16 degrees. It was 16 degrees at one point during Christmas day on my pool deck. That was warmer then Las Vegas was when I was there in November. Now I am sure this is a global warming thing, and yeah it was a little strange not having snow on Christmas, I will even give you that christmas lights look way better in a back drop of snow, but MAN, I LOVED BEING IN SHORTS ON CHRISTMAS DAY!!
It was so nice to not have to worry to much about the weather the on a big travel day for us Christmas Eve and then on Christmas morning and Boxing Day. It was nicer still to be able to have the windows open as I was preparing the turkey and fixins for our Christmas dinner, and it was especially nice because i got to have a morning, afternoon and evening #cigarChristmas.
So after the negotiated time of 6:30am wake up time with the exuberant wee ones the days before, some oohing and ahhing over freshly ripped open presents, in a frenzy that resembled a lion to an antelope carcass, it was time to get right to work in the kitchen creating the stuffing of champions, preparing the bird, and getting all the veggies, trimmed, washed, peeled and chopped. It was time for the first #cigarChristmas of the day.
The first selection involved a Romeo and Juliette No.3 and a new to the show - Apple Pie Tennessee Moonshine. This new beverage was something I looked at in the US a couple months ago, and was given to us by Cousin Ailsa. I have never had this beverage before so i chose the R&J no.3 because I have had a few of them before and they are a very medium almost mild cigar that pairs well with almost anything as long as it is not to harsh.
When I cracked the mason jar style lid to the Apple Pie Moonshine, I was in love. It smelled like liquid apple pie.
I had a quick taste and was almost dancing it was soooo good.
I filled up a taster, through in some ice and headed in the glorious morning sunshine for my breakfast #cigarChristmas. This Apple Pie Moonshine could be dangerous, I had to really sip it, because it could go down smoothly and very quickly. It was a great morning, to be finished up my prep, have the turkey cooking slow and low in the oven and be sitting on my deck in shorts on December 25th.
After some family time, chats and snacks, it was time for #cigarChristmas lunch.
Now knowing that I still had a lot to do this day, I went for something with a little more kick. I decided to try the second donation from Ailsa which is a jar of cherries soaked in Moonshine, again in a mason jar from Tennessee. When i popped the lid, I was taken back a bit. After the Apple Pie Moonshine I thought this would be a similar experience. This was a wee bit more boozey.
While the moonshine did take on some of the flavor profile of the cherries, I would say the cherries took on more of a booze profile from the moonshine. My wife tried a cherry, and I could smell the booze off of her from about 15 feet away.
So I thought well some diet dr. Pepper that I had in the house would be a good match for this moonshine. Holy crap I could not have been more right, what a great drink. Like a boozy cherry coke.
For the cigar I picked my goto Don Thomas Classico Corona. This actually went really well with the sweetness from cocktail and was perfect for the now full on sunshine hitting our pool deck at this point in the day. Shorts and Tshirt now, I was loving feeling that sun on my face and in my bones. I seriously could have curled up right there on the deck and had a nap it was so awesome out.
But dinner duty calls.
Back in the house and in a flurry of final preparation, table setting, mashing, carving, and gravy making.
Not want to toot my own horn to hard, but it was a great meal with the family. No major fights, everyone ate heartily and had some laughs, that is the Christmas I care about the most. A quick round of tidying up and it was time for #cigarChristmas dessert.
For this one I chose a CAO BoxPress Robusto, a show favorite, and it has a great dark, meaty flavor. I was gifted a bottle of Aberfeldy Single Malt from my GodDaughter ( she has a great eye for scotchs at such a young age haha). It was a great pairing, the light smoke of the scotch and the leathery coffee flavor of the cigar was a great match. Still in shorts, but back into a hoodie, darkness had descended, taking with it the warmth of the sun, but the air was still warm and the warmth now came from the laughs that we were having after a great meal, and reviewing the moments of the day that involved all the suprises and excitement and magic that Christmas morning can bring.
Yes i probably went a little overboard with having a 3 cigar #cigarChristmas, but I consider that my present to me.
A few workouts already in the books this week, so looking good for a #cigarNewYears haha
All the best to you and yours in the New Year
Sean " BigBoyRunning" Ryan
It was so nice to not have to worry to much about the weather the on a big travel day for us Christmas Eve and then on Christmas morning and Boxing Day. It was nicer still to be able to have the windows open as I was preparing the turkey and fixins for our Christmas dinner, and it was especially nice because i got to have a morning, afternoon and evening #cigarChristmas.
So after the negotiated time of 6:30am wake up time with the exuberant wee ones the days before, some oohing and ahhing over freshly ripped open presents, in a frenzy that resembled a lion to an antelope carcass, it was time to get right to work in the kitchen creating the stuffing of champions, preparing the bird, and getting all the veggies, trimmed, washed, peeled and chopped. It was time for the first #cigarChristmas of the day.
The first selection involved a Romeo and Juliette No.3 and a new to the show - Apple Pie Tennessee Moonshine. This new beverage was something I looked at in the US a couple months ago, and was given to us by Cousin Ailsa. I have never had this beverage before so i chose the R&J no.3 because I have had a few of them before and they are a very medium almost mild cigar that pairs well with almost anything as long as it is not to harsh.
When I cracked the mason jar style lid to the Apple Pie Moonshine, I was in love. It smelled like liquid apple pie.
I had a quick taste and was almost dancing it was soooo good.
I filled up a taster, through in some ice and headed in the glorious morning sunshine for my breakfast #cigarChristmas. This Apple Pie Moonshine could be dangerous, I had to really sip it, because it could go down smoothly and very quickly. It was a great morning, to be finished up my prep, have the turkey cooking slow and low in the oven and be sitting on my deck in shorts on December 25th.
After some family time, chats and snacks, it was time for #cigarChristmas lunch.
Now knowing that I still had a lot to do this day, I went for something with a little more kick. I decided to try the second donation from Ailsa which is a jar of cherries soaked in Moonshine, again in a mason jar from Tennessee. When i popped the lid, I was taken back a bit. After the Apple Pie Moonshine I thought this would be a similar experience. This was a wee bit more boozey.
While the moonshine did take on some of the flavor profile of the cherries, I would say the cherries took on more of a booze profile from the moonshine. My wife tried a cherry, and I could smell the booze off of her from about 15 feet away.
So I thought well some diet dr. Pepper that I had in the house would be a good match for this moonshine. Holy crap I could not have been more right, what a great drink. Like a boozy cherry coke.
For the cigar I picked my goto Don Thomas Classico Corona. This actually went really well with the sweetness from cocktail and was perfect for the now full on sunshine hitting our pool deck at this point in the day. Shorts and Tshirt now, I was loving feeling that sun on my face and in my bones. I seriously could have curled up right there on the deck and had a nap it was so awesome out.
But dinner duty calls.
Back in the house and in a flurry of final preparation, table setting, mashing, carving, and gravy making.
Not want to toot my own horn to hard, but it was a great meal with the family. No major fights, everyone ate heartily and had some laughs, that is the Christmas I care about the most. A quick round of tidying up and it was time for #cigarChristmas dessert.
For this one I chose a CAO BoxPress Robusto, a show favorite, and it has a great dark, meaty flavor. I was gifted a bottle of Aberfeldy Single Malt from my GodDaughter ( she has a great eye for scotchs at such a young age haha). It was a great pairing, the light smoke of the scotch and the leathery coffee flavor of the cigar was a great match. Still in shorts, but back into a hoodie, darkness had descended, taking with it the warmth of the sun, but the air was still warm and the warmth now came from the laughs that we were having after a great meal, and reviewing the moments of the day that involved all the suprises and excitement and magic that Christmas morning can bring.
Yes i probably went a little overboard with having a 3 cigar #cigarChristmas, but I consider that my present to me.
A few workouts already in the books this week, so looking good for a #cigarNewYears haha
All the best to you and yours in the New Year
Sean " BigBoyRunning" Ryan
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