as part of the wind-down towards retirement I've saved up my annual leave to the end of the year, enabling me to finish in style with a short series of three-week working months. And so it's off once more to Norfolk and our holiday home.
Work, rest and play
Our journey to the Shed sees the tall skies shrouded in gathering grey gloom, but the passage of scudding cloud allows time for a little maintenance work and one last pre-winter grass trim before the rain sets in. And now a special treat awaits for us in Norwich!
The world is a stage
The table's booked and we're in the back of the bus on our way to the city-centre, a return trip to Benedicts. During our first visit last month we sampled 'The Great British Menu', pronouncing it the finest meal we've ever eaten. Can it be matched, we wonder?
The omens are good as we're greeted by the ever-friendly front-of-house staff led by Maddie, their indefatigable restaurant manageress. This time we're seated close to the window, affording us a prime view of the street outside. Characters on the stage pass before us - a blue-haired goth girl riding a black bicycle, a student dressed in what appears to be a pair of curtains. Is that David Adlard, the legendary Norfolk chef, waving?
Our observations are interrupted by the arrival of two simple prawn canapes. We smile and take one each - they are absolutely delicious!
Memories of food
As we savour the delights of the prawns we reflect on special meals from the past.
Memories of a sun-drenched walk across the Charles Bridge in Prague, climbing the steps past the castle to an early evening dinner beneath a calico canopy. The smell, taste and touch of a simple rosemary-infused bread as we breathe easy and relax.
A feast of fish in the basement of Jewish restaurant in the heart of Budapest, battered and piled high. It defeated us.
And the best of all. The second meal we ate as a married couple all those years ago. The guests at our wedding breakfast long departed we walked the length of the beach where we had courted, hand in hand as teenage lovers. We married young and couldn't afford anything but fish and chips wrapped in salty paper and we were happy as sand-boys in spume-topped waves of laughter!
The meal
Our starters arrive, a delicate crab ravioli in shellfish bisque, dressed with crisp green brussel sprout leaves and tiny balls of apple. What trickery is this that a sudden burst of saltiness dissipates in a moment leaving our palates cleansed and hungry for more? Inspirational!
The cod follows, fresh-caught the night before and nestling on a bed of pearl barley. The two-way swedes are sumptuous - a rich puree sitting next to precision-sliced shards of pickled sweetness.
My dear wife finishes, unsurprisingly, with a reprise of Nanny Bush's trifle whilst I feast on a chocolate and thyme delight.
A memory awaits
As we lick the last of the pudding delights from our spoons we reflect again on our wedding memories. Each year we celebrate our anniversary with fish and chips to remind us of just where we started all those years ago.
Perhaps Benedicts for 2016...?
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