ABigSlice Journal

We Miss You, Princess Diana

Isn't it interesting that if you are shy, or humble, people mistake that for weakness. When you aren't tooting your own horn constantly, and actually put others before yourself with kindness and generosity, you are seen as stupid.

I took a Myers Briggs Personality Test for work several years ago. The premise was that we would recognize the different types and create a more responsive workplace. As it turned out (no surprise to me) I was an introvert. I thought, "How refreshing. A company that will work with me on my strengths." Boy, was I wrong. All they wanted to do was to get me out of my shell. Force me into uncomfortable situations because I needed to "grow". Why is it that introverts need to grow, yet nobody tells the extroverts to shut the hell up?!?

Because the only ones left to tell them to shut up are the introverts... and we are far too nice.

As I have gotten older I have come to realize something. That strength lies with the introverts. We don't need constant propping, or reinforcement, or praise that those insecure extroverts do. When people are tooting their own horn, I long for a mute button.

Now after that tirade, this is the reason I loved Diana. The slight awkwardness, the shy head tilt I found utterly charming. But she got the job done, with compassion and kindness. She was a soft melody - and no tooting!

Now what do we have? The dissonant tunes coming from the tubas of people like Paris and Lindsey. I miss you, Diana. Wish you were here.

To read the entire text of Harry's touching eulogy, click here.

Baker's Edge Brownie Pan

Brownies are just about the best things on earth. And the edge pieces - well you are talking heaven! So for all of you edge lovers out there - and you know who you are - Baker's Edge has introduced "the Edge Brownie Pan". Now every piece is an edge piece. And if that isn't enough, this pan also cuts down on those uncooked centers, that, although tasty, make it difficult to serve. Now that's what A Big Slice calls innovation! To check out the Edge Brownie Pan and order one for yourself, click here.

Spain's Duero Region in Trouble

In what is being called a "plague of Biblical proportions", north-central Spain is being attacked by millions of voles. They are on a rampage, destroying everything in their path. Normally, the typical winter deep freeze would kill them off. But this year it never came and spring warmth saw the population explode. In numbers this dense, the voles are not just content with the countryside. They are now invading the towns. One man in Valencia found a drowned vole in a pot of coffee in his house! But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Scads of living voles mean scads of dead voles, which in turn feeds the spread of black flies, and a disease known as rabbit fever. In response to the onslaught, farmers are burning their fields to kill the voles directly or, at the very least, deprive them of their food. So far nothing is working. The next target? The voles seem to be setting their sites on Spain's major wine producing region along the Duero river. The damage that the voracious voles produce is long term. If they ate just the leaves then it is only the present crop that would be affected. But the voles prefer the tender roots. This results in a set back of four to five years. The time it takes for new vines to produce grapes. To hear the entire NPR story, click here.

Where has all the Champagne Gone?

Better begin your New Year's toasts a little early because soon there may not be enough of the bubbly to go around. The producers of Champagne in France have seen a remarkable increase in the amount of the beverage that is being consumed worldwide. So much so that they fear they will not be able to keep up. The reason is two fold. First, Champagne is only produced in a particular region in the northeast part of France. If your nose is being tickled by a product from California, or Spain, or Italy, it is not the real McCoy. And second, the sales of Champagne in emerging markets like India, China and Russia, is skyrocketing! So stock up or you may be toasting your next holiday with (gulp) sparkling wine! Read the full article here.

The Return of the Cork!

There is, perhaps, no greater indication of wine snobbery than a person's stand on the cork versus cap issue. I have to admit that for a long time I was a cork snob. For me a good old fashioned cork meant tradition and class. And besides, twisting off a screw cap seemed dangerously close to opening a bottle of soda pop. But I slowly came around, mostly with the help of the wonderful New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. Reluctantly, I was converted. Ecologically it seemed like a good idea (does this make me an ecology snob?) and it protects the wine better than a natural cork. So far I have never come in contact with a wine that you could call "capped".

But hold the ecological bus! Things have changed. Environmentalists are calling on the wine industry to return to the cork. First off, it is a renewable resource. The fiber stripped from the tree to create the cork, regrows and produces the next year's corks. And with the rise of the screw cap, Mediterranean Cork Oak forests are losing their profitability and in danger of being destroyed for development.

So wine snobs... It seems we are ecologically minded after all. And can anything really compete with the satisfying "pop" of a natural cork freshly removed from a good bottle of wine? I think not - speaking environmentally of course!

For the complete article, click here.