On Wine & Food Fests

You'll have to forgive me if I seem inebriated. I spent much of the late afternoon at the Ottawa Wine and Food Festival, and am in the middle of the transition from feeling heartburn to feeling hung over.

I like wine and food festivals. They give me a chance to sample food offerings I otherwise wouldn't do in normal life, and try drinks I normally don't have access to. This year they were celebrating "the wines of France," but I found myself more attracted to the California pavilion.

A few observations:

1. Some condiments can be real tests of manhood. I tried a mustard labelled "XXX-Hot" (nothing really salacious about the label) and I must have put too much on the pretzel stick, because it had a real strong effect on the sinuses.

2. Old Scotch whisky does need water.

3. Pernod on bacon-wrapped scallops can make for a spectacular display as long as you have a fire extinguisher on hand.

4. Caribou meat works nicely as a paté.

5. Lobster meat tastes much better hot than cold.

6. White wine washes oysters down better than beer.