For those single men reading my blog, looking to pitch woo in a sophisticated and elegant manner to certain fathers over dinner (or husbands instructed by pregnant wives weary of cooking dinner for their insignificant others) consider the following dinner my wife and I enjoyed tonight. Simple, tasty, and elegant.

1993 Lyeth Meritage. "Meritage" means "bordeaux style wine made in California" and usually is made of Cabernet Sauvingon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. I found the Lyeth at my local beer stop - the only one I've found to rival, yea, maybe even surpass Wine company of Moscow - for a very reasonable price in the $20.00s. Yes, a wine eleven years old. Heck, eleven years ago I was 16, pre-mil Dispie, arminian Baptist Pentecostal. Thank God for His infinite mercy on me, an idiot punk! But the wine is the centerpiece of the evening. This particular wine is, I'm sure, not available anyplace I can think of (I got the last bottle at Big Top), an aged Shiraz or California Cab, or Coppolla Claret Black Diamond label would suffice. The older, the better.

Begin steaming basmati rice. As rice cooks, stir in butter and oregano. (Nod to Kim Swait.)

Cover the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil, 1/4 cup of your wine of choice for the evening and a mix of beef sauces. Email for a list - or be a man and create your own!

Saute 1"x1/2"x1/4" sirloin strips in concoction for a few minutes until brown. Turn beef after 5 minutes. After 10, add a collection of sliced red and yellow pepper strips. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until beef is tender and cooked to desired level. Strain a little (but not too much!)

Place beef strips/peppers on rice. Add a small plate of bagged salad with cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes hide the fact that its a bagged salad.

For dessert, pound cake and Haggen Daz ice cream, or whichever specialty ice cream Rosaurs sells for 2 for $5.00.

Anyway, single men, go forth and pitch woo! Or husbands of preggers wives, eat hearty!

W~
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// posted by The Wino @ 5:48 PM

  Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! Were I in a classroom I would be antsy, raising my hand and hoping the teacher would call on me. And it isn't that I need to use the restroom that gets me in a tizzy. Its John Kerry taking communion after the Pope told him not to. How many fun topics does that raise? We have come a long way from Henry standing in the snow for three days and nights. Never mind the issue of the papacy and whether or not a sitting pope has the right to refuse communion on his own authority (he shouldn't). But since he's speaking on behalf of the church, lets assume that's ok or has been supported by the cardinals around him (who also should have no authority over the US church, but again, I digress). But still! We have hit the level of individualism where authorities in one sphere are refusing to obey the dictates of another sphere of authority to which they have made a voluntary association. Well, voluntary according to 'Pelosi, a San Francisco Democrat who was raised in a devout Italian Catholic home, told reporters, "I believe that my position on choice is one that is consistent with my Catholic upbringing, which said that every person has a free will and has the responsibility to live their lives in a way that they would have to account for in the end."' (Quote courtesy of Yahoo via Drudge). Ignoring the theological vacuity of representative Pelosi, and leaving the question of why her priest has not been removed to other minds, can you imagine Pelosi's response to one who treats her dictates in a like manner? Can I make this statement? "I willfully support those who wish to murder postal workers, believing that every person can do whatever they wish to do because they will have to give an account for it at the end and think that this is perfectly in line with my American upbringing." I would be rightfully decried as anti-American. But she (and her senior partner in crime, Mr. Kerry) cannot be called anti-catholic. I fail to see how they escape this designation.

Yes, yes, I'm blogging today. Things are finally settling down at work and I'm really beginning to enjoy myself. Sat outside last night, drinking Hennessy, smoking my pipe and reading Tom Wolfe's "The Pump House Gang." Very Swait.

W~

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// posted by The Wino @ 1:44 PM