SIP … BUT YOU MUST SPIT Check Out This Strange Illinois Law!
By law, in the United States, the minimum legal drinking age is 21 years old. When an individual under 21 breaks the law and consumes alcohol, they are subject to arrest and hefty fines. However, there’s a loophole in Illinois. In 2012, the Illinois State Senate voted 48–6 in favor of passing a “sip and spit” law for Illinois culinary students over 18 but under the legal drinking age of 21. This strange law enabled these students to know their wine well without becoming intoxicated. The students can only sample the wines during their scheduled class times, and an adult that is 21 or older must supervise. Each sample of wine must be less than a shot’s worth in volume, and most importantly, they cannot swallow — they must just taste the wine, then spit it out. Culinary students nationwide rely on nonalcoholic wines to learn about the taste, color, and smell of wines and how to best pair them with their dishes, but unfortunately, virgin wines taste nothing like actual wines! This leaves a gap in many culinary students’ education and may even force them to relearn the skill once they turn 21 and sample alcoholic wines.
According to CBS News, Emily Williams Knight, the president of Kendall College, a private Illinois university that focuses on culinary arts, says “taste training” is an integral part of culinary education for young students, which includes learning to pair dishes and meals with adult beverages. Understanding the different tastes and notes of various wines is essential to help these students succeed and prepare them for culinary arts and hospitality management careers.
On Aug. 24, 2012, Governor Pat Quinn signed Senate Bill 758 into law so Kendall College students over 18 but younger than 21 could better develop their wine-tasting skills to enhance their culinary abilities. However, the rule is clear: Sip … but you must spit!
Cod and Asparagus Bake
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• Oil for baking pan • 4 4-oz cod fillets Ingredients
• 1 lb thin asparagus, trimmed • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest • 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. In a 15x10x1-inch baking pan brushed with oil, place cod, asparagus, and tomatoes. 2. Brush cod with lemon juice, then sprinkle with lemon zest. Sprinkle cod and vegetables with Romano cheese. Bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 12 minutes. 3. Remove pan from oven; preheat broiler. Broil cod mixture 3-4 inches from the heat source until vegetables are lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
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