Life Begins At...

The Retiree Winter 2011

Life Begins At.....

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GOURMET FOOD AND WINE Beyond The Dump: A Certificate of Happiness “Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need – a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog, and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.” Jerome K Jerome Since we last chatted, life has been one of those, “Vesta situations”. Remember that ad? It amazes me that my brain still retains all those awful advertising jingles and slogans from a bygone era, even when the actual product has been long dead, buried and cremated (with apologies to the leader of Her Majesty’s loyal opposition). I still see bottles of Lindeman’s at my local bottlo, and then it pops immediately into my head… “You make me smile, Dr Lindeman, smile, Dr Lindeman, smile…” Uuuuggghhhh. And it’s going to be with me all day now. But I digress (better not upset the editor). Now let me tell you about my favourite book. The wonderfully funny and evocative “Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)” by Jerome K Jerome (see quote above). Well, Millie and myself along with the ominous geneticist Dr. S (always good to have around when there’s a spot of bother), his good wife Blanche and young daughter Ebony, decided to recreate it. Well, a day of it, and on the Murray. So meet Captain Jim Rtd. He and three of his salty seadogs, no jokes about Seaman Staines please, meet once a month on a Thursday and take their ancient wood craft out for a cruise on the Murray. Small, hand built wooden boats with tiny engines. What a way to spend your retirement…messing around in boats. 140 THE RETIREE WINTER So what’s the point of this tale (before the editor goes ballistic)? The simple act sitting on a riverbank, drinking good champagne with a splendid picnic and in good company, that’s the point of it. The Champagne is Laherte Freres Brut Tradition NV, for around $60 a bottle this fizz just sparkles on the palate. Plenty of minerality and red currant flavours, but there is a rich yeastiness along with honeyness and kitchen spice flavours that makes this wine a stand out from the usual Champagne suspects at this price. Look out for it at the Oak Barrel in Sydney. Of course given Millie’s predilection for only drinking Champagne in the afternoons of a special occasion, another bottle was called for. Curious, it seems every afternoon is “special occasion” in our household. Some more so than others. So dipping into the hamper for another fresh buttered dinner roll with prosciutto and Taleggio cheese, I pulled out a bottle of Sheer Drop Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV. Aaah ha! I bought this in Bendigo at a splendid establishment called the The Dispensary Enoteca (fab food and what a beer and wine list – puts Adelaide to shame!!). Tim the owner recommended this sparkler as being something quite special and it’s from Bendigo. For around $20 I have never tasted an Aussie fizz with so much flavour and texture and one that displays the ever impressive

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