fiasco.

One serious disadvantage of being a non-drinker concerns the corkscrew. You see, because I don't drink I never think to get one. Some days, however, I like to cook foods that include wine--like coq au vin, chicken cacciatore, beef stew, etc. And on those days I always realize much too late that I don't have a corkscrew and so inevitably run into some obstacles. Namely, The Cork.

Today was one such day.

I was making charoset for Passover. Of course, I needed to add some wine at the end. I didn't have a corkscrew [this happened once a few weeks ago and I told myself to get one...but forgot]. So, the improvisation began.

Attempt 1: Twist a regular metal screw into the cork and try to pry it out as with a regular corkscrew.
Result 1: Failure! Complete and utter failure.

Attempt 2: Hammer a nail head into the cork to push it into the bottle.
Result 2: Failure! But an undeniable fraction of movement of the cork downwards.

Attempt 3: Dig...with my vegetable peeler. This method was, umm...successful?, once before. The result last time was a sudden release of pressure, the cork flying into the bottle, and wine exploding into my face knocking off my glasses.
Result 3: Success!...but my peeler is now a useless rod of twisted metal. Additionally, little pieces of cork fell into the wine and it had to be strained...through a tea strainer lined with paper towels. Added [pathetic] bonus: I clenched my jaw so tightly in the digging process that it now hurts to chew.












Let's just say, it was a fiasco.