my kung fu booze

**GeneChing** · 11-09-2018, 11:08 AM

Centuries-old alcohol discovered in China
Lilit Marcus, CNN • Published 7th November 2018

(CNN) — Bottoms up!
Chinese archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old bronze pot that contains an alcoholic liquid believed to be wine.
The discovery occurred on November 6 in China's Henan province, west of Shanghai.
Shi Jiazhen, who is head of the Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in the province's city of Luoyang, tells China's Xinhua news agency that "there are 3.5 liters of the liquid in the color of transparent yellow. It smells like wine."
The maybe-wine was found as part of an excavation of a Western Han Dynasty-era tomb, along with artifacts made from clay and bronze.
Wine has long played in a role in other important archeological digs.
Shards of pottery dating from the Neolithic era (6000-5800 BCE) marked with remnants of grapes were unearthed in the country of Georgia in 2017. They contain some hints about the origin of winemaking there, nearly a full millennium ahead of when historians had previously believed the practice began.
The pottery had traces of tartaric acid, which is what gives wine its tartness.
Meanwhile, the island nation of Cyprus also holds claim to another historical wine accomplishment: Its Commanderia dessert wine is believed to be the oldest named wine in the world.
Other than the as-yet-unnamed liquid, the other major discovery in the Henan province archeological dig this week was a large bronze lamp in the shape of a goose.
Luoyang is rich with historical significance. Its location at the confluence of the Yellow and Luo rivers makes it an important center for trading. It has been the capital of many dynasties, including the Western Jin, Northern Wei and Later Tang.
The city is home to the Shaolin Temple (sometimes referred to as the Shaolin Monastery), which is famed for its connection to kung fu, and the Longmen Grottoes Buddhist rock carvings, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

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**GeneChing** · 11-29-2022, 02:41 PM

Johnnie Walker Unveils 2022 Lunar New Year Bottle
By Kyle Swartz - November 28, 2022

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Rabbit.

Johnnie Walker has unveiled their 2022 Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year Limited Edition Design, featuring art from Shanghai-based fashion designer Angel Chen.

The label for the Year of the Rabbit shows a “dynamic, modern interpretation” of 2023’s Zodiac animal, the rabbit, the company says. The rabbit signifies longevity in traditional Asian culture, and as an echo of the Johnnie Walker motto, Keep Walking, rabbits are shown hopping among mountains, the company adds.

Chen, who studied fashion in the Central Saint Martin College of Art (London), says, “There’s a defiant energy to my illustrations which bring to life the vibrant spirit of the rabbit as it leaps across the design, symbolizing how we need to keep moving forward, spreading goodness throughout the year to come.”

Advertisement
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Rabbit, 40% ABV, is available now at retailers until supplies last. It has a suggested retail price of $275 per 750-ml. bottle.

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my-kung-fu-booze

**GeneChing** · 01-19-2023, 10:21 AM

Year of the Rabbit 2019
The “Year of the Rabbit” celebrates the Rabbit, the 4th of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. It is a vintage Blanc de Blancs, made from a single vineyard Chardonnay block on our Thomas Road Vineyard. The Rabbit symbolizes hope, long life, tenderness and beauty. Rabbit years include 1939, 1950, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 making this the perfect gift for anyone expecting a baby … and for those celebrating a milestone birthday, like turning 60.

$75.00
Bottle (750 ML)
$900.00
Case (12 bottles)

2023-Year-of-the-Rabbit
my-kung-fu-booze

**GeneChing** · 10-25-2023, 08:18 AM

STYLISH

By Kira Gunn Barrett October 23, 2023

Vera Wang Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Fans have long wondered how on earth Vera Wang manages to look so youthful. Well, the secret’s out — and the answer is probably not what you would have guessed.

While attending the DKMS gala on Thursday, October 19, Wang, 74, told Page Six that she doesn’t have many restrictions on her diet. “I do eat McDonald’s, absolutely,” she said, adding, “I order it every day, like two weeks on it, and then I’ll change.”

But Wang doesn’t just limit herself to McDonald’s. She’s also a fan of Dunkin’ Donuts. “I like the cream-filled, sugar-coated donut,” she told the outlet. “It’s like a jelly donut, but it’s cream inside, vanilla cream. I like the pink with sprinkles, too.”

In the same interview with Page Six, Wang said she believes that working hard also helps her to feel young. “Basically, I’ve worked my whole life, so it’s really been about work. I think work keeps you young and stimulated,” she said, continuing, “I work very long hours, I’ve raised two daughters. I think keeping busy is the best antidote [for] good health.”

Courtesy of Vera Wang/Instagram

In 2020, Wang shocked fans when she posted an Instagram photo of herself posing in an orange sports bra and white denim shorts. At the time, she was 70 years old, although readers would be forgiven for mistaking the designer for decades younger.

Fans flocked to the comments to express their awe at her youthful appearance. One commenter wrote, “Impossible, it is biologically impossible not to have a single wrinkle and loose skin after seventy. Don’t make fools of us – or are you a Martian?????😂”

Courtesy of Vera Wang/Instagram

In an interview with Elle published on March 16, the designer said that she isn’t seeking out approval for her appearance. “I’m very flattered that people think I’ve aged well, but it was never my goal,” Wang said. “I drink vodka, I sleep, I avoid the sun. But I like to work. I don’t want to be pigeonholed.”

Later in the interview, Wang said that she feels that the public’s focus on her looks “brings up the issue of ageism.” She added, “ I was never really obsessed with aging. I can’t speak for younger generations, but things that exist now did not exist 50 or 60 years ago. There was no such thing as Botox.”

She has her own line of vodka...
Fast-Food-Nastiness
my-kung-fu-booze

**GeneChing** · 12-12-2023, 10:24 AM

This New Doritos Liquor Is More Than Just a Cheesy Gimmick
We taste-tested it for you.

By Brad Japhe Published on December 12, 2023

PHOTO: COURTESY OF EMPIRICAL

Nacho Cheese Doritos have been a staple of the snack food aisle for nearly half a century. Now, they’re headed to the liquor shelf.

In a most unconventional crossover, the iconic tortilla chip brand has partnered with Empirical Spirits to release an 84-proof clear liquor that actually smells and tastes like the real thing, minus the signature crunch — thankfully. Which is to say, it’s unlike any alcohol you’ve ever smelled or tasted before. And we don’t mean that in a bad way.

Ensuring the integrity of the new creation is Lars Williams. The former chef and self-avowed flavor expert spent time at Noma before breaking off to co-found Empirical in 2017. Since then, he’s steered the company toward “uncategorized” spirits. This grants him and his team the freedom to experiment without conforming to the well-defined parameters of, say, a gin, a rum, or a whisky.

It’s precisely this sort of unrestrained attitude that led to the serendipitous development of a Doritos-flavored booze.

“In Empirical’s very early days in Copenhagen, a team member returned from lunch with a sandwich and a bag of Doritos,” Williams recalls of the origin story. “Curiosity led me to turn this snack into a spirit. Upon tasting it, the result was amazing, and we burst into laughter. We shared it with friends, especially chefs. We would just give them a little glass without telling them what it was. The sheer joy in their face was amazing to watch.”

Indeed, one sniff of the spirit is enough to reveal its anchor ingredient. The bouquet is brimming with the unmistakable tang of cheese dust. But in the sip, it’s all about cornier elements. It leaves your palate with a drying note, akin to what accumulates on your tongue after you’ve crushed a sizable bag of corn chips. In other words, it’s maybe more Fritos than Doritos.

COURTESY OF EMPIRICAL

“My goal was to recreate the entire experience of opening a bag of Doritos, getting that signature aroma, followed by its flavor dance across the palate with its unmistakable savory, cheesy, and umami notes,” adds Williams.

To get there, he started with a base of distilled beer — pilsner malt, to be precise. The Doritos were then introduced and allowed to infuse in the liquid, under exacting time and temperature. Vacuum distillation, which operates at lower temperatures than traditional distillation, was used to safeguard flavors collected during maceration. Ultimately, you can think of the product as a nacho cheese-flavored vodka.

The folks at PepsiCo, Doritos’ parent company, were suitably impressed by the mashup. It was Empirical who approached them with the idea of the collaboration. Despite the unlikely commingling of Noma-pedigreed personnel with America’s most popular snack chip, the pairing makes perfect sense when you realize that high-end chefs have a well-known penchant for off-shift junk food.

The release will arrive on shelves next month wearing a cost closer to that of caviar. The limited edition bottle of Empirical x Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit is set to retail at $65 — nearly twice the average sum of super premium vodkas. The ability to show up at a Super Bowl party offering shots of Doritos, however, is surely priceless. Just don’t hold your breath for a Cool Ranch follow-up. Williams tried that and wasn’t happy with the results. Perhaps some Funyuns rum, instead?

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