“Armistice Day” 2022

Armistice Day – 11 November, was a Friday. It was also my birthday.

I drove that morning to Long Melford in Suffolk for a weekend with the family. The elegant Old School House in the shadow of Melford Hall was our home for the weekend.

A few glasses of Louis Roederer later, we walked to the Bull for dinner. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Santa Rita Shiraz accompanied my steak & ale pie. The birthday cake was ceremoniously demolished.

Saturday was a beautiful autumn’s day. Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, grilled tomatoes and avocados were eaten for breakfast before a walk in the country past Melford Hall and Holy Trinity Church, followed by a pint at the Swan.

Melford Hall with its historic church, two Tudor manor houses and an extensive country park is home to the Hyde Parker family for over 300 years.

The Holy Trinity church constructed between 1467 and 1497 in the late Perpendicular Gothic style, is an example of a Suffolk medieval wool church. There has been a church on this site for at least 1,000 years. The interior of the church is lit by 74 tracery windows, many of which retain original medieval stained-glass.

That evening we drank aged champagne with my ‘surprise’ dinner guests. There was Drappier 1995 en magnum and Ployez-Jaquemart Passion, both gifts from the producers.

The chef from East London cooked a middle-eastern feast with a roast leg of lamb as the main course.

Tenuta Regaleali Vigna San Francesco 2016, Warwick Estate Trilogy 2012 en magnum and Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 were poured with dinner. Graham’s 30 Year Old Tawny Port was sipped with the Cropwell-Bishop Stilton.

Brunch before driving home the next morning, was at the Prado Lounge in Sudbury. The silence at 11 am was observed and we left Sudbury before the noon Armistice Day parade began.