Monthly Archives: February 2012

A perfect summer’s picnic

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When the weather warms up there is nothing better than a picnic. Fill a basket with delicious home baked bread, sliced ham and Swiss cheese. Throw in a bottle of gin and lemonade and you are ready to head out the door and into the sunshine, just don’t forget your blanket, glasses and plates.

Summer picnics can be very romantic, and if you have been looking for a way to take your relationship to the next level, prepare a feast for two. Surprise your date with a basket full of goodies which are sure to impress. Pick up a barbecue chicken, some potato salad and bread rolls and look for a secluded spot in the wilderness. Don’t forget the champagne and chocolates. Who knows? You may be so swept up in the romance that you will find yourself engaged by the end of the day.

One of the best ways to reconnect with family members is with a reunion. This summer, plan a picnic and invite the whole clan. Make it a potluck, and ask your aunts, grandmothers, sisters and nieces to make their favourite dish. Or just have everyone bring cold cuts like roast beef, ham and cheese. Ask your uncles, brothers, grandfathers and nephews to take care of the cutlery, plates, tablecloths and condiments. Of course you could have a barbecue, but with a potluck, everyone gets the chance to relax and get reacquainted with each other.

Even if you throw something together at the last minute, it can still turn out to be a great event. Local and national parks usually have picnic areas, tables and barbecues where you can all get together for the weekend. Just ask your mates to bring a cricket bat and balls and something to throw on the barbecue, and you will be set for the perfect summer picnic.

How to taste it: whisky

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Whisky is not an immediately attractive beverage to most people; it is an acquired taste, just as so many alcoholic drinks are. Whisky is not a something that can be gulped or drunk quickly; to truly enjoy the essence of a single malt, you must know how to taste it.
Use a sniffer when you’re drinking whiskys because it helps concentrate the flavour of it better, or if you prefer you can pour it in a small rocks glass. Before you get ready to drink the whiskys, pretend you’re an actor on an old movie. Do just as the gentleman does: pick up the glass and slowly tilt and then slowly turn it around so that the drink coats the entire inside of the glass.
Smelling is very important before you tasting. Don’t plunge in right away! That’s a big no-no. Rather, think of the smells that you’re inhaling: earthy, woody smells such as cedar, or maybe warm cinnamon spice or dark molasses. Whisky is a particularly earthy drink, so the smells and sensations you will get from them are likely to reflect that.
Slowly take a sip of while breathing it in; let it linger on your tongue before swallowing it so you can truly absorb its flavours. Continue drinking in the same way until you have finished what you poured. Tasting whiskys is simple as that.
Once you know how to taste whiskys, enjoying them becomes much more transparent and straightforward. Try different types because different brands and ages feature different flavours. The casks they were aged in affect how they taste, as well as numerous other factors.
Try pairing your favourite whiskys with decadent chocolates, dried fruits and nuts for an extremely pleasurable experience when drinking. If you are so inclined then you might want to try different types of cigars with them, too.