Stonemason Wine…..not just for Lodge

 

Not to long ago, Debi picked me up a few bottles of Stonemason Shiraz 2004 from Ballast Stone Wineries in Australia.

While not much of a wine fan (I’ll drink it, but seldom go out of my way for it), this is one of the few wines that I have gone looking for and restocked up on…although to be fair, there is some  nostalgia with the Plumb -line on the bottle and the name Stonemason. 

The wine itself is fairly dry with great acidics that would pair well with Red Meats and pastas (with red sauces). 

Color – Very Nice medium and deep purple.

Nose – Fruity (with hints of Plum) with a slight flower undertones.

Taste – Bold, with a combination of red fruit, berry and plumb. 

Finish – Dry, slight acids and vanilla with an excellent aftertaste on palette.

As a relatively cheap wines (approx $15), the Stonemason range (not just the Shiraz) would make a great additions to your cellar, especially when you have those special Masonic Dinners. 

I would give it 3.5 Stars out of 5.

Stonemason Shiraz is currently available locally at Tinderbox Vino100 in Columbia MO and through various online outlets.

Haiti and Whiskey

I knew I could get your attention.

We all know of the events on January 12 , when an earthquake rattled Haiti and quite literally destroyed their country.

Now, I do not subscribe to the belief of the Italian Disaster Chief  (HERE) that the US hasn’t done enough, or is reacting wrongly by sending troops in.  In fact, this is probably one area I think the US has excelled, far more than any other country in the world…..but that is getting political, and that is something I try to avoid here.

In addition to the bad press that Italy is giving, there even has been a spate of Facebook status’ calling for America to look inward:

Shame on you America: the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment - yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations.and major cable stations, movie channels. 99% of people won't have the guts to copy and...... repost this.

Again, I’m not an advocate here (probably to the shock of many of you), but instead saying that we (as Freemasons, Americans, Christians or just being good people) should be helping anyone, in any way we can. 

Be it through the local Food Bank (here is ours in Columbia MO), to the Red Cross (many of you have heard my Elisabeth Dole rant), to just chucking your change in the Fireman’s Boot.  It all adds up and helps someone, somewhere.

Please give.

Now I know you are wondering….how does this tie to Smokes and Booze.

Well, first…just creating awareness can go a long way to helping.  But today, I was further inspired by a news article (HERE). 

In it, we learn of Wismond Exantus, the 24-year-old Haitian man who survived being trapped, for 11 days, when when a 4 story building collapsed upon him.

How did he survive you ask?  Through the only thing he could reach:  A bottle of whiskey, some beers and a few bags of chips and candy.

People, that is a determination to live. 

Myself, I would have abandoned hope….drank the whiskey in one night and given up.

Instead, Wismond rationed his meager supplies (using the whiskey to help him sleep), stayed calm and dreamed of riding horses and swimming in the ocean.

How could I not speak out for this guy…..he survived on what we take for granted.

Tonight I raise a toast to you Wismond…I pray that you are doing well, and that your country is soon rebuilt.  I know I will do my part.

Jim Beam leads to research

So, I was looking at the Jim Beam Website (one of these days I plan to review just websites and have a vote for the best) and saw this picture…..

 

I thought it was funny, but then it made me think….how much Whiskey did they really take along?

Well, fellow readers….the amount wasn’t as much as I expected.  300 gallons.  Just under 6 Gallons a man….that lasted them a year.

Each day, the men were given a ration of 1 GILL (about 4 ounces) and forced to consume it immediately (to prevent hoarding and drunkenness).  Then they began to water that whiskey down to stretch it out. Every man in the expedition knew exactly how much whiskey was left, so when Pvt Hugh Hall was caught “taking whiskey out of the keg this morning which whiskey was stored on the bank (and under the charge of the Guard).” , he was court-martialed and given 50 lashes.  Incidentally, on June 29th….my birthday.

Eventually, they did run out of whiskey though…and it makes you wonder if they took a page from history.   Napoleon  once said, “Whenever you set off on a march, make sure you’ve got plenty of beer and wine along and that it’s enough to last until you get far enough away from camp so that the men don’t desert”.   That’s basically what happened with Lewis and Clark. They brought enough whiskey along to get them through to the Great Falls. The last drink of hard liquor was on July 4th 1805.  By then, they were so far into the wilderness….it was way too late for anybody to desert.

The men trudged on for over a year more before the expedition ended in September of 1806.  At a few points along the way, they got beer….but no hard spirits.  I can only imagine how rough that would have been during the winters of the plains. 

Raise a glass to these brave and sober souls……without them, what would have America turned out like?

Happy Birthday US Marine Corp

On this day in history, 10 Nov 1775, the Continental Congress formed the Continental Marines,planning to draw them from among Washington's army in Boston and send them to capture supplies from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

However, Washington was unenthusiastic about the plan and suggested the Marines be recruited in New York or Philadelphia instead. Captain Samuel Nicholas was commissioned as the Continental Marines' first officer on 28 November 1775.

What does this have to do with Smokes and Booze? EVERYTHING!

When Cpt.Samuel Nicholas enacted a decision of the Continental Congress to form the Continental Marines,he based recruitment at a tavern. Not just any tavern, but Tun Tavern, famous as a meeting place for prominent organizations and people, such as -

-St. George's Society
-the firt meetings of St. John's No. 1 Lodge of the Grand Lodge of the Masonic Temple
-St. Andrews Society
-Benjamin Franklin
-George Washington
-Thomas Jefferson
-The Continental Congress

So much history, in one Bar. Amazing.

Sadly, Tun Tavern burned down in 1781, but there is a historical marker near the location and a themed restaurant at Quantico.



Often, Taverns are overlooked at their significance in early American History....a place where people could meet, discuss, rest threir weary bones. A gathering point of the community. So much of Americana as we know it started in pubs, bars and taverns across the country....and today is a great example.

If you happen to stop by the Tinderbox today, say something to Kevin....our resident Marine. I'm sure it would make his day.

Cheers and Happy Birthday to the Corp.

Rare Artifact Unearthed

Well, my sister Cathy found this picture the other day and added it Facebook. I had known of it's existence for some time and had often looked for it when going through the pictures at my Mom and Dad's.

It's a fairly typical picture for the early 70's, bunch of men gathered around and someone get's the bright idea to hand the baby a beer. We've all done it. Except in this case, someone had a camera....and in that brief moment in the fall of 1970 (that is an estimate based on my the clothes I am wearing and comparing to other pictures), a legacy is born.

Who knows what would have happened if I had not been given that beer. Who knew that Budweiser was a gateway Beer. What is my oldest brother Jim (in the door) thinking? Would this blog even exist today if it wasnt for that brief brainchild of someone present (who...we'll never know).

Many years ago, I asked my Dad about that day. He told me that the guys all laughed about this picture for hours (the man on the left is my Grandfather, my brother Jim is in the door, Uncle Pete had the bended knee and my Uncle Thad is on the right edge), and that there was only foam in the bottom......but apparently I had kept trying to drink from it. They couldn't get the can away from me.

I owe those Men a lot in life, especially the one who took the picture...my father. They made me what I am today, and now I have photographic evidence :)

Cheers

Gin

Today we talk about one of my favorite drinks, GIN.

Gin is one of those alcohols that you either love or hate. I honestly hated it for a long time, mostly because I was only exposed to low quality Gordon's while drinking at the Army E-Club at Katterbach. Nothing says headache like a bad Gin Hangover.

But later in life, my friend Mike introduced me to Bombay Sapphire, and it was all downhill from there. The combination of 10 ingredients (almond, lemon peel, licorice, juniper berries, orris root, angelica, coriander, cassia, cubeb, and grains of paradise) all come together to make an elixir that can be quite refreshing.

From Gin and Tonics (little tonic water for me)to Gimlets, Gin Fizz (Hate) to Salty Dogs (loves me some Grapefruit)...Gin is just a great all round mixer.

My personal favorite though is a Dirty Gin Martini (extra dry with three olives), and to get more specific....only as my wife Debi makes them.

In fact, last night I asked her to make me one out of the blue and of course (being the great wife that she is) went out and bought a new bottle of Bombay and made the best ones I have had in a long time.

Of course, like many drinks, her recipe is secret...but here is a good ol'standby.

Standard gin martini

Many contend that the gin martini is the only mix fitting to wear the name "martini," and all other cocktails are impostors. We love a good gin martini, but we say "hogwash" to the naming issue.

Ingredients

* 6 ounces of freezing Bombay Sapphire or Mercury gin.
* 5 drops of Noilly Pratt dry vermouth.
* 2 small twists of lemon rind.
* 2 Picholine olives.

The mix

* Fill a glass martini shaker about 3/4 full of cracked, clean ice.
* Pour your gin into the shaker and let stand for sixty seconds. Count down from sixty to zero.
* Approach your shaker with caution, and lovingly apply the lid.
* Shake, shake, shake. About fifteen, vigorous, diagonal shakes should do the trick.
* Put that shaker down and get two well chilled martini glasses from the fridge or freezer. Allow the shaker to rest for about another sixty seconds.
* Into each glass drop two drops of vermouth (the fifth drop is just for good luck).
* Each glass gets a twist and an olive (the olive is optional--though we love em).
* Strain your very chilly gin into each glass.
* Chink and enjoy.

We use various glasses at our house, but this is my favorite. It's more stable, keeps the drink colder and you don't have any diluting after effects of water on a frozen glass.



Finally, regarding the picture that opens this blog. It's entitled Gin Lane and is by an artist named William Hogarth. It's commonly associated with the companion piece Beer Street and would make a great print for any bar. I had seen this print several times before and it came up when I went to Wikipedia on Gin. While this one of my favorites by this artist...it is not THE Favorite. That is reserved for his work called "Four Times of Day", most particularly "Night". Why is that my favorite, well BROTHER Hogarth depicts drunken Masons going home after lodge in London. I love the characters and I personally like the plate better than the painting. It creates a snapshot in history and is a great conversation piece amongst the brothers. What's everyone else's opinion?

Cruzado Avalitos

So here we are with my first installment of "Smokes and Booze".

My day is about to wrap here in MO, and it's been a long week. I thought I would kick things off with my current favorite cigar, Cruzado Avalitos - Petit Robus (by Illusione Cigars).

My friends who are history buffs and Freemasons might recognize the logo on the box straight away. In fact, I will admit that is what drew me to this particular cigar at first. However, one light and I realized I had underestimated the little nicotine rockets contained.

As a "Micro-Brew" tobacco company, Dion Giolito (of Illusione fame) has really put together an excellent blend of tobacco that not only burns smoothly, but evenly, with excellent flavors (I swear that towards the middle of the stick I taste Chocolate) at a fairly reasonable price.

The one downside to this cigar is finding it. Sure, the internet can get you almost anything, but when it comes to Brick and Mortar shops...this one is a toughie. So far, my best luck has been at Tinderbox Vino 100 in Columbia MO. Kevin runs a great show and has a smoking lounge in the back. If you are friendly, he might let you sample some of the booze too :)

Like I said, this is a pretty good cigar with a little nostalgia thrown in. As a petite, it might not burn long enough for some peoples tastes...but for a winter cigar (those who's wives wont let them smoke inside will understand), it's perfect.

Smoke up and enjoy.