The Pipes Magazine Radio Show – Episode 27
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Kevin Godbee
- Mar 21, 2013
- 1 min read
Kevin Godbee
Thank you for joining us for The Pipes Magazine Radio Show starring Brian Levine. This is the only online radio talk / entertainment show in the world that is targeted to pipe smokers and collectors. We want to thank you for listening and being one of our loyal 15,000 listeners. Tonight Brian will give you his advice on how to prepare for attending a pipe show. Whether you’re a pipe show newbie, or an experienced attendee, you will probably pick-up a tip you didn’t think of previously. Our featured guest is Rabbi Eric Silver. Rabbi Silver has been a pipe smoker since 1959, he did a tour in Vietnam and has met with The Pope three times. In our mailbag segement we will have some shoutouts to forum members that posted about the show, and as usual, Brian has something new to rant about at the end of the show.
Tonight’s show is sponsored by SmokingPipes.com, Missouri Meerschaum, and 4noggins.com, Please give them some consideration when making your next pipe or tobacco purchase.
We hope you enjoy our 45-minute show produced just for you—the pipe smoker and collector. The following link will launch a pop-up player. Alternatively, you can download the show in iTunes after the initial broadcast is complete here.
Pope Benedict XVI shakes hands with Rabbi Eric Silver of Cheshire, Connecticut.
Yes, it might seem a bit inappropriate to have something bacon related after an interview with a Rabbi, but you will have to listen to the entire show for it to make sense.
Written by Kevin Godbee
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We’re in the dog days of summer, and in the heat and humidity I find my palate tends to become as erratic as the extreme weather. To be more precise, my entire biochemistry is busily making the continual adjustments that keep this finely-tuned machine old jalopy of a body in top form hobbling along, and my taste buds are a good indicator that the system is preoccupied with regulating itself. Therefore it’s no surprise that McCranie’s Roanoke, the tobacco that I’d been favoring since the winter months and regularly returning to between other review blends, just wasn’t hitting the spot anymore. We live in fortunate times that present no shortage of novel and interesting blends to try, so some speculation toward new flavors is in order. This month’s spotlight will thus fall on a couple of summer sequels, of a sort: first, the latest installment of Per Jensen’s Pipe Force line, Episode II to be exact; second, a new incarnation of Seattle Pipe Club’s Hogshead, this time with a bourbon barrel-aged twist. Much like The Empire Strikes Back improved on the previous film in that series, Episode II is a generational improvement on the English profile offered in Episode I. To my personal taste, while I enjoyed Episode I quite a bit, it didn’t have a definable hook for me; this iteration of a similar ingredient list hits much closer to the mark. Here again it is a Latakia-forward mixture presented with Katerini concoctions and stoved tobaccos, but with more variety and, for my money, more interest. From the tin: A mellow, sweet mixture of Bright, Red, and Stoved Virginia offers the exceptional base for smokey Latakia, floral Kentucky, spice of Stoved Katerini and the ambrosial berry and spice of Katerini Perique. The result is a harmony of flavor in perfect balance. The bouquet in the tin is tart, heathery, and leathery, in equal proportion. The aroma is dry and smoky with clear clay overtones and, as advertised, faint berry notes from the tin. In the bowl the sweetness sneaks in immediately, displaying a wonderful synergy between the Katerini Perique (Periquini? Katerique?) and the Virginias, offering a flavor unique and quite apart from the usual raisiny range commonly found in Virginia / Perique meldings. Conversely, the Latakia’s smoky, burning-rubber character is also influenced by the Katerini, directing it toward a very pinyon-esque range of aroma that lingers distinctly the room note afterward. Speaking of room note, it can become rather tart after repeated bowls—advise any expected visitors that no, there isn’t a diesel fire in your house, you’re just savoring your time with a new blend. It’s offered as a tight 50g crumble cake, easily broken apart for preparation. As if it needed any more curb appeal, every 10th tin of the series includes a challenge coin featuring the tin’s artwork inside, and this was a lucky tin. It’s a great way to have fun with the series, makes a great addition to the random tchotchkes adorning one’s desk, and serves as a very tactile fidget toy that doubles as a brand reminder—is it time to stock up again? In my testing it seemed at its best in a wider, shallower bowl; the ember was easier to tend, breath pacing allowed a fuller flavor, and it didn’t veer too strongly to the tarry tones that Lat can have. Of the flavors there were many—often varying from bowl to bowl, and very dependent on accompanying beverage or previous meal, it seems. It’s an unfocused blend, but not to its detriment in this regard; it had a very consistent overall tone, with each bowl eliciting some new and interesting flavor moments—my notes are all over the spectrum, with observations like popcorn, maple bacon, charred cardboard, the aforementioned diesel fumes, burnt beef ends, dried silage, musky oak, swamp water (peaty!), and dried vodka. Appreciably, those who enjoy Latakia will read all these descriptors and understand that none of them are negative. It was so fun to keep chasing these disparate flavors that I did incur some mouth fatigue, just this side of bite, after rapidly repeated bowls. Slow smoking and pacing are advised, as the nicotine was mild enough to not discourage such practice. Overall, Episode II is a blend with so many interesting things going on that it warrants another taste after it has some age on it. My hope is that with some time in the tin, the Latakia notes will tone down on the dryness and the Viriginia / Katerique sweetness will amplify, with all the other cacophonous notes finding their home in the in-between spaces comfortably. Per’s experiments with these new treatments of old leaf are yielding remarkable results, and I look forward to seeing them in more blends in the future, and indeed more innovation of this sort in the tobacco world in general. Tasting something so similar, yet so slightly different, from what’s been available before is what this market needs. Seattle Pipe Club Hogshead: Bourbon Barrel Aged Review Our second summer blockbuster is SPC’s Hogshead: Bourbon Barrel Aged. Somewhat akin to that other summer blockbuster, Deadpool & Wolverine, this one is a cut above its predecessor. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, I’ll be here all week, tip your waitress… Vintage Virginia tobacco cultivated from around the world aged in a bourbon barrel for 30 days. The tobacco is then pressed and cut for a unique and one of a kind smoking experience. Well at least they didn’t prattle on with the ad copy and let the blend speak for itself. Veering a hard left from the boisterous melange of the Pipe Force, this iteration of Hogshead is a dead simple straight Virginia blend of the same 10-year-old red & orange used in the prior, this time presented in thickly-sliced pressed flakes, aged in bourbon barrels. Deceptively simple, that is—the flavors of this blend are robust and varied, punching above their weight class for being confined to the comparatively narrow range of “just Virginia”. The first […]
This is going to be one of those friendly chats between friends. That’s you and me, pipe smokers of the realm. As I have mentioned before in praising pipe puffers: we are the mind workers of the world! “Friends” is the word of the day. One of my besties is my pipe. I take it everywhere. On a visit to Rowan Oak, way back there, the beautiful country home of legendary author William Faulkner, I was stunned almost silly walking through the rooms where the Nobel Laureate author lived and wrote of his extensive southern view. I have described this adventurous trip to Oxford, Mississippi, before. A well-smoked pipe was stuffed inside a tweed coat pocket with his favorite blend of the day. The tobacco was dried inside the bowl almost to the consistency of dust. The coat was draped over a wooden peg in a hallway as if awaiting Faulkner’s return. That scene inspired Pundit to emulate one of his favorite authors, beginning a habit that continues: pipes go with me everywhere, in coat pockets, bags, satchels, etc. Pipes are especially important in my outdoor jaunts when the sun also rises. Mr. Hemingway was an occasional pipe smoker, great angler, and outdoorsman, in addition to being rather good at penning stories. Recently reading about environmental concerns, which involve us pipe smokers since our beloved hobby is earth-bound in agriculture and nature, I encountered a beautiful line by writer, Krista Langlois, in Sierra, the magazine of The Sierra Club. She authored a story about sitting off in the distance and observing the Sleeping Ute Mountains near Cortez, Colo. The mountain, she says, is sacred and managed by the Ute Mountain Tribe. She longed to hike the mountain but had to settle for taking in the view, just as we must do as well when following the sun and just stopping long enough to light a pipe and take in the natural beauty. “But as a mountain, I will forever look at and never touch, it becomes something else entirely: a physical reminder of all I can never understand or conquer, and all I can learn by sitting still,” she wrote. Isn’t this what our pipes are for? To help us understand and perhaps conquer all we can by just being still and observing. Puffing our pipes and seeing a full moon in August. It’s known as the Sturgeon Moon, a time when Native Americans knew freshwater fish was abundant in nearby waters. Or, like the great Yogi Berra, the New York Yankees baseball philosopher/manager (who loved his cigars) once said, “You can observe a lot by watching.” And, just guessing, but that might have been time after a large sturgeon catch to pull out the pipe and smoke some of that native tobacco Native American tribes fostered. Not to belabor this point too much, but in California where sequoia trees are sacred to tribes, a certain rare tobacco plant is a coveted reward found near the giant trees. It is said tribes will trade buckets of fish for a small bag of the rare tobacco. A note now about an upcoming pipe show I know is already on many a calendar, if not hotel rooms already rented. The Conclave of Richmond Pipe Smokers hosts its 40th anniversary Expo Sept. 13-15. This year’s event coincides with the legendary Sutliff Tobacco Company’s 175 anniversary. It will be staged at the Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum in Colonial Heights, Virginia. You can check out all the details at PipesMagazine, which has already noted the CORPS Expo, at CORPS and Sutliff. One of my fondest memories is going to the historic City of Richmond event and seeing not only zillions of pipes on display but also people who love pipes and love talking about them. I listened to CORPS’s founding member Linwood Hines during that trek and knew I had found kindred souls. For a terrific story on Linwood Hines, you need to read Chuck Stanion’s piece in The Daily Reader at SmokingPipes.com. Not only is this a superb story on a legend in Pipedom but also you might learn a thing or three about some nifty tobacco blends from Linwood. Ok, on to Pipe Smokers of the Past. Some large names from the movie and theater world; literature; and the man who gave us the telephone. Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, born Aug. 13, 1899, died April 29, 1980. Gwyllyn Samuel Newton “Glenn” Ford, a Canadian American actor, born May 1, 1916, died Aug. 30, 2006. Henry Jaynes Fonda, born May 16, 1905, died Aug. 12, 1982. Bennett Alfred Cerf, born May 25, 1898, died Aug. 27, 1971. Alexander Graham Bell, born March 3, 1847, died Aug. 2, 1922. Alfred Tennyson, born Aug. 6, 1809, died Oct. 6, 1892. If you saw the Hitchcock movie “The Birds,” you know what a “murder” of crows can do to your nerves. The master of scary suspense, Hitchcock is reported to have enjoyed Dunhill pipes and tobaccos, along with his love of cigars. With that said, I’ll take my backyard birds with a nerve-settling pipe. And I can’t depart without a quote from artist and pipe smoker Vincent van Gogh. He wrote in an 1875 letter to his brother, Theo, describing his pipe as an “old, trusty friend, and I imagine we’ll never part again.” Amen, brother.
You are reading Steven Tyler (Liv’s father), I am reading “Guitar Man” by Will Hodgkinson, an interesting book, not pipe related.
Pipe show season – you remember Foghorn-Leghorn cartoons, just think of the weasel. slobber. slobber– That is how people are at their first show. Bring comfortable shoes – a must. Bring baggies for samples to be smoked later. Bring a small flashlight to examine the inside of a bowl. Be willing to negotiate prices.
Your discussion with Rabbi Silver was quite interesting. As I was a contemporary of the Viet Nam era, his recollections were very interesting. My former neighbor also was involved with the river boats and had many tales to tell. I wonder if his work has been published or is obtainable?
Your song reminds me of the old Industrial Hygienist’s saying “The Dose is the Poison”.
Bacon??? Does Denny’s own stock in a Bacon processor?? Too Much!!!
Next thing you will see is a Bacon flavored tobacco –NOT!
You just keep getting better. I just hope your head is not too big by Chicago!
Here i thought Denny’s was disgusting 15 minutes ago…….it has reached a new low….
Great interview and great show as always, although I remember now why I don’t own any Joe Jackson CDs. As to the previous comment about bacon flavored tobacco- it’s already been done more or less. Hearth and Home’s Vermont Meat Candy tobacco which is supposed to be reminiscent of maple and bacon. I haven’t tried it and don’t plan to but it is out there. Anyway, without being insulting, I would comment that Brian’s rants need some work. I think it’s the voice, he just never sounds upset. All I can think of is Ned Flanders going into a rage and it sounding similar to Brian’s rants. I can usually identify with what he is ranting about but it comes off being too polite. What about getting the Guy From Boston to do the rants?
http://www.theguyfromboston.net/
Just a thought. Otherwise, I listen to the show every week and look forward to it. I usually listen on Thursday nights but it is generally after 8 PM when I listen.
How about some John Lee Hooker?
Hey Brian, I think your microwave burrito is done.
Like Pavlov’s dog, as soon as I heard the beeping, I got a craving for popcorn.
Another wonderful guest. With so many interesting members,
one begins to feel a part of a diverse and intelligent club. Very rejuvenating!
I am always appreciative when I encounter a good interviewer, and Brian really hit it on the spot! Thank you, Brian, for your incisive questions–they were direct, to the point, and had just the right amount of humor to make the interview sparkle. My wife listened with great interest and said that you brought out the best in me. Many thanks,
Rabbi Eric
Really enjoyed the show, especially the interview with Rabbi Silver.
I’d like to ask the Rabbi if there is a prayer (blessing) for tobacco?
thanks
Allan
Sorry, Allan, no blessing for tobacco. However, on getting a new pipe, or even trying out a new tobacco, I think that the blessing Shehecheyanu (giving thanks to God for having kept us in life and brought us to this occasion,) would be most appropriate.
Rabbi Eric
Thank you, Rabbi.
Another fine show. The segment preparing for a pipe show was very good. About the only thing I would add is prepare for the plan/budget to change. Also, if a show has a social segment or mixer you want to make that. This gives you a chance to talk to vendors and carvers in a non-sales situation.
Rabbi Silver was simply riveting to listen to. His experiences involving Pope JP II and Benedict XVI were just fascinating. His research into Pius XII involvement in WW II was especially informative. This shows again that if men will approach each other with open minds that they will see the humanity in each other.
Loved the interview with the Rabbi during the Passover Season; such an appropriate time!
As a Catholic, it was pure joy to hear his story and his envolvement and study of Pope Pius XII as well as his encounters with our two previous Pontiffs. I had never known such encounters and dialouge had took place. I was riveted as well. It is truly a blessing to have an elder brother in faith recant those experiences for us all.
Great show, as always. I particularly enjoyed Rabbi Silver’s reminiscences on Vietnam, as I was there at about the same time and about the same place (Can Tho), but that led to my becoming a Buddhist priest! Hail divesrsity!
Again, thank you to Brian for a really fine interview. And also, thank you to all of you for the kind remarks that you made concerning my responses to Brian’s questions. I had no idea that my words would engender such a response. Thank you all so very much.
And now it’s time for next week’s program.
Best,
Rabbi Eric
Great interview with Rabbi Eric! I enjoyed this show very much. I was busy with Easter preparations and did not have a chance to listen to the last few shows until yesterday. More!!! Shalom Sabbat Rabbi!
Fr. Dave
The interview with the Rabbi was really interesting, thanks to both Brian and the Rabbi for that one. Another great show and I liked the music.