Lunch in paradise !

It sounds perfect. Thanks for transporting us for a few moments.

Andy

"st.helier" skrev i melding news:eaecsu$sib$ snipped-for-privacy@news.datemas.de...

Hi, didn't know that heaven was 'down under'... ;-) Btw, mylord, one of my pleasant summer whites turned out to be a Roy's Hill unoaked Chardonnay from Hawkws Bay. Not bad at all, to my taste :-) You know that one? Anders

That's my idea of heaven and paraduse also....Matua Valley, Shingle Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2005 with oysters..great match...wish I could be there! Rick

I am now sufering from a severe case of "oyster envy". When I was 16 or so, I lived in Waihi Beach. We used to drive down to Bowentown, and go diving around the heads. On the inside of the peninsula, the rocks were completely covered with sweet little rock oysters. We would simply take a knife and a lemon and go out, sit amongst the rocks, and eat. aaaaahhh ... On the way home, tides permitting, we would stop off in the tidal flats at the southern end of the bay and get a bucketful of cockles, to be steamed with beer when we got home.

Sometimes, I really miss godzone!

Cheers,

Ric

Mr St helier is a natural salesman. The thing about NZ is that we have magnificent scenery, a superb climate, and civilisation - pick any two. Where I live, we have to put up with a climate that is merely invigorating. Where he lives the climate and scenery are great.

The Shingle Peak SB is good anywhere, as is their Riesling. I had a bottle of the 2005 with Thai food on Friday - a good match. (The previous day I opened a Guigal 1999 Crose-Hermitage, which was disappointingly capsicum-flavoured.)

Pacific oysters are second rate, though, compared to the Bluff variety (ostrea chilensis) fished in Foveaux Strait, but, if you get them free, I suppose...

I do envy him his lemon tree though.

It's just 10 days until Janet and I depart for Europe. It looks as though the visit to Lebanon to show my new grandson to that side of the family is not going to happen. I'm not sure what we are going to do instead. Romy, one of my daughter-in-law's cousins, who was visiting them in London when the bombing started, has managed to get home, overland from Damascus. Several of her family members are sheltering at the beach property where we were going to stay. :-(

Consolation prize is dinner on Aug 31 at the Waterside Inn in Bray (which appears to have dropped off the top 50 restaurants list this year), but who wants to eat snail porridge down the road at the Fat Duck, anyway?

--brian

Sorry to be the only nitpicker here, but Meyer lemons are *not* the "real stuff." They are lemons crossed with a fruit of the orange persuasion. I guess I'm just filled with Oyster Envy of my own... :-)

"Ronin" wrote ........

Nitpicking excused !!!!!

However, when I used the word "real" I was referring to that abomination; so-called "lemon juice" sold in a plastic skin.

Then again, I think that you knew that - so, I'll do you a favour - I have ordered another consignment of oysters and shall repeat the exercise in a couple weeks and for all those suffering from "oyster envy" - nyair - nyair ;-)))))