I arose yesterday feeling groggy and battled on to have Christmas lunch with Gimmer and then back home to bed where I stayed until 9:00am this morning, but duty called and off we went to Asda, not my favourite venue.
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| Here we are on the Asda escape route - six trolleys in front of us and the same down every aisle. |
For me, putting all the stuff away when you get back home is more trying than doing the shop, but when done it was a good excuse for Jill and me to have a large G&T made from the remains of a bottle of Bombay Sapphire.
For Christmas we have upped our price limit on the gin and bought a previously untried Caorunn - 41.8% - small batch Scottish gin. I am slightly concerned about this because my father, who was a conservative imbiber of chateau bottled Bordeaux, and bon-vivant in general, and not given to much parental advice or control did offer we three brothers the following words of wisdom:
"Always order something you haven't tried before from the menu, and never drink anything from funny shaped bottles."
Merry Christmas again to all and have a good New Year.
Caoruun gin, served with a thin wedge of red apple I believe. I'm sure a few servings will fight off the virus. Merry Christmas again Conrad.
ReplyDeleteafoot - sounds like you have knowledge. I was worried it might be one of those gimmick products. Do we take it neat with the apple?
ReplyDeleteSir Hugh - no, not much knowledge but the Caoruun is a very highly regarded premium product being made at the Balmenach Distillery in Speyside using botanicals from the surrounding hills. Gin tasting events have become very popular in Scotland. I'm sure you can take it neat with the apple wedge or just as you would any other gin or make cocktails. Their website gives examples.
ReplyDeleteDespite my apparent knowledge I've never tasted Caoruun but after seeing an advert for a gin tasting evening in Braemar in September, I googled the various Scottish gins available. Now I am very tempted to nip along to Sainsbury's and get a bottle. Not cheap at £23 though.
Afoot - thanks for that. I bought mine at Booths's, a local (going national) supermarket which we regard as expensive - it was £20 on offer I think.
ReplyDeleteSir Hugh - I know Booths in Keswick since we always shop there when in the area. I liken it to Waitrose with prices to match but well worth it I think.
ReplyDelete£20 sounds good value since I've seen it on sale at £30.
ASDA! - you are braver than me or even I. My local Sainsbury's is good competition to the quoted Waitrose and Booths, but I won't be going today.
ReplyDeleteGin? After all that virtual shopping I think I'll opt for a whisky* no matter what shape the bottle. Slàinte mhath!
See you in the new year.
[*The excellent Sainsbury's Speyside Single Malt. £20.]
I was just reading one of your comments on Alan Rayner's blog, regarding the way that comments from bloggers seem to be running dry. It's one of the things I've resolved to put more effort into (commenting, that is). I've already made a start...
ReplyDeleteCompliments of the season to you.
I may have invented the term "boutique gin" to describe the plethora that has become available over the last couple of years. I've tried several of them, all were fine, but the prices were frequently ridiculous, notably Hendrix at close to £50. After due consideration I have settled on long-established Tanqueray which is stronger than the run-of-the-mill stuff and has a unique flavour; I use it for martinis and drinks where the gin is close to neat. For G&Ts, where the dilution is high and flavour is mainly lost, I use £15/litre Booth's. Did you known Aldi is offering what they claim is 1975 amargnac at about £25 (unfortunately the bottle is only 50 cl which is a pity because it's remarkably smooth).
ReplyDeleteWine? There'll be something "under the stairs" we can use to go with the Beef Wellington.
All the best to you and yours.
Dave - Good to hear from you. Can't believe that meeting when I was doing my LEJOG is now 8 years ago. I hope I have got the right Dave here, if not I apologise.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't realised you were blogging, and I've just rad your latest post, and I'm adding you to my reading list.
I find it disappointing when I go to the trouble of commenting on other blogs and the blogger doesn't bother to reply.
To other readers I recommend reading Dave's latest post by clicking on his name here.
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RR - I approve of your pragmatic use of the "good" or better gin, shame to loose it with all that tonic. Whilst preparing Christmas dinner (lunch) we have our "bombers": good gin, Noilly Prat, an olive and a silverskin, all chilled, and few fragments of ice added served of course in a cocktail glass. Don't ask me about the proportions, but I do think it is just a bit snobby or elitist to go for nearly neat gin. I think the words Noilly Prat, along with "Angostura bitter"s entered my vocabulary much earlier than most, perhaps around age 6?
Sir Hugh - can you tell me how you manage to post a comment on Dave's blog please? My comments are not accepted for some reason and I'm sure Dave hasn't blocked me.
ReplyDeleteHi Gibson,
ReplyDeleteI've relaxed the comments access by unchecking a couple of boxes which just referred to settings I hadn't specifically activated. I don't know if this will help, but you're not the only one to have had issues. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
All - I replied to Afoot by email, but looks like D may now have solved the matter. Having a Wordpress account may also help.
ReplyDeleteThanks for trying to help Conrad but I didn't get your email. I'll email you an alternative one for future reference.
DeleteThanks Dave, I'll try again.
ReplyDeleteMy commenting pennoth is that you get more comments on these random reflective quotidian non-walking posts than for the serious stuff of transcontinental walks - so it was with eager post-prandial anticipation that I opened up the 15 comments on this post only to find discourse on gin from/in Scotland (whatever next) and technical matters only too well-known to me from my struggles with trying to prove i'm not a robot - as I won't have anything to do with a goggle account, this prevents me commenting on Gayle's blog at all, despite its requiring occasional such deeds - and no doubt others unknown to me.
ReplyDeleteThe thought struck me from your actual content that you have a jewel of a granddaughter there - fancy one being able to put oneself through something as hellish as a pre-Christmas shopping expedition and run the risk of serious child trouble only to have the day saved by said child's amazing disposition and talent for organisation and control: lucky man - and her mother too.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - see it is possible to rabbit on at length, quite vapidly, and still have it registered as 'a comment' - cheers everybody !
gimmer - Rabbit on or not all comments are welcome. especially as many seem to have lost the will to write. I always feel pleased with myself when I concoct a non-outdoorsy post.
ReplyDeleteFour year old Granddaughters are not always angelic, but I must say Katie has been great fun, and this is the best Christmas we have had for some time.
Merry Christmas Conrad. Sue and I hope to be up your way in the next week or two.
ReplyDelete