The focus is red wine and to get right to it without distraction, click The Wine Commonsewer Speaks. The rest of the enchilada is just enough of an eclectic mix of commentary on culture, food, tax, and econ 101 to distract from the focus on red wine.
TWC's Theme Song:
We will not sell, share, or otherwise disclose your email address or other personal information obtained on this site to third parties unless compelled to do so by subpoena.
Your email address is not required in order to leave comments. If you provide your email address, it will not be displayed with your comment.
Michael R. Snell & Associates will not disclose any client information to third parties without the client’s permission unless compelled to do so by subpoena.
A note from our crack legal team at Dewey, Screwem, & Howe, LLP.....
All tax and other information appears here as a courtesy to readers and clients. Please understand that we are not rendering legal advice and that each individual should consult his or her own tax professional before acting upon any of the information contained herein.
Effective June 21, 2005, regulations issued by the Treasury Department governing written communications, including email communications, between all tax practitioners (including attorneys) and their clients that have the issue of tax as a material element of the communication must include the following disclaimer:
As required by United States Treasury Regulations, you should be aware that written information contained on this site cannot be used for the purpose of avoiding penalties under United States federal tax laws.
This site may occasionally contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of a variety of issues including but not necessarily limited to, taxation, politics, human rights, economics, and science. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as is provided for under § 107 of the US Copyright Law.
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, said material contained in this site is made available without profit for research or educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
Today I am grateful for the unexpected arrival of Thanksgiving wine from my gracious Fairy Winemother.
What an awesome array of wonderful Paso Robles wines. Adelaida Syrah, the inaugural vintage of Sunset Ridge Petite Syrah, Glunz Reserve Cabernet and Reserve Zinfandel, and Zenaida Cellars RC Red and Zinfandel.
I am blessed.
As Always,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
Presumably, and I am really not good at this kind of thing, this is a wild turkey I ran across at my dad's house a few weeks ago.
In other news, the old man ditched the rehab facility and moved back home. No he was not released, it was more like a Bonnie and Clyde bank robbery. If Bonnie and Clyde were 86 years old. He shuffled out the front door with his walker and down the steps where his wife was waiting in her twenty year old Ford. He hopped in.....well, not exactly hopped, and off they went. She burned a little rubber and left a cloud of dust and gravel in her wake.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
An eternity ago, we vagrant yoots sang this Christmas tune about a sleigh ride over to Grandma's house. Except that it's really a poem about Thanksgiving set to a catchy tune.
As Ever,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Gentle Readers,
Ahhh, Thanksgiving's past. The House Blonde's Thanksgiving Poem, Jake's plea on behalf of turkeys everywhere, mesquite roasted turkey, a visit from Stevie the Spy (Minion of the Dark Side who denies being Harriet the Spy's daddy), the Kosmik Kid on Spodee Ode, Palm Springs at night, Sonny Bono, a great cup of coffee, and a great Bloody Mary.
Oh I know, just personal indulgence, but it's only five minutes and change. Worth a click. Thankee.
Can't see the video? Click here.
As Ever,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote in Oldtown Folks that.....
The king and high priest of all festivals was the autumn Thanksgiving. When the apples were all gathered and the cider was all made, and the yellow pumpkins were rolled in from many a hill in billows of gold, and the corn was husked, and the labours of the season were done, and the warm, late days of Indian summer came in, dreamy and calm and still, with just frost enough to crisp the ground of a morning, but with warm trances of benignant, sunny hours at noon, there came over the community a sort of genial repose of spirit—a sense of something accomplished, and of a new golden mark made in advance on the calendar of life—and the deacon began to say to the minister, of a Sunday, I suppose it's about time for the Thanksgiving proclamation.....
Back in the days of my vagrant, murdercycle-ridin' yoot, Chuck Davis gave me a hippie pysch-shop button portraying a surrealistic flower in white on a background of bile green with an admonition to Celebrate Life. Implicit in those words is the basic tenet of Thanksgiving. A celebration of life and the appreciation for the rewards of our efforts, the blessings of family, and the steadfastness of true friendship. For many, it is a time of spiritual uplift and a special time to be thankful to God for the blessings He has bestowed over the foregoing year.
Ogden Nash noted that a family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold. When I showed up at Boyz R Us, the proprietor, a guy who looked way too much like Christopher Walken, disappeapered behind the counter for about ten minutes. When he returned, he handed me Jacob and said: ticket please. A couple of years later, at the local Girlz R Us franchise, they told me there was a special one that they'd had in inventory for quite some time. It turned out, they were right. My kids have been a blessing and the only regret I have is this: Had I known how much I would enjoy them, I woulda started working on it considerably sooner.
Joan Crawford warned that Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell. It's just about right when the love of a good hearted woman kicks off the smoke alarms every so often. My cousin John calls it sizzle. Y'all know what it is. And when it isn't, it is even more apparent.
Thomas Jefferson confided that friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement, the greater part of life is sunshine. Friendship gets you through the dark times and celebrates, well, life. I've been blessed with good friends, several I've known most of my life. A few were life long friends, but we didn't realize that life long is an elastic term.
On another note, my clients have made it possible for me to earn my living in a rewarding and altogether pleasant way. I am forever grateful to each of them for that as well as their loyalty and friendship over the years.
May you, Gentle Reader, and your family be blessed on this Thanksgiving.
A tip of the glass to your health!
As Ever,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
The purpose of the brine is to ensure a juicy and succulent turkey. Of course, nothing can overcome bad luck or roasting the turkey too long, but brined poultry is typically more tender.
For those who aren't familiar with brining, the sugar and salt tenderize the meat and mildly enhance the flavor. Your turkey will not taste like sweet, salty apples and you must still season the turkey exactly as you always do.
The brine is simple to make.
Ingredients
Garlic and rosemary may be omitted
The Process
Tips
I use a large stockpot, but that may not be large enough for a big turkey. Any large container that won't react to the sugar/salt/cider mixture is fine.
By adjusting a shelf in the fridge, my stockpot will fit. If yours won't, stick it in an ice chest. Pot in first, then surround it with ice.
If you live in the cold climes, put the pot in the garage or shed. Make sure it doesn't freeze, but don't let it get warmer than forty degrees.
As Always,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
The Meyer Lemons are maturing nicely and I've got me a jones for a from-scratch lemon pie to finish off the Thanksgiving feast.
Meyer lemons are sweeter than Eurekas, which are the most common market lemon you will run across. Meyers make an awesome lemon drop martooni as well as a flavorful pie.
In another life, TWC lived a blond chick who was a crazy good baker. She was decent with a frying pan, but when she was elbow deep in flour and sugar, rolling out dough, and chopping walnuts, she was at her best. And she got it done using an antique, match-light oven that looked something like this (except it was in better condition)......
I don't eat a lot of sweets, but I do love me some lemon pie. Meringue or cream. Preferably from scratch. Thankee. In a pinch, maybe Marie Callender or Coco's. Hell, I've even been known to snaffle one of those Hostess lemon pies. Not in the last thirty years, though......cuz God only knows WTH is in them, though the package claims that there's real fruit filling somewhere inside.
Back when disco was fading into punk we were at my dad's place in Sonora and in the midst of Thanksgiving kitchen chaos, this girl puts together a marvelous lemon meringue pie. Later on, I'm working on my second helping and I've subbed out my wine (temporarily) for a cup of joe to go (rhymes) with the pie. Now, keep in mind that Pop isn't terribly demonstrative, so I'm coaxing him a little.
TWC: Oh, man, dad, isn't this pie great?
Pop: Mumbles inaudibly
TWC: This pie is amazing. Isn't it dad?
Pop: Mmmph
A few minutes later.....
TWC: Dad! Don't you think this pie is just the best?
Pop: Yes. Tastes just like Jello pudding and pie filling(!)
Long way around the barn, I guess. I don't know if Mrs TWC is going to do the honors or I am, but I am surely looking forward to a Thanksgiving lemon pie.
As Ever,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
An eternity ago, we grade schoolers learned this Christmas tune about a sleigh ride over to Grandma's house. Nobody once mentioned that it's a poem about Thanksgiving set to a catchy little tune.
As Ever,
Photo Credit (unless otherwise noted): ©TWC, all rights reserved
|
|
