Joonas Rokka, EM Lyon What made a simple wine grown in a fairly mediocre wine-growing region one of the most prominent and enchanting icons in the world today? How did champagne, against all expectations, acquire such a prestige, becoming the ultimate sign of celebrations world-wide? No wedding, business deal, sporting event or art exhibition would…

Nial Wheate, University of Sydney and Jessica Pace, University of Sydney A glass or two of champagne with Christmas lunch. A cool crisp beer at the beach. Some cheeky cocktails with friends to see in the New Year. There seem to be so many occasions to unwind with an alcoholic drink this summer. But if…

Lindsay Jaacks, The University of Edinburgh This holiday season, as COVID restrictions have eased around the world, we have the chance to break bread together again with friends and family. For some people, however, the festive period comes with anxiety about gaining weight. Popular media articles often cite a study of 195 adults published more…

It has been two years since the pandemic and many of us in the business sector are still reeling from the financial setbacks it caused. We would not have survived if not for good planning and foresight and our knack for gradually slashing our overhead costs since the company’s inception. While those responsibilities rest on…

I feel a sense of kinship with Cabel, a restaurant tucked in one of San Miguel’s busier streets in the Philippine capital. Their menu, which consists of savoury Filipino dishes and beautiful, ultra satisfying desserts, reminds me of the love language that some of us have already relegated to the sidelines a long time ago….

Christmas is just around the corner and despite all the problems and losses that the pandemic brought, the holidays are still something to look forward to. Basi del Diablo recommends sweet wines this year because we all need it. Virginia Blush Tasting Notes: Pink guava, citrus Love your own, they say, but this is not…

The now-defunct Chocolate Kiss Cafe inside the University of the Philippines in Diliman used to serve calamansi juice, and the concoction came with its very own supply of honey. I put as much honey as I wanted while my friends did the same so we can all reach our personal Goldilocks zone. It was nice…

Almost two years ago, when the cities and towns of the world were on lockdown, the team here at Basi del Diablo had nothing else to do but to watch films at home. Okay, okay, I will only speak for myself. I had nothing else to do but to watch films at home and drink…

Inspired by the geniuses behind Cella Vie in Vienna, I started making cocktails. My first project is a glass of Bloody Basi Maria. This is a less potent version of the Bloody Mary and just like my first novel (what?), it is not traumatising. In fact, it is refreshing and tolerable for someone who does…