notes from a wineaholic/grappa

has anyone noticed that as i get closer to the end of this semester, there are more postings by the wineaholic? coincidence? i think not. no alcohol is safe in my apartment at this point, and i can hear clinking of bottles from the liquor cabinet as they all shiver inside in anticipation of who's going to be the next "dead soldier". that's a curious phrase which apparently has a vague, although very old origin. the most common explanation i have heard comes from World War One and is a bit of black humor. the reference to an empty bottle of liquor as a dead soldier being to the fact that the "spirits" have left the bottle. anyway, today we are talking about grappa. it is historically a specialty of northern italy, and it is the clear brandy that results when the pomace of grapes is fermented and distilled. the pomace is actually the pulpy mash of stems, seeds, and skins left over from winemaking, (another reason i love the italians-nothing goes to waste) and depending on the quality of the raw materials and the method of distillation, the final product can taste like a bomb just went off in your mouth or it can be smooth and winey. nevertheless, it will always be powerful. it is one of those liquors which inspires stories, much like tequila. personally i love grappa. especially because when a bottle of grappa comes out you know your hosts don't want you to leave anytime soon, if at all. my last day of classes this semester is in 6 days (yes i am counting it down), and the celebration on that nite, and the ensuing days (yes i like to celebrate hard), may involve some grappa, and some public nudity, and maybe sparklers. definitely grappa inspired. don't try to stop me, just offer me another drink. cheers.