Today I'm happy about......

[Gooner Girl]

Cheers GG. Level One, frankly, was a joke, but Level Two has been really worth it. I'm definitely a much better coach now than I was 6 months ago. Not a great pass rate either, around 50% I think, so I'm pretty happy. That combined with my last day of work tomorrow for another year makes it a good night.

Yeah, theres a huge jump up from level 1 to level 2 in most sports, not just football, and the pass rate in football is pretty low. Half of my course dropped out when they realised how many days they would have to take off work to complete it! (luckily my work paid for me to do it) You should be well chuffed with yourself. Do you coach a team or is it for work?

I'm hoping to start my Level 4 Athletics Coach in the next year when they roll the new system out. Thats the highest coaching award you can get in athletics so i'm feeling a bit daunted. Apparently its equivalant to an MA. Worried i may have bitten off more then i can chew...

[a1]

nike's releasing them 'back to the future 2' self tying shoes.

thats pretty funny.

[Lofthouse Lower]

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvan ... turns.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Time to go back to the old set

The series, which ran from 1994 to 1997 with a special Last Fast Show Ever in 2000, will air from November 14 on the Foster's website.

Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson, the show’s co-creators, said: "We are delighted to bring back The Fast Show not only for our old fans but also, we hope, for a whole generation of new ones."

Higson, 53, confirmed that the web-only episodes will feature the entire original cast – including himself, Whitehouse, Simon Day and Caroline Aherne – with the exception of Mark Williams, who has decided not to be involved with the project.

The new series has been commissioned by Foster's, who already have Alan Partridge's Mid-Morning Matters and Vic & Bob's Afternoon Delights in their stable. It's part of the lager brand's drive to align itself with comedy. Mid-Morning Matters, written by Armando Iannucci and Steve Coogan, attracted over three million hits last year; the Telegraph called it, "as funny as ever".

Whitehouse and Higson added: “It’s also great to be sharing the Foster’s site with some of our comedy favourites like Vic and Bob and that other bloke who was in that thing with Rob Brydon."

[Gooner Girl]

6 uninterupted hours sleep!

[Bruce Rioja]

Our Kid's just taken delivery of a tonne of grapes. Free wine!

[Lord Kangana]

Is he going to make his own?

[Bruce Rioja]

Is he going to make his own?

Indeed, 1000 ltrs apparently. He talked me through the process today as I stood watching him work.

[Lord Kangana]

He probably knows this already, but just in case, tell him to make sure he removes all the stalks. They add bitterness to the wine.

[thebish]

made me smile...


Newspaper Man by Purple_man, on Flickr

[thebish]

He probably knows this already, but just in case, tell him to make sure he removes all the stalks. They add bitterness to the wine.

tis a long and fiddly job de-stalking a ton of grapes!


De-Stalking the Grapes by Jon Gallucci, on Flickr

[Lord Kangana]

Its necessary.

Edit: there are machines available for larger quantities like, but if you want to know what they're going to add to the final product, just have a bite on one. They're not totally unpalatable, but they are very bitter. A bit like pith on an orange.

[thebish]

Its necessary.

aye - and a long and fiddly job!

[Beefheart]

Its necessary.

aye - and a long and fiddly job!

What pulling every grape off before you crush them? I'm pretty sure that isn't necessary. My Italian grandparents have been making wine for as long as I can remember and I don't remember us ever doing that and the wine definately isn't sour.

[Lord Kangana]

Bitterness not sourness. Sourness would be vinegar flavours. Will depend on the grape variety, but its a common practice.

[Beefheart]

Bitterness not sourness. Sourness would be vinegar flavours. Will depend on the grape variety, but its a common practice.

I meant bitter, sorry. Yeah, I don't know which grapes they use, think we're getting ours delivered on thursday, probably about a tonnes worth too.

[Bruce Rioja]

I'll have to let you know what type of grapes they are. He's doing it as JV with his F-i-L, an Italian who's been doing it for years. Apparently it's tradition in Italy that once all the grapes have been squashed you have a glass of wine with cheeses, parma ham and bread. I hung around for that bit.

[William the White]

He probably knows this already, but just in case, tell him to make sure he removes all the stalks. They add bitterness to the wine.

don't the Italians turn the stalks into grappa... which I feckin like...

[Bruce Rioja]

Sangiovese.

[Lord Kangana]

He probably knows this already, but just in case, tell him to make sure he removes all the stalks. They add bitterness to the wine.

don't the Italians turn the stalks into grappa... which I feckin like...

I think thats the grape must left over. Bascially a second "brewing".

Sangiovese eh Bruce? Then it'll probably take the tanins from the stalks then. The problem would be that, with the greatest of respect to your brothers supplier, tanins are only really useful to give longevity to good quality wines (from very high quality grapes!). They can be really abrasive and overpowering in a young wine (which is in all probability what your brothers will be).

[Bruce Rioja]

I've had Our Kid's F-i-L's stuff before, and again yesterday. Fear not.
Regarding the process, all I know is that I saw the stalks and the whole she-bang going in, then, into the bit that they'd hived off and were boiling up in a cauldren they were adding sugar to it. His stuff tends to end up IMO being nearer to a port than a wine. Opened up some of his 7 year old stuff yesterday - perfect with dolcelatte and proper pieces of hand-sliced prosciutto.

The guy knows what he's doing