15 April 2019
As much as I love the word “verve,” I might love the word “Intrepid” even more. It’s definition of “fearless, undaunted, daring” feels even bolder to me than its cousins of ‘bravery’ or ‘courage.’ The OED tells me that the word first appeared in 1697, when poet John Dryden translated Virgil’s Aeneid, referring to the quality of ‘valour’ as that “which signifies no more than an intrepid Courage.”
But not until I met Lucy at Chain Yard Urban Cidery – Halifax’s first and only urban cidery – did I learn a deeper story about this fantastic word.
Turns out that my favourite 100% Nova Scotian cider, named “Intrepid,” is made from Northern Spy apples — a variety of apple that I didn’t know existed before moving to Halifax in September 2017.
And, deepening the intrigue behind the world in this cup, Lucy taught me that the cider is named after a Canadian hero: Sir William Stephenson, whom Winston Churchill gave the code name “Intrepid”, and who many believe was the inspiration for author Ian Fleming’s James Bond.
On a past Chain Yard Instagram post about this bright, crisp, fearless drink, I learned that Stephenson had a “affinity for martinis, a suave rapport with elite power players and an uncanny ability to infiltrate and eliminate threats.” His work during WW2 led some to believe that his heroic, secret diplomacy changed the course of history since he “covertly stalled the Nazi forces by running a worldwide intelligence network.” He died in 1989 in France.
After growing up in Los Angeles and loving James Bond movies (#SeanConnery), I don’t know why it took a move from Hollywood to Halifax to learn about the daring real-life Canadian man who was the inspiration for an iconic fictional character.
I’ve been drinking a lot of “Intrepid” this year. Perhaps its elixir, and Stephenson’s Intrepid-ness, is fortifying me toward the daring, undaunted courage I need in 2019 to follow my dreams . . . thanks, Lucy!
What to read more about “The Intrepid Life of Sir William Stephenson? Check out the CIA’s post from 2015.