A Christmas Meal for Wine Tasters – 5th December 2017

by Rosemary Sheppard

On the bar of Satari’s Restaurant in Moraira sits a little Santa Claus with a flashing nose. He leans against the warmth of the coffee machine and watches everything about him.  Last Tuesday afternoon he realised that something special was happening.  The staff were moving tables together and then were laying them, complete with festive candles, pretty crackers and party poppers.  Suddenly, two strangers arrived who, Santa discovered, were called Pat and Brian Clarke and these two speedily checked everything was in order and placed a white envelope on each table.  Santa thought it all looked beautiful but wondered what the envelopes contained.

Presently people started to arrive, all festively dressed, one man even sporting a jumper with a picture of Santa himself on the front.  Soon the restaurant was thronged with seventy five people, all members of the Moraira-Teulada U3A Wine Tasting Group.  After a glass of cava they all took their seats, pulling the crackers and party poppers and putting on paper hats.  Santa could see that everyone was already having a good time and then the staff began to serve the first course of a special dinner.  As the plates passed him, Santa spotted delicious things like prawns and garlic mushrooms.  A minty sorbet followed and then came plates of turkey or lamb or salmon.  Santa’s mouth was really watering by now and in his enthusiasm he fell off the bar and had to be retrieved by one of the waiters.  Unfortunately his fall had stopped his nose flashing but he could still see delicious puddings being consumed, followed by mince pies and coffee.

Santa was pleased when U3A President, John Hopwood, thanked Pat and Brian for all that they had done for the Group through the year and in arranging the evening, but he still wondered what was in the white envelopes.  He soon found out when guests were asked to open them and each take one of the raffle tickets inside.  A draw was then made for a number of luxurious prizes.

By this time people were dancing to the music of Ian Henry.  Santa loved watching everyone having such a splendid time and agreed that Pat and Brian had done a truly wonderful job in planning it all so well.  When the last person left, at midnight, Santa was ready for a nap.  He fell asleep remembering a super evening and hoping that everyone would have a very Happy Christmas and New Year. 

 Photos by John Snell & Jan Adams