Q: Does coffee or caffeine prevent the absorption of vitamins or minerals? What about alcohol?

A: Coffee is the most concentrated source of caffeine in our diets, with each mug giving you about 100 milligrams. This caffeine can interfere with the absorption of certain minerals, including magnesium, calcium, and iron, but the loss is minimal. And while some studies suggest that drinking coffee can thin bones, you can offset the danger by adding milk. (I recommend nonfat powdered milk, which delivers calcium but adds few calories.) Continue Reading »

The word «vodka» has been known since the 17th century and is most likely a derivative of «voda» (water). In the past, other names were also used for the drink: wine (bread wine), korchma or korchma wine, distilled wine, burning wine, burnt wine and bitter wine among others. It is thought that the drink itself, or rather its ancestor, a strong drink called aqua vitae (Latin for «water of life»), was first brought to Russia by Genoese merchants on their way to Lithuania. They travelled via Moscow, where the foreign guests had an audience with Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, called Donskoy for his victory over the Mongol-Tartar army on the Kulikovo Field by the River Don. Flattered by the hospitality of the Moscow governor, they presented him with vessels with the above mentioned spirit. However, our ancestors were not much impressed with this distilled fermented grape juice. Mead and beer were more popular in Russia at the time. Continue Reading »

January 14, 2010, 11:05 am

No doubt, as tradition dictates, you have made some resolutions with which to begin the New Year. They might include a decision to take better care of your body and keep a closer watch on what you consume – perhaps the words organic, local and sustainable have come up. Some of you may have even given up drinking wine, god forbid! (And we’ll see how long that lasts.) For those taking less drastic measures, consider exploring the world of organic, biodynamic or natural wines. Here’s a primer on the subject, because there are lots of terms related to these wines that are bandied about and printed on labels. Even wine professionals are left scratching their heads. Continue Reading »

The aromas and flavours of a wine come in many different forms, and very rarely does a wine smell or taste of grapes. Nevertheless, the grape variety employed is probably the single most important determinant of the taste and aroma characteristics of the final wine. Since the widespread use of varietal labelling (placing the name of the grape on the label), many wine grapes have achieved a degree of fame previously unimaginable. Below are thumbnail guides to what I consider the six classic white grape varieties. Some will be familiar to even the novice wine drinker, although others, such as Viognier and Chenin Blanc, have spent less time in the limelight.
Each profile contains information on:
Spiritual home: the Old World locations where the grape has its home. Most grape varieties have just one or two locations in the Old World where they are traditionally cultivated. This section tells you where. Continue Reading »

What I consider to be the six classic red grapes are detailed here, together with further details on a number of other varieties at the foot of the page. Some of the grape varieties mentioned here, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, will be familiar to even the novice wine drinker. Others, however, such as Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, will be much less familiar, as outside of the regions of northern Italy where these grapes have their home they are not, as yet, extensively planted.
Each profile contains information on:
Spiritual home: the Old World locations where the grape has its home. Most grape varieties have just one or two locations in the Old World where they are traditionally cultivated. Continue Reading »