What are you eating/drinking right now?

[Emil Miller]

Tonight I didn't have the slightest inclination to cook anything so, as is often the case on these occasions, I made a cheese sandwich and drank a small bottle of vino rosso before turning my attention to my Justerini & Brooks whisky, supplemented by American dry ginger ale. There was a small amount of Janneau brandy left in its bottle so I finished that off with a Coca Cola mixer. So now I'm back on the Scotch and I have become aware that I should add some American dry to alleviate the slightly inebriating effect of drinking it straight.

[LitNetIsGreat]

A word of caution re the Leffe: although it goes down very easily, it should be treated with respect as it's stronger than the usual lagers.

That's true but Leffe should always be sipped from a 330ml glass, like most Belgian ales. You should never put Leffe in a standard pint glass, though I have seen it done in some underhand pubs, tut, tut...

Tonight I didn't have the slightest inclination to cook anything so, as is often the case on these occasions, I made a cheese sandwich and drank a small bottle of vino rosso before turning my attention to my Justerini & Brooks whisky, supplemented by American dry ginger ale. There was a small amount of Janneau brandy left in its bottle so I finished that off with a Coca Cola mixer. So now I'm back on the Scotch and I have become aware that I should add some American dry to alleviate the slightly inebriating effect of drinking it straight.

I don't often drink spirits but whisky and ginger ale is my most popular venture into the spirit world, especially at Christmas.

I've just got home from about 8 hours of tennis and beer. I've immediately reached for some pasta and then a handful of Brazil nuts I got from Sheffield market for £4 a bag. A bit pricey I thought at the time but these nuts seem to last.

I've stuck a 750ml bottle of Leffe on chill and got my Leffe glass on standby...

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

The recent lauding of Leffe forced me to purchase a six pack earlier this week for a trial run.
My delivery method at the moment is pretty simple; straight from the bottle.
Not bad on a hot Texas day.

[Emil Miller]

The recent lauding of Leffe forced me to purchase a six pack earlier this week for a trial run.
My delivery method at the moment is pretty simple; straight from the bottle.
Not bad on a hot Texas day.

This is nothing short of sacrilege; as it should be sipped and not gulped down like a tin of Fosters. How is the flavour to be savoured if it's treated like the lunchtime tipple of a truck driver listening to Dolly Parton and chewing on a Yorkie bar?
No, imagine you are seated in some small Belgian estaminet having just partaken of an exquisite repast of boiled horse meat and potatoes, for it is only in such circumstances that the delicate texture of Leffe will be truly appreciated.

[prendrelemick]

Bishop's Finger last night, not bad at all. That's the last of my Birthday beer gone.



Under what circumstances should one sample a Bishop's Finger by the way.

[Helga]

in about two minuets it's coffee but right now just water.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Bishop's Finger last night, not bad at all. That's the last of my Birthday beer gone.



Under what circumstances should one sample a Bishop's Finger by the way.

Oh so you're the one with the birthday. Yes Bishop's Finger is not bad at all...actually I was thinking about Bishop's Finger yesterday. I'm not sure when one should pull a Bishop's Finger? Perhaps on a Sunday or for some other solemn occasion.

I've just had some ice cream, strawberries and melon in a Leffe glass but I wouldn't recommend the combination. For some reason the ice cream seems to super-freeze the melon and then the strawberries and they don't taste too good that way.

[Emil Miller]

Yes Bishop's Finger is not bad at all...actually I was thinking about Bishop's Finger yesterday. I'm not sure when one should pull a Bishop's Finger? Perhaps on a Sunday or for some other solemn occasion.

Here's the info on Bishop's Finger.


The French have their appelation controlée, the Germans have their rheinheitsgebot purity laws, but the British had nothing – until now.

Until Shepherd Neame unveiled its Bishops Finger Charter in 2003.

First brewed at the Faversham Brewery in 1958, Bishops Finger Strong Kentish Ale has been brewed continuously ever since and is unique in many ways.

It is certainly the only English beer to have its own Charter, which decrees that the ale must be brewed only on Fridays by the Head Brewer and that it must be tasted on a weekly basis by a member of the Board of Directors.

The Charter further stipulates that the 5.4% abv ale can only be brewed using pure artesian well water drawn from Kentish Greensand, winter pearl malting barley harvested by Roddy Loder-Symonds on Denne Hill Farm at Womenswold between Canterbury and Dover, and peerless East Kent Goldings hops, grown less than 30 miles away from the brewery.

Bishops Finger holds the rare distinction of being granted a Protective Geographic Indicator by the European Union, which means it’s the only beer in Britain entitled to be known as a Kentish strong ale.

In fact, Bishops Finger is believed to be unique in that it’s a product of a single county. It’s brewed in Kent using water from the Faversham Brewery’s artesian well and raw materials – barley and hops – grown in Kent.

The ale takes its quirky name from finger-shaped Kentish wayside signposts which pointed pilgrims the way to St Thomas à Becket’s shrine in Canterbury Cathedral before it was destroyed on the orders of Henry VIII in 1538

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes that's interesting. It used to be the blurb on the back of the bottle, some of it anyway, I wonder if it still is? I think I might have to get a bottle of that for tonight actually. I think I've had just about all of the Shepherd Neame beers and they're all quality brews, I think Spitfire is their biggest seller along with Bishop's Finger.

[richardshelton]

Carrot juice.


Very good and has no sugar.

A very well kept secret.

I should start a thread on how to maintain a sugar free lifestyle one of these days.

[papayahed]

Nachos and a Provo Girl beer.

[Emil Miller]

Just had a ham sandwich with a couple of glasses of Shiraz red wine.
Now I am eating pastrami flavoured bagel chips and drinking Sambuca with lemonade and a dash of blackcurrant cordial.
Times are hard but we must make the most of them.

[Buckthorn]

Black coffee

[Helga]

Bríó.

[Emil Miller]

I've just been drinking Amaretto and brandy with lots of ice. It's known as a French Connection but whatever it's called it is propelling me to bed.