People of Britain: Stop abusing your vegetables!!!

I was over in Britain recently for vacation. British food really doesn't deserve the bad reputation it has, with the exception of the consistantly over-cooked vegetables. You get lovely meat dishes and other nice things and then they bring out trays of boiled to death vegetables. It is very sad as they can get quite nice vegetables over there. Nice, harmless vegetables that have never done anything to deserve such treatment.

On the wine front, I tried some Sancerre whilst in London. I sure paid for it, but if you can pretend that the price is in dollars instead of pounds it doesn't seem so bad. Then you just keep that stiff upper lip when the Visa bill comes. I enjoyed the Harrod's Sancerre, and also had another one at an overpriced 'French' bistro at Heathrow. I must say I am quite smitten. I have never considered myself a huge fan of Sauvignon Blanc. I don't mind it, some are nice, but the New Zealand ones can be a bit over the top with their degree of zestiness and delightful cat pee flavours and I am losing my taste for overly fruity wines. Bring in the Sancerre...such a delightfully sharp style of Sauv Blanc. Still zesty, but not offensively so. Nice mineral touch, not too fuity. I very much enjoy the three I have tried in the past few weeks; two in London, one here. The one here was Chateau de Sancerre and cost me about $30. I think they are possibly discontinuing it (not too many folks in Whse want to fork over $30 for a wine that isn't big and red I'll bet) as it was in a special display that was also trying to get rid of Pouilly-Fuisse (also $30 and I couldn't resist). So I got a bottle of each. I very much liked the Sancerre and will go pay $30 for another bottle if I get around to it, although I'd be happier under $25. The Pouilly-Fuisse was not worth $30. It was a nice enough Chardonnay, but I have had much better with less fancy names and price tags.

In my same buying binge I picked up a bottle of Prosecco which I am eager to try, but fizzy doesn't keep well so I may wait until I have a few people to try it with me. I had a Summerhill (pyramid wackyness) sparkling after the Sancerre on Friday at Melanie's. It was tasty, and interesting with a dollup of lychee liqueur added, although I think it was too nice to add stuff and should be left alone which is how we had most of it. The $60+ Veuve-Cliquot Champagne in the liquor store has been tempting me for a while. I may just have to make up an occasion. Mum's birthday is soon, that's a good one.