Breakfast Only

What a refreshing discovery. Here in Singapore, they drink Ricard with malt beer. Got to love this place for their innovation, creativity and "can do" spirit.

Here's what happened for those who wondered why I don't drink alcohol.

On the first few seconds of Year 2011, I asked my dinner table neighbor why there was only resolution for stop drinking alcohol but not to take up drinking alcohol. It was meant to be a joke. I was not drinking that much.

Chateau Dassault. A St. Emillion grand cru.

A few hours later, on the flight to Hanoi, a slight headache seemed to linger somewhere. The limousine dispatched by the hotel was equipped with a mini-bar, the headache intensified when I saw the little bottles in a slick wooden box.

Later that day, a waitress inquired whether I would like a Saigon at a restaurant. The mere sound of the word being uttered gave me another headache.

All Singaporean doctors I have talked to about this allergy congratulated me on the miracle while their French counterparts expressed their most sincere condolences. Apparently there was no cure. Nor have I sought one. My memories of alcohol, be it Singapore Sling at Raffles, an old Bordeaux accompanied by goat cheese of Cher, or the Efe Pilsen after 6 hours of hiking in Capadoce, were erased on the new year's day 2011.

Fortunately for me, the very last glass of wine I had in my life was some very remarkable Bourgogne which were dignified to bury a part of my life.

There are two outcomes of this allergy. One worse than the other depending on how you look at it.

1. A great deal of time was recovered. All the time that was spent on organising drinks/meeting up people for drinks/actually drinking/recovering from drinking is now in hand. Since mankind developed the bad habit of making use of every spare minute  (since 80's for me anyways), I found it frustrating to having to fill in the time with other activities. Blog is one example.

2. Worse. It is unimaginable how I used to be able to put up with some conversations that took place at cocktail parties. Without alcohol blocking the senses, I can hardly bear the lengthy description of ordinary life's non-events being illustrated in plain details without a plot/conclusion/cause/effect/perspective. I used to engage in such dialogues myself, mind you. The result is avoiding cocktails/diners and pursue activities that consist of intellectual stimulus within the confine of my own home.

All I can say is that I've been lucky to have the honour of tasting Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Dassault. As for Petreus and Latour, well, perhaps we were never meant to be.

A famous quote says that a meal without wine is breakfast. I have had some fantastic breakfasts in the past two years and look forward to more.