It’s almost mid September, and for every self-respecting, semi-literate Germanophilic Baltimoron — like myself — that can only mean one thing: It’s time to celebrate not one but two holidays: Der Tag and Oktoberfest. The latter, of course, is a wildly popular, mammoth festival held in Germany to promote Bavarian culture and its greatest contributions… Continue reading How to Host Your Own ‘Mencktoberfest’
Category: Beery Scribblings
Sacre Bleu! The Best French Beers for Thanksgiving May Be Made in America
I’ve said it before (for instance, here) but it bears repeating: Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday. I love everything about it, from the mythology to the mashed potatoes; from my family’s adherence to our culinary traditions (like this regional requisite) to the outlandish reinterpretations I’ve encountered elsewhere (like this ghastly gallinacean); from the nearly non-secular… Continue reading Sacre Bleu! The Best French Beers for Thanksgiving May Be Made in America
Go Bavarian for Chinese New Year
In our house, we are celebration opportunists. Holiday hedonists, so to speak. Festivity freeloaders. Promiscuous party-makers. Jamboree joiners. Etc. In other words, we honor and participate in just about every traditional fanfaronade that pops up on the calendar. No matter what religious or cultural affiliations are ascribed to it, as long as there is food and… Continue reading Go Bavarian for Chinese New Year
Apples, Pumpkins, and Stouts — Oh My!
I’m a big fan of Halloween. As a kid, I loved getting dressed up in a costume. Coming up with an idea, pulling together the various pieces and accouterments, occasionally teaming up with another fanatic — it was all great fun. And I not only relished what I looked like on the outside, but I also enjoyed playing the… Continue reading Apples, Pumpkins, and Stouts — Oh My!
Who Cares What the Calendar Says, It’s Time to Think (and Drink) Spring
A few weeks ago, a well-known and storied prognosticator delivered yet another of his dire predictions about the condition of the world as we know it. We will be locked in a state of stagnation, he said, a period characterized by frozen assets, low averages, and very little growth. Moreover, he gauged, this predicament would… Continue reading Who Cares What the Calendar Says, It’s Time to Think (and Drink) Spring
On Valentine’s Day, Say Cheese (and Beer)!
Not too long ago, I had to face a harsh reality: lactose no longer tolerates me. And not the other way round, either. I’ve got nothing against the disaccharide sugar component of a glass of milk. We were BFFLs, in fact. Milk helped sweeten a lot of unpleasant and otherwise bland foodstuffs, like oatmeal. And… Continue reading On Valentine’s Day, Say Cheese (and Beer)!
When It Comes to Easter Beers, Don’t You Want Some Bunny to Love?
Pondering which beers to serve with the upcoming Easter meal got me thinking about the celebration itself. And you know, I gotta say, as holidays go, Easter is a bit silly. At least on the surface, in the way we Americans do it. (Of course, to a devout agnostic, all Americanized, religiously affiliated holidays seem… Continue reading When It Comes to Easter Beers, Don’t You Want Some Bunny to Love?
No Tricking: Here's an Altogether Ooky Grab-bag of Treats for Your Halloween
I know it sounds kinda scary to say, but Halloween is my favorite American holiday. Or at least it tops the list of Holidays-With-No-Purpose — that is, celebrations that we all celebrate for no reason other than celebrating something. I mean, does anybody really care what Halloween’s all about? I realize there are lots of… Continue reading No Tricking: Here's an Altogether Ooky Grab-bag of Treats for Your Halloween
A Triple Trifecta of Trivial Treats
Scribbleskiff is sitting in dry-dock for a spell. We’re taking some time away from the business of busyness to rest and clear out the scuppers, so to speak, to restock our supplies, chart new courses, and ready ourselves for the next adventure. For instance, we’re keeping our weather eye trained on the approaching, unusually large waves… Continue reading A Triple Trifecta of Trivial Treats
For Goodness’ Sake, Drink Fresh!
Eat fresh. Yes, I’m quoting the simplistic and simply cloying Subway ad campaign. I’m not sure it even makes sense, grammatically speaking (and I’m not the only one). But it’s nonetheless a not-unwise directive for healthy living. After all, when was the last time you ordered an Italian BMT, glanced at the contents, and returned it… Continue reading For Goodness’ Sake, Drink Fresh!