Happy New Year everyone! 2010 was a year of change and challenges and I'd like to think that the worst of it is behind us. We've moved twice this year, i've changed jobs in as many times and we're now living in a new country where we've only got rudimentary command of the language.
Needless to say the hardest thing has been leaving our friends behind and starting again. We're persevering though, and not giving up, and our hope is that by doing the TWMF Supperclub and jumping back into blogging we'll start meeting new people in Berlin.
I think the approaching holidays and the endless socialising that comes with them made me feel the distance from our friends all the more acutely. Which is why having our friends Cat and Naveen spend Xmas with us so special.
Cat, Naveen and I all used to work together in Aberdeen at a Spanish catering company called La Paella. We had a lot of fun in the kitchen then and our adventures together cemented our friendship. The week they were here we spent most of the time either cooking, eating, drinking, talking about food or all of the above at the same time. It was so cool doing just that, without any fuss about doing a traditional Christmas dinner.
Highlights of their visit were Cat unpacking her suitcase with a treasure trove of food that she brought from Florence where she's living now. It included: extra virgin olive oil made from olives that she helped harvest this summer, Vin Santo with Cantucci biscuits to dip in the wine, lovely prosecco, a milk frother and espresso coffee, orrechiette and bucatini pasta, incredible hazelnut flavoured chocolates, and more. Within minutes we were talking about food and what we wanted to cook during the week. On our way back home after picking her up at Schonefeld airport we made a beeline for the Spandau Weihnachtsmarkt and introduced her to Glühwein, EierLikor, and Nackensteaks.
And when Naveen arrived we were treated to hard to find favourites from Aberdeen: Crabbies ginger beer and rowies.
Our holiday eating was far from traditional. We decided to make iddlis with sambar and potato/cauliflower samosas on xmas eve. And on Xmas day we nibbled on grilled polenta with gorgonzola and had a feast of roast duck with Cat's peruvian coriander rice, glazed carrots and german style grünkohl (curly kale). At the height of preparations we were all squeezed into the kitchen stirring, chopping, washing up, refilling glasses and more.
And that my friends is what i love -- cooking with my friends, eating together and sharing our enjoyment with each other. I hope 2011 brings more of that our way and yours too!
