WWMD: What would Macguyver do? (aka: How to get by without a corckscrew)

If you tend to forget small items on trips or just prefer to avoid the extra-special patdown by TSA security hands, you might find the following article by thedailymeal.com especially useful. Each tip links to a video demonstrating the particular cork extraction technique.

(More recipes to come soon, just hang in there.)

5 Creative Ways to Open Wine Without a Corkscrew

Who needs a corkscrew? These resourceful folks give new meaning to "I need a glass of wine now."

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Nov 12, 2010 @ 6:08 PM
Posted by Maryse Chevriere, Editor

You wouldn't let a little thing like not having a corkscrew stop you from enjoying that bottle of wine you just bought, right? Seriously, if MacGyver can light a fuse without a match or build a bomb out of a fire extinguisher, there has to be some kind of creative alternative to the corkscrew.

As it turns out, we found five. Watch these videos to see what lengths people will go to to open a bottle wine in a pinch. If necessity isn't the mother of invention, the desire for a glass of wine certainly is.

With a shoe

This concept seems to be fairly widespread among the corkscrew-less wine drinking community. Looks like a few things are key here. One, you have to remove the foil from the top of the bottle first. Two, pick a shoe with a thick sole, and determine the best way to maintain a solid grip on the bottle and the shoe simoultaneously. Three, try and stop before the cork comes completely out so you don't spill any wine.

With a tree

This basically applies the same principles as the shoe methodology (so does the phone book technique for that matter). Hey, if you're out camping or at a picnic, this trick could come in very handy.

With a screw, screwdriver, and a hammer

You might call this the engineer's approach to opening a bottle of wine without a corkscrew. Fast, efficient, and no mess. You can find several videos of people attempting the feat with just a screw or screwdriver, but the real innovation here is using the back of the hammer.

With a pen and an apron

A lot of sources will recommend simply pushing the cork down into the bottle—either with your thumb, the end of a wooden spoon, or even a pen with a string attached. The technique works, but this method gets extra bonus points for coming up with a way to fish the cork out.

With a chef's knive

Proceed with caution when it comes to this last demo. A little dubious and definitely dangerous, it's the only one that actually breaks the bottle. Still, it gets the job done.