Greetings dear members, I don’t know how I’m going
to write this newsletter as I’ve just started The DaVinci
Code and quite frankly I’m hooked. I’ll try not to let
it influence my writing, ok.
Xmas next week and things are starting to get a bit crazy already
(but not as crazy as the albino monk on a killing spree, oops!)
with people buying up big for their Chrissy parties and the like.
But even though all around you people feel the need to be extra
impatient and rudeness seems to become common place, I want you,
my good members, to practice a little extra patience and tolerance
and lets all try not to contribute to the road rage, shopping rage
and any other Christmas induced rage that seems to take some peoples
fancy.
I want us all to not only enjoy the 25th, but the lead up to Christmas
can be fun and enriching too, as long as we are prepared to stop
and smell the roses.
I hope you’ve taken my advice and got yourselves organized,
don’t leave the shopping till the last moment, there’s
no excuse as you did know Christmas was on the way!
Last week I said about the range of gift packs we have on sale,
well you can add two more beauties to that. Our own exclusive his
and hers gift eskies.
Even the members of Opus Dai would break their vows when they see
the value in these pressies. (There I go again).
Gift packs...
HIS
...contains, in a foam esky, a stubbie each of Pilsner
Urquell, James Squire pilsner, Kirin,
Steinlager, Becks and Heineken
plus two excellent beer glasses from Belgium, Cadbury Favourite
chocolates and a bag of mixed nuts. Great value at only $29.95
HERS
...contains, also in a foam esky, a 200ml Piccolo
each of Yellow bubbly, Pink
bubbly, Jacobs Creek
bubbly, Killawarra Dusk,
Kahlua and milk
and Baileys Glide, plus four delicious
gourmet chocolate packs and two French Bubbly flutes. Again representing
great value at only $29.95
Also... One of my favourite beers, Grolsch, has
a ripper of a pack; it’s a 1.5 ltr swing top bottle and two
Grolsch beer glasses together in a sturdy carry box. Only
$24.95 and the bottle has a myriad of uses when not full
of beer.
Speaking of beer, we now stock the full range of Mildura
Brewery beers, so there’s an extra gift idea to stuff
into the stocking.
Our Fishers Liquor catalogue is out now and
the specials last until Christmas so there’s no point waiting
till the week before to see what’s on special... HERES your
chance to get stocked up with all the drinks and goodies and miss
out on the madness the week before xmas.
The Summer edition of BYO liquor and lifestyle
magazine is now in stock. Its quite a good read with wine reviews,
recipes, new products and travel all for the reasonable price of,
$ZIP.00, you read that right,nix, nothing. So don’t forget
to grab a complimentary copy next time you're in.
Tasting
This Friday Afternoon we have the Stonehaven range
of wines from the Padthaway region in South Australia. And to coincide
with this is their new pricing of $9.95 down from $15.95. Now that’s
what I call value.
Hope to see you all here between 4.30 and
7.30 Friday arvo.
Congrats to Lea and Peter
Walmsley winners of last weeks tasting comp.
They scored themselves a yummy bottle of Zilzie Viognier and a couple
of glasses. Well Done.
Food
Last week I promised you a recipe for Panforte.
The word means strong bread in Italian, it’s the yummiest
fruit cake on earth, rich and dense (no reference to Paris Hilton!)
It was first made around the year 1000 by the monks of sienna and
was taken by Crusaders on their pilgrimages to the holy lands, which
reminds me of the great book I’m reading at the moment!.
Panforte is the Christmas cake of Siena and should
be of the world as its so damn good, you’ll see.
Ingredients
250g blanched almonds
250g roasted hazelnuts
120g glace apricots
120g glace pineapple
120g mixed peel
1 1/3 cup plain flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons cinnamon
120g dark chocolate
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup honey
Icing sugar for dusting
Traditionally it also has a pinch or two of white
pepper, ground coriander and cloves but I choose to leave them out.
Spread the almonds on a tray and put into a warm
oven till lightly golden, this also improves their flavour. Put
the almonds in a bowl with the glace fruit, mixed peel, sifted cinnamon,
cocoa and flour, mix well.
To prepare your baking tray line with glad bake
so it goes up the sides, you will probably need two 20cm spring
form pans as the cake should only be about 10cm high at the most.
And set the oven to 170c or 350f.
Now melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
Put the sugar and honey in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until
the sugar has dissolved, then bring it to the boil, reduce the heat
and simmer for 5 minutes. To check that it is ready grab a glass
of cold water and carefully drop some syrup in, it should form a
soft ball. If it makes a soft ball move onto the next step if not
keep simmering and test every five minutes.
Add the syrup and chocolate to the dry nut mix and
mix well, if you’re having trouble mixing it together and
the chocolate has gone hard, a few drops of the boiling water will
soften the mix enough to resume mixing.
Now spread quickly into the two pans pushing it
into the corners using a strong damp spoon. I sometimes wet my hands
and push the mix flat. Bake in the preset oven for 35 minutes. Allow
to cool in the pans before turning out and pulling off the paper.
When really cool sprinkle icing sugar on top and
slice thinly, about 1cm, I guarantee you won’t stop eating
it, and that’s why we made two! Belisimo!!
Christmas Give Aways
'SUM UP CHRISTMAS COMPETITION'
First Prize: We are giving away 4 MAGNUMS
OF WINE.
2nd & 3rd Prize: Will win l magnum each.
All you have to do is in twenty five words
or less is, sum up what Christmas is to you (remembering that I
love Christmas, let’s keep it on the up side, OK!). Make it
as witty and funny as you can, the prize will go to the one that
makes me laugh the most.
Email winetime@fishers.com.au
me and watch for the Wine time newsletter 30th Dec for the winners.
Talk about a Christmas bonus!
