Ooo-arrrr, Zider

Making the most of the sunny weather that we enjoyed during the first half of the Easter weekend, family W and Granny made an impromptu visit to Perry's Cider Mill in the nearby, and extremely picturesque, village of Dowlish Wake. We had set out solely to visit the Bank Holiday mecca that is B&Q; we were fully prepared for a nightmare scenario of dodgems in the car park while trying to find that elusive parking space, mile-long queues at the check-out and sharp elbows in the aisles. However, we were very pleasantly surprised to find that none of these fears became a reality, and we had a productive and fairly speedy trip (weed control fabric purchased, sheds/summerhouses inspected, unwanted weedkiller spray bottle returned). Thus, with a warmhearted glow all around us we decided to make a slight detour on the way home and check out the Cider Mill. And were we glad we made the effort. It was absolutely lovely. Perry's make their cider on-site but this time round we didn't get to look at the cider mill; instead we were more interested in enjoying the sunshine in the garden, having a bite to eat (this is the Perry's Platter that we shared - it featured five different cheeses and three different meats, including smoked duck, venison and beef - a rather fancy version of a ploughman's lunch!)(and this is the child's platter that DC tucked into.)and pottering round the shop. Look at all those bottles of cider. No wonder the photo's a bit blurry...In the corner there's also a cider-tasting area. Take your pick from sweet, medium, dry, vintage, and some in between. Have a little snifter, decide which is your favouritethen decide which of the empty containers you'd like filled up - small, medium, large... or perhaps one of the extra large bags-in-a-box...Then watch as your chosen tipple is decanted from one of the kegs.

















But, would you believe, we went to a cider mill and came away without buying any? Still, it is just down the road (in fact we drive past on the way to/from DC's nursery), so we can always pop in and stock up when the urge takes us. Oooo-arrrrr.