Oh how I love good food – man food, the kind of meaty good stuff that God sent to us in the form of four-legged critters. Any meat that is red (steaks and burgers, burgers and steaks) and grilled on an open flame is mucho delicioso. Any pork product (ribs, chops, loin) that is smoked, cured, killed and grilled is my kind of stuff. Any chicken (wings, thighs, breasts or beer canned) that is battered, fried, wing sauced or charred over fire is for me. And let’s not forget the lamb chops. Yessuh! I really should weigh 500 pounds but I think that will eventually catch up to me in later years when I’m older and crustier.
 

And I love a good pour of a nice libation – a hearty red wine, a nice whisky (scotch – blended or single malt, bourbon, or something smooth and Canadian) a vodka, a beer with some body, some dark rum, and a tawny port for after I ingest my heaping helping of meaty goodness. I’m not an abuser by any means, as drinking in moderation really lets me enjoy what I’m doing.

Oh yeah, the smokes. I like cigars a whole hell of a lot. The problem is that I like just about everything that is grown, wrapped, and aged under the sun (literally.) I enjoy a milder Connecticut wrapper earlier in the day (Ashton, Diamond Crown, Avo, Don Diego, Dunhill.) A medium bodied stick between midday and dinner (RYJ, Punch, Partagas, CAO, Perdomo, or Fuente.) And after dinner I’ll accompany my stiff belt of hootch with a full bodied, dark, rich smoke (Punch Rothchild maduro, Camacho, El Rey Del Mundo, Liga Privada, Rocky, or La Flor Chisel.)

Yeah, I like living the “good life.” But when you combine all three, you are in heaven and God is smiling down upon your shining face.

I honestly do think about what I’m going to pair up before I eat, drink, and smoke. At lunch if I have a burger or a sandwich, I’ll go with the lighter smoke and a nice cold brew. If I’m barbequing, I’ll pick out a short robusto, swill my beer, and char the carcass flesh ‘til it’s time to chow down. But if it’s later in the afternoon – pre dinner, may be where some appetizers are in order, I’ll reach for a heartier stout, and a nice medium bodied cigar. Depending on the apps, maybe a glass of Pinot Noir will work, or maybe a vodka on the rocks or an easy going scotch can work really well.

You know, if I put this much effort into making money as I do eating, drinking, and puffing, I’d be a god damned millionaire by now. But I am passionate about these three things and like I said, they are part of living the good life, and I am all for that.