On our trip to Italy, we like to refer it to as our Ferrari Trip, Athena arranged a Balsamic tasting. What a treat it was.
We were welcomed in our Ferrari by the proprietor, his family and his assistants, lined up outside their magnificent and sumptuous home.
The lady guide showed us around the vast homestead with its antique furnishings and ornament-filled showcases.
We went to the attic and we (at least I was...) surprised to find out how they made Balsamic vinegar.
Unlike coolness required for wine, the opposite was needed and an ancient mariner made the discovery when some barrels of wine turned into Balsamic vinegar.
Yumm, thanks to our fellow sailor who had the revelation.
We tasted many Balsamics up to as old as fifty years, and I thought that the ones which
were around ten to fifteen years old were the finest with the two year old, mature cheese. They were a blend of syrupy and aged but not too sweet where it overpowers the delicate balance of acidity. Shown here, we indulged ourselves tasting Parmigiano Reggiano with the aged nectar of various vintages. We also luxuriated in ice cream drizzled with 50 year-old, which was well suited.
And bought a bottle of the one on the right, below.
I've written two books: Rough Diamonds and SOME PICNIC!
My first book Rough Diamonds is set in the sixties, and this killer read takes you to a mining village called Scallyclare in South Africa. There is deceit, evil, malice, negligence, blackmail, rape, murder. It starts when the three children's Grandfather gives them three uncut diamonds. Along with those, he gives them each a bracelet with their names engraved on. The diamonds and the bracelets become their blessings and their terrifying curses...
This killer read is not for the gutless!
I'm starting work on my follow-up book, which will have the word 'Diamonds' in the title. You can follow progress on Pinterest, where I'll post some mood or theme boards and some excerpts as and when they become ready. You can see the progress on: https://uk.pinterest.com/ianrobinson9655/my-next-novel/
“Big sky.” Athena, my wife, would say sometimes looking up at the vastness above.
“Wow, where did you get that from?” I’d asked the first time she said it.
“I felt it the first time I came to Africa. There’s just so much space and when you look out at the landscape it just seems to go on and on and on to the horizon and up into an endless sky.”
Big sky. What a profound thing to say.
This captures the feelings which we set out to achieve in Horizon's Gourmet Picnics.
It's a true story about Athena's (my wife) and my business just outside Rosetta in the Midlands of KZN, South Africa. Follows the finding of the property (it wasn't what we had in mind...), setting up the concept for the Gourmet Picnic business, naming the place 'Horizons' (which says 'as far as you can see' and sends a message 'to stretch our guests' expectations'). Selling the business.
I'd like some people to review my books Rough Diamonds and SOME PICNIC! (See below). I'll give you free books to review.
I hope you’ll take time to check them out at Smashwords, where you can sample the first 15% of the books for free.
Here’s the direct link to my book page, where you can sample or purchase the book: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/704634
and https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/706474
Here’s the link to my author profile:
Won’t you also take a moment to spread the word about my books to everyone you know?
Thank you so much for your support!
There's a bonus after the story. You can read the first chapters of my other book after the end of the book.
