Lubrication Blog
Holiday Wine Gifts...Now in Stereo
You know what's cooler than a wine gift this holiday season? A wine gift that comes in a boombox! You heard that right. No longer must wine be gently wrapped in tissue paper and tucked away between bits of crinkly paper (it's called "sizzle," by the way) and bows. You can now give a wine gift that rocks.
Like all good things, the boombox was born out of the 1970s. The advent of the cassette format and batteries inspired a new concept for portable music players that could be brought to the beach or basketball courts to jam out with on the go. By the 1980s, the popularity of the boombox had exploded, proliferating hip-hop culture and finding its way into every teen's bedroom. Hoisted upon the shoulders of The Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and The Clash, the boombox became an American icon.
Over time the size and weight of boomboxes exploded to accommodate bigger, booming bass and features like equalizers, dual cassette decks, and tricked-out sound meters. While the 1990s would introduce CD trays, remotes, and plastic gimmicks, our hearts will forever recognize the classic Panasonic stereos as the most iconic boombox of the early '80s.
Which, of course, is why we chose it as the successor to our beloved Hi-Fi gift boxes that recreated a portable record player from the '60s. We needed to get bigger, we needed to get louder, and we were hellbent on realizing this dream.
Modeled after the legendary Panasonic RX-5500, we painstakingly transplanted our favorite elements of this boombox to our cardboard box design. The tape went in the middle, some big speakers for both channels and some knobs here and there. It slowly took shape. But there was one thing we needed to make this thing legit: a handle. And we'll have you know we went to the far reaches of the pandemic world to find one that fits the bill.
After nearly a year of waiting, our boomboxes finally arrived, and we must say, they are fucking sick. Not only do they look like the real deal, but once you load them up with delicious Tank wines, it feels like the real deal too. The only thing we couldn't pull off was getting it to play music, but we gotta leave something for the next revision, right?
Starting this holiday season, we will have curated gift options pre-packaged in our vintage boombox gift boxes. Your friends, family, side piece, and work colleagues will all be blown away when they open up this cool gift box to discover California's coolest wines inside. To explore the 2022 options, just follow the button below.
Nov 18, 2022 at 1:00 AM
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Even Fckboys Gotta Eat
If you've never had Enfrijoladas before, get ready for an orgasmic party in your mouth. A tasty enchilada smothered in yummy bean sauce and stuffed with your favorite filling, this recipe packs a whole lot of flavor and won't break the bank. We made ours with chorizo and potatoes, and HOT DAMN was it delicious. Scroll below for the recipe.
Chorizo and Potato Enfrijoladas
Serves 4
Ingredients:
oil (for frying)
10 corn tortillas
For the bean sauce:
3 cups cooked pinto beans
1 cup bean broth
1 can chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (7 ounces)
1/2 tbsp salt
For the filling:
2 cups potatoes, small dice
4 oz Mexican pork chorizo
2 10-oz packages Queso Fresco crumbled
For the topping:
onion, finely diced
avocado, sliced
cilantro, finely chopped
Method:
Step One
Add pinto beans, bean broth, chipotle, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth, and if it's too think, add a bit more broth until it reaches a sauce-like consistency. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste as needed. Note: If you're sensitive to spice, reduce the amount of chipotle added to the mixture. We used pinto beans for our recipe, but black beans can also be used.
Step Two
In a large skillet, heat 2-3 tbs of oil over medium heat until it begins to ripple. Add potatoes and brown on all sides until cooked through. Remove from pan and add pork chorizo, cooking over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, breaking up the meat into small, bite-sized pieces. Combine chorizo and potatoes and set aside for later use.
Step Three
Heat oil in a clean skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, fry tortillas for approximately one minute per side and place on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.
Step Four
To assemble, there are two different options. Option 1: Dip a tortilla into the bean sauce and add a spoonful of cheese and a tablespoon of the chorizo and potato mixture. Fold over to close and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Option 2: Enfrijoladas can also be assembled by adding fillings first and then topping with bean sauce. We went with option 2 since it's a little less messy but the choice is yours.
Step Five
Garnish with onion, avocado and cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Note: Enfrijoladas can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Based on a recipe by Maggie Unzueta
Nov 10, 2022 at 12:00 AM
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