Birthday days are always special, even if the weather doesn’t always agree. Fog started the morning again, I suppose it’s something to do with the weather being so sultry.
After breakfast we take a walk towards Calver, the next nearest village, wander around and then walk back alongside the River Derwent.
Next we meet a friend for coffee, and then we head off towards Chatsworth. This is bit of a “scattergun” kind of statement, since in Baslow one can pretty much walk in any direction, and be walking in the direction of the 35,000 acre Chatsworth estate. However the very circuitous route I’ve planned has the House as its destination, but we take our time to get there, passing through the small villages of Pilley and Edensor, both on the estate. The latter has very characteristic housing, all build around the mid 1800s to house estate workers.
Still much earlier than our ticket time, we stop at the stables, now the catering complex. The posh restaurant is closed for a wedding, but that’s not what we need, instead we enjoy a birthday cream tea and champers and then wander round the gardens before presenting to the house for our tour.
Although each Christmas we see a few rooms on the night of the masquerade ball, it’s been several years since we last did a full tour. The rooms are quite spectacular, many dating back over three hundred years. Famous for Their Graces’ appreciation of art, there are treasures both old and modern around every corner.
Later we take a different route home just in time for G&Ts on the terrace before showering and dressing for dinner, which being Friday is the Pescatarian selection, interspersed with cheeses.
CANAPÉS (potatoes: pin wheel with truffle / choux and Parmesan / tarte with creamed and chive)
NORI TARTLET (Fermented Carrot / Lovage)
GOATS CHEESE (Mousse / Peas / Grapefruit / Flower)
TURBOT (Crab / Courgette / Onion)
CHEESE (Darling Blue / Dale End Cheddar / Sinodun Hill / Summer Field / Baron Bigod)
GYPSY TART (Gold / Kentish Apple / Cobnut Crumble)
Champagne is essential on birthdays but we also finish last night’s Chardonnay and enjoy port with the amazing cheeses and their accompanying embellishments.
It was lovely to discover old school friend Liz and her husband John were celebrating their wedding anniversary at Fischers tonight and great that we found time to catch up. Finally we enjoyed digestifs in the garden, with birthday macaroons.
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