a new year, a new schedule

whoa .. it's been a while since my last post.  didn't realize i was so behind in my posts.  i have been busy .. really, i have been.

christmas came and went - had a blast at my brother's place.  i also went shopping while down in the US.  i don't shop much so when i get the chance to hit a sale, i stock up.  :)

anyway, it's another semester.  this semester, i am taking a beer course and a food & wine pairing course.  this will be my first venture into the world of ales and lagers.  after seven weeks of beers, i have a new appreciation for this beverage.  i have also been very spoiled.  the class focuses on craft beers rather than the mass produced commercial stuff.  after tasting the products from craft breweries, the Labatts, Molson, Budweiser, and even Alexander Keith's are just .. watery brews.  Alexander Keith's is actually quite disgusting.  it's made with adjuncts instead of real ingredients.  when i do have a beer now, it's gotta be a good one.

the course that has me the most on edge is food & wine pairing.  there is no midterm or final exam but there is a paper to present at the end of the course.  we have to come up with a dish and wine to complement the dish. we also have to explain why the wine was chosen.  this is supposed to be a group project but i have elected to do the project solo.  i'm not anti-social .. i just take the course a lot more seriously than others.  it doesn't feel like i'm doing it alone though.  some of my wine study group members have already taken the course and have offered to help me.  as part of my project, i'm throwing a three course tasting dinner at my house.  i've got the menu set .. just have to get the wine list together.

this weekend, i'm off to Prince Edward County again .. i've got a meeting with the folks at Lacey Estate winery.  they are going to provide me with a few bottles of their gewurztraminer to pair with the thai red curry dish that i am planning to present as my dish.

i am grateful that they have offered me to try their wine at no cost.  doing the project solo could be very expensive because you are absorbing the entire cost for the wine - nobody to split the bill with.  hopefully it will be worth it in the end.

cheers,
pudgy

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old world wine regions - completed

After 16 weeks of classes, I'm finally finished with Old World Wine Regions. It was probably the toughest course in the entire program. It covers so many regions in one semester - it's just not possible to know everything about such an important area in wine.

I was worried that work and the holidays would make it tough for me to study. But I started early and took a day or two off to make sure I had enough time to prepare. It was so worth it because the written test was good. The blind tasting component always makes me nervous because I don't practice enough so I always wonder whether I am going to fail that portion. When I do a blind tasting, I always doubt myself and I change my answer. The original answer is usually right but because I doubt myself, I end up getting it wrong.

For the final exam, I reminded myself that I need to believe in my ability. This time, it worked. I was able to identify all four wines - an Albariño from Vinho Verde, a valpolicella from Veneto, a Nebbiolo from Piemonte, and a Tempranillo from Rioja. I was able to figure it out based on everything I learned about viticulture and vinification.

I'm happy to end the course on a high note. It is the last of the theoretical wine courses. Next up is Food & Wine Pairing and a Beer Course. Once those courses are done, it's Advanced Sommelier.

I'm almost there .. :)

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christmas came a little early for me ..

back in august, i was in BC for a wine trip.  i had written in my blog that i was supposed to meet with the winemaker from Nk'Mip Cellars but it didn't happen due to last minute scheduling issues.  before my trip, i had never even heard of this winery.  it wasn't until a contact at Constellation Brands suggested i go there.  i'm so glad i went because it had the best views in Osoyoos, BC. the wine was also pretty amazing too.  the winery is a joint venture with Constellation Brands and it is one of Canada's first wineries run by native Indians - might even be the only one?  they rank at #2 on Canada's Best Wineries this year and #1 on best winery in BC.  i'm not surprised because it's quite the place compared to other wineries in BC - and i visited a lot of wineries while i was there.

they produce some excellent wine - not cheap either.  the folks at Nk'Mip Cellars sent me a couple of bottles of wine back in September but somehow got lost in the mail.  my luck with this winery is pretty crazy.  but they made up for it recently by re-sending me a few bottles of their wine - this time via FedEx.  i received a bottle of their cabernet sauvignon and a bottle of pinot noir.  the cabernet sauvignon is now available at the LCBO here in Ontario (see Nov 24th catalog).  the pinot noir is still BC-only.  (thanks randy and eugene for the wine).

i highly recommend you try their cabernet sauvignon.  it's quite good and stands up to the big cali cabs on its own.

as a side note, i was never one to push ontario wine because i always felt that they lacked a good finish.  but the 2012 vintage is going to be one you will want to look out for at the LCBO.  the long, dry, and hot summer produced some very tasty fruit.  i was at norm hardie winery and black prince winery this year to help out with their harvest.  while in the vineyard, i was able to taste the fruit off the vine.  the berries were small - which is a good sign.  small berries mean concentrated flavours.  with the long hot summer, the fruit was able to fully ripen and harvest ended up being a week or two earlier than anticipated.  it wasn't just in ontario that this was the case.  while out in BC, the vines were just as bountiful as it was in ontario.  it's unfortunate that not a lot of BC wines make it out to ontario .. we are truly missing out on some spectacular wines. 

cheers,
pudgy

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an expensive november

november is probably one of the most expensive months for me.  on top of the usual mortgage payments, utilities, and daily living expenses, i also have to make sure there is a budget set aside for christmas presents. i have to say, black friday is a blessing.  :)  so christmas presents?  check.

then comes automobile maintenance.  winter tires swapping and windshield replacement.  my friends have been hassling me to get my windshield replaced for safety reasons.  it cracked due to extreme heat back in May and i had been driving with a U shaped crack in my windshield for about 6 months before i decided it was time to get it replaced.  safety is important and it had to be done.  so car maintenance?  check.

next biggie is tuition.  with old world wine regions coming to an end in a few weeks, i have to look ahead to the winter semester.  i have three courses left to complete the program!  can you believe it?  it feels like i just started yesterday and now i'm almost done.  all that's left are a few fun courses:  food & wine pairing, a beer course, and advanced sommelier.  i totally dread the last one but i didn't take all of the courses for nothing.  in the winter semester, i enrolled in food & wine pairing as well as the beer course.  both courses are apparently pretty straight forward so i figure i'll tackle both in one semester.  so tuition fees covered?  check.

this year, i'm spending my christmas holidays in the US with my brother and his family.  i'm excited!!  :)  i got lucky and found a seat sale with Porter airlines.  the deal ends on friday so i had to book immediately.  flights booked?  check.

sigh .. it's a good thing i'm working 10 hr days .. pudgy gotta make pay some big bills in december.

p.s. the lcbo has been taunting me with their november wine selection.  usually around this time of the year, all the good stuff is released.  did i buy any?  nope.  i can wait.

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short trip to Niagara

I've been meaning to go to the Niagara region for the longest time but just never had the time to go out there. Usually when I drive home on a long weekend, it is mainly to see family. But Remembrance Day weekend, I decided to skip out on the food & wine show this year and make a short trip out to Niagara instead.

Before my trip, I contacted the winemaker at Vineland Estates to see if he was going to be around. Brian kindly arranged for me to tour the facility and do a tasting as part of my tour. The main reason for my visit was because I had chatted with Brian about their Pinot Meunièr still wine. Pinot Meunièr is a grape that is mainly used in making sparkling wine or champagne. But a single varietal still wine? I've never seen that before and was curious to try it. In all of Ontario, there are only two wineries that produce this - Keint-He vineyards in Prince Edward county is the other producer. And just between you and me, the Pinot Meunièr at Keint-He is awful. I tried it at a wine event recently and it was so bad that I could not believe they thought it was good for public consumption. It smelled like week old hockey equipment that was marinated in garbage. Btw, Pinot Meunièr is a red grape varietal. I was assured by my fellow wine friend that Vineland makes a very nice Pinot Meunièr.

Anyway, due to a mix up .. I didn't get a full tour but I got to see the barrel room and had a nice chat with the guide. Vineland graciously contacted me and invited me back for a private tasting. I hope to go back for a visit in the spring .. Maybe this time, I'll be able to have a talk with Brian about his wine making philosophy.

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October has come and is almost gone.

wow .. october came and went pretty quickly, huh?  i honestly can't remember much of what happened in the last 28 days.  all i know is ..

i went home for thanksgiving - last time i was home was back in august so it was a while before i went home for a visit.  my visit home was really good - i got to get out and do stuff with family.  we celebrated my nephew's birthday - he turned 5?  ;)  i'm bad with ages because it's so hard to keep track of 8 nieces and nephews.  i always try to do some baking before heading home so i made cupcakes and oatmeal cookies for everyone.  due to the nut allergies among the children, i was limited in what i could bake so oatmeal cookies was my go-to recipe.  plus, i had all of the ingredients at home.

the next day, i made plans with my sister to hit yorkdale.  i haven't been there in years and it has changed so much.  before the mall, i took my mom out for breakfast.  my mom loves bacon and eggs so we indulged a little bit.  she wasn't up for shopping at first but we convinced her to go with us.

yorkdale was like heaven.  i could swear i heard the angel's singing.  i think i spent the most time at holt renfrew's handbag section.  marc jacobs, balenciaga, prada, burberry .. it was tough to decide what i wanted.  i wanted it all!  :)

we spent about 3 hrs at the mall and did a bit of damage on the credit card.  females at a mall?  dangerous.

i do miss home a lot.  i still flip flop between moving home and staying here.  i have about a year left in my program so i know i'm not moving any time soon.  i think if all goes to plan, i would finish around jan 2014.  the best time to put the house on the market is in april.  the house is pretty well built and the layout is one of the best (imo).  trouble for me is, i have had a difficult time looking for a house that i like in toronto.  even the new homes are just average and super expensive.  sigh .. i dunno .. maybe i'll just move back home with mom and dad.

ok, that's just crazy talk.  hahaha .. i love my parents but i can't live with them after being away from home for so long.

anyway, i'm already making plans for christmas .. i think i'll be in toronto for the annual christmas eve lunch group lunch!  i know it's early but i hope to see as many of my friends as possible.  i think larry, ivy, chris, and damien have already booked some time .. how many days am i going to be available again??

larry:  i want a bottle of your famous rum punch this year!  :)

before i end this post, just something interesting i read today ..

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel

Be impeccable with your word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. 

Don't take anything personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of endless suffering.

Don't make assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

Always do your best - Your best is going to change from moment to moment, it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

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my first 5k run - mission accomplished

i've always hated running.  i tried running in the morning once when i was in toronto and my skin would itch and break out in hives.  my endurance was horrible. i remember running with sluggyb and i barely made it out of the parking lot of the ibm lab before i felt exhausted.  i was convinced that running was not for me.

that was many years ago.

since then, i've taken up cardio sports like badminton and ultimate frisbee to improve my endurance.  but i never went back to running.  it took several years before some friends decided that i needed to add 'run a marathon' to my to-do list.  and it was decided (not by me!) that the Army Run would be my first race.  the Army Run is a race that raises money for our soldiers, war veterans, and their families.  the race has become very popular over the last few years and it's a pretty good cause.  so four of us signed up for the 5k run at the beginning of summer.  i had 4 months to train for this and i had no clue where to begin.  so i consulted the oracle - phil.  phil gave me some great advice about getting started.  i followed his advice and slowly began training.  running has improved my badminton game as well.

this past sunday, was race day.  when i registered for the race, i didn't think of how cold it would be on race day morning.  oh my goggles, was it ever chilly!  i didn't back out of it though.  i was determined to do it.  i have to say .. it was an amazing feeling to get your first run under your belt.  as soon as the gun went off, i crossed the starting line and immediately started to run at a slow pace and built it up as i went.  my goal was to complete the 5km without having to stop and walk portions of it.  i wanted to run the entire race so pace was not a concern of mine.  seeing the injured soldiers participate was very inspiring.  their spirit was not broken despite their disability.

in the end, i completed the run in 36:13 minutes.  i also got an awesome dog tag for finishing.  :)

we may have been bitten by the running bug now.  my friends and i are thinking of taking part in the CIBC run for the cure race next weekend, and the Ottawa Race Weekend 10k run in May 2013.

i really never thought i would ever run in a race or even like running.  but i guess you don't knock it until you've tried it.  it's not that bad.  phil was right - "it is an amazing test to see what you are made of when the going gets tough.  when your brain is telling you to stop, when your body is beyond fatigued, when your feet hurt.  it would be so easy just to stop.  but you can dig deeper and punch that pain in the groin.  tell yourself that you didn't run all this way to settle for average results."

it may sound very cliche but it's quite true.

running definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone.  and sometimes that's what we all need to do.  to get out of our comfort zone and try something different that challenges you physically, mentally, or emotionally.  that's how we grow as an individual.

as always, i encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and do something different.

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