He asked today… how did I get to be 68???
I said it was because he’s been lucky. So far 😉
happy birthday peter!
02 Tuesday Mar 2021
Category Archives: friends
christmas eve 2020
24 Thursday Dec 2020
Posted in christmas, food & drink, friends
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This Christmas Eve was mostly about food. Because hey, what else was there to do? My Instagram “memories” have been trolling me this past week or so, showing me photos of happier Christmas times with friends, both here and in Málaga. But of course none of that was possible this year. So I decided to just enjoy making some great food and, since I am still not having people over to my house, share it with my friend Peter, who was happy to come over and pick up a take-away of everything, including some panattone, beer and palo cortado sherry (in the green salad dressing bottle). The menu was slow braised Ibérico pork cheeks in oloroso with sides of roasted potatoes, roasted veg (carrots, sweet onion, purple onion, whole garlic heads, endive) and my now EXPERT Yorkshire puddings. Simple and delicious. How was your Christmas Eve?
surprise!
22 Tuesday Dec 2020
So this was lovely! Got a surprise Christmas care package this evening from my friends Anne & Paul in Jerez. Anne had heard my plea for mince pies a while back (a situation somewhat alleviated by my first panettone). But I am happy to have festive breakfasts until the New Year. Anyhow, as you can see there are some Walkers mince pies, what looks like it might be Anne’s famous Christmas cake wrapped in foil, a jar of homemade kumquat, vanilla and cream sherry marmalade and I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S IN THE BOX. Oh, and there was also a copy of the November Decanter (with my Málaga article). Plus a pretty card and it all looks even extra festive with a background of my Mallorca wines (which I still haven’t opened – just don’t know where to start!).
Thank you Anne and Paul! What a lovely Christmas surprise. We’ll have to have a zoom drink with Tomoko over the holidays. xx
panettone!
21 Monday Dec 2020
Posted in casa azahar, christmas, friends
It’s the beginning of Christmas Week and that usually means mince pies for breakfast. Usually brought by friends travelling here from the UK. Obviously that isn’t happening this year, so by happy chance my friend Bizzy gave me this lovely panettone that is made at her Italian restaurant Maccheroni & Co. And it’s the very first time I’ve ever tried panettone, so may as well start with the best. I love it. Not sweet, more like a lovely citrusy raisin bread. Can be eaten plain, toasted with butter or (hope Bizzy isn’t reading this) even made into French toast. I plan to try them all.
invoking the gods
14 Monday Dec 2020
Most of you have “met” my lovely friend Esteban of @vermuteriasyosoytupadre fame here on the blog. So I thought I would put this up for those of you residing in Spain who either love vermouth or would like to try some for the first time this Christmas. Esteban has invoked the wine gods with this limited edition bottling of his white and red vermouths, made from a base of sherry wines (finos and manzanillas pasadas) and his family recipe of herbs and botanicals. It would make a great Christmas present, even if it’s just for you. Contact info is in the photo below.
casa azahar 