Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, November 4, 2017

Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 4, 2017 9FOOD AND DRINK & MORE Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 4, 2017 9FOOD AND DRINK & MORE 
TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dillsthechefknows@yahoo.com
BUYER BEWARE 

Here’s an oldie-but-goodie problem: I myselfgot caught in the net. I have preached ahundred times to make sure you look atyour receipt when dining out. Last week myfriends and I ventured out and about town 
watching college football at three differentPasadena watering holes. My turn to buywas at a legendary Mexican restaurant. We 
ordered two rounds of margaritas - theirtaste was magnificent! Then came time to 
pay, and my bill was just short of $90! Howcould that be for just six drinks? I would 
understand at the Langham or at a beachside resort, but come on. The bartender 
explained to me that one of my friends,
unbeknownst to me, is a regular and always


orders Patron. Well, I didn’t know that, 
but okay, I paid the bill, and I hope my loss is yourgain. Read the bill, and make sure when you ordera house glass of wine or a margarita that you readthe fine print.

“Let The Buyer Beware!” You have heard the old 
adage time and time again, and sometimes a gooddeal really is too good to be true. Two emails caughtmy attention this week, so I thought I would sharesome wine knowledge with you.

Close-out sales on wine can be the source of a 
real bargain or they can you leave you with someexpensive cooking wine. Reader Randy fromAltadena was excited to purchase several bottlesof wines at a “going out of business” sale, only todiscover that the wines had gone bad.

There are four things to look for to determine if awine has turned bad: 

- Has the wine changed color? Does the red wine 
now have a hint of brown, or has the white wine 
turned darker? 
- Does the wine still have “legs”, meaning arethere streaks of wine attached to the glass after a 
good swirl of the wine?

- Does it still smell like wine? 
- Is the cork pushing its way out of the bottle?
This usually means that the wine has been exposedto the heat or has been mishandled. 
If your answer to any of these is “yes”, stay away 
from this wine. 

Reader Sally from Whittier tried to find a 2011vintage of her favorite Pinot Noir. She ended upwith a 2006, and said the bottle was a little dusty.
When you do find a bargain on a bottle of winemake sure the wine has been stored on its side 
and is not too dusty, and once the cork is pulled itshould be moist. 

My own experience for sparkling wine at arestaurant, if you are buying by the glass, is to ask theserver/bartender to open a fresh bottle. Sparklersare susceptible to losing their bubbles within afew hours after opening. Most importantly, thereshould be a “pop” sound when uncorking, and ifthe cork comes out too early beware.
Listen in to KRLA AM 870 on Saturdays at 4:00PM 

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www.mtnviewsnews.com 
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