During this time of pestilence, it helps to think with the glass half full. With the bubblies, that is.
Since March, we as a family still look forward to preparing our meals at home rather than dining out – what used to be one of our favorite pastimes pre-pandemic. We have adapted to a life with health and safety boundaries placed upon us by Covid-19. Hard to imagine cooking and eating at home all day every day, right? How on earth have we kept it interesting all this time?
One thing is certain. We are grateful to be healthy and safe in our bubble that we call home. But when we tire of messing up the kitchen and laboring over the stove, we don our masks and head to our favorite restaurants, pick up takeout, and bring it back home.
Whether dinner is made with our own blood, sweat, and tears or comes out of a container, it’s our time to celebrate another precious day. The ritual of setting the table with glasses for wine or flutes for the bubblies -- champagne from France, prosecco from Italy, cava from Spain, or effervescent wines made elsewhere – is an effortless way to boost the mood. Presentation is everything. The food tastes better. We look forward to sharing the day’s end together. And it doesn’t break the bank.
It goes without saying that our meal time rituals motivate us to keep our local wine stores in business: With Covid-inspired curbside pick-up, I make a phone call to our friends at Everson Royce in Pasadena and let Claudio, Eric, or Joe know my “out the door” budget limit, including taxes. “Reds, whites, and sparkling wines – surprise me,” is my usual order. We’re so delighted with the variety they box up, it’s like Christmas when I take the bottles out one at a time.
People often think of champagne and its bubbly counterparts as something to be saved for special occasions. That’s because champagne dates back to a time when the pricey grape juice was enjoyed only by royalty and the rich and famous. Not anymore.
Life during Covid is not ordinary. In that spirit, pun intended, it’s our time to make all that we have -- extraordinary.
Washing Hands + Wearing a Mask + Social Distancing = Saving Lives
