November 16, 2018

VARNIER-FANNIÈRE “Grand Cru” Brut NV

$57

Earthy, spicy, and rich. Finely etched and deeply resonant flavors. Lots of gravitas.

93 points KM

A traditional spice from which country lead to the discovery of Vitamin C?

A. Turkey

B. Austria

C. Hungary

D. Italy

One of the defining ingredients of the Hungarian kitchen—paprika—is based on red peppers, the best of which are said to come from the region of Szeged in Hungary. Curiously, these peppers have the highest vitamin C content of any vegetable. Indeed, paprika was used in numerous experiments by Hungarian physiologist Albert Szent-Györgyi who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1937 for his discovery of Vitamin C. By the way, Hungarians classify paprika into eight types, starting with the mildest, sweetest, and brightest red—Különleges–and proceeding to Erős, the spiciest and most brown in color.

Piper Heidsieck Chewing Tobacco Advertisement—1919

I’m sure the Champenoise weren’t too crazy about this… In 1919, the American Tobacco Company featured “Piper Heidsieck Chewing Tobacco,” as a way to entice people to chew more tobacco. The tobacco itself was high-quality… Continue reading

VARNIER-FANNIÈRE “Grand Cru” Brut NV

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