Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, December 25, 2021

Mountain View News Saturday, December 25, 2021 7 Mountain View News Saturday, December 25, 2021 7 
The Chef Knows By Peter Dills 
HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND 
MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Peter “St. Nick” Dills 

Originally dubbed “the devils wine” because 
the bubbles tended to explode in the 
thin bottles, champagne has long been the 
choice (well, my choice) to celebrate special 
occasions for as long as I can remember. 
January 1st is National Champagne Day, and for good reason -more bubbles will be 
served from December 24th to January 1st than any other time of the year. Remembering 
that only grapes from the region of Champagne, France can be so-titled, our last review for 
the year celebrates bubbles from Champagne: Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut. This is a non-
vintage winner - just like many blends I have written about from California, some of the best 
champagnes I’ve had are non-vintage. The wine maker has access to over 500 acres of grapes, 
and the Reims area of Champagne produces great juice year after year. The Mumm name is 
rivaled only by the House of Moet for champagne dominance. Though you might see me 
at the local market picking up a bottle of Veuve Cliquot, for $10 less I can hardly notice the 
difference. 


Of course, this is not a beverage I would recommend drinking on a regular basis, but for a 
very lasting memory of a great occasion, this champagne will surely create it! Many of you expressed 
the need for me to keep the prices down in this article - trust me I hear you loud and 
clear - but for a celebration I do like this champagne. The Cordon Rouge has a wonderful depth 
of flavor, though some say a little too sweet (I disagree). If stored properly and chilled to the 
right temperature you will enjoy this immensely. Save the strawberries and cherries for the 
prosecco, this is real champagne. Champagne goes also very well with fried food (the bubbles 
cut through the oils of the food) and will also compliment a nice bowl of salty popcorn. Yes, 
I said popcorn. One last 
tip for the holidays, your 
sparkling wine or champagne 
will not keep overnight, 
so once it’s opened 
at the restaurant or your 
home plan on sharing 
with a friend to finish it. 
Closure: Corked 

Dills Score 
Each week I will give you 
my Dills Score. Starting 
with a base of 50 points, 
I have added 8 points for 
color, 7 points for aroma 
or “nose”, 9 points for 
taste, 8 points for finish, 
and 9 points for my overall 
impression, which includes 
my value rating. 

Total Score 91, retail 
¬¬¬$44 on Sale, around 
$34 at most area Vons 

Tune into Dining w/Dills 
Sunday 5PM KLAA AM 
830 Radio 
Find my food blog www.
peterdills.com 


NEW COVID-19 CASES IN LOS ANGELES 
COUNTY MORE THAN DOUBLE TO 6,509 NEW 
CASES IN ONE DAY 

Tuesday, Public Health confirmed 6,509 new cases, 162 additional Omicron cases, and 16 
additional deaths of COVID-19. The increase in cases represents more than double yesterday’s 
case count. This steep increase, one of the steepest rises we have ever seen over the 
course of the pandemic, reflects the increased circulation of Omicron and the associated 
rapid acceleration of transmission associated with this variant. 

Thursday’s positivity rate was 4.5%. One week ago, the test positivity rate was 1.9%. 

Of the 16 new deaths reported today, two were between the ages of 50 and 64, eight were 
between the ages of 65-79 and three were over the age of 80 years old. Of the 16 newly 
reported deaths, eleven had underlying conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in 

L.A. County is 27,488. In-formation on the two deaths reported by the City of Long Beach 
and the one death reported by the City of Pasadena is available at: LongBeach.gov and 
CityofPasadena.net 
. Testing results are available for more than 9,854,776 individuals, with 15% of people testing 
posi-tive. 

“We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to all who have lost neighbors, coworkers, 
friends, and family during this difficult time,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, 
Director of Public Health. “These numbers make it crystal clear that we are heading into 
very challenging times over the winter holidays. If our case numbers continue to increase at 
a rapid pace over this next week, we could be looking at case numbers we have never seen 
before, well over 20,000 cases a day by the end of this year. Although hospitalizations and 
deaths remain relatively stable at this time, these are both known to be lagging indicators 
because most people don’t experience severe illness until a few days after testing positive. 
While many will be protected against the most severe illness from Omicron because they 
are fully vaccinated and boosted where eligible, very high case numbers can easily cause 
significant stress to the health care system if even a small percentage of those infected require 
hospi-tal care.” 

Public Health would like to remind residents that getting vaccinated & boosted, testing, and 
masking remain critical while in the surge. 

Boosters help restore high-levels of COVID-19 protection, similar to the levels offered two 
weeks after the second dose. According to Public Health data, between December 5th-11th, 
fully vaccinated peo-ple with boosters were 20 times more protected from infection versus 
only 4 times more pro-tected for fully vaccinated without boosters, as compared to unvaccinated 
people. 

Testing is also critically important since it helps identify potential sources of transmission 
before they have contact with high-risk individuals. This week, with assistance from the 
California Department of Public Health, hundreds of thousands of over-the-counter testing 
kits will be distributed for vulnerable residents through service provider networks, daycare 
centers, and community partners. Public Health is encouraging residents to get tested 
before and after travel, if exposed or sick, and if gathering with people outside their home.
Masks are also very important as they provide a good physical barrier against the virus, 
and help pre-vent people from both getting infected, and from inadvertently spreading 
infection. Given that Omi-cron is spreading quickly, it’s also best to consider upgrading to 
a medical-grade, surgical, or KN95 mask when in close contact with others. 

Public Health would also like to remind residents that staying home and away from others 
if you’re sick keeps everyone safe, including your loved ones and the essential workers who 
will continuing showing up for work throughout the holiday season. 

To find a vaccination site near you, or to make an appointment, please visit:
www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) or www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). 

COVID 19 ONE YEAR LATER: 

WHERE WE ARE NOW 12/24/21 VERSUS (THEN-12/18/20) 
Cases/Deaths are still occuring especially among the unvaccinated. 

Cases 2021 (2020) Deaths 2021 (2020)
LA County 1,576,702 (501,635) 27,488 (8,199) 

LA COUNTY VACCINATIONS AS OF 12/23/2021

Adults 12+ 84.1% Seniors 97.1%
Arcadia 
Cases 
3,666 (1165) 
Deaths 
149 ( 44) 
Fully Vaccinated85.4% 
Altadena 4,345 (3459) 81 (23) 81.2% 
Bradbury 43 ( 30) 0 ( 0) 67.4% 
Duarte 2,911 (1093) 103 (41) 79.3% 
Monrovia 4,280 (1513) 87 (41) 76.7% 
Pasadena 14,399 (4536) 370 (138) 80.9% 
Sierra Madre 732 ( 223) 14 ( 5) 85.5% 
So.Pasadena 1900 (614) 49 ( 28) 89.8% 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 
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