Putting the ‘Pain’ in Champagne For many people, preparing for the New Year’s countdown is the most exhilarating part of the holiday season. You tune your TV to the Times Square ball drop, hand out party hats, confetti, and noisemakers, and meticulously line up some champagne flutes. What’s left to do? Pop open the champagne! There are many partiers who pop the cork with enthusiastic and careless abandon, while others point the bottle away from their faces and anxiously twist the cork until they hear those bubbles surge to the surface. Turns out, while the latter practice may be slightly less fun, it’s certainly the safer approach.
Spontaneously Ejecting Cork Causes Lawsuit
they were responsible because they failed to include a proper warning label on the bottle. The defendants, however, argued that the cork stopper did not and could not spontaneously eject unless Murray had handled the bottle improperly. The case was argued by both sides for two years, but eventually, Murray won. Almaden Vineyards now prints the following on its bottles: “WARNING: THIS BOTTLE IS UNDER PRESSURE. THE STOPPER WILL EJECT SOON AFTER THE WIRE HOOD REMOVAL. TO PROTECT AGAINST INJURY TO FACE AND EYES, POINT AWAY FROM SELF AND OTHERS WHEN OPENING.”
When it comes to bubbly-induced mayhem, the greatest potential trouble lies in the eye of the beholder — literally. With an estimated velocity of 60 miles per hour, uncontrolled corks do in fact fly faster than the blink of an eye. To avoid having to explain a not-so- fashionable eye patch at work on Monday, handle those fizzy drinks with care.
DRIVING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND I’ve always had a deep affection for winter. I enjoy the sight of falling snow as much as I enjoy the sound of it crunching underfoot. I appreciate the way the morning air smells over a new blanket of fluffy ice crystals. I even love the sight of my daughter dragging her sled into the house, because I know it’s her way of telling me it’s time to play. MARC’S TIPS AND TRICKS On April 8, 1978, Charles J. Murray was injured when a natural cork stopper spontaneously ejected from a bottle of previously unopened Almaden Blanc de Blancs champagne and struck him in the left eye. He was preparing to serve the bubbly to a party of 40 people, so he placed 12 bottles on a rolling cart and removed the foil and wire retainer from three or four bottles — including the one that eventually injured him. Once he started to roll the cart toward the guests, the cork shot out of the bottle all on its own. Due to the severity of his injury, Murray sued Almaden Vineyards, Inc., National Distillers and Chemical Corporation, and Carbo, Inc., alleging that
CHICKEN CHOP SUEY
Ingredients
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2 teaspoons sugar
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2 large or 4 medium chicken thighs 3 pounds bok choy, cut into 3–4-inch ribbons
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2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
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If there’s an aspect of winter I’m not crazy about, it’s the slippery morning commute following a fresh snowfall. As I make my way to work on I-465, my fellow motorists seem divided between two extremes. On the one hand, there are people who seem oblivious to the conditions, driving with the sort of reckless abandon you might expect from a fleeing murder suspect. On the other hand, you have people advancing so slowly that they don’t actually seem to be in motion. The latter type is infuriating, but at least he’s erring on the side of caution. The ones who really scare me are the people who drive without any awareness of or respect for mother nature. The holiday season is stressful enough without the additional burden of avoidable vehicular mishaps. Whatever you do, please drive carefully, and for the love of God, stop messing with your phone when you’re behind the wheel. Not all car accidents require a lawyer, but if you do need an attorney, give the Marc Lopez Law Firm a call at (317) 632-3642.
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4 tablespoons vegetable oil
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3 tablespoons oyster sauce
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Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. In large pot, boil three cups of water. Add chicken and reduce to simmer, cooking for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and let cool. Once cooled, remove skin and bones, chop, and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid. 2. In a large skillet over high heat, heat vegetable oil. Once simmering, add bok choy and cook for 1 minute, stirring throughout. Add half of reserved cooking liquid, cover skillet, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer bok choy to a plate. 3. Add remaining cooking liquid and chicken to the pan, maintaining high heat. Heat chicken, then add oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch- and-water mixture, sesame oil, and bok choy. Season to taste, toss together, and serve over rice.
Inspired by The New York Times
(317) 632-3642 • 3
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