Surfeiting

The sisters came for lunch today, we are so very lucky they are such good and wise women. Yesterday, the Owl who is removed and Fr John Boyle, the night before a few diocesan priests. Christmas day there was a retired priest and another priest and his mother, between them a smattering of parishioners a few lay friends.


Hospitality is very important, and I love it when good food and drink is flowing into my guests.


My Aunt Agatha, pronounced Ag'artha was very frightening in Wodehousian auntish way once wrote to my brother when he turned up late for a dinner party saying, "I had always been brought up to understand the acceptance of a dinner invitation creates a sacred bond. Having accepted an invitation, if one should die before the event, one is under such a serious obligation to attend, one should at the very least ensure one's executor attends in one's place."

My Uncle Bob who was much less pretentious used to "Pudding, wonderful gives you a reason for pudding wine".

So here is an easy recipe for sherbet or sorbet if you are French, I made it with pomegranate juice, I'll try it with wine, it should work, providing the alcohol is boiled off.

Zap some fresh juice with enough caster sugar to make a sickly syrup, there should be almost enough sugar for a little to remain undissolved in the bottom of the bowl, leave that but put the syrup in the freezer, stir it from time to time, when it is almost set, zap again. Serve it the same day otherwise it loses its freshness.