Eva's Wine Cellar

the traditional ploughmans lunch as i understand it was a rough brown bread, with cheese and fruit, some variations include perserves or relishes and pickles

the beer is a belgian trappist beer, i've not had it for a few years now, but it's an excellent brew, and at 9%, the wine bottle size portion is just about enough

here's a professional description from the oxford bottled beer database

It has a powerful, sour nose, almost like a gueuze or a Belgian red ale. However, the palate is much more balanced than you would expect, with the sourness countered effectively by a rich, warming maltiness, a fair helping of hoppy bitterness and a hint of phenols giving it a lively, menthol lightness on the tongue. Spices are abundant, including cloves and pepper. Fruit is present too, notably juniper berries. There is also a winey, sherry feel on the back of the palate, hinting at its strength - with the spices, this gives it an almost mulled wine quality, but without the sweetness. Aftertaste is surprisingly light, with fading spices and malt. To summarise, Grande Réserve is an astoundingly complex, rich, yet very drinkable vintage offering from this trappist brewery - we suspect it will become even more complex with age, but we couldn't wait to find out.

Well, this duties have to do with some social/professional meetings. As Four Roses is a really widespread bourbon in France, not to speak of Europe, sometimes you can not have another brand than this one in those meetings. (a matter of costs?)

At home, I've always, at least, "The famous grouse" and "Ballantines" but also "Chivas" twelve years old.

Having tasted it, Glenfiddich is also a good choice.

I'm not sure if I've had Glenfiddich eighteen...

I have found, in italy anyway, that their bar/cafes are stocked with what to us are young single malts, 5 year olds, if they have any at all. Of course I have failed to check all the bars, I must fix that.

Imagine my amazement when I was wandering around Heathrow International killing time while suffering with my typical airplane-airport nasal allergy (I think it's some disinfectant they use) and John and I would individually wander off while waiting, the other one watching the bags - that the bar had no single malt scotches.

Now it makes sense to me, I guess you have to go to Scotland to find a real array. Am learning how the different areas of Europe are idiosyncratically themselves, even as some of the very local treasures are in danger of being lost re hygiene rules (cave aged cheeses...)

As you say, globalization is on the way.

Eva, I see you had this erected by the main highway....I bet it will be visible to people up to 20 miles away

I don't like to drink hard liquor, so a glass of Pinot Noir
would do just fine for me right now, while unwinding
from the typical Monday rat race.

Ah, Francis. Is Four Roses scotch or bourbon? Bob (Dys) and I like bourbon. You and osso are talking of scotch. I'd love to try a good single malt sometime.

Four Roses must have fallen out of favor, at least amongst the people with whom I drink. Growing up, there was always a bottle of it on the top shelf of of the kitchen corner cabinet in case one of the Irish uncle priests should stop by and on Christmas morning (Christmas Morning! My mother was mortified.) my father's hunting buddies would come by to show off the new shotguns and have a short one, neat, no ice and a quick short refill for luck in the New Year, but I don't think I've seen a bottle since then. My father discovered that Manhattans tasted better if they were made with bourbon instead of whiskey and I think that ended the use of Four Roses in our house.

It's nice to hear the name though, it reminded me of all those long evenings on the front porch in the Connecticut summer. The neighborhood mothers would gather together, sharing stories of shopping adventures, failing marriages and mosquito preventatives while drinking from large glasses of whisky and soda or gin and lemonade. From the corner of Valley Street you could see their cigarettes glowing in the dark and hear their laughter soar up into the starry night.

This sounds like the beginning of a longer tale and it is, but for now, we'll leave it be.

Joe (I'll take a small Jameson, please. Just from the bottle, no ice.)Nation

Er, isn't bourbon also whiskey, she says stupidly.

I got a neat irish from the Grocery Outlet a while ago, let me go reclaim the bottle. The bottle was truly weird, divided into three, making three charming flasks for, lemme think, near the stove olive oil, canola, etc. 'Clontarf' was the name, not very catchy, I admit, but tasty.

Osso likes bourbons too. She is indiscriminate re type of booze, but only likes the good tasting ones within each category. Scniff. Otherwise one might as well snuggle up to some ethanol.

Okay, after dinner I will have some Calvados to digest.

Joe, your story reminds me of the 2 summers I have
spent in Connecticut with an italian family in Old Lyme.
Brings back good memories....

You won't be surprised that I love Calvados...

I'm not quite the sot I sound.

Have been introduced to these items by a friend of ours who stocked all the good stuff...

I remember a lovely veal dish I had once, prepared with Calvados. As luck would have it, I've found one bottle of it back in one of the dusty corners. Here, we'll have Jacques pour us a couple.

Oh, and Joe...please come back and tell us more stories. This is just the place for it!

Speaking of dusty corners, I think I've decided not to clean up the place too much more. It will lose its atmosphere.

Joe, what a lovely story. In my redneck family, if there had been any alcohol in the house, my grandmother would have had cardiac arrest!!

Jo. LOL, I'm not the sot I sound either, but I do love Calvados. I used to make something wonderful with it, but have forgotten, it's been so long. Maybe it was a pear, gorgonzola and walnut tart. That was YUM!!

So then let's continue drinking Calvados.
A cuban cigar would be nice too. Let's kick it up girls,
and have a grand time !

Sounds like a plan, Calmity Jane. Later we can have some Chambourd. That nectar is capable of taking me to another plane or a French chateau in the French Alps. Huge fire, fine company, ah, heaven.

This story I know well. It's mine, beggining in May ending in October, in my house in the countryside near Paris, with family and friends.
Large view over the Seine valley, starry nights, southernwood around, laughters...

Francis, another lovely image. What a nice way to start my day.

Yes, let's all go the countryside in France and enjoy a
couple of redwines there....

That reminds me of an episode of "Absolutely Fabulous"
when Edwina and Patsy went to France for vacation
and got lost while being drunk. Great episode!

Diane and CJ, I'd be glad to have you here!

It would be "Absolutely Fabulous"!

You sit yourself right back down, CJ! That's an order! (Refill her glass, Jacques.)

I'll bring France here for you.

Since you mentioned Chambord, we'll start there. Here's a lovely, mystical night shot.



We'll find a nearby B&B where we can stay. Then, when we wake, we can take a short stroll into town. Perhaps we can stop by the patisserie for a quick breakfast before sightseeing...



(Pssst....feel free to post more photos! Where would you like to go?)