So there I was enjoying my morning coffee in bed with the cats (though actually at work, checking emails and social media stuff on the iPad) and I remembered that it was the Copa Jerez (Sherry Cup), where chefs chosen from seven different countries would meet in Jerez and create special dishes to pair with a particular sherries. And I thought… well, why not? Well, other than I didn’t have an invitation and my friend Annie thought it was too late for her to get one for me. Details, details. I decided to hop on the next train and gatecrash the event. Which turned out to be no problem at all, and anyhow, had I planned to go earlier I would have got an invite. But I digress.

Annie drove in from Vejer and picked me up at the train station. From there we went off to the event, watched a bit of the judging, but for the most part partook of the sherry on offer from 15 bodegas, along with some wonderful jamón and cheese. The competition and various interviews were over by 2 o’clock and I was invited to join a lunch party at a lovely spot called Ajo Negro. Then caught the 6 o’clock train home, arriving just in time to get to pick up my tapas tour clients at our meeting point. Phew!

It was great to see old friends again and catch up, and I also made some good contacts for future sherry education. So it was a good thing I didn’t just stay in bed with my coffee!