Laguiole Waiter's Friend

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:30:00 -0400

When I travel, my favorite souvenirs tend to be practical - things I can use often. Most often, they have to do with food and drink. One of my absolute favorite possessions is a Laguiole waiter's friend that I got while on my honeymoon in France. At the time, it was a big purchase for me, costing around $90 or so. I've now had this particular corkscrew for close to 8 years, and together we've opened hundreds of bottles of wine. If you've never used a waiter's friend before, they can take some getting used to. They have a blade, similar to one found on a pocket knife, that's used to remove the foil from a bottle. The actual uncorking is done by lever action. Once you've got the opening technique down, though, you'll never feel the need to switch to another type of corkscrew.

Riedel Vinum Single Malt Whiskey Glasses

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 16:57:00 -0400

Pere did well with the birthday gifts this year. In addition to the NPR Cooks cookbook that I blogged about previously, she also got me a set of Riedel Vinum single malt whiskey glasses that I've wanted for a while now. I'm an avid scotch and bourbon fan, and I've been wanting a nice set of glasses to replace my favorite set of glasses that broke shortly after I moved to Arizona. You really can't go wrong with Riedel glasses. The Vinium series is machine made 24% lead crystal. They sell for about $30 a set. If you really want to step up, you can get a single hand blown Riedel Sommelier Single Malt Scotch Glass for about $45. Although some people dismiss them as overpriced, or don't agree with the idea that the shape of the glass enhances the drinking experience, I think the Riedel glasses are fantastic. Taste enhancements aside, I like the idea of having different sets of glasses for the different drinks that I enjoy. My single malt glasses have great weight and balance, and I find the shape visually pleasing. Each glass holds seven ounces of spirits has a rim that rolls outward, channeling the whiskey to the tip of your tongue, which is supposed to bring out the sweetness and creaminess of the liquor. So far, I've tried a glass of 18yr old Glenlivet, and a glass of Bulleit Bourbon, a brand they recently started selling at my local grocery (more on why I'm buying from the local grocery in another post). I tried both spirits neat, first in a regular double old fashioned glass, followed by a taste from the Riedel glass. I can say that the overall experience using the Riedel glass was better. There was a noticable increase in the concentration of flavors and sweetness, although not so much that it was a night and day difference. As I said, I think some of the difference is also in the perception, and that's ok with me. I like the way the glasses look and feel, and that's enough for me.

Foo(d) Bar Blog - Barware

Laguiole Waiter's Friend

Riedel Vinum Single Malt Whiskey Glasses