Does your refrigerator ever feel like it’s simply out of space? I know that mine does, despite the fact that I only need to feed myself. This is why I eventually bought myself a beverage refrigerator.

Somehow, a refrigerator can pile up with all kinds of food that don’t go bad over time, not to mention the ones that do go bad. Any time I look inside my fridge, it always seems like it’s the drinks that take up the most space.

Drink bottles and cans can be bulky, tall, and generally take up a lot of space. Since drinks don’t go bad for a while, with the exception of milk, a few cases of any drink can easily take up the bulk of the room in a refrigerator.

Getting a beverage may be a good idea if this describes your situation. There are many reasons that you might need one, but I’ll go into a few basic advantages that the presence of one will give you.

First of all, they’re cheap. You can easily get a nice beverage refrigerator for less than $100 if you look in the right places.

They’re also easy to move around from room to room. In fact, I keep one outdoors in the summer, as saving myself a trip to the inside of my house for a drink makes things convenient and fun.

You’ll also find that drinks look great inside the beverage refrigerator. There’s something about them that brings out the best in a can of soda or beer, making it all the more appetizing to me. Guests love this too.

Another great use for the beverage refrigerator is wine storage. There are dual capable units that can heat reds and whites separately, storing each at the optimal temperature. I find this great for situations where I have guests over, as I’ll never need to wait an hour while a bottle cools inside my ordinary refrigerator.

A tip that everyone SHOULD know (but many don’t) is how to alter semen to be more pleasant tasting. You may have encountered semen that tastes bitter and “bleachy”. This is due in part to the alkalinity in the body’s secretions. Let’s face it, what you put into your body will be recycled back out. It may be interesting why this is, but all you really need to know is what to DO about it!

There are several ways to alter the taste of semen through diet changes. The very quickest, easiest and most basic is to simply drink PINEAPPLE JUICE. It can be canned or bottled, fresh or frozen. Within approximately 24 hrs, you’ll notice a distinct taste change in the semen. It may become sweeter, but it may not. What will happen is the bleachy, alkaline taste will be neutralized by the acid from the pineapple juice. Many other remedies are good suggestions as well. Eating things like parsley (good for bad breath as well), and vegetables, avoiding red meats, heavy meals, and strong flavors are all good suggestions, but simply drinking pineapple juice at least 12 hours before sex is the easiest quick fix for the problem. As long as you can find pineapple juice, then re-arranging your entire diet is unnecessary!

So skip the wine and beer at dinner, and grab some of this amazing tropical nectar instead. Your significant other will appreciate it, and you’ll reap the benefits ten-fold! And as always, keep drinking plenty of water. What’s good for the semen is good for the whole body!

Alcohol consumption by women is a relatively new phenomenon. A couple of decades ago, most women did not take alcohol regularly. The scientific community has been shocked recently to witness the birth of babies with severe growth retardation, a small brain, small and narrow eyes and an overall permanent development retardation.

It did not take long before the medical community was able to link this syndrome to the fact that mothers of these babies had consumed regular or good amount of alcohol during their pregnancy. Proving that alcohol can pass through the placenta was then a simple step.

Now that we know that alcohol taken in large amounts or repeatedly during the pregnancy have a proven effect on the unborn baby, we can honestly ask ourselves if any amount can have a deleterious effect.

Difficulties with proving the dangerous effects of taking alcohol during pregnancy will come from the fact that one cannot scientifically link such imprecise data as hyperactivity or trouble of attention to any one causing factor. There are way too many possible causes to be able to pinpoint one causing factor.

On the other hand, if alcohol has been proven without any doubt to cause fetal alcohol syndrome a severe an irreversible neurological and overall developmental problem, it is reasonable to strongly question ourselves on the effect of any amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

Since such things as asking for a negative pregnancy test, just like we ask for a proof of age, before serving alcoholic beverages is not a possible solutions.

Information and offering acceptable solutions to women in their reproductive years such as attractive beverages containing no alcohol need to be more common.

Pregnant women are often stressed out by all the dangers awaiting them and their unborn babies but few solutions are offered. Such steps as offering support and having healthy and non-alcohol beverages ready for her, will make pregnant women happier.

We do not know as a society the overall impact of alcohol intake during pregnancy. Although we recognize the fetal alcohol syndrome, the existence of lighter forms of developmental retardation can be extrapolated. What if the next generation of newborn babies that have been exposed to alcohol present with overall attention deficit disorders, tendency to depression and lack of self-confidence?

Since we have no idea of how much alcohol is safe to take during pregnancy, the zero policy is the best to adopt. By minimizing or better yet not taking any alcohol during pregnancy, we will ensure healthier and happier babies.

After all, we know for a fact that alcohol crosses the placenta and that the baby metabolizes alcohol slower than his mother, his liver not being mature. Hence, if a mother takes two glasses of wine and is a little happy, maybe her baby is already drunk inside?

I have been asked why I think that cyclists should not drink alcohol, and this was my response:Although alcohol contains more energy per gram (7 Cal/gram) than carbohydrates, and it is rapidly absorbed from the intestinal tract, the available evidence suggests these calories are not utilized to any significant extent during exercise. Thus its negative effects outweigh any theoretical positive ones.

These include:

1) It’s a diuretic and contributes to dehydration

2) Alcohol lowers your blood pressure while drinking it

3) After the alcohol is metabolized in the liver and excreted trough the kidneys the body reacts defensively increasing the blood pressure to compensate the dehydration, so the body tries to retain water doing this which causes not only temporary hypertension and in some people heart palpitations especially if they are athletes who climb in any way, like runner, hikers and cyclists.

4) It slows down glucose production, causing hypoglycemia

5) It metabolizes in the liver and destroys hepatic cells

6) It damages the pancreatic cells as well.

7) It disturbs motor skills including balance and coordination.There was a study from Pennsylvania State where 10 women were given a mixed alcohol drink. Then they made them ride stationary bikes for 30 minutes at 70-75% of their maximum heart rate. Compared to their own baseline performance off alcohol, cycling after drinking alcohol required more energy, produced a higher heart rate, and stimulated a higher cardiovascular demand. Even moderate drinking while exercising placed increased demands on the cardiovascular system. The bottom line is a definite negative influence on cycling performance. Now, you would probably want to ask me: but what’s wrong when drinking a few glasses of alcohol and not riding until the next day when the alcohol has been excreted from your body? Alcohol intake affects the brain. The next day the brain is dead half the day because of blood sugar spikes. This doesn’t mean they can’t ride hard, but it does mean that they can’t do much except lay around the rest of the day after a ride. Plus they seem to get injured a lot. I would say a glass of red wine a week with one’s dinner is OK and it also depends on how serious the cyclist is about cycling.

UK restaurants offer a wide diversity of cuisine from all over the world but why not try some local dishes during your villa holiday. Traditional British food usually involves good plain cooking with fresh local ingredients and is often found in pubs or in restaurants which offer lighter versions of old favourites. Roast beef served with Yorkshire pudding or local specialties such as Lincolnshire or Cumberland pork sausages can be found on most menus. In the North Black Pudding made with offal is popular and lamb and chicken dishes feature on many menus along with hearty meat pies and homemade soups. Meals are usually served with chips, mash, boiled or roast potatoes and a good selection of vegetables. Whitbyon the east coast is famous for its crabs and the southeast coast is renowned for its mussels, whelks, cockles and jellied eels. In Britain you are never far from a fish and chip shop selling battered cod or haddock with chips sprinkled with salt and vinegar. Traditional puddings include fruit crumbles, apple pie or sponge pudding usually served with custard. Afternoon tea is still popular and you will find a good selection of cakes, scones, jam and cream and sandwiches on a teashop menu. Cheese is a great regional specialty; look out for different varieties at delicatessens and farmers markets.

There are some excellent award winning white English wines such as those produced by Three Choirs in Gloucestershire and Wickham in Hampshire.While enjoying your British Self Catering holiday you’ll find a good selection of real ales is served in many pubs; look out for local micro-breweries. Mild such as Banks’, Holdens and Highgate is most often found in the Midlands. Pale ales are more popular and Timothy Taylor, Adnams, Shepherd Neame and Marston’s have good examples. Cider is still a favourite particularly in the southwest of England like Thatcher’s in Somerset.

In Scotland look out for traditional foods such as haggis (spiced sheep’s innards and seasoning) usually served with tatties (potatoes) and neeps (mashed turnip). Venison and grouse dishes are popular as are stovies, a mix of potatoes, onion and beef cooked in dripping. Scotch broth is made from mutton or beef stock, pearl barley, carrots and leeks while Cock-a-leekie soup is made from chicken, rice, leeks and prunes cooked in chicken stock. Smoked fish dishes such as kippers, salmon and Arbroath smokies (smoked haddock) can often be found. Finally, look out for a delicious chowder like dish called Cullen skink made from smoked haddock, mashed potato and milk. Scotland is also famous for its numerous whisky distilleries and a few beers too, like Deuchars and Caledonian.

Traditional dishes in Wales include Welsh lamb hot pot and cawl (meat stew with potatoes and vegetables). Fish is popular and other dishes such as Welsh rarebit (melted cheese on toast) and laver bread made from oatmeal and seaweed. There are plenty of local cheeses to sample such as Caerphilly and Pencarreg. Try Bara brith, a type of tea loaf and Welsh cakes, flat scones cooked on a griddle. Look out for eating establishments belonging to the Taste of Wales (Blas y Cymru) usually a sign of good food and finally some beers to try, Brains or Felinfoel.

In Northern Ireland try local cheeses, oysters and Guinness, Irish stew and drisheen (Black pudding). Look out for soda bread, Barm brak (tea loaf) and potato bread and finish the evening with an Old Bushmills whiskey.

If visiting the Channel Islands, self catering in Guernsey and self catering in Jersey, then you will find plenty of fresh fish, local dairy products and fresh seasonal produce on the menu. Look out for delicious home grown produce known as hedge veg sold by the roadside throughout the islands. Enjoy!

The Volstead act or (Prohibition act) took effect in 1920, in several states across America laws were already in place to try and stop the consumption of alcohol, these laws were in effect before the 18th Amendment (Volstead act, Prohibition act) was passed before congress.

New York was the 1st state to have any such laws passed in the year 1697. This law simply stated that all saloons and drinking establishments must close on a Sunday as a Sunday is revered as a day of rest and prayer and not drinking. Then in 1735, the government introduced its 1st state wide ban on alcohol in the state of Georgia which absolutely failed and only lasted 7 years until 1742.

In 1851, they tried again to instill a ban on alcohol in Maine, this time however it worked even better than they had hoped and by 1855 a dozen other states had joined Maine in becoming what is known as a “dry state”.

In 1880, after the Civil War, women everywhere joined the “dries” and it was not long before the Temperance Movement was a power to be noticed. The WCTU (Woman’s Christian Temperance Union) was formed and the prohibition party started gaining some serious weight.

By the 1900′s, more than 50% of the continental united states had become dry, the prohibitionists thought they had the alcohol ban sorted and that there was no possible way for any person to get liquor into a dry state. Unfortunately for the “dries”, a loophole was found in the law, the loophole being the postal service, because the postal service was regulated by the federal government and not the state government, liquor could be mail ordered and shipped from a wet state.

This maddened the “dries” so in 1913, an Interstate Liquor Act was passed. This act effectively made it illegal for anyone to send liquor to any dry state by any means, which was actually a big loss for those trying to keep the liquor out, as it gave rise to far more illegal methods of obtaining the alcohol as liquor distilleries were now in league with crime bosses.

In 1917, the 18th Amendment was drawn up and it stated that it would now be illegal to buy, ship or even manufacture liquor, this was not sitting well with a lot of states so the amendment was debated in congress for a further 2 years. Then in 1920, 33 states had declared themselves as dry and this meant a major victory for the prohibition party.

January 20 1920, the 18th Amendment was ratified to make all hard liquor with an alcohol content over 40% (or 80 proof) be banned. Officially, it banned the production, sale, or transporting of such alcoholic drinks, this was supported by many people as they thought that only hard liquor was to be banned and that it would be fine to enjoy a glass of wine with a meal or have a beer after work.

However, it was not until a year later, the Volstead Act (Prohibition Act) was passed. The Volstead Act completely banned all alcohol that had more than 1/2% alcohol content, this effectively banned all forms of alcoholic beverages, with the exception of course being non-alcoholic beers.

After the 18th Amendment was ratified, the Volstead Act was brought into the light by the prohibition supporters, for most of the prohibition supports who only wanted a little wine or the odd beer felt as though they had been betrayed as they were left with nothing when the act was passed.

1 group of that no one considered were the veterans of the 1st world war, these ex soldiers felt very betrayed returning home from fighting in the war, most of them had been stationed in France and came to know how a moderate amount of alcohol could in many ways enhance the quality of life, then coming home and finding out that the “dries” had won a total victory over alcohol added to the bitterness of the veterans disdain.

The fatal mistake with prohibition was to ban all types of alcohol, which lost the Prohibition Party almost 80% of its followers.

Prohibition lasted for 13 years in the US until in 1933 the 21st Amendment was passed to officially end the ban on alcohol.

I’m not a wine connoisseur. I don’t even own a decanter. (Some of my married friends own several.)

But I like wine, especially trying different kinds. There are tons of resources out there to help you learn about wine. But I don’t have time to read them. Instead, I choose to learn by doing, or . . . by drinking. My only problem is knowing which bottle to pick.

If you put me in a wine store with over a thousand bottles, I either need a sommelier or a psychiatrist.

I usually start by studying the notes that hang by the bottles. The ones with names attached to them like Wine Spectator or Robert Parker or Bill, the stocker. I contemplate the pictures and colors of the label. I analyze the pricing structure and weigh costs and benefits. Then after an hour or so, when I’m completely frustrated, I make a completely arbitrary decision.

So I’ve come to this conclusion. I need help. And, since my shrink has his limits, I need to find a wine store with people who can help me through the process of buying a good bottle.

All wine stores are not created equal. Here are some of the factors to think about when choosing a wine store:

1) Selection

Don’t be fooled. Having thousands of bottles is not the same as having a good selection. Many large liquor stores stockpile wine with labels that are heavily advertised and sold with the largest discount. You may walk into a store and think you’ve got thousands of choices, but all you really have is same bottles repeated over and over.

What makes a good selection? Look for a store: (1) with a knowledgeable wine buyer and (2) with a variety of tastes, regions, and prices. A good selection will offer both wines that are familiar and unique. Why is selection important? Think of it as playing the odds. You’re much better off choosing from a few hundred wines tasted by a knowledgeable buyer than from several thousand that were trucked en masse.

2) Storage

If you walk into a store and start to sweat, turn around. Wine should not be stored at temperatures over 80 degrees, or it will lose its flavor. That’s why wine is usually made and stored underground. Avoid large warehouses where the temperature may be hard to control. Seek out a wine store where the workers are happy wearing sweaters in the summer. It’s likely that the wine will be well-cooled and happy too.

3) Information

A good wine store is a good source of information. Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions and seek out staff recommendations. Many stores in Kansas City offer wine tastings, which are a great opportunity to try before you buy.

4) Price

Of course, wine prices vary widely, and I’ve never found one store that’s consistently cheaper. Even the big discount shops are not always money savers. After you’ve found a store that you like based on the other three factors, you can save money by subscribing to that store’s newsletters or joining its tasting club. Often, stores send out special deals and offerings to these customers first.

A special fifth category is convenience. This matters especially when you’re buying in bulk, or if you are looking for a quick pick-up on the way home from work. It’s good to know where several good stores are in town, so that you’ll know which one to hit whenever the feeling strikes.

Here are my picks (in no particular order) for great wine stores in Kansas City:

1. Cellar and Loft. Located in Brookside, this little shop is much more than meets the eye. The upstairs is the “Loft,” a showplace of new and antique home furnishings and décor. Downstairs, you can wind your way around “Cellar,” a labyrinth of sorts with a good variety of wines, beers, gourmet foods, kitchen items, and more. 112 W 63rd St, Kansas City, MO, (816) 444-2444.

2. Cellar Rat. This unique boutique in the Crossroads is the anti-superstore of wine. Cellar Rat prides itself on offering a hand-picked selection with personalized service. Cellar Rat’s restored building is impressive itself. The 5,000-square-foot shop also carries artisan beers, gourmet meats, cheeses, spirits, cigars and chocolates. 1701 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City, MO (816) 221 9463.

3. Vino 100. If you are in South KC, you should check out Vino 100. Vino 100′s concept is to offer over 100 bottles of wine for $25 or less. The store is well-organized and the also offers a unique selection of cigars, single-malt scotch, cognacs, port, smoking accessories and wine gifts. 13135 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO, 64145 (816) 941-VINO (8466).

4. Lukas Liquor / The Wine Bar. If size matters to you, Lukas Liquor bills itself as the midwest’s largest merchant of fine wines, spirits, and malt beverages. It has recently expanded by adding the Wine Bar, which offers cooking classes, event space for corporate teambuilding or meetings, and regular wine and liquor tastings. 13657 Washington Street, Kansas City, MO 64145, (816) 942-8707.

5. Rimann Liquors. No matter where you are in Kansas City, there is likely a Rimann Liquor nearby. Stores are located in Lenexa, Prairie Village, and most recently, in Briarcliff. For three years in a row, Food & Wine Magazine named Rimann in its list of “Top Wine Shops in America” based on selection, service and advice. Briarcliff: 4155 North Mulberry, Kansas City, MO 64116, (816) 587-3399; Prairie Village: 3917 Prairie Lane, Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 236-5311; Lenexa: 15117 W. 87th St. Parkway Lenexa, KS 66219 (913) 492-1604.

6. Ensimnger Liquors. Ensimnger offers a variety of wine personally selected by its proprietress, Judy Ensminger. It’s Judy’s belief that “there are no bad wines, just different wines for different events.” 11052 Quivira Road, Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 469-9006.

If you are planning a trip to California, then you might want to consider scheduling some time for a trip to visit some of the many California wineries. With the gorgeous weather and lush scenery this can be a wonderful way to experience some of the finer US wines.

California wine is well known all over the planet and with over 200 days of sunshine each year this state boasts an ideal climate for growing wine of all kinds. In California, you will find 6 predominate varieties of wine. The Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine with a melony or herbal taste and is a good pairing with seafood. The Chardonnay can have a buttery taste and goes well with chicken as well as seafood. Of the red wines, you will find Pinot Noir which has a fruity taste, the Zinfandel which can be fruity, herbal or spicy, the Merlot which can have a fruity and floral flavor and the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Along with the varieties above, you can find many other types of wine to peak your taste buds and California winery tours offer not only an inside look as to how the wines are made but also wine tasting as well as yearly festivals and events based around processing and harvesting. If you time your visit to California right, you can make the most of your winery tours.

If you are thinking about adding some California wine tours to your schedule, here are some things to consider:

1. Plan your visit. As with anything else, planning ahead will help to insure a successful tour. The first thing you should do is decide which areas of California wine country you want to visit. Most places are near each other, so you can map out a visit where you can see a couple of wineries in one day. You can start by looking at websites which give information on wineries including tours and special events. Also, try the winery organizations and trade bureaus.

2. Make sure you make reservations. You may find that the wineries require an appointment if you want to try some wine tasting so it is a good idea to call ahead of time. Also, if you are traveling to California, be sure that you have your travel and hotel plans already booked before you start to look into winery tours. When scheduling tours, it is best to limit yourself to no more than 3 vineyards per day. You want to allow yourself enough time to see everything and traveling between wineries can take some time as well. If there are special events, you want to be sure to allow enough time for those too.

3. Know what you want to see. It will be in your best interest to know exactly where you want to go and what you want to see before you start on your trip. That way you won’t waste time arguing over which direction to go in. If you can get a driver that knows the area, all the better.

Some wineries in California are small while others are quite large. In some you may see the farmers picking grapes by hand while others use machines for harvesting. Either way, you are sure to have a fun filled day with your family and maybe even learn a little about the California wine business to boot!

You read about a wine that is strongly reviewed and hustle off to your local wine shop to get a bottle. You have some friends over and pop the cork for dinner. Much to your disappointment, the wine is okay but not nearly as good as the review suggested. The issue might be the temperature of the wine.

Wine is not like water. You can drink water at room temperature, ice cold or even a bit warm and still get relief. Warm wine is rarely very tasty. This is because the temperature plays a role in bringing out certain flavors and elements of the vintage. The temperature can also inhibit certain flavors and elements that might be to strong when the wine is at room temperature. Put another way, temperature is a key factor in bringing balance to the wine.

White wine is a classic example. It should be served just a bit cooler than refrigerator temperature in the 43 to 46 degree range. Obviously, that is Fahrenheit as the equivalent in Celsius would be a boiling wine! Regardless, this temperature range provides a perfect balance of the competing elements of the white. What if you serve it below this temperature range? The flavors all become bland and hard to distinguish. Serving the wine at room temperature, in contrast, produces a wine that is very acidic. Generally, it is best to start a white at around 43 degrees. As it warms up slowly in the glass, more flavors will emerge.

What about reds? Well, they say you should serve a red wine at room temperature. This cliché is from an older time and actually is incorrect in most modern environments. A red should be served at a temperature equivalent to the water coming out of your tap. I don’t know about where you live, but that is a lot colder than the rooms in my home. To resolve the issue, just put your red in a tub of tap water for a few minutes and the temperature and flavor should balance out nicely.

Wine is very temperature sensitive. While we’ve covered the general guidelines for whites and reds here, always take the time to find out the optimal temperature for the specific wine you are going to drink. If you don’t, you might think an otherwise fine wine has something wrong with it.

Wine has been a popular drink to serve with meals for centuries but many people get confused as to which wine goes best with what type of meal. To make matters worse, there’s more to wine than just red and white, there are many different varieties of wine to choose from as well. Here’s a guide to some of the most widely available wines, their flavor and what types of meals they go best with.

Sauvignon Blanc

This popular white wine has an herbal, sometimes peppery aroma. When compared to Chardonnay you might find this to be a bit more acidic. It goes great with any type of seafood dish.

Semillon

This wine has a rich golden color and gives off an aroma of lemons and figs. Due to it’s low level of acidity, it is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. While most white wines do not age gracefully, Semillon is one of the few that ages rather well. Semillon is a perfect match for cheese and should be added to the list for your next any wine and cheese party.

Riesling

Another wine that has low acidity it can be paired with a variety of foods. It has the aroma of mineral stone, tropical fruits and flowers and makes a good match with white fish and pork as well as Chinese cuisine.

Chardonnay

This is the king of white wines and a popular dinner beverage. With it’s smoky or vanilla aroma it goes well with both white meat and fish.

Pouilly-Fuissé

This French white wine is a medium full bodied wine. It is a dry wine with a pale golden color and a fruity or floral aroma that hints at hazelnuts and honey. If you plan to serve Pouilly-Fuissé, make sure you serve it at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and pair it with turkey, pork, poultry, fish in a sauce, smoked fish or creamy cheese.

Frascati

This wine is said to have been favored by the ancient Romans and according to rumor was the favorite wine of Pope Gregorio XVI. This pale yellow wine is crisp, dry and fresh. Best served cold it goes well with light dishes including seafood and poultry as well as soups.

Silvaner

This wine which originates in Austria has a very slight fruity taste and low acidity. It goes best with mild non-spicy dishes.

Pedro Ximénez

This syrupy desert wine hails from Spain and has a very strong taste reminiscent of molasses and raisins. This wine goes good with coffee and is often used poured right over vanilla ice cream.

Cabernet Sauvignon

This is one of the most popular red wines and goes great with fish such as salmon and trout as well as sauce free meats.

Merlot

Another popular red wine, Merlot has a high alcohol content and full body. It can have 3 flavors – an herbish plumb flavor, a currant and cherry flavor and a chocolate and cherry flavor. This dark colored wine goes great with game meats, pate and even casseroles.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is an exceptionally flavored wine with a high alcohol content and medium to high acidity. It has the aroma of wilted roses with a hint of cola. It is a challenging wine to make and may cost a bit more but the flavor is worth the expense. Pinot Noir goes well with rabbit, chicken, ham, steak, boeuf bourguignon, and coq au vin.

Zinfandel

Has a fruity taste and lush texture that makes it popular among many Americans. It tastes of red berries and bramble and goes well with pizza and burgers or any meals with a red sauce such as pasta. For best taste, serve Zinfandel at 65 degrees.

Chianti

This Italian red wine has a bold taste that goes with almost any dish especially tomato rich dishes like braised rabbit as well as nature cheeses. Chianti has a bright red color and the aroma of violets.

So there you have it – a list of common wines and their best pairings. The next time you serve an important dinner, you’ll be sure to have the right wine for the meal.