Where I capture 7 good things to remember this month.
1 CHRISTMAS BRUNCH | In my grandmother’s German tradition, we have always celebrated Christmas on the evening of the 24th, with sparkly dinners and cookie plates and present magic. This year we decided to postpone our Christmas day meal (a traditional-ish Christmas feast usually with a bird of some sort — in recent times, duck) to the 26th, as my father was arriving that day. It was my insidious way of avoiding any kind of cooking at all on Christmas day. So we had all the leisure to tumble out of bed as late as anybody wished, sip a first coffee while slowly setting a rather plush table with cured salmon and chicken liver mousse, soft-boiled eggs, cured meats and cheeses and homemade jams, and — made at the very last minute a couple of days before — Stollen. All that was left to do all day was chat and read and play and maybe watch a film. Bliss!
2 A week before Christmas I went on a lightning TRIP TO PARIS to celebrate one of my oldest friend’s 50th birthday. We’ve known each other for 36 years! It was an incredible party, and an epic weekend. I’d barely time to drop off my bag before lurching across Paris to meet another (even older — she’s younger though I’ve known her longer) childhood friend for a drink, then former colleague friends for dinner at bistro Bistro Paul Bert (on which more below), and, finally, the tail end of another birthday of another one of our middle school friends. I arrived uninvited, it was the best surprise. All this the night before the main celebration, reason for my trip. On Saturday I did manage to see an exhibition, though only one of the couple of that were on my list. Less than 48 hours, with barely six hours of sleep. Highlight of the year.
3 I’d been wanting to go to BISTRO PAUL BERT for so long. But it is closed in August, which is when I usually am in Paris. So, finally. It has an unapologetic gruff (not rude!) bistro vibe, serves mostly meat and offal and potatoes, and monumental classic desserts like crème caramel and île flottante. We had the best evening.
4 My grandmother is very present in our Christmas celebrations, still. Every year she and my grandfather celebrated their anniversary on the 26th of December with an EGGNOG party. She transcribed her recipe for me many moons ago and every year I endeavor to make it. I’ve tuned down the quantity of bourbon by two thirds which feels like plenty. My sister-in-law thinks in twenty years time we’ll have slowly reverted to the original proportions.
5 Epic hand-cut birthday STEAK TARTARE. A birthday one day before Christmas is bound to dissolve unrelentingly in the hustle and bustle of family arrivals and last-minute preparations. So, a few years ago, Thomas took matters into his own hands, he created his birthday tradition. Now like a consecrated rite, every 23rd December, he goes out to choose the piece of sirloin (always a bit more than any of us think is necessary), cuts, par boils, and roasts the chips in beef drippings, assembles all the condiments — shallots, capers, cornichons, anchovies, parsley, mustard, … — and, favourite part, hand cuts the steak side by side with his children. Everyone wins.
6 There is something about the title music of the Japanese series MIDNIGHT DINER which immediately transports, lowers the pulse. Each 30-minute episode is a gem, a late-night treat, to savour, like a book, just before going to sleep.
7 Not everyone has the PUZZLING gene, apparently, but I must have passed it on to our children. Chillest multi-generational activity of the in-between days.
Wishing everyone ‘einen Guten Rutsch!’ — A very happy slip into the New Year.