the Earth to the Moon

Alex, one of our talented friends who, incidentally is a wonderful photographer, hauled out an old album cover by "the Police" called Walking on the Moon, in honor of right about now 43 years ago (well before my date of birth in case you are wondering!....and I have the long form birth certificate to prove it so take that in advance Mr. Trump) and posted it on Facebook.

We have been into Google Earth, exploring Argentina vicariously from the space view (we are tasting Argentinian wines Saturday 3-6p 132 Front St. in Greenport so that is the reason behind this shameless plug), so this caused us to think some and good thoughts too. Mainly how far we have come and how little progress we have made. We haven't been back to the moon in decades and most of the "newer" population missed the thrill of "one small step for man..." to the point of actually having someone in the shop the other day who thought it was all a hoax - an incorrect footnote in history.

We don't have to go to the moon to see earth thanks to Google but for a second I have that little twinge that they took the fun out of "the big view of earth". I also have to tell you, in my heart of hearts, it must have been some trip and I'd be the first to volunteer.

We have shot our bolt

We admit we are not technically astute.  A garden hose is often the limit of our prowess so when we started exploring Argentina (the wine tasting Saturday 3-6p will be all Argentinian wines or mostly - whatever) we got all caught up with Google Earth and frankly have been having a time with it.

When we opened it last, we were asked if we wanted to see some Google Earth pictures of Antarctica.  Of course we were intrigued by the offer so we clicked on the photo album and the first image was Shackleton's Hut at Cape Royds from which he made his first attempt at reaching the south pole.  He didn't make it but this is his diary:

"On 9 January 1909, after nearly two-and-a-half- months of trudging, they had reached a point of just 97 (156km) from the South Pole.  In his diary entry for that day Shackleton recorder: ‘We have shot our bolt, and the tale is latitude 88º 23 South…Homeward bound at last.  Whatever regrets may be, we have done our best’."

That hut has zip to do with anything much other than 103 years later it still stands and someone has been in it and photographed it and put it on the Internet. We are amazed.

It compelled us to read about the Nimrod Expedition and all the stuff that goes with trying to reach the south pole with horses, no really warm clothes and hanging out in a hut until the time was right and weather was right to make the trek...then getting from here to NYC from the destination, turning back rather than risk what would have been a very probable death.

This is some pumpkins of a story to read.  We have to say that sitting behind our counter, well, in our mind's eye, this is as good as it gets.  By the way, Shackleton didn't take Argentinian wine...just some whiskey and there is another great read.

41.1033° S, 72.3597° W

Mendoza Argentina at 1am

If you go a bit south of Mendoza, Argentina (their web cam picture is to the left) - the wine center or one of their wine centers anyway, and a tad to the west, you come down in Puerto Octay, Chile.  We in Greenport are at 41.1033° N, 72.3597° W on the map and if you change the "N" to a "S" that is where you end up; high in the Andes near a lake.

We like web cams a lot. Wish we had some around here so folks in Puerto Octay could see us or the Mendoza inhabitants would note a "wine country" that rests as far north as they are south.

We are kinda fascinated by all this. The little peg on the map below is our "polar opposite"; the yin to our yang geographically and here we sit at sea level or thereabouts and our friends to the south are about 10,000 feet up. We both, however, rest at nearly the end of the road literally speaking as to each of us you can only get there virtually one way on one paved trail. We also like that far away places like Uruguay, Santiago and even Robinson Crusoe Island are in the vicinity. Remote places to our knowledge but happily complete with web cams.

Can't see much as it is the middle of the night both here and due south down there but we are going to look at first light as Puerto Octay has a web cam nearby. So does Robinson Crusoe Island. What fun in the morning!

Mendoza Argentina - our Napa Valley

When I was a kid in geography class so xxxx number of years ago (not tellin'), we studied South America - almost as an after thought;  if there was a North America there had to be, by default, a South America...oh the brains of a 10 year old at work. One of my classmates, (name withheld) came up with the idea that if we stood upright in North America that those folks in South America were standing upside down. It made perfect sense.  It still does in some obscure way but we will let that pass.

I was in the store the other day, minding my business behind the counter doing whatever, when one of my gadfly friends dropped in. He learned that our tasting this week was going to feature Argentinian wines and was all into things from Argentina. It struck us that we know so little about what looks like a pretty nifty place. 

Mendoza, Argentina appears to be at the heart of wine country there...our Napa of sorts or to be fair, our North Fork without the mountains.  We are intrigued of course as a city named "Mendoza" seems out of our realm of understanding. It rests against the Andes and Santiago is just on the other side of that big mountain in the picture.  You take Route 7 from there to this town and go through the Andes Pass. No thanks but it would be exciting and doable after several liters of something to "coax the courage".  Mendoza is a city of about 800,000 folks and was founded or settled about 80 years before Suffolk, our local town.  It is, importantly on the route from Santiago to Buenos Aires. 

So we are going to explore this a bit in the next couple days. Our interest is pricked and to think that you could own a vineyard with the Andes in the background, a temperate climate, great soil and a very cosmopolitan town just up the road...well..... the things dreams are made of.

"Wreaths for the Chieftain"

Jefferson is in town and is supposed to show up for the tasting today (3p 132 Front Street) for the patriotic Saturday after the 4th but it just doesn't seem like Saturday to us. Wednesday was Saturday. This is some other day. I hope he doesn't get confused.

We have a band lined up to greet him. He told us that "hail to the chief" embarrassed him (although he was being modest and "Hail" wasn't official until until about 1815 and then was called "Wreaths for the Chieftain".) Ha! Doesn't everyone know that?

So we looked for some music for the visit. We decided on Gershwin inside the store - VERY American and Ella Fitzgerald is one of our best customers anyway. And of course a Sousa March for the Marine Band playing outside.  We thought the Air Force flyover would be a little much but, after all, how many times does Jefferson show up for a tasting. I mean c'mon. Like a couple times a year? So we said OK but not too low this time. LOL when Washington came for his birthday the flyover scared that big white horse half to death. So we are pulling out all the stops. Tom might not be back for the harvest and we just can't count on him to come more than once a year.

If that.

Pssst (shussh don't tell)

We were about to give up on a patriotic wine for tomorrow's (Saturday) tasting at 3 (132 Front Street, Greenport - and that is the end of our shameless promotionalism!). We looked at and behind every bottle in the store. No luck. Nada. Empty. Not a patriotic wine in sight and then...would you believe...and Independence Day week...in trots this guy and saves the day. He promises to do a little "electioneering" as he called it on Saturday but he doesn't like the "advance" stuff. Too stuffy he said. Just wants to walk on in and glad-hand a bit.

I wasn't supposed to tell you he is coming but if you see him on the street, well you can't miss him. Looks just like his pictures. He dropped off several cases this morning - carried them himself by golly so he is pretty fit for a fella of ...well.....an old fella. We aren't going to pop open a bottle to test it so we will be as surprised tomorrow as anyone.

He was looking for a place for dinner tonight so we sent him next door. He drew a crowd that's for sure. Good for business. Good for business. Come shake a hand.

A Patriotic Week

It is actually kinda nice that the 4th fell on Wednesday. Half our visitors started the celebration last Saturday through the 4th and half from the 4th onward through the weekend.  We have enough to celebrate for a month of Sundays so to fit in the 4th over the course of 9 days isn't such a bad thing. Just one long weekend doesn't seem enough.

One of our customers came in just yesterday and asked for a "patriotic wine". We were stumped to be honest. So we searched the shelves and found nothing. Nada. Hundreds of labels examined without a patriotic twist.  We did find a vodka bottle decorated in a flag motif but that didn't count (it did but it didn't).

We did a little thinking on this as our tasting is Saturday and we wanted to "be patriotic" for it but are coming up short in the idea department. Mentioning this to several in the shop, we were sent a YouTube link later in the day. We guess it is the equal to something patriotic although it is a stretch at best.

1812 in 1776

I'm always curious as to why every park concert great or small has to end with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Wasn't our war  (it wasn't our war of 1812 wish as you might - it was the Battle of Borodino). Wasn't our continent. It has zip to do with our country and this glorious day.

Tell you what....here is the part of the 1812 Overture you'll hear for the rest of the day so you can just listen at will and then further down I put a Stars and Stripes Forever performance. As Faux Noise says, we report you decide.  Happy 4th.

 

 

When life hands you lemons....

Who are we to complain about a little heat when half the country is in the oven and half in the frying pan. This Sunday morning was warm from the getgo and the middle of the afternoon should be avoided so we are told. 

Yesterday, at our tasting, one of our best customers mentioned how much he enjoyed the "summer in a glass" recipe. We like blueberrys a lot so we were glad to put that one up but we continued our search for something for a day like this to share with him and you.

Hope you like it.  See you when the sun is over the yardarm.