Galway Advertiser 2004/2004_09_02/GA_0209_E1_014.pdf 

Extracted text

14 N E W S

Galway Advertiser

September 2 2004

UNCORKED SERVING
WINE
by Willie Shaw
pening the bottle: Sounds simple? And it is normally, however, there are ways to make it easier and to ensure that it does not become a drama at the dinner table. The usual type of corkscrew is the one with a knife for cutting the foil, it pulls out the cork in a lever type action and is called the 'waiters-friend'. This type of corkscrew can break brittle corks. My recommendation is for the corkscrews made by `Screwpull'. The spiral section is coated with teflon and the pulling action is straight out.

Call for specialist alcohol nurses for hospital casualty departments
BY MARY O'CONNOR A new report is calling for specialist alcohol nurses to be based in local hospital A & E departments. The recommendation is contained in a national report on Alcohol Misuse by Young People compiled by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. Other suggestions include a complete ban on alcohol advertising, a 50 to 100 per cent increase in excise duty on alcopops and the establishment of a national alcohol control centre, says Dr Sheelah Ryan, the chief executive of the Western Health Board. "They also call for local authorities to be required to issue a report on local levels of drinking in public parks by young people; price controls to be introduced on nonalcoholic drinks and a national training programme to be established for all front of house security staff." She says the WHB will be studying the report in detail as well as the GAA's recommendation of a phasing out of alcohol branding and sponsorship at club and county level over the next two years. The local health authority will also discuss the recent launch of the advertising campaign "Is your drinking affecting their thinking?" by MEAS (Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society) which urges more and well informed debate on rule setting by parents.

O

If you want a special Christmas present then ask for the top of the range `Screwpull' lever corkscrew. It is about 120, but once you get used to using it you will wonder how you survived before. The regular one is about 15 and is excellent. Another item which is worth buying is a foil cutter; this does the job performed by the penknife section of the `waiters friend'. It is applied to the top of the wine seal with a little pressure, spin left and right and hey presto, one very neatly removed wine capsule. Also, it is a good idea to wipe the top of the bottle before you pour. Opening Champagne: The first question to resolve here is whether it should be with a loud pop or a quiet psst?. The loud pop is best reserved for when you win the Grand Prix or perhaps out in the garden at a BBQ. Even then make certain that there is no possibility of the cork flying into anything solid, especially one of your family or guests. The correct way is to first open and remove the foil, then, while holding the bottle at a 45 degrees slant untwist the wire and remove, while at the same time keeping your thumb on the top of the cork. Then while holding the bottle tight, twist the cork out of the bottle (the people who make champagne recommend that you hold the cork while moving the bottle, but I have never found that easy). There is a specifically designed star shaped gripper for opening stubborn champagne corks that really works and is a worthwhile investment. Washing Glasses: Use warm water and a tiny dash of washingup liquid to wash them, then rinse very well with clear water. Dry them well with a linen cloth. Store them upright for the best results; however, if they are in the cupboard for a while you will need to give them another quick rinse before use.It is a good idea to wait until the morning-after to wash up your best wine glasses,its amazing how easy it can be to have an accident while under the influence!

TWO gifts made by elderly Galwaymen were given on behalf of the city of Galway to their American hosts at the recent Milwaukee Irish Fest in the United States. Mayor Catherine Connolly (above) presented Chicago mayor Richard Daley with a model of an actual Galway hooker which she and her family used to sail as youngsters. The fantastic piece was made by her father who is in his seventies. It is believed the model was made in a space

of a few weeks and Mayor Daley was so delighted with it that he promised to put it in a position of honour at City Hall. Earlier, an annual gift was made by the Spirit of Galway group to the Irish Fest archive and this year it was a painting of Galway Cathedral by 81-year-old Willy Andrews of the Claddagh. The presentation below is being made by Willy's daughter Joan Andrews with help from Minister Eamon O Cuiv and Mayor Catherine Connolly. -- DV




FOOD MATCH OF THE WEEK

This weekend will see the consumption of thousands of oysters at the 50th Anniversary of the Clarinbridge Oyster Festival. Well if you want to pick a perfect accompaniment for Oysters then choose from the following: Champagne (Blancs de Blancs), Premier Cru Chablis, Muscadet sur Lie, Sancerre or Albarino from Spain, not forgetting Guinness of course. Two great value wines this week are from the south of France, a Coteaux du Languedoc red, full bodied and rounded, from Daniel Bessiere and a white from a little known area, Picpoul de Pinet, lots of flavour and tastes like more also from Daniel Bessiere. Both of these wines will be available for tasting in Harvest on Friday and Saturday, don't take my word for it call in for a glass.



Dopey Dora' s

Upper Abbeygate Street

Chess nuts to gather in Galway
BY SINEAD MCGOVERN ALL CHESS enthusiasts in Galway will have a chance to measure their skill against their peers this month when the Galway Chess Conference is held in the Corrib Great Southern from Friday 10 to Sunday 12. The tournament, which is being organised by the Galway Chess Club, will be headlined by Russian Grandmaster Alex Baburin - the winner of last year's tournament. He will have tough competition this year though in the form of Irish champion Joe Ryan, a host of other international Masters, not to mention the U 16 Knocknacarra chess team who recently claimed the gold medal in the All-Ireland Community Games in Mosney. Entries are still being accepted, and there are four separate tournaments to cater for players of different standards' with the largest tournament for players who have played few or no tournaments before. The prize fund is in excess of 5,000. For further details on the competitions see the Galway Chess Club website at www.galwaychess.com or contact the tournament director Ronan Duke at (091) 589130.

DANIEL BESSIERE COTEAUX DE LANGUEDOC 7.99

DANIEL BESSIERE PICPOUL DE PINET 7.99

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