I Want To Be a Wino, Too!

As I've said on multiple occasions, there are many things that I aspire to do in life (traveling has been thrown in there more times than I'd like to count!). One of the things I haven't ever talked about is food.

I'm not sure why this is, to be honest, but I think it just didn't cross my mind. Food has always been a funny little monster to me. It all started when I was a child - I was the pickiest eater! Some would say that I "ate like a bird." Some would actually believe that I was underfed (I've always had the blessing and curse of high metabolism, which is a kinder way of saying that I've always been skinny). Trust me, skinny folks get picked on plenty, too. It's a tough road if you don't have the absolute perfect body, it seems!

One of my attitudes about food and drinks and other things was that "I just didn't like them." This would be a fine statement to make, but the truth is that I had never tried many of the things I didn't like. I'd never allowed myself to be exposed to them!

Prime Example: Seriously, who can say that they'd never had Chinese food until they were 19? Pumpkin pie? Sweet potatoes? Stuffing at Thanksgiving? (Yes, all of those things were tried after the age of 19.)

Many of the things I tried have been brought about by Mr. Chicken Wing. He loves food, and I would consider him to be a "foodie." He loves to cook, and is definitely not afraid to experiment in the kitchen. He's also much more open to trying things than I am, but I am working on it! :)

Now, one thing that has been brought about more by my friends than by Mr. Chicken Wing is wine. I always thought that I didn't like wine. I'd tried red wine before, and it gave me that painful feeling behind my jawline - you know what I'm talking about! (It hurts!) I've also had wines that I determined were much too bitter for my enjoyment. I recall thinking to myself, "I can't believe people actually enjoy this stuff!" It seemed there would be no hope for me to become a wino! :(

Since then, I've discovered two types of wine that I really, really, really enjoy! I was so excited! I'm not big for drinking excessively, but I like to enjoy a glass with dinner (especially when I'm at a restaurant). So, I have to give a HUGE THANK YOU to my favorite chain restuarant:

Source

It was sitting at that table each time that I was introduced to the first wines I've ever really enjoyed! The first came when the nice waitress had just brought out our salad (filled to the max with freshly grated cheese, which everyone knows is the ONLY way to eat an OG salad)! I was just excited about the salad and could hardly wait to dive into the bowl when she asked if we'd like to sample their wine of the day, which she explained was a sparkling wine. We said, "Okay." That was it. I was done. I was in love for the first time with a wine.

Meet Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante:

He's a looker, ehh? Source

It was again at Olive Garden that we were met with the following dialogue from our waitress. "Would you like to try our brand new wine? We haven't even added it to the menu yet, and we're in the testing phases to see if people like it. So far, it's been a huge hit!" Again, we said we would give it a shot, and I couldn't believe it. It's either tied with or beating the Asti from before! What? I now have TWO wines that I enjoy and can now look for on restaurant menus?!?!

Meet my other love, Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti:

Ahh, she's a beauty! Soooo good! Source

So, what has this little journey told me about myself? I like Asti, obviously! Asti is the common link! And what is that, you ask?

"Asti or Asti Spumante is a white sparkling wine produced in an area to the south of the town of Asti in Piedmont, Italy. Made from the Moscato Bianco grape, it is sweet and low in alcohol, and often drunk with dessert. It retains its sweetness through a complex filtration process. Another wine called Moscato d'Asti is made in the same region from the same grape, but produced by another technique which differentiates it from Asti." Source

So, there you have it, Peeps! If you like wine or want to like wine, get out there and try these two! I believe it will be worth it! If you're like me, you'll never know until you try. I already knew that I loved Italy, and this is just another thing from that area that I really enjoy. I hope with all my heart that I will be able to afford to travel there someday and look around!

Until next time,
Miss Chicken Wing