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Burger and book fans rejoice! It's your month to Cellarbrate!

Burger and book fans rejoice! It's your month to Cellarbrate!

August.  The month named after Julius Caesar’s grand-nephew Augustus, and the month which stole February’s missing day because Augustus deemed that only having 30 days in his month was inferior and not fitting for an Emperor.  Nice for some!

This month, steal a few of your own days by Cellarbrating some of the lesser-known occasions.

 

Book Lover's Day (9th August)

It’s not often we tear ourselves away from our screens and get lost in the pages of a good, old-fashioned book. How many half finished paperbacks do you have piling up next to your bed?  Or how much have you been dying to read the next installment in the Lianne Moriarty series but just can’t seem to find the time?

Lucky for you, a whole day exists dedicated to books, and lovers of books.  We also reckon this day can extend to those who want to make an effort to read more.  It’s the perfect excuse for a ‘you’ day.  Curl up inside, pick up where you left off, or treat yourself to a brand new book or download on your Kindle.  Enjoy the feeling that is true escapism with some of Australia’s most popular reads right now.

The below novels are sure to grip you immediately and ensure that Book Lover’s Day is just that...a solid 8 hours of your nose to the page!

The Late Show by Michael Connolly

A New York Times #1 bestselling author, Connolly does not disappoint with this ripping thriller which follows the story of Renee Ballard, a new detective trying to prove herself on a tough LAPD beat.

A foggy night, a dark alley, an old bar with a late night barkeep, serving up a tipple of Whiskey. Sounds like something we’d love to be pairing with this one whilst reading this one on the couch. We’d suggest trying out the Wild Turkey 101 on ice, sip as the story unfolds.

The Trip of a Lifetime by Monica McInerney

A rich and highly entertaining story about family, love, lies and memories, and the true meaning of ‘home’, continuing the saga of her well-loved Quinlain family.

This one crosses continents, from the Clare Valley in our home grown South Australia, through to the Irish countryside. It would be hard to pass up a bottle of South Australia wine like Wolf Blass Shiraz straight from the Barossa Valley.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Whether you have or haven’t been bingeing on the latest offering from HBO (you can catch it on SBS On Demand), you should know that  before it was a hit TV series, it was a book.  This prophetic novel was published 1985 by Canadian Margaret Atwood and is well worth a read (or re-read).

What do you drink when reading about a dystopian future set in New England? Well we’re cracking a bottle of Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz or Cabernet. A big bold red to enjoy whilst immersing ourselves in a tale of our dim, dark, not too distant future.

 

Left Hander's Day (13th August)

As Beyonce once prophetically said “To-the-left, to-the-left”, she clearly wasn’t talking about the 10% of Australians who have had to trudge through their lives smudging ink across their notebooks on account of being left-handed.

So for all those left-handed wonders out there,  the 13th August is your day -  rejoice, smudge your ink, and pick up your left-handed cup you purchased at The Leftorium and fill it with your favourite tipple.

Any drink will do today - like mixing drinks, try SKYY Vodka. Prefer a robust red, maybe pick Wynns the Banker Cabernet, or if Beer is your jam, pop the top off a bottle of James Boags premium lager  - just make sure you give your right hand a well-earned break, and join Ned Flanders and the 1-in-10 Australians lifting their glass, bottle or can to the left, to the left.

 

Just Because Day (27th August)

This is hands down our absolute favourite.  Who needs an occasion for a Cellarbration??  If ever you needed an excuse to not need an excuse, this is it!  Perfectly positioned on the calendar to fall on a Sunday, why not have the gang around ‘just because’?

You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone today, choose whatever you want, because there’s no right or wrong, better or worse - why are you drinking that?…‘just because’! Whether your favourite’s XXXX Gold, an Aperol Spritz, or a Strongbow Apple Cider - they are all a good choice today, enjoy.

 

Burger Day (31st August)

The humble burger has received something of an overhaul in recent years, with American-style burgers of massive proportions gracing cafe tables nationwide.

From the reliable fish and chip shop burger, to those of the more hipster variety, a burger rarely disappoints.  Some say the opening of Huxtaburger in Melbourne in 2012 really got Aussies going wild.  Since then we’ve seen charred buns, bunless burgers, and even burgers in milkshakes (not for the faint of stomach).

Homemade burgers are a great casual entertainer.  Make the patties from scratch, or pick up some gourmet style from your local butcher or supermarket, and then have the gang around to help you assemble them.  Try a few different cheeses - cheddar for classic, American cheese for your dude food cravings, or Swiss for a Euro flavour.  The beetroot and egg debate still looms large.  To pineapple, or not to pineapple?  These are all questions you must ask yourself...and then judge your friends accordingly.

Best devoured with two hands, you’ll need to get your technique right in order to be able to imbibe at the same time.  Try an American Lager to go with that cheesy-b, we’d recommend a Budweiser, however if you prefer something lighter and Aussie, try the Summer Bright Lager.

 

Father’s Day (3rd September)

When was the last time you sat down with your old man, had a drink and just enjoyed each others’ company?  Spending time with family is a gift we’d all like to be given more of. Your Dad was there from the beginning.  He has seen your triumphs and your tragedies (from the dead pet fish to the disastrous first date to the winning of the ‘Best and Fairest’ award), and he’s proud of you for all of it.  Celebrate him this Father’s Day, and give him the best gift of all - your quality time.

Not all dads are created the same, you’ll know your dad the best, but if he loves a whisky, Glen Grant Majors Reserve is a sure fire winner. It’s light, is approachable, just like the old man himself.

If he’s a beer man, nothing says you care like a case of Crown Lager, whilst a bottle of Wynns  Coonawarra Estate Shiraz will always be a great way of saying he’s appreciated.