Champagne - Two Articles

Should anyone be interested, two of my quite recent newspaper columns have been devoted to Champagne. Those can be seen at

http://www.haaretz.com/culture/food-win ... y-1.331913 and

http://www.haaretz.com/culture/arts-lei ... e-1.333934

Best
Rogov

[James Roscoe]

What the H### is Sylvester? I mean besides the name of the cat in the Warner Bros. cartoons.

What the H### is Sylvester? I mean besides the name of the cat in the Warner Bros. cartoons.

The German name for New Years Eve. For Catholics, Dec 31 is the feast day for St. Sylvester. Apparently Sylvester has become a commonly used term in Israel as well, perhaps because of all the immigrants and refugees who came from German-speaking Europe. Daniel might expand on this.

The naming of New Year's Eve as Sylvester is more French than German in its roots but today is widespread throughout Europe and amongst those who celebrate the day in the Middle East.

There is a somewhat amusing aspect to all of this, as the appellation is relatively new, having its roots in 18th century France. One group claims that Sylvester was a Roman Catholic pope and saint whose main claim to fame was that he miraculously brouht a dead bull back to life. That 31 December is the day of saints of that name may have something to do with it all.

Another theory, one particularly popular in Italy, is that Sylvester was a monk who lived near Florence and who was famous primarily for the number of women he seduced. Yet another theory (the one I like best) says that the Sylvester in question was a was a Jewish greengrocer who lived in London and became famous because he made the best pickled herring in the city. The truth of the matter is that nobody has the faintest idea of who Sylvester really was.

Best
Rogov

The naming of New Year's Eve as Sylvester is more French than German in its roots but today is widespread throughout Europe

Interesting. In recent years it is the only name I've heard used in Germany (folks even use it when speaking English), but I've never heard it used in France.

We had this discussion last year with my local group (mostly Europeans). The German guy says Silvester, the French guys know the term (but say it's more a rural thing), the Belgian guy only had heard it in other countries. But the feast day of Sylvester (Constantine's favorite pope!) has been the tradition for centuries apparently.

By the way, my friend Roger tells me an integral part of the German Silvester celebration is the watching of "Dinner for One" (and that's a bit wine related, as they have sherry, white wine, Champagne, and Port)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lzQxjGL ... re=related

By the way, my friend Roger tells me an integral part of the German Silvester celebration is the watching of "Dinner for One"

In several other countries too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One

This year the Norwegian state liquor store published menu suggestions with wine for anyone that might want to recreate the experience:
http://www.vinmonopolet.no/is-bin/INTER ... key=222541
Google seems to do a reasonable job of translating it if you are interested in an English version.