Friday 4 December 2009

Seasons Greetings




Well the decorations and Santas have been in the shops for a month now so I feel happy to pass on some Christmas cheer! This week has seen the first snow of the winter only on the fells, but that is the best place for it. Monday dawned cold and clear, a trip up Scafell Pike was already organised with the possibility of a winter route. Just to be clear "winter route" to me means a grade 1 gully filled with snow not an ice smeared precipice! So I was a bit perturbed when my mate Ben turned up with a boot full of shiny climbing gear and even a spare helmet for me. Not wanting to seem rude I offered to carry the helmet and let him carry the expensive climbing gear.




It really was a great day, we were at Hollowstones at the foot of Pikes crag by about 11.30am and the sun would have been shining if it wasn't on the other side of the mountain. That is the beauty of this crag, no sun in the morning to melt the snow! With about 6 inches of snow lying and more in small drifts we chose to ascend via Long Gully, this is the obvious line up the face that can be seen from the lake and turned out to be an enjoyable easy grade 1 climb.
Looking down from the top with the temp at -5c we were glad to be up there and not diving in the lake!


Back at Brook House Inn, the decorations will be going up soon, the damson vodka is maturing nicely and New Years eve menu is finally written

New Years Eve Dinner 2009
Appetizer
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North Atlantic seared Scallops with cauliflower puree & pancetta foam
Goat’s cheese Rarebit with beetroot chutney
Smoked Salmon tartare with fennel crackers & red pepper salsa
Rabbit & pistachio terrine with salad leaves & piccalilli
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Black vodka martini sorbet
Tomato soup
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Halibut fillet with home smoked brown trout mousse,
lime hollandaise, garlic potato cake and wrapped greens.
Roasted partridge with an air-dried ham coat, pheasant stuffing and duck leg confit jus, celeriac potato cake and honey parsnips.
Venison medallion with girole mushrooms, balsamic berry reduction, celeriac potato cake and honey parsnips.
Lightly smoked tofu marinated in Islay malt, served on a bed of spiced red cabbage with potato and almond tarts.
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Clementine Syllabub with Ginger Tuille crisps & shot of orange Muscat
Mille-feuille of Chocolate cream & crème patisserie with a raspberry coulis
Egg Nog Trifle with boozy berries, Chantilly cream & toasted almonds
Maderia Poached Pear tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream & espresso syrup
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Cumbrian cheese board
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Champagne at midnight
Please arrive 7 for 7.30pm
£47.50 per person

If you would like to come please remember booking and pre-ordering is required.

On another note the King George appears to have closed its doors for the time being and the Woolpack is closed until next season. Brook House is open all day every day except Christmas Day and The Boot Inn is open from 4pm daily.

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