When the going gets tough, break conventions,
pour yourself a glass of Pinot Noir wine and taste a slice of salmon.
I have a few mutual friends
who live in their own worlds. We seldom hang out because of my job and other
personal commitments , but whenever I have some time to spare I chill with my
‘coolies’. They enjoy good food, whiskey and wine to wash it down, but I was
always the black sheep at the table when it comes to drinking alcohol because
my preference is for apple juice, water or Sprite.
My decision about non-consumption of alcohol is not for
medical or religious reasons. In fact, it has nothing to do with my upbringing
because my father enjoyed his Napoleon brandy straight from the bottle until his death.
It was just a conscious
decision I made some 20 years ago because of many abuses I witnessed as a
teenager until last month when I decided to break my own rule. I loosened up
and settled for a bottle of Pinot Noir in company of my friends.
I hooked up with my friends
at Royal Cafe, in Hatfield. I place an order for fresh salmon, seared in a
hot-hot pan. The oils is in the skin caramelise into crackling crisp, sweet
taste and texture sensation paired with a young light fruity Pinot Noir.
The interplay between the
salmon’s richness and the fine edge of the wine’s acidity is ideal. The latter
cuts the potential for greasy mouth feel in the former.
My friends could not believe their eyes
because it was the first time they saw me drink alcohol in 10 years in which
they have known me. Naturally they were concerned and also curious more than ever
to know why I decided to have a bottle of wine to myself
I told them that I had a
story to submit and I want to feel what I write.
Before I placed my order for
a bottle of Pinot Noir, I did a quick search on Google search engine from my
blackberry and I discovered that it contains higher amounts of the anti-ageing
compound which makes it less stressful to drink.
I also found out that
scientist at the Massachusetts General Hospital have discovered that, “omega 3
fatty acids found in salmon elevate dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain,”
so I believed that I was making the right decision.
I enjoyed every sip of my
wine and the soft music played in the background at Royal Cafe on that Friday
night. It was a good experience with my friends because for the first time I
blend very well to the setting and occasion and I did not feel like an outcast
in the company of my friends.
For once I broke my rules on
consumption of alcohol. I had a nice time, but my friends teased me that the wine I ordered was not the type men would order in a café. They said what I had was a bottle of wine for the ‘sisters’. Hey, I
don’t care!
All that matters to me is that I was a good
journalist who had a feel of his own story.
The following morning was a
different story for me because I became a bit sick. My stomach became very
upset and was very uncomfortable. I had to take 200 mg of Cimetidine tablets
every four hours in order to get better and ready for work on Monday.
It was a nice experience
which I would not like to repeat in a very long time to come.
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