Geist!
I was at KaDeWe (that's Kaufhaus des Westens to you), and discovered that they have an amazingly large selection of schnapps & eaux de vie. In addition to the normal varieties (various specific kinds of plum, apple, pear, some berries, cherries, etc) there was a range that ran my mind amok, including (some of these—the ones that don't have sources of fermentable liquid, I guess—aren't brandies or eaux de vie but rather "spirits of ..." (if French) or Geister (if German), which I suppose means macerates that were distilled): sloes, rowan berries, currants, walnut, and quinces. And then there was one brand, Metté, that seemed determined to make the most random products, with distillates of orange, peppercorn, truffles (!), asparagus (!!), orange, some sort of flower, and wild blackberries (not itself that crazy, except that wild blackberries are small, and I hesitate to imagine how many of them it takes to make enough to fill one 700ml bottle). Naturally, all of these were frighteningly expensive, as were most of the absinthes in the store that sells only absinthe. But, the legs of lamb at KaDeWe were relatively cheap ($4/lb) and shoulders even less!
Comments
on 2006-07-01 13:48:56.0, A White Bear commented:
I knew Germany wouldn't be the end of you! What's the internet accessibility status?
and, further, on 2006-07-01 13:58:40.0, ben wolfson commented:
Currently I'm staying with my friend Chris and can use his computer when I'm actually in. Tomorrow I'll be decamping towards some place way out in the west of Charlottenburg, and I believe there, there is no internet connection. However apparently the Goethe Institut has a computer bank that one can use for 15 Euro pro Monat—we'll see on Monday, I guess.
My trip was fine—thanks for asking.
and, further, on 2006-07-01 14:42:51.0, A White Bear commented:
Do forgive, dear Ben. I selfishly spoke to your author-function alone. How is your non-author-function getting along?
and, further, on 2006-07-01 14:46:38.0, ben wolfson commented:
How did you think my author-function got to Germany? What I'm trying to say is that I'm not sure on what principles you're chopping things up and making the distinctions.
and, further, on 2006-07-01 14:52:56.0, A White Bear commented:
Why can't things be the way they used to be, back when you used to take for granted that I care? Is the magic gone so soon?
and, further, on 2006-07-01 14:57:04.0, ben wolfson commented:
I'm so sorry. I'll commence ignoring you immediately.
and, further, on 2006-07-01 22:29:07.0, bitchphd commented:
So you're shipping me a case of yummy and exotic alcoholic concoctions, yes? Oh, of course you are. I can hardly wait!
Oh, and lest you take umbrage, how was your trip?
and, further, on 2006-07-02 3:03:01.0, ben wolfson commented:
My trip was fine, thanks for asking!
and, further, on 2006-07-02 11:55:13.0, bitchphd commented:
See you next fall?
Ha ha, geddit?
and, further, on 2006-07-02 11:56:15.0, dave zacuto commented:
I told you to have a good trip before you left, so I don't need to ask you now how it was, right?
and, further, on 2006-07-02 0:39:42.0, A White Bear commented:
What I meant to say was, "Sounds like you had a helluva trip!"
and, further, on 2006-07-02 13:53:23.0, bitchphd commented:
How did you think my author-function got to Germany?
This is, of course, a meaningless questions. Author-functions, inasmuch as they are purely textual creations, can "get" anywhere at any time, as long as they don't unduly strain the bounds of credulity. Aphra Behn can go to Surinam; Olaudah Equiano can be born in Africa (or maybe in South Carolina); Ogged can be in Chicago or elsewhere, can have cancer even if he doesn't. Really, for all we know, Ben Wolfson the person isn't in Germany at all, and certainly hasn't been to KaDeWe.
Unless of course someone has actually seen him. But his author-function? Here in the same place as always. Might as well call it Germany as not.
and, further, on 2006-07-02 15:09:40.0, bitchphd commented:
Question. Singular. It's not that meaningless.
and, further, on 2006-07-02 16:34:48.0, Standpipe Bridgeplate commented:
Yay, new post on waste blog.
and, further, on 2006-07-03 1:38:45.0, ben wolfson commented:
Unless of course someone has actually seen him. But his author-function? Here in the same place as always. Might as well call it Germany as not.
German keyboards are the worst, by which I mean, I'm unused to them! Anyway, AWB first referred to my being in Germany, and then to my author-function, leading me to suppose that she thought my author-function was in Germany. If I have erred, please forgive me.
and, further, on 2006-07-03 1:43:49.0, bitchphd commented:
Your author function is visiting KaDeWe; therefore it must be in Germany, no?
and, further, on 2006-07-03 1:46:07.0, ben wolfson commented:
'deed. And it must have gotten there from its previous locale somehow, even if by literary magicking, no?
and, further, on 2006-07-03 2:01:17.0, bitchphd commented:
I suppose this is true. You've got me cornered. I surrender, and throw myself upon the mercy of the court.
and, further, on 2006-07-03 2:16:44.0, bitchphd commented:
And hey, why aren't you hassling Standpipe about not asking about your trip, huh? Playing favorites, much?
and, further, on 2006-07-03 2:24:02.0, ben wolfson commented:
By the time SB came along I had moved on to other concerns.