Pop Goes The Cork

2009 is about 12 hours away so you either have your champagne chilling or you're out buying some bubbly to pop open at 12 midnight.

It's never a good thing to drink too much alcohol and to have to face the consequences the next day or sometimes on the spot. Aside from the dangers of drinking too much of any alcoholic beverage you have to get it opened first, right? Standing in the wrong place at the wrong time and inebriated or not, a speed-flying cork hitting you in the eye of about 50mph can do a lot of damage either with vision loss or increasing the risk of developing glaucoma (if you've been hit) which also can lead to permanent vision loss.

I don't expect you to wear safety goggles, but you should exercise caution if you're the bottle opener or the innocent bystander.

Here are some safety tips to remember:
- Don't shake the bottle (why waste good money?)
- Don't pop the cork with your thumb
- Keep chilled at below 45 F

To safely open a bottle of bubbly, cover the bottle with a towel and gently rotate the bottle back and forth to loosen the cork and eventually the cork will come out. I realize you won't hear the popping sound, but I have to reiterate safety first!

If you must pop the cork the "old fashioned" way, keep it away from people; point it out the door or in an open space where no one is around.

Have a happy, SAFE New Year. DON'T drink and drive and unless the cork is removed properly stay out of wine or champagne corks way!

Cheers!