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Thursday 26 November 2009

Sixteen thousand hits!

I've just noticed that  this blog has passed the 16,000 hits mark and I think that deserves a drink. So pour yourselves a glass of what you fancy and I'll raise a glass of beer to my success so far and to you all out there for reading about my food and drink passions. Cheers! Prost! Sante! Bottoms Up!



I tend to talk mainly about food so as a celebration I thought that you might like to know what I like to drink in alcoholic drinks. Spirits are out of the question as they go straight to my head and have a dire effect on my tummy. I once made the foolish mistake of drinking a small bottle of vodka over an evening at home. Home style measurements you know - with a splash of lime. After four or five biggish glasses I tried to phone my mother and fell face down on the floor as my legs went from under me and the telephone shot up in the air. Embarrasing! I don't recall getting to bed but I do recall feeling hideously poisoned the next day. As for going into work - forget it.

Beer I do like as social drink: mainly bottled  beers from the Co-op store in the village. I tend to go for the Czech lager beers (cheap and taste ok) but do love a nice bottle of ale. They have some great names. Here are a few of my faves.






Ruddles County, Abbot Ale, Black Sheep Ale, Waggle Dance – made with honey, Marstons Old Empire,
Wychcraft – blonde beer ( I'm drinking a bottle as I type.)




Even my dinner today was made with Ruddles Best Ale. It was one of the Co-op's truely irresistiable ranges; an Aberdeen Angus steak and Ruddles Best Ale pie with a buttery shortcrust pastry. It was lovely with some simple vegetables and mustard.


As a self-professed Francophile you would suppose that I am knowlegable about wine. Not so - I know a bit from trips to Bordeaux and reading but I am no expert. I tend to like the French whites and quality reds and have a few favourites that I've enjoyed in the past. The average price for any of the ones listed below would be between five and seven pounds. I don't think I've ever paid any more. Neither am I exclusively biased towards wines from France. I have tried and enjoyed Spanish reds, light Italian whites and wines from California and Australia.

Red wines
La Chasse du Pape,
Chateau Laurençon – merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.
Whites
Chateau Pierrouselle – entre –deux-mers - a white wine from Bordeaux,
Les Jamelles Viognier
Sancerre blanc

I enjoy Champagne as a drink for a celebration but two flutes is plenty for me as it gives me a banging headache.




Occasionally I will drink cider and see it as a summer drink and great for cooking pork with. Likewise stout or Guinness can be great addition to a stew or drunk on it's own. Go to Dublin for the best Guinness!

Lastly, I sometimes go into La Tasca the tapas chain restaurant and enjoy a Spanish  San Miguel cerveza at the bar with some jamon serrano, olives and tomato bread. Hmm, hungry again now.



Disclaimer: All images in this blog post were taken responsibly and the products depicted tested without spillage by the photographer/writer who is over 21 years of age. Just.   :0)

Cheers everyone! Do tell me what you like to drink too.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I'll raise a glass to you. Mine will be filled with Stella. Hobgoblin is a nice dark beer that you can get from Lidl.
I used to have a counter, but it disappeared after I revamped the page. Have no idea of visit numbers after nearly 4 years.

Janette said...

I will definitely raise a glass of orange juice to you, as I am no longer drinking, but 16,000 hits - well done you!

French Fancy... said...

16,000 hits is very good going especially in the time you've been up and running. Well done and I know why - because you put a lot into your posts and the street photos you take for them are just so appealing.

As for drinks - in my 'rich' (not very) moments it is champagne and in my other (most of the )time it is sweet cider.

PSFT said...

Well done Phil - 16,000 hits in a relatively short space of time is impressive - keep up the most excellent work.
My tipple is still Guinness and a nice malt :-)

Anonymous said...

Your wine list looks quite good. I'd be glad to lift a glass of Sancerre (red or white) to your honor.
I can't say for beer, as I don't drink it.
Congratulations on 16,000 visits!