Example of Process Essay 2 : Popping the Cork

           All of the guests have arrived. Everyone has been seated at the dinner table. Light conversation abounds. Amid all of the explanations of what everyone “does”, your wife leans over to you and speaks the words of doom: “Why don’t you open the champagne?”

            All the conversation ceases. Suddenly you are aware of seven pairs of eyes, all looking at you. Each guest in turn mentally sizes you up.

            “Is he man enough?”

            “Will he embarrass himself again this year?”

            “Did they really have to re-carpet?”

            There it sits, ten feet away, smugly chilling in an ice bucket. The enemy. Relax. Opening a good bottle of champagne is not an ordeal once you know how. The necessary materials are few. All that is needed is an ice bucket, a table napkin, a little bravery, and some patience. To start, do yourself a favor by choosing a good champagne. Well-chilled good champagnes won’t explode, while bad champagnes are potentially embarrassing. The wine should be chilled in the ice bucket for at least twenty minutes. This is done to reduce pressure in the bottle and allow for an uneventful opening.

            First, remove the bottle from the bucket and quickly dry it. Wrap the table napkin around the neck of the bottle. This affords you a better grip. Next remove the neck wrapping to expose the wire basket. Removing the wire basket is the first tricky bit. The basket can be removed by twisting the wire braid counterclockwise six turns. This is an international standard among champagne vintners. Then pull the table napkin over the cork. This is done, once again, to allow for a better grip. Now comes the fun part. At the bottom of the champagne bottle is a deep indentation. This is not a manufacturing defect; it is called the “punt”. Hold the bottle in your left hand by the punt. With your right, grip the cork between thumb and forefinger. Gently begin rocking the cork back and forth, slowly pulling at the cork. Soon the cork will begin to loosen and move more quickly. This is a critical point in the opening. Slow it down! Hold the cork back and slowly work it out of the neck. If the cork is removed properly, only the slightest sigh should be heard. From the champagne – not you.

(386 words)

Reference:

Turco, A. D. (2001). Popping the Cork. In L. Brandon, Paragraphs and Essays : a worktext with readings (pp. 180-181). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.