Advice solicited

[Botafogo]

" Judye isn't wild about stocking beer. She thinks it sends the wrong message."

Not selling beer sends a WORSE message as in "We don't serve your kind here and that stuff is not sophisticated like our precious wine."

Steve, the oldest discovered example of written language, the Codes of Hamurabbi, containg a recipe for an Oatmeal Stout and penalties for the sale of adulterated beer that include DEATH. Beer is a wonderful thing and every winemaking country in the world has some equivalent of "It takes a lot of good beer to make great wine" (as in the wine makers and vineyard workers drink it). You don't need any of the industrial swill but you need lots of Belgian, Scottish and German goodies.

Re Music: we have a 300 CD changer in our store loaded with great jazz, blues, African and especially Brasilian tunes and it is a major reason people browse longer.

As to getting addresses, if you write a truly literate and passionate newsletter people will not only want to get it, they will forward it to their friends. The Pulitzer Prize winning media critic of the LA Times did a full page article about ours (and Kermit Lynch), saying he sat by his fax machine waiting for it and that it was a fun read even if you weren't that into wine. Result: we sent out five hundred in three days. Prices and scores without cultural info and serving suggestions are just solicitations to buy stuff. Something like this gets people's attention:

What....happened...to him...Bones? He died of Sulfite Deprivation Jim...
So you don't want to ingest any Sulfites, eh, Mr. Natural? That stoner manning the counter at the Co-Op told you they were “toxins”, right? Well here's some sound scientific advice from someone who not only attended and passed High School Chemistry but went on to earn a Master of Science in Public Health Microbiology, WINE EXPO-ista Linda Olsen Weber, R.E.H.S., M.S.:

“Are you CRAZY?!?!? We need these chemicals. Your body contains about 6 ounces of sulfur, mostly in amino acids, which combine to make proteins, which in turn combine to make all sorts of body parts- - -Skin, hair, nails and connective tissues. Sulfur is also a part of insulin, heparin and polysaccharides in the matrices of your cartilage, bones and teeth. You NEED to consume sulfur to replenish the supply to your body. Sources include meat, legumes, cabbage, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic and - - - you guessed it - - - wine and beer! What do you smell when you chop garlic? Diallyl disulfide. Chives, leeks and onions? Other disulfides. And when you cook cabbage? Hydrogen sulfide, methyl sulfide and trisulfides. And when (pardon my French) you fart? You guessed it - - more sulfur byproducts! If you're still bothered by the idea of sulfur products in your wine (you’re on your own with garlic), aerate the wine - - - pour it into another container before serving. This will allow excess sulfur dioxide to escape, but you may lose some good aromas as well. I think I’ll pour mine directly from the bottle to my glass, Bon appetit!”

Thank you, Linda! Now, for those of you attributing all manner of symptoms such as hives, sinus, migraine and flushing of the skin to sulfites, these are in fact HISTAMINE reactions and are caused by pigments, tannins and the effect of fermenting and aging in wooden barrels. Give us a call and we will fax or e-mail you a full-page info sheet on what causes these reactions and commonsense ways to avoid them (most of which do not involve giving up drinking wine!). Cheers!


Good Luck, Roberto

[This message has been edited by Botafogo (edited 04-14-2005).]