Cork Wall is growing!

Because I am still working on recipe updates, I wanted to show the progression of my cork wall from today! In the words of Clark Griswold's Dad from "Christmas Vacation", "It's a beaut, Clark!"

It sure is. Can't wait for it all to be done!

The Cork Wall

When it comes to wine, I drink it. And with that, I drink a lot of it.

Hell, there are plenty of studies suggesting that glasses of red wine in moderation is good for your heart and health, right?

Well, maybe I take that statement a little too literally.

But, I have truly enjoyed drinking some fine bottles of wine over the last ten years (insert: LYING. I started drinking wine before I was of age, shhhhhhh), from $10 to over $100.

Wine. to me, can be and is an experience; whether you are at a fine dining establishment where the wine is paired with your meal, at a tasting room in the wine country with some of your pals, sharing a glass at happy hour, or just pouring a glass at home coming off a long day of work. There is always a story to tell with wine, which leads me to the story of my cork wall on a previous post: http://fiveoclockfood.blogspot.com/2009/07/tale-of-cork.html.

Synopsis is: I randomly started saving corks in a drawer, mostly because they were from memorable nights (like little memory tokens), but then started to think - what if I made a wall using the corks?

Drawers became small shopping bags, small shopping bags became larger shopping bags, and, then from there, it got a bit out of control.

I have been a "renter" (other than "owner") my entire adult life, and I kept putting the idea of this wall away (accompanied with the mass compilation of corks) until I actually owned a home to make it permanent.

And then, recently, it dawned on me: what if I could find something to adhere the corks to that would be removable whenever I move out of where I am at? Seriously, I have been talking about this damn cork wall idea for way too long, and it was time to just "attempt" it.

So, that is just what I did. I went to my local hardware store, told them my idea, and this is what they came up with:

Shelf lining paper, tape, and a glue gun.

I mean, could it be...ANY...SIMPLER?

So, in my recent need to release stress, I FINALLY began....THE CORK WALL.

In preparation, I began to cut the shelf paper to fit the wall spaces, tearing off tape, getting the glue gun ready, setting up the ladder...

..and then I grabbed the first bag of corks.

Memories...stories...thoughts...everything about "this" bag I had used to accumulate corks...it all came flooding back. As in I meant what I said earlier - truly, there is always a story to be told with wine.

And this "said" bag was full of corks from one year (of three) of living in San Francisco, a city so dear to my heart and mind, both foodie and otherwise. It was unreal as I started pulling out corks from Sullivan Vineyards (a fav winery in Napa Valley), corks from amazing dinners at my favorite haunts, random corks from cheap bottles I always bought from Trader Joes in my search for the perfect "under $10 bottle of wine" (yes, even La Boca), and then a bunch of corks from Wattle Creek winery, which evoked memories of one of the best FUNemployed days I had with my great friend Aimee where they gave me all of their corks from a week's worth of tasting in their tasting room.

As I took each cork out of the bag, I read the label to myself, and privately indulged in whatever memory flooded my mind. I delicately glued it to the shelf paper taped to my wall, and savored the moment of exactly what that wine tasted like, and savored the remembrance of a good time, in my recent past.

As I worked through that first bag and then on to my current drawer of corks, I graciously meandered through a memory bank full of great dinners, happy hours, time spent with family and friends. I have more corks waiting to be added than the normal person would ever have, and I can't wait to include them to the wall. Friends have even emailed saying they are sending me their corks, and I can't wait to glue them to the wall as well, knowing that there is a special place for them in my kitchen, just as it is a special place inside of me.

I guess it is almost more fitting that this wall is in my kitchen, my heaven, my "happy place". I frequently scan the corks and I find myself finding one cork in particular and remembering a great time in my life. It is almost like some of these memories are speaking out loud on my wall, and I love it.

So, a bottle of wine will always end up empty (boo...), but you will always have the cork to remind you of the great time you had to enjoy it. And I just decided to make a mural of my good times. And, the fun (drinking) isn't over...yet. I still have to finish the wall!

Cheers!

Five O'Clock Food is BACK

After a bit of a hiatus, I am happy to announce that I am back to blogging about everything food and wine related. During my "time off due to family health issues", I have consumed plenty of fabulous foods, drank a ton of wine (well, not literally, but, hell I am a wino...) and I have plenty to share with the readers of this site, and I am thankful to all of those who have encouraged me to continue spreading my "word of mouth" about all things cooking and "grape" related.

From meals "out" that I want to recreate, to meals "in" that were just so damn good I have to share, from the both bad and good bottles of wine I have consumed, and also the new foodie things I have found, I am really excited to share everything again on this site. I am just happy that people want to read what I have to say! Thanks again for all of the support, and cheers to the fact it is five o'clock somewhere, and that five o'clock is only made better with great food, great wine, and great company.

Cheers!

Lesley