I'm a little piglet...

Oink, oink!

'Face it, you're a pig' said my friend Mervyn the other day, not without affection but simultaneously critical. He had been reading my blog (I have at least one reader...!) and had reached his conclusion, unclouded by doubt and only confirmed by my less than svelte appearance. 'You simply overdo it' he said, or words to that effect.

Well, I was intrigued, even a bit upset, as I don't view myself quite like that. Was he right? Do I just overdo it all the time, stuffing my face and pouring enormous quantities of fine wine down my gullet? Was my existence not one of Spartan denial and abstinence but an endless round of gastronomic consumption, of almost gargantuan proportions?

Yes and no, as that wonderful creation Sir Humphrey would say in Yes, Minister (for my money the best comedy series ever). I do eat and drink, sometimes to excess, but hardly ever in an uncontrolled fashion with no rhyme or reason. And I try, when I have exceeded my self-imposed limits, to balance things out during the days that follow. Generally, though not abstemious, I live a pretty controlled life eating and drinking-wise.

Having said that, I find food and wine endlessly interesting, intriguing, challenging, from the lowliest fast food to the finest haute cuisine, treating everything I consume with great seriousness, literally everything. Food and drink are very important in my life, their tastes/textures/smells, not so much in terms of quantity as quality; they are a big part of who and what I am, what I enjoy in life. Not everyone feels that way and I understand and accept this - many other people I know are far less interested and/or more restrained, so perhaps they can be critical of those who are different. Should they be, though?

To my mind there is nothing finer in life that sharing decent food and wine with good people, friends or potential friends, nothing more civilised and civilising. It is unthinkable that I would ever be barred from doing so and, if that were to happen, I would seriously consider departing this life; if shown incapable of it, would spend the rest of my days in misery. Food (and wine, like the two bottles shown) is something I take very, very seriously, evaluate constantly (always in context) and enjoy in solitude or, preferably, with company. Though not entirely an omnivore, I do enjoy trying new things, new tastes and textures (not slimy, please...).

Do I eat to excess? Sometimes I do, at other times I am very restrained. Do I eat uncontrollably, just gobble down food till I cannot eat any more? Never. Am I greedy? Yes, but rarely to excess. Do I eat fattening things? Of course I do, some of them are healthy (pistachio nuts, avocado etc.) and others less so. Would I benefit from losing weight? Certainly, if I were ten kilograms or so lighter it wouldn't be a bad thing, and I'm aware of that.

But next time somebody places an interesting plate of food in front of me I will consume it with gusto and maybe ask for a little more. I'll enjoy thinking about the ingredients, how they were brought together and if there could be a better way of doing so. Then I'll wash it all down with a nice glass of wine or an interesting beer, critically judging the combination. And I'll clear up my plate, mopping up the sauce with some decent bread, to the great satisfaction of the cook/chef, usually earning me a big smile of appreciation.

I wonder if pigs do that sort of thing?


P.S.  :  The two wines shown were enjoyed on two separate occasions.
The 2015 Coriole Chenin Blanc from Australia (unusually from McLaren Vale, mainly red wine country) was everything you'd expect from a well-made CB - crisp, with some depth, good structure and long on the palate. It was enjoyed with my friend Richard over a simple but excellent pizza lunch on a very rainy August day.
The Vasse Felix 2013 Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon is a typical Bordeaux blend, ages beautifully and has a lovely depth of flavour (lusciously white peachy), is complex and long with a gentle woody backdrop. A superb glass of wine and currently on offer at under £8.00 - a super bargain!