German

I used to be one of those people who avoided Rieslings because of their overly sweet nature. However, I have since learned, from bottles like this 2006 Affentaler Blue Monkey Riesling, that dry (not sweet) Rieslings are abundantly available.

Crisp and clean, this lush white was smooth and highly drinkable. With a tart, puckery finish and a fruity aroma, the wine was exceptional chilled and delicious paired with homemade pesto.

At only $14.99 the fun bottle, complete with embossed blue monkey, makes a wonderful hostess gift. What do you think of Riesling? Have you sipped a dry varietal?

If hamsters were bipedal, dancing theme park entertainers, would they have blond, curly hair? And wear cowboy hats? Would they engage in heinously choreographed line-dancing and booty shake for curiously large crowds of potentially deranged peeps? In Germany they would. I don't know why — but they would . . .

Every year CasaSugar and her sweetie throw a big, holiday party called a Feuerzangenbowle. The place is well decorated with homemade-snowflake chandeliers, but the highlight of the party is the actual Feuerzangenbowle — German for "tongs of fire punch" — which contains fruity and mulled wine and a flaming rum. A sugar cone is soaked in rum and placed above the punch. It is then lit and the flaming sugar drips into the holiday wine. It's definitely a festive and unique way to ring in the holidays!

This photo was taken before the cone was lit, but if you'd like to see photos of it aflame, as well as get the recipe and techniques on how to make the Tongs of Fire Punch at home, read more

In the world's oldest cookbook, The Apicius Cookery, the sausage making process is described, making it one of the earliest forms of processed meat known to mankind. Today the bratwurst, perhaps the most popular sausage, is celebrated at the annual Bratwurst Festival in Bucyrus, Ohio. It's disputable who is the official bratwurst capital of the world; Bucyrus claims to be, as does Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Although Sheboygan is the home to the largest bratwurst manufacturer, Bucyrus' festival has made the city famous. Since I can't get to the festival, it looks like I'll have to order a brat the next time I go to Top Dog at a Cal game. If anybody makes it to the festival, please post pics!

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Love your Rollerblades in the summer? Now you can convert your inline skates to snowlerblades. Skate Sliders are skiing blades you attach to your Rollerblade boots, so they won't just sit in the closet all winter collecting dust.

This German company offers them for 49.90 Euro, or about $65.00.

This probably would only work on really packed down snow. And as soon as you gain any speed, they'll be harder to control. You see, there's a reason that skis are so long - they help you to stay balanced and stable at high speeds. These Skate Sliders could be a disaster for beginners.

Check out this video - these guys look like they're ice skating down the mountain.