"Der Saliver In Ze Mouwert."

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Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

Went to a stemware seminar at the new Binny's megastore in the South Loop Wednesday hosted by Georg Riedel (of the eponymous wine glass company). It was for his "Vitis" stemware and the man basically said that his stemware could improve even the taste of water, in between yelling at his assistant and various members of the audience to pay attention to him. (What is it with Germans/Austrians and their need to be the center of attention?) I was expecting him to say something along the lines of "Jesus turned za water into vine; zis stemware can make it perfect." I turned it into a field trip for the Chicagoist foodies; one thing I regret not doing enough when I had Oppenheimer, Ameila, et al was putting together enough group get-togethers to get to know each other and lay out plans and put realistic expectations on the table.

We ran through about an hour of wine majicks with Riedel ("Jeezus could not do this because I vas not born to make za stemware."), switching wines from glass to glass and gaging the change in the taste profiles as they entered each glass. Stolpman asked me after if the seminar was old hat for me. I assured her that it was, and that we really didn't need what amounted to a $140 set of mismatched stemware to show that a wine glass can enhance a wine's taste profile. I could probably do the same with the $2 per glass Anchor and Libbey stemware I have at home.

Essentially, the main purpose of this seminar was to sell attendees on the sizzle of the Riedel name. If I want full sets of each glass I received in the "tasting set," I'll have to fork out another two or three hundred bucks. Now, I have a bit more disposable income than I did a year ago, but that nothing to sneeze at.

Unrelated, I've been walking through the neighborhood with Emmy in tow now that it's armed up. Where have all the attractive women in Bridgeport been hiding? My GOD!!! I've been waiting nine years for this. Where have you been? Or did I just take myself out of the pool for so long I never recognized you there?