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Estimated CO2 released by Americans on New Year's? 8 tons
Price for a bottle of Czar Nicholas II's champagne salvaged from a sunken ship? $4,000
A Dietribes post about Champagne on New Years Eve? Priceless!
"¢ If you want to maximize your champagne experience, stay away from peanuts or wearing lipstick whilst drinking. The fat molecules stretch and break bubble walls, making it less fizzy. Note: Dietribes is not responsible for any consequences resulting in a maximized champagne experience, especially those regarding emailing under the influence.
"¢ Large bottles of champagne were originally hand-blown and were so dangerous to make and store that production of the Nebuchadnezzars and the 12-liter Balthazars (the largest bottles boast Biblical nomenclature) was halted about 75 years ago, since the merest imperfection in the glass on the inside of the bottle could cause it to explode while full.
"¢ Speaking of, The American Academy of Ophthalmology reminds us to be careful when opening champagne bottles, because it is one of the leading causes of eye injuries during the holiday. Each bottle contains about 90 pounds of pressure ... three times that of a car tire!
"¢ In fact, the inventor of the windshield wiper, Bob Kearns, had his vision damaged from a champagne cork hitting his eye on his wedding night. Champagne has been known to be deadly in other ways as well.
"¢ Demand for the bubbly has become so great that France is expanding the number of communities that can produce champagne. Doesn't seem like a big deal? The French are extremely particular when it comes to their fizz de francais, and even used their powerful lobbies to bar Yves Saint Laurent from selling a perfume called, you guessed it, Champagne.
"¢ Curious what the differences are between champagne and sparkling wine? We've got you covered.
"¢ For those who only accept the best, go here for a list of the best years for Champagne. If that's still not enough, you can add some bling to your bucks by purchasing a bottle of Moet with a personalized greeting on the bottle spelled out in Swarovski crystals.
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Here's hoping everyone has a safe and festive New Year!
Hungry for more? Venture into the Dietribes archive.
"˜Dietribes' appears every other Wednesday. Food photos taken by Johanna Beyenbach. You might remember that name from our post about her colorful diet.