February 2016

  I’m so glad I had this review pre-written for today. I’ve been sick a lot lately and with this latest cold I can’t smell or taste much. When I am unwell I waver between doing nothing, popping pills (a hold over from growing up with a mother who diagnosed us and handed out drugs from her considerable prescription collection), or attempting more natural methods. While my brother was here in October we went to my friend M’s shop in the Spice Bazaar where we discovered crystal menthol. That’s menthol. We’re not Breaking Bad over here. Breathing in menthol fumes is a great way to clear out your sinuses and I

  The first time I saw a Chamlija wine at Sensus there were only two or three of them. Now they are everywhere and I need to try them all!! Luckily Solera, La Cave, and Carrefour are getting into the game so I’m pretty well guaranteed to find a bottle of Chamlija where ever I go. This 2013 Chamlija Cabernet & Cabernet I picked up at Carrefour for…I don’t remember how much. 40-something TL? 60-something? Not a vast fortune in any case. It’s 45% each Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% of the dreaded Merlot; but since it’s just 10% we’ll forgive its inclusion. In the glass it’s more purple than