Eva's Wine Cellar

Dang just when I was about to tell you all I am Irish, well 3 generations ago, add in a bit of Swiss, WHICH I so loved that cheese, thanks!

I really don't know if I could give up my Chardy Sturgis, may have to sit over yonder Don't want to tempt you.....

Yeerah, we're all Irish, except for the ones who choose not to be. Enough.

I need breakfast, and by breakfast I mean a Mimosa and some toast.

Joe() Nation

<Knock, knock, knock>
Joe looks up from where he has been drowsing and sees someone at the window of the front door.
He looks around for anyone else to answer the knocking but there is no one.
He suddenly realizes he must have slept in that big chair all night.

Joe(he has no idea what day or time it is)Nation

Oh! You're still here, Joe! Good thing - I've misplaced my key!

I've been stopping by here, cleaning up the mess down in the cellar. All those empty bottles, trash, dust...(cough, cough). It's taken a day or two, but I think it will be back in working order after another couple of hours.

Guess what? I heard from Sophie today! Our chef has been working on a private yacht for the last few months. Seems she's grown tired of it and asked if we needed her again. She'll be here in about a week!

What's left of that mimosa looks depressing, Joe. Let me get you something fresh.

Click Virginia Dare for the history of the name.

A historical footnote, but a major figure in Neil Gaiman's 1602.



That's her second from the left.

I heard somewhere that she made her way back to England and eventually started a family.
Her great x 8 grandson became quite famous in his own right....

Thanks, that was fun to read.

Why did you not tell us osso that ossobuco is Italian for "bone with a hole."

You can't have French Fries with that, that would be very wrong.....

Chips, especially when made with King Edward spuds and fried in fresh Olive Oil, go with anything.

Brrrrrrr!!!!! It's COLD out there!



Anyone else want some of this hot chocolate? I have handmade marshmallows...

Hot chocolate please.

My mug is the 5.5 gallon mug in the background.

When I was young, I pronounced it "Ossbusso" until someone said I was saying "Ass Kiss".

Heh.

Joe(I stopped saying that)Nation

So you also said, bascetti instead of spaghetti?

got a recipe for them homemade marshmellows?

I will need some when I perfect my dairy free dark hot chocolate drink.

Nope. I picked these up at Williams-Sonoma. But I bet you can find recipes online. Let me know how that "dairy-free" version works. For the Wine Cellar's lactose-intolerant guests...

Ummm...

Looks like nobody's here tonight except me and the cat.
I wonder who left that big wrapped present on the bar? And who is it for? There's no tag...

Bigsy? OMG I so miss him, glad he is with you Eva...

I guess I need to ask you to give him the biggest hug from me, I think maybe the present is cheese for the rats so he can eat them, well that's horrible but I know cats and well, miss Mr Bigs so that's my guess

<Aswas emerges from the kitchen, carrying a giant copper pan. A dozen or so wine bottles line the counter, next to a paper bag full of oranges, brown sugar and various small pots of spice. The cat regards him with interest from his bed up on top of the fridge, but soon goes back to licking his paws when he realises that no fish bits seem likely to make an appearance.
The swing doors are just coming to a stop, and there is a handwritten note for Eva taped to the till. 'Where the bloody hell is everyone?' aswas thinks to himself, but the cat intercepts the thought as only cats can do, and miaows his reply. Aswas nods knowingly, and places the pan on the stove and lights the gas ring.
Having poured a glass full from the first bottle, he glugs the rest into the pan and chucks in some brown sugar, then looks around for a wooden spoon.
An unopened present suddenly gets his attention and, seeing as it has no name tag, he carefully unwraps the festive paper to reveal a quart bottle of Corvoisier and a set of three spatulas.
A bubbling noise suddenly gets his attention, and he races back to the pan in order to turn the heat right down and pour in another two bottles, topping it up with a few glugs of the newly acquired Corvoisier.
Three sliced oranges and a sprinkle of each spice quickly follow, and a few more glugs of brandy for good measure, then a further bottle of wine and, just to make sure that it doesn't turn out too strong, a small cup is half filled with orange juice and added, along with a bit more brown sugar.

After sampling the brew via a pint glass found under the bar, some more brandy is added and a few shots of rum for good measure. Several samples later, the brew is judged as perfect and, after three attempts, Aswas finally locates the gas tap and turns everything off, suddenly realising that he needs a little christmas nap.
The cat has now duplicated itself on the two fridges, and there seems to be twice as many tables as normal, whilst the stairs down to the little camp bed in the cellar seem very far away.
Grabbing the Corvoisier in one hand and the bannister in the other, he very carefully crashes down to the bottom of the stairs in one graceful arc, then crawls through into the cellar, kicking the door closed behind him.>

Somewhere in the distance a cat is miaowing at the yuletide moon....