{"id":1240,"date":"2020-01-24T13:30:25","date_gmt":"2020-01-24T12:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1240"},"modified":"2020-01-24T13:30:25","modified_gmt":"2020-01-24T12:30:25","slug":"international-feasting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parkvintners.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1240","title":{"rendered":"International Feasting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fellow Wine\nLovers,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the news this\nweek, the Withdrawal Agreement has passed into law, China has five cities with\ntravel restrictions to contain a new virus, Trump is still being impeached,\nthere\u2019s been an earthquake on Teeside and Bercow has been accused of bullying\nagain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would appear\nthat once again our invite to Davos got lost in the post, we\u2019ve both been\nchomping at the bit to go to there and listen to billionaires telling\nmillionaires what sacrifices the world\u2019s poor need to make to halt global\nwarming. Realistically, Alex was more interested in the skiing and Wayne had\nheard the wine at the dinners was rather good. As you can imagine, we\u2019ve looked\nelsewhere for inspiration this week and can only hope they don\u2019t forget us next\nyear!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It looks to me\nlike a weekend of feasting lies ahead of us for those who\u2019d like to join in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1801 a group\nof merchants in Greenock formed the first Burns Club (still going to this day!).\nDespite what you might think, it had nothing to do with fire insurance rather\nthan some of them knew the Scottish poet Robbie Burns. Thinking it was his\nbirthday, they held their first Burn\u2019s Supper on January 29th<\/sup> 1802.\nThe following year, somebody had the wherewithal to check the parish records\nand discover he was born on January 25th<\/sup> and the rest, as they say,\nis history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We both tend to\nget a bit involved in this each year, not for the reciting of the poetry, rather\na fondness of haggis, and it\u2019s the one time of year you can easily find it in\nthese parts. Alex takes his in the traditional manner, with a dram or two of\nwhisky alongside the \u2018Great chieftain o’ the puddin-race\u2019 whilst Wayne tends to\ngo with a glass of red wine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re suggesting\nMary Queen of Scots (\u00a335)<\/strong> a blend of\ntwelve premium single malts at 12 years of age representing the number of years\nshe was on the throne. The whisky is lovely and complex and good value.  Otherwise, a natty combination of Wayne\u2019s red\nwine and Alex\u2019s whisky would be the Benromach\nSassacaia Wood Finish (\u00a348)<\/strong>, a whisky aged for two years in red wine\nbarrels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those of you\nless enamoured with haggis but still keen for a spot of feasting, Saturday 25th<\/sup>\nJanuary is also the Chinese New Year, with 2020 bringing the Year of the Rat.\nFor the superstitious amongst you things to avoid on Saturday include washing\nclothes, using scissors and sweeping floors. A year of bad luck cannily avoided,\nrats are seen as a sign of wealth and surplus, as well as fertility.  London hosts the largest Chinese New Year parades\noutside of Asia, so do pop along to Trafalgar Square where it all starts at\naround 10am. Foods to feast upon include steamed fish, dumplings, spring rolls\nand sweet rice balls. As a wine partner we\u2019re thinking a Riesling so why not Hugel Classic Riesling (\u00a317.99)<\/strong> with\nits classic fruit character and dry finish. Otherwise Deep Roots Riesling (\u00a312.99)<\/strong> might work if you\u2019re heading for\nsomething a little spicier, it\u2019s slightly fruitier style might just tantalise\nthe taste buds a little better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Scotland and\nChina have not flipped open your feasting follicles how about something from a\nbit further south. Sunday 26th<\/sup> January is Australia Day and, in true\nAussie style, there are many ways to celebrate, from the 39th<\/sup> Annual\nCockroach race at the Story Bridge Hotel in Brisbane, an enormous firework\ndisplay in Perth with 300,000 people expected, or a Lamington eating\ncompetition at Suttons Beach in Redcliffe.  We think we can make a strong argument for\npopping your fleece on and getting the barbecue going Sunday afternoon, maybe\nsome burgers with beetroot for an Aussie twist, or butterfly that leg of lamb\nand cook over the charcoal whilst the potatoes roast in the oven. For this we\u2019d\nlike to suggest  Flametree Shiraz (\u00a318.99)<\/strong> it\u2019s from a couple of hours further south\nof the big firework display at Perth and will be very tasty whether you brave\nthe barbecue or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, for\nsomething completely different, we have egg and spam; egg, bacon and spam; egg,\nbacon, sausage and spam; spam, bacon, sausage and spam; spam, egg, spam, spam,\nbacon and spam; spam, spam, spam, egg and spam; spam, spam, spam, spam, spam,\nspam, baked beans, spam, spam, spam and spam; or lobster thermidor aux\ncrevettes, with a mornay sauce garnished with truffle pat\u00e9, brandy and a fried\negg on top and spam\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diary Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 28th<\/sup> January <\/strong>\u2013 We\u2019ll be opening later as we have a\ndelivery to do in town. We hope to be back by 3pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monday 3rd<\/sup> Feb Tuesday 4th<\/sup>\nFeb<\/strong> \u2013 We\u2019ll be closed as\nwe\u2019re going to see the folks at Hepple in naughty Northumberland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday 13th<\/sup> February <\/strong>\u2013 The years first Cheese & Wine Tasting<\/strong> here at the shop at 8pm. Cost is still \u00a320\nper person. Don\u2019t be a cheese dodger!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the tasting table<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would seem\nappropriate to have open some of those we have mentioned above, so we will have\nopen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n