Happy Holidays!

I am WELL late with recipe recaps (including this past weekend's pre-Thanksgiving free for all), but rather than taking up your time, dear reader, I'd prefer to share some holiday well wishes instead.

So happy Thanksgiving - try not to OD on tryptophan!

xoxo,
Adj

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.

Funny Sports Headlines for the Nerd Set

Fun fact about me: I love rugby. AND I love books.

So, it tickles me to no end that there's a Holmes-ian villain causing waves in the international rugby circuit. Enjoy...

Moriarty cleared of cheating

15th November 2010 17:09

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Cleared: Paul Moriarty

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Teams

• Newcastle

Also see

• Can you get today's Missing Men?
• See the stills from Saturday

Newcastle coach Paul Moriarty has been cleared of cheating over an incident in which he appeared to have fabricated an injury to prop Tim Ryan.

In last month's match against Northampton, the Falcons withdrew Kieran Brookes after he took a blow to the ribs.

In a half-time interview, Moriarty seemed suggest this was a temporary replacement and that Brooks would return at some point in the second half after a rest to replace an injured player.

Ryan, who had missed training in the preceding week because of a back injury, was duly withdrawn six minutes into the second period to be replaced by Brookes.

RFU disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett said today: "An inference could be drawn from Moriarty's statement to the media that Newcastle had planned to give Brookes a break and then fabricate an injury to Ryan so that he could return to the game after a rest.

Were that to be the case it would have been cheating.

"However, I am satisfied that there was no intention to cheat.

"Ryan had been injured during the week and although passed fit to play it was clear at half-time that he would not last the rest of the match.

"There is no requirement in the regulations for a medical examination of a player removed for injury, so it is impossible to gainsay Newcastle's evidence that Ryan was injured.

"It is also clear that when Brookes was replaced he understood that he would not return - this is supported by the evidence that he was given a post-match recovery drink and did not warm up with other unused replacements.

"Newcastle only decided that he might have to go back on when it became apparent that Ryan was injured and could not continue."