Perhaps Too Much Kirsch in the Fondue

January 19, 2021 10:37 AM

For nigh on 7 years this cat has been cataloguing (and drinking, and taking pictures of) "every drink in every [Thomas] Pynchon novel." The latest post is #99 and it's a doozy: a bottle of '76 Lafite-Rothschild made into wine gums in honor, of course, of the "Disgusting English Candy Drill"

The drinks of:

V.
The Crying of Lot 49
Gravity's Rainbow
Slow Learner
Vineland
Mason & Dixon
Against The Day
Inherent Vice
Bleeding Edge

posted by chavenet (19 comments total)

Seems unwise to do this while Pynchon is alive and still writing. Not like he's unknown for fucking with his readers.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 10:45 AM on January 19, 2021 [6 favorites]

Mercifully omits what Katje served to Brigadier Pudding.
posted by adept256 at 11:05 AM on January 19, 2021 [8 favorites]

This is exactly what the internet is for. Thank you so much.
posted by Cardinal Fang at 11:07 AM on January 19, 2021 [9 favorites]

No cat found under 'this cat' link. Disappointed.
posted by The otter lady at 11:28 AM on January 19, 2021 [15 favorites]

Yeah I was expecting an actual cat
posted by freecellwizard at 12:35 PM on January 19, 2021 [8 favorites]

therefore with- in forthwith indubious rubber truncheon wilt about cannot scrawl
sex on the beach
sex on the beach

blue motorcycle.
posted by clavdivs at 12:40 PM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

I like that he couldn't bear to turn all of the wine into jellies, but then didn't really like the wine and decently liked the lone jelly. The irony!
posted by papayaninja at 12:55 PM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]

Nicely written. A bit decadent.

Also, if this is a vote, I'm on team Lot 49.
posted by ovvl at 1:23 PM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]

What a fun blog. Thanks, chavnet!
posted by turbid dahlia at 2:16 PM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

This is exactly the kind of thing that, on paper, if you knew me you'd assume I'd hate this and roll my eyes, but after reading some of the posts I find this charming. I've never read a work of Pynchon, and I don't know if I ever will. But the kind of adventures that have sprung up out of this undertaking are quaint and silly and I love that he had to go to an auction to buy an expensive bottle of wine and he didn't even really like it! Idk maybe it's just because the pandemic has everyone So Online, but I am craving these kinds of things right now, where things go a bit wrong, or aren't completely customizable or not catered to expectations, but you have fun anyway and you're just glad to be DOING something.
Also it lead me down a rabbit hole into wine counterfeiting, which i didn't know was a thing, and that's delightful.
posted by FirstMateKate at 2:38 PM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

Tequila Sour has a drunken passed-out reveler waking up to The Heroes' Gate at Kiev...
posted by ovvl at 3:56 PM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

*Opens 3rd link, scowls*
*checks tags for word cat*

Watch it, buddy!
*side-eyes chavenet*
posted by BlueHorse at 4:12 PM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

Impressive effort, but I'm not sure he followed the proper absinthe ritual.
posted by TedW at 5:29 PM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

Here, FirstMateKate (and anyone else interested)... I found the Disgusting English Candy Drill finally. Took some poking around...
posted by hippybear at 6:04 PM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

It's truly one of my favorite bits of writing by anyone anytime, and it doesn't require involvement with the plot or anything. It's sort of stand-alone set piece.
posted by hippybear at 6:04 PM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]

one of my favorite bits of writing by anyone anytime Me too HB! Such a segment. Kind of reminded me of Terence McKenna. Sorta.
posted by Oyéah at 6:28 PM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

Oh man, the candy! It had receded in my head to a faint memory. Thanks for posting this and bringing it back.
posted by inexorably_forward at 8:13 PM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

You said a mouthful.
posted by y2karl at 9:48 PM on January 20, 2021

"Don't you know there's a war on?"
posted by hippybear at 9:50 PM on January 20, 2021