Water Sommelier (Texas Country Reporter)

Gourmet water? Meet the man who says there's a world of culinary possibilities to explore by drinking exotic bottled water.

Michael Mascha
Fine Waters,
Harlingen, TX

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Video Script:: 

[Music] it's something that's fairly new to many of your audience but I think if they start looking at water differently they will discover new world [Music] water it sustains us defines the borders of our nation's carry straight in commerce across the world it's the most important liquid on earth and Harlingen resident Michael mascha says even after thousands of years most of us still don't know how great it can be water is water as water is it not know that what is definitely not water and the thing it's time water is not water what is not water I think it's time that we consider water to be a natural product meaning it comes from different places and because what it comes from different places it tastes very different [Music] from Springs to glaciers to island rainwater michael has taken the plunge into the world of premium bottled waters he drinks varieties from all over the world for their unique tastes and textures and now this self-described water Somali is on a mission to make sure his favorite drink gets the kind of culinary respect it deserves somebody told me one time that Evian spelled backwards is naive and that it's stupid to pay a lot of money for water you're telling me it's not know if you enjoy food and if you enjoy wine you should also pay attention to the other bottle that's usually on the table which is water we elevating bottled water to the same level as wine and we're doing that by number one caring words coming from engaging in an emotional way with the source knowing the source enjoying the source Michael writes guidebooks and gives interviews to any reporters who will listen all in an effort to educate the layman about water well it doesn't get much more lay than a TV group so Michael uncapped a few bottles to give us a lesson in liquid luxury so what we have here is rainwater from Tasmania Tasmanian rain was mainly rainwater do I need to throw it and do no and not smell if it smells don't drink it Joonas very neutral very soft we need water though it tastes good so next thing I want to show you about there is a little bit more substance this water from Italy called Oliveto is naturally carbonated meaning when it emerges out of the ground the blue bubbles already in the water very rare maybe one or two percent of all the waters in the world are naturally carbonated [Music] we sampled waters from as far away as Tasmania and as close as mineral water from Mineral Wells Texas and in the end it all comes down to personal taste except for one universal rule what about temperature does that matter very important I'm afraid to say that when it's cold it's not good it's not not good but you don't taste it if it's cold I sure like it a lot better so no ice number one if you drink those waters no ice no ice you should not put ice cubes in your drinking water because then it's too cold and you don't experience this in a month [Music] do you expect that this is going to this is well spread throughout the masses I think it will be for the same group of people that enjoy wine didn't know the difference between an over oKed California chardonnay and in a white Burgundy so those kind of people will and also already are enjoying the waters if you think that McDonald's sells you food then it's probably not for you well even if fine waters don't become the next big wave michael masha is happy educating the niche that gets it after all there's no substitute for stopping and enjoying the little things in life it's this enjoyment a celebration of things you know having a fine watch doesn't read the time better you could get something for five dollars which waits a time more accurate and your watch good poised so that's kind of the idea you know celebrating enjoying the finer things in life [Music] you