Welsh Christmas Reflections

It's my first Christmas at home for two whole years, airfares from Australia sky rocket at Christmas (pardon the pun) and I never had enough time off to make the long trek home worthwhile. So this year I am determined to make the most of it by living in the festive moment and appreciating every second.

My favourite food writer and chef Nigel Slater has the same ethos as me about Christmas, it's a time of year that always evokes memories, the smell of the turkey and brandy butter, the real pine Christmas tree because I always insisted that anything else wasn't really Christmas.

This year I took the time to appreciate the little rituals that I craved when I was away, one such ritual being the decorating of the Christmas tree, a seemingly small task steeped in memories. Handmade baubles from when I was nine that still catch the light, decorations that were bought with loved ones gone by. All little time capsules to the same cold day many years ago. The baubles seem to hang there as festive mirrors to the past helping us to remember wonderful times of the past, make us appreciate the present and think about the future.

Every year I make a culinary contribution the most noteworthy being the famous glazed ham of 2008, sticky with fortified and freshly squeezed citrus fruits served with simple salads and crusty bread. This year inspired by Nigel's thickly rimmed specs and beautiful words I will be attempting his lemon curd trifle adorned with crystallised violets and crushed pistachios with a homemade mincemeat sponge soaked in brandy and laden with cream.

As i'm burning the custard and curdling the curd (isn't that the point?) i'll take extra time to appreciate the moments this year, feeling very lucky not to be travelling and seeing new things but for once to be home enjoying the familiar.

Merry Christmas and Nadolig Llawen from Wales

The Walk: Nottingham's Worst Kept Secret

The Walk Cafe
12 Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham NG1 2GR
Tel: 0115 9477 574 Website: www.thewalkcafe.co.uk

Due to work commitments I had left Christmas shopping until the very last minute so the last but one Saturday before Christmas was set aside to bite the bullet and brave the hoards of Nottingham folk in the city centre.

To give me enough fuel to be able to shoulder barge groups of jeering teens and side step mums with triple buggies I decided it was time for a warming hearty lunch. I wandered around Delilah for a while assessing the food situation. Deciding it was too cold to sit outside (are these people mad?) I was just about to give up hope when I smelt a waft of fish and chips and spotted a small sigh. Ah ha I had finally found 'The Walk' cafe, Nottingham's worst kept secret.

Nottingham veterans had previously recommended 'The Walk' as having the best fish and chips in town, I was excited! One thing to note is don't come here if you aren't very hungry for fear of ordering from the children's menu. Luckily three days of stress and sneezing had left me ravenous. I settled on the battered haddock and triple cooked chips with mushy peas. A highlight was watching the super slender fashionistas trying to order. Now should I share a small plate of calamari with you or split a salad? I was having no such thing, my food was arriving as nature intended, piled up on a massive piece of slate!

Triple cooked chips.

I really enjoyed my lunch, the fish was beautifully cooked and the chips definitely put some meat on my cold bones. The highlight was the mushy peas, just like grandad used to make. I swallowed it all up and prepared to brave the Christmas crush. I will return to try some panko covered schnitzel for some Australian nostalgia and maybe a massive slice of cake.

Recession? What recession?

As it's the festive season it seems fitting to end this post with a  rubbish cracker-esque expression, so Merry Fishmas everyone. Here's to some festive eating before more wonderful adventures in 2012.