A marathon tasting!

Sophie and I sat and watched most of yesterday's Saturday Morning Kitchen with a cup of coffee and a pastry first thing, before embarking on some jobs. I started packing and making sure we had our maps and guidebooks and discovered, sadly, that the train to Soller from Palma was closed until the end of January. We'd planned on taking this one day over the holiday, but we can still drive to the seaside resort instead, although not the mountainous route, which is a bit hairy!

Outside we saw sunshine and blue skies again but it was chilly. I still can't believe we're escaping to warmer climates over Christmas! It doesn't seem real.

My Mum gave me a slight shock today when she called to say that my Dad wasn't well and she thought he was going to die... not really what I wanted to hear a week before we go! I called the care home and spoke to one of the carers, who said that he had a bit of a cough and that they were monitoring him. So, not at death's door then... I think she's playing up a little as I haven't seen my Dad for a few weeks. I'm always twitchy during the week leading up to a holiday and fear anything going wrong so this did give me a bit of stress today!

I opened four of my whiskies this afternoon and shared them with Sophie. It was lovely to sit and relax, enjoy a slice of fruit cake and sip the drinks!

December 12th: Glen Scotia Double Cask Single Malt Whisky at 46%. This reminded us of apples. For me, in a good way, such as apple crumble with winter spices, but Sophie hated it and said for her it tasted of rancid apples... Oh! 3/5

December 13th: King of Trees 10-year-old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky at 46.5%. Terry's chocolate orange, crystallised fruits? and pear drops. We both loved this one and would definitely buy a bottle. 5/5

December 14th: Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 15-year-old at 46%.  Shortbread biscuits, cookie dough, slightly piney. Sophie said pine needles, butter and eucalyptus. 4/5

December 15th: The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey 40%.  A beautiful colour, pear drops again, custard and fruit crumble. Sophie said Tia Maria and pepper! Lovely, and we both enjoyed this one. 5/5

Phew! We both had to go and have a lie down after that!

Sophie cooked dinner tonight, a recipe for chicken biryani that Vikesh's mum had given her, but it was not a success. There was very little flavour, so we decided to eat it again tomorrow and add a curry sauce to it in the hope of injecting a little spice! Sophie said she was sorry, but I have made some truly disastrous meals in the past - my pork and apple dish springs to mind - and once we both cooked inedible pork ribs! It happens! We hardly remember all the good dishes we turn out, it's the bad ones that stick in the memory! I just felt so sorry that she had taken ages in preparing it!