I’m not the best sommelier in the world, but I am an activist for transmitting my in-heritage : natural food and pure wine. As per today Industrial food is every where : Fast food, brasserie in Paris, advertisement on TV. i was brought up surrounded by home cultivated vegetables in my back garden without chemicals. For my 14 year old’s birthday , I tasted an old home-brewed plum alcohol family made…It was strong but very pure. this type of shot must not be given as a starter, but as final drink to a heavy dinner or lunch. I remember long sunday lunches when we finished eating with my parents around 5 o clock…The traditional and artisanal plum alcohol came in final for every adults. We are not drinking strong alcohol to get drunk but, to clear our stomach and our intestine, it helps to have a good digestion. My Fight against alcoholism is very important to me. I ‘m drinking 2 glasses a day or every other day .. Every wine comes from organic farming with a spontaneous fermentation. I’m not a saint, but in good company, i can easily drink a bottle of wine alone while enjoying a good meal. I never wake up with a headache. `the « drinking well » won’t bring you any pain.
Do you know this ?
Alcohol : from arabic word it minds a subtle thing. According to legend, arabic navigators added alcohol in water while crossing the Mediterranean sea. the alcohol was to preserve the water.
chemicals arrived on the scene 40 years ago. You can find traces of chemicals in producs like food, water, wine and alcohol from conventional farming.
My « drinking well » philosophy:
1) Never drink two types of alcohol at the same time
take a glass of water and glass of wine during the meal
2 Do not drink too much : If you love beer for an appetizer or during a party, one glass of 25 cl is enough. Indeed, if you are 5 persons, and everybody wants to buy a round . If the glass of beer is 25 cl : the total volume will be 1 litre and 25 cl. IF the glass of beer is 50 cl : the total volume will be 2 litres and 50 cl.
If you don’t like the drink someone offers you, don’t drink it…
favor food pairing with wine
did the wine pair well with the food
4 don t drink coffee and dessert wine during the dessert. Coffee will destroy the pairing. No dessert with irish coffee,
5 the substitute of alcohol : water or tea and nothing else. Soda would be too sweet and
would destroy the quality of the food. Favor local juices such as apple juices in Norway for example.
6 Dont’ begin by strong alcohol, but finish you meal by a strong alcohol in order to stimulate digestion (2 cl it is enough)
In a restaurant :
Even if you are a customer, you need to behave properly at anytime. I was taught not to get drunk when i’m drinking, but to enjoy the pairing between food and wine. You can be happy, funny but never sick . I understand norwegian and french lives are not the same ; and that these 2 cultures are very different. Being in Norway taught me an another attitude in my job and helped me recognizing my mistakes. quality for norwegian people. I am thankful to the norwegian customers who listen to my suggestions: Once someone sent me a complaint because i did not agree with him When he asked for a beer and champagne at same time I refused to serve him. At that time; many customers said to me « you need to teach about the drinking well »: this is the first bad experience I have with norwegian customer so far:
In Norway, we need to be careful with alcohol : the rules are very difficult, we can lost the alcohol licence. It is the reason we refuse to give alcohol when the people are drunk
My bad experiences :
a complaint from a customer who wanted to drink champagne and beer at the same time
a customer got mad because i refused to give his table more alcohol
I saw on a table a glass of brandy, a beer and a cava
I saw Coca cola during wine tasting in Norway, ….
My good experiences in Norway
When i refused to give a glass of wine to a man, his wife agreed with me (many times).
A young man told me « thanks you for your education, because in Norway we need that.
A regular client came with his friends before a performance at the theatre . She appreciated my wine packages. 2 weeks later, she came with her children between 20 and 22…I remember her sentence « Now you need to listen »
Education for the drinking well is very good for young people.
Sex and alcohol
The consequences of excessive consumption of alcohol:
-becoming unaware of what we are doing
The problems with sex : earlier ejaculation for drunk teenagers. For men aged 40 years old or more, problem with erection.
My experience in Norway :
Sexe is a gift, a sharing moment and not a masturbation . And many people confuse this… To give pleasure; sex is meant to be a great time. A while ago a beautiful woman wanted to flirt with me. She was too much intoxicated with bad beer. She took my phone to enter her own number. « you need to tell me tomorrow « I did the next day…she never answered…she didn’t remember me i think…My first rule : don’t follow a drunk lady….
In conclusion :
The wine : our hero .
The Wine Diet, written in 2007 is the title of the book written by Doctor Corder from the University of Queen . This book is wine bible for me He concentrated on the study of the benefits of regular and moderate wine (mostly red) consumption on health.
but also in life should be a bible in France. Reading in schools and hospitals would be a first and fundamental education for our children and our colleagues on the fight against alcoholism and junk food. As well the research on health benefits of wine, the professor advises to "change their habits to prevent illnesses" (Chapter X, p. 215), "Eat, drink and live very old" (Chapter VI, p. 113), "the guide of optimal nutrition" (Chapter XI, p. 233).
extracts:
Wine yes, but in moderation, p. 185
"According to the studies of wine drinkers, it appears that two glasses of wine a day bring the greatest benefits (... reduces the overall risk of cardiovascular disease). "
The effects of wine on health, p. 36
"The regular wine drinkers (one to four drinks per day) had fewer coronary risk than non-drinkers and those who drank irregularly, whatever the type of alcohol consumed. "
The effects of wine on health, p. 31
The Taride map published in 1933 shows several information:
"Wine is the healthiest and most hygienic of beverages (Pasteur).
Average of human life, 59 years for a water drinker, 65 years for a wine drinker.
87% of centenarians are wine drinkers.
Wine is the milk of old men. » The during 17 May in Norway, after my job i went to 2 different place in Norway. The first : Territoriet is a wine bar. Everybody was happy and not to much drunk…Very pleasant moment. The second : Kuturhuset is normal bar and with many problem because they propose many several alcohol. The difference : the first comes from education of wine. Wine gives you an education about your tasting but also your comportment. I’m sure about that
Wine Teenager education :
Norway needs to created Edualcool like in Quebec
In Quebec, alcohol consumption is high but less devastating. They get drunk less with Educ'alcool: an initiative of the SAQ - Québec alcohol company. The focus is that consumption of wine must be for tasting pleasure and not for the effects of alcohol.
« In Norway, we "re drinking to be drunk, in France you"re dining to taste » from my ancient neighbor. I’m sure the norwegian mentality want to listen and to learn. With educalchol it will be a fantastic change.
Jean-Charles Botte sommelier Xich-lô