Friday 11 September 2009

11 SEP 09

Last time I wrote anything we'd been out to dinner, well yesterday we were out for lunch. These are quite rare occasions but enjoyable. Candido cooked yesterday, he's just retired from the Guardia Civil after 38 years and he also invited his neighbour Paco who also has land up near us, so we see quite a bit of him during the week. We started with boquerones - fillets of sardine marinated in olive oil, vinegar, garlic and parsley - jamon, capers, pate and bread then he made a paella with prawns, calamari and clams followed by a melon from Paco's land here washed down with lots of Pacos wine. Candido looked very fetching in his wife's flowery apron - I wanted a photo of him serving lunch but he wouldn't let me, even though I promised to take it from the shoulders down so he would be anonymous!

We also had a drink or two with friends in the evening sun at Anna's bar in the village. I'm going to try and upload footage of Antonio going home on his new donkey....it's 1 year old, cost him 400 euros and seems to have a mind of it's own!

Our wine making continues with white and black grapes this week - we're up to about 120 litres so far. There are still grapes out there to be had but the white figs are nearly over and there's not many black ones left. Lots of prickly pears which we could use! Their biggest drawback is the prickles - they have to be picked using tongs and then washed to de-prickle. One way is to make a bundle of twigs and stir them up in a bucket of water. Next Sunday - watering day - would be a good day as we could put the buckets in the running acequia water and send the prickles onto the land.

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