Saturday Night Souse
Dedicated to the Demon Rum and all her acquaintances
You had to know I would post a Saturday Night Souse after this week’s posts!
Be joyful and celebrate, Conclub land! Today is Champagne Day in America!
“I drink champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty.”
Champagne Baroness Lilly Bollinger
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What better day to celebrate booze, than the day that celebrates the celebratory booze itself?
In the mid 16th century, some French priests accidentally discovered the bubbly virtue of champagne when they were unable to get some of their fermented wine to stop fizzing. One particular monk immediately recognized the value of this, and began to formulate the production of Champagne. The monk’s name is known to all, though not perhaps for the specifics of his contribution. Dom Perignon was a Benedictine monk who essentially created the modern-day champagne. He was the abbey’s cellarmaster, a common position for Catholic ascetics to hold. (Shhh! Don’t tell the Southern Baptists!)
Obscure Champagne Factoid: If champagne were left in a smooth glass, its bubbles would quickly disappear. It is the imperfections in a champagne glass that cause the bubbles to continuously foam. Thus, good champagne glasses have manufacturer-produced imperfections, made by lasers or microscopic indentations, which cause the bubbles to continue.
Appeal to Authority I: Winston Churchill was a huge fan of champagne. He drank it with lunch and dinner every day. When facing a battle in WW I, Churchill said to his men, “Remember gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne!”
The August Cocktail:
The Lady Macbeth
1 orange peel
4 ounces chilled champagne
1 ounce Port
Pour the champagne into a champagne flute. Slowly pour in the port, but do not stir. Twist an orange peel over the top.
Appeal to Authority II: Many modern sports teams use the bubbly to create splashy celebrations. The champagne celebration is an awesome American tradition.
Best Part About Champagne Day? Definitely its good fortune on the calendar. You can do whatever you want, because tomorrow is Forgiveness Day! So drink up!
Obligatory Disclaimer: Okay, so where we before? Even if Jesus did drink wine, being a “drunkard” seems to violate the New Testament. But what is a drunkard? It probably means an alcoholic, not one who occasionally gets drunk. As for someone who gets hammered now and then? BFD!
“Drunkenness” certainly doesn’t mean getting “drunk,” because any alcoholic drink causes some impairment, and there are no magic lines between intoxicated, inebriated, buzzed, drunk, sloshed, or hammered. So Jesus drank intoxicating wine, apparently in normal quantities for the time. We’ll pick up here later.
Anyway, don’t drink irresponsibly, get a designated driver, and all that other bullshit.
Quality work on the Souse. Now since I am taking the kids camping I will need a stand in for MMQ. Be back Tuesday.
E the Wise
August 5, 2007 at 9:23 am
Yes, drunkard qualifies as a sin for the same reason that glutton does. Someone who uses pleasure to destroy their life rather than celebrate it.
Excellent post, even (and I mean this as the utmost compliment) Uncle John’s worthy!
Wes
August 5, 2007 at 11:23 am
Interesting post. I’ve wondered how the ol’ bubbly came into being. And I had no ideer about August 4th and Champagne Day. Drat. I would have bought that
in addition toinstead of some Chardonnay yesterday. Sure would like to try some Dom Perignon before I die, and see what all the fuss is about.Mo K
August 5, 2007 at 4:56 pm
I say save your pennies. I’ve always disliked champagne, so last year I tried some very expensive Moet. I thought it sucked.
DFV the Scribe
August 5, 2007 at 8:58 pm