It is 07:47 GMT on a mild Christmas morning. Our household has awakened to Mulled wine, Stollen and carols! Paper unwrappings are everywhere!
Merry Christmas to you all around the world.
menu for today's dinner
Hummus bi Tahina wa Khubs
Poached Salmon with Oysters au gratin and avocado salad or fresh crab with crevettes and salad in a lemon boat
Roast Pheasant ( medium hung ) stuffed with Apple,garlic and Lime stuffing and all the usual trimmings
Christmas Pud served with brandy sauce or ice cream or traditional vanilla custard ( and a baked Alaska for seconds served flaming ))
Whole mature stilton which has be fed gently with port for the last 2 months and stored in the coolest place I have ( my coal shed) with the last/final /ultimate bottle of my 1964 fortified elderberry
Wines available
Tempranillo -- an amazingly good robust wine that I only started fermentation last December and is already beating more expensive wines. I only tried the first bottle 3 days ago and decided to serve it this Christmas Chablis -- not my best but adjusted to medium for those who like a sweeter wine Strawberry -- fermented July 2002 and is now at its best but only 4 bottles so I shall never know it it would improve with another year in bottle Sauvignon Blanc -- my best white this Christmas which has spoiled ( in appearance only )because of a bottling error ( discussed a while ago). Just a hint of fizz on the tongue but very flinty and grassy -- quite delicious. The small amount of lees in the bottle only spoils the last glass if I am careful --- so I have the last glass!
We shall be at table for several hours and shall not rush the courses. Memories will abound! Oldest guest is my 96 year old dad who seems indestructible, youngest is James Robin my 6 year old grandson.
Merry Christmas everyone