I wasn't going to do this until after the event, but the cat is out of the bag. And have you ever tried catching a cat that's just gotten loose from a bag? I know, not easy. So instead of just talking about it later, we're going to mention it now, and post pics tomorrow or soon after.

Dan Aykroyd has a new vodka. Crystal Head, and in case you haven't seen it, the bottle looks like one of those crystal skulls hitting the news over the past couple of years. He'll be at our Orange and Michigan store (in Orlando) this afternoon from 4:30 - 6:30 signing bottles.

And while a signed bottle probably is up there on the list of uber-cool things to have, if you can't make it or don't live in Orlando, check out the video on their website for entertainment value, and then check at your local ABC for a bottle.

www.crystalheadvodka.com is the site.

We carry a vodka called "360". It is described as an "earth friendly" vodka. We also carry a couple (Rain being the most notable, what with all those great flavor blends) of organics. What, you might ask (as I did) is the difference? Isn't it earth-friendly to be organic?

Well, yes. But this is actually a pretty good trade-off for some people: going organic might mean extra costs in terms of transport, packaging, and other business-related expenses. The earth-friendly vodka, on the other hand, skips the organic grain in favor of a pretty impressive stack of actions to lighten the company's impact on this planet. Which I think is a pretty nice toss-up: you now have choices about how you tread lightly--either by choosing a vodka made from organic grain (Rain from organic white corn; Square One from organic rye, for example) or one made from (apparently) non-organic wheat, grown near the distillery (which is in Missouri), packaged with recycled/rec ...

Suddenly, my weekend is busier than I expected. Cooking half as much, without hitting the takeout places too often, sounds like a really good idea. So this may be a chicken weekend. The same actions and principles can apply with red meat, but I'm going to save that until a later day, given my plans.

I'm not a big fan of rotisserie chicken (as in the kind made at your local grocery store), but it does come in handy when you're pressed for time. If you've got the time, though, I recommend roasting it yourself.

So that's Saturday night's dinner (I haven't a chance of cooking something on a Friday night). One roasted chicken, with sides of some sort. Maybe some grilled or roasted veggies. Parsnips are unbelievably good (I know, it's like saying Brussels sprouts are unbelievably good, but I'm not kidding.) when roasted--peel them, toss them in a baking dish with a little melted butter and olive oil, a little salt, and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. So maybe s ...

Seems like a good time to talk about organic spirits.

Why would anyone care? At first glance, after all, it might seem silly, or painfully trendy. But there's a large group (and getting larger, I think) of people who pay attention to their impact on the planet in more ways than the usual. That is, a lot of people buy organic foods for health reasons, and so they don't worry about it so much when it seems like the effect on health is minimal.

Like when you've distilled a spirit beyond its ability to transfer a pesticide into your body.

Others, though, think about this in a broader sense--not just the direct effect on themselves, but on the larger effect of growing veggies, fruits, and grains in low-impact ways: minimal (or zero) chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and perhaps in a biodynamic operation (more on that in a future post, I think, since it's kind of a cool process).

And, since there's a certain....cachet (? per ...

Saturday I had dinner with some friends--a couple of romance writers and their husbands. Sort of a typical, casual dinner party, and not a wine connoisseur in the bunch. It was a gorgeous night--really, the weather is pretty close to perfect this time of year--so we ate out on the screened lanai. And we had wine.

It was basic, nothing sophisticated, but it fit the evening and the dinner beautifully. And we didn't even try very hard. Just opened a couple of bottles that people liked the looks of, and didn't even consider whether they went with the food. In fact, if I'd asked one of our wine guys in advance whether they'd pair these wines up with dinner, I'd have probably been told to go away and find someone else to talk to. Seriously.

We had a roast, and Yorkshire pudding, and roasted veggies and homemade bread, and drank semi-dry rose and Chardonnay, depending on personal preference (I, for example, have to be talked into anything semi-dry or sweeter; my frie ...

This time last week I was in the middle of Mississippi, camping with a large group of friends. The head of our group is a firm believer that vacations require living it up (even while camping), so no canned pork and beans for this crowd. Stroganoff, coq au vin, steak, teriyaki chicken, mixed-grill fajitas, pork tenderloin--you know, the usual. Simple food, but good. Note: my friend used blood oranges--I think (they were really red inside, but they'd been labeled as navels...go figure)--for his fajita marinade, along with some lime, to back up the spices. They rocked.

And we had wine.

It wasn't the only beverage, of course--an awful lot of Strongbow Cider, Blue Moon, Newcastle, Shiner Bock and Sam Adams was consumed. A couple bottles of single malt scotch. Before you think we went crazy, I should note we had nearly 20 people in our camp, and lots of company.

But, the wine....I brought about a case of mixed wines--mostly reds. A few bottles ...