tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post37482343199656243..comments2023-12-27T13:35:09.431-07:00Comments on Exile in Portales: Today's Happy Hour Soundtrack, Musings On Wimmen, and Broadening...Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-23763934415377186502012-11-01T11:45:14.728-06:002012-11-01T11:45:14.728-06:00You mentioned Hungarian restaurants in London... n...You mentioned Hungarian restaurants in London... now THERE'S an esoteric topic... and fired off a few synapses for me. My favorite in that category was/is (if I ever go back) <a href="http://gayhussar.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">The Gay Hussar</a>. Really. Brilliant food, very small place (reservations definitely required), wonderful staff. Check 'em out.<br /><br />As for the wine, again... my favorites are the heavier reds, too. This is in part because I usually eat steak or prime rib when I go out and a good Burgandy is <i>required</i>.Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-42429085727879517342012-11-01T10:38:16.407-06:002012-11-01T10:38:16.407-06:00I usually only drink wine with meal also, Buck. (e...I usually only drink wine with meal also, Buck. (except fo' when I was in college and drank cheap 60cent/half-gallon Tokay for cheap buzz. lol) But you and I are the exception in America, and it's changed the taste of many of the world wines. I first noticed this when I purchased one of my favorite cheap (relatively) dark red Hungarian wines ("Bull's Blood" or <i>Egri Bikaver</i> which I started drinking at <i>Mignon's</i>, my favorite Hungarian restaurant in London--with a French name, lol--on Bayswater Road). sometime in the 90s. It was lighter in color and simpler--didn't have the "bite" that the old stuff did. My wine guy at Whole Foods in Venice, Ca and the owner of Elio's on S. Miro in New Orleans both confirmed this. said it was a combo of industrialization to meet demands of US mass market and the fact that most Americans don't take wine with meals, but drink it as a stand-alone dealio (like just before bed, etc--mainly women) which meant that a sweeter, lighter wine sold best, as the dryer, heavier dark red with lots of complex tannins only really taste good complimented by rich meats, etc. Thus a good-tasting, cheap, value-for-money wine RUINED by the demands of American taste-buds. Now, (according to Wiki) they've once again gone back to the heavier reds--but only for part of their production as an "exclusive" wine at a MUCH HIGHER price range--the bargain stuff still tastes like grape cool-aide, so no joy there. If I'd wanted the costly high-end stuff I'd have gone the French route. SIGH--another "good deal" ruined by the taste buds of American suburban housewives..virgil xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14577165785872035948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-63736767836737283512012-10-31T19:49:36.814-06:002012-10-31T19:49:36.814-06:00The Wayback Machine is down as we speak... but, no...The Wayback Machine is down as we speak... but, no... I never read her. The Wiki has an interesting article on her and I TRIED to get to her back pages... with no luck.<br /><br />I'm not much on wine, Virg. A glass or two with dinner when I go out, but I don't keep it in the house. I'm strictly a beer and whiskey kinda guy. And tequila. And gin. And occasionally rum. And Drambuie. And... But NO wine, thankya.Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-78458976306348666022012-10-31T19:09:46.918-06:002012-10-31T19:09:46.918-06:00Are you a vine guy of any sort, Buck? If so, it...Are you a vine guy of any sort, Buck? If so, it's that time of year for <i>Vampire Wines</i> Buck. You should check 'em out. Good value for your money plus the additional idiosyncratic "cachet" that befits a true misanthropic loner/geezer, lol.<br /><br />PS: Did you ever read the "Misanthropic Bitch," Buck? What a blog! I'll always regreat not printing out/screen-saving her posts as she went off-line circa 2007/8 and her site was sold. She had some GREAT rants. Maybe the "Wayback Machine" still has them..virgil xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11491836830352263438noreply@blogger.com