Rose Petal Wine - Eighth Bottle (B4), 20th February 2016

It has been less than a week since we last had a bottle of rose petal and, thus, this wine breaks all my rules. However, the meal was entirely Turkish and Rachel was in attendance. Therefore, I tore up the rule book as special circumstances applied.

The food was fabulous: from aubergines baked with walnuts, through a spinach and feta filo pie, to spiced yoghurt cake drenched in honey sauce, and plenty in between.

Earlier in the day, I had collected the Moses tapestry done by my great-great-grandmother from the framers.(it looks fabulous) and spent an entertaining two hours at Dean Clough Mills in Halifax with cousin Lou, Mike, Adam & Daniel. A full and pleasant day.

The Moses Tapestry

Orange Wine - Eleventh Bottle (B5), 19th February 2016

It feels like I have spent the entire evening washing up. Claire has been cooking frantically, in preparation for tomorrow night's Turkish Extravaganza (vegetarian). Consequently I have been creating order out of chaos in the kitchen.

The orange wine was opened for a fish pie. I had suggested something real, but Claire fancied something with a citrus kick, and this wine has that aplenty.

Other than the vast amounts of washing dishes, the other notable (read "dull") thing about today was that I walked to work for the first time since moving. Six miles in one hour twenty five minutes. Surprisingly, it was a delight.

Elderflower Wine - Ninth Bottle (A3), 17th-18th February 2016

It is half-term this week, and therefore no WYSO. Instead I spent Wednesday evening in Wakefield at Nick's discussing the Pontefract concert in June. A James Bond medley could be fun; the Prince Igor Suite will not be. Back at home I shooed out Claire's quartet, opened this bottle and settled down to Bake Off.

On Thursday, elderflower wine kept me company as I made Lentil Farmer's Pie. I didn't get flustered and the end result was the best that I have done. The wine served its purpose and was as dependable, summery and floral as ever.


Recipe for Lentil Farmer's Pie (with apologies to Delia) (feeds 2)

3 oz green lentils
3 oz red lentils
1 onion
2 small-ish carrots
1 stick of celery
half a courgette
clove of garlic
a chilli (taking out as many seeds as you fancy depending on how hot you want it)
lots of butter
a tomato or two
pinch of mace
salt and pepper

as many potatoes as looks sensible for mash on top
more butter
bit of milk
strong cheddar cheese

1. Boil the lentils in separate pans in enough water to absorb and a bit extra until they are done. (Red lentils cook much faster than green lentils - hence the different pans. Probably 15 mins for the red lentils and 40 for the green - but that is approximate.)

2. Meanwhile, soften the butter, and put in the diced onion, crushed garlic and sliced chilli. Cook until onion is looking soft

3. Put in the diced carrot, sliced celery stick and (after a bit) the diced half courgette.

4. When the veg looks done, and the lentils are done, drain the lentils, squeeze out excess water, put them in with the veg and mix thoroughly.

5.  Add plenty of salt and pepper and mix through. Put in a dash of ground mace and mix that too.

6.  Put the mix into a small casserole dish, slice the tomatoes thinly and put those on top

7. Make mashed potato, mashing it with the butter and milk.

8. Put on top of the mixture

9. Grate the cheddar cheese and put on top

10. Put in the oven at Gas 6, 220 degrees, and cook for about half an hour (maybe a bit less).

11. Serve with whatever you fancy. I had chutney.

Rose Petal Wine - Seventh Bottle (B6), 14th February 2016

It is Valentine's Day. What other bottle than Road Petal could I open? Well, strawberry springs to mind. This bottle of rose petal, however, was delicious. It has exactly the right level of sweetness combined with the exotic, floral taste of roses. And a delightful pink colour too.

Claire and I have had a lovely Sunday, rounding off a fabulous weekend. This morning was lit by winter sun and we took a walk to Roundhay Park and back, marvelling at the huge red-brick Edwardian houses we passed. Then this evening, Claire baked a chicken pie from The Hairy Bikers' Cook Book. Right now I am feeling both tiddly and sleepy. It is a good combination.

Rhubarb Wine - Eighth Bottle (B2), 13th-15th February 2016

A good bottle of rhubarb, which this was, is a delight. It has a dry complex flavour that could be mistaken for wine of the grape variety. We drank most of it on Saturday to Chinese roast pork, having spent the day buying unexpected flooring and curtains, and dressing up as builders.

It is a rare Saturday that we do not finish the bottle, and this was one of those occasions. The last glasses were drunk tonight, Tuesday, after an intense visit (is there any other sort?) from a Wesleyan Financial Advisor.

Us Dressing Up as Builders

Blackberry Wine - Seventeenth Bottle (B), 12th February 2016

I think this bottle has not improved on keeping. It was fine, but blackberry should be delicious. There was a bitter undertone and the whole thing was less fruity than usual. We drank it to a beef stew that Claire had made earlier in the week. The plan for the evening had been to sit quietly in front of the stove (after I had finished putting my Prune & Parsnip wine into its demijohns and racking the Christmas Tutti Fruti). However, the neighbours - who are teachers - had just broken up for half term and their music of questionable taste was loudest in the front room. I arsed about on the computer instead.

Redcurrant Wine - Tenth Bottle (B6), 10th-12th February 2016

I opened this bottle on Wednesday evening after WYSO and sat down to watch the Celebrity Great British Bake Off. Except it wasn't on. There was some football match instead. Rubbish! And Disappointing. But the bottle was open, so Claire and I had a glass each and went to bed.

I was out on Thursday playing unsatisfactory trios with Pat & Peter, leaving the wine with Claire. I finished what was left tonight. For some reason I began the evening feeling remarkably cross. One glass of redcurrant wine later (which is okay with little to be said about it) and my mood had improved.