WHAT’S NEW?

Being old, I am slightly cynical, so when I am wished “A HAPPY NEW YEAR”, I am inclined to think, why should a “new” one be happier than the old? I am generally happy – to be alive, reasonably fit and of moderately sound mind. So, I intend to make the most of the next 12 months and I encourage you to do so, too! My New Year resolution is to try and make my page more exciting, interesting and amusing – any help from readers to assist my achieving this will be appreciated.

I see this issue of FM is dated 4th January. On this day 67 years ago I made the trek from the south-west to the north of England in a bitterly cold, snowy day to join His Majesty’s Royal Air Force. I did not do this willingly. But at that time the West felt the threat from the Communist East and decided all young men must have two years’ military experience. I doubt if my presence in uniform was much of a deterrent. War in Korea almost upset the whole apple-cart, but eventually peace reigned – sometimes dodgy but mostly without slaughter. Thanks Be.

But 2016 wasn’t a bad year, was it? Whilst the unsatisfactory status quo of the island of Cyprus remained in stubborn place, for most of the citizens it was a year without strife (other than the odd domestic!) and continuing prosperity. Now a settled EU member state, ex-pats and citizens alike watched in amazement as Britain voted to leave the EU. For my part I was disgusted with the outcome and only family reasons kept me from leaving the land of my birth and returning to the island of sunshine.

In 2016, I wrote something like 700,000 words for the (50+ columns). To put this into perspective, an average-length novel contains about 60,000 words. At the peak of his writing years Ernest Hemingway was paid a Dollar a word. My payment rate is somewhat lower than that, but then I’m not a Hemingway, despite the fact that one of my Cypriot neighbours (humorously) used to address me by that name. The only other comment I would make is that if you read my stuff you would eat better than if you read Hemingway’s.

One thing that has always irritated me is how few writers describe the content of meals, or have their characters say anything about them. I except from this the books written by Michael Bond, who created many brilliant series, including “For another, he invented two wonderful characters: M. Pamplemousse, the gastronome/detective and his equally epicurean hound, who rejoiced in the name “Pommes Frites”. Texts here conjure up some classic French food, for example:

braises two cuts of beef—shank and rump roast—with marrow bones and then separately cooks leeks and vegetables.

A large, bubbling vat of beans and meat, covered in a crust so dark that it is almost black. Rich, meaty, and overwhelmingly simple, the main flavor is just that of the cured meat, a good stock, and beans.

Pot-au-feu

Cassoulet

Poulet

Vallée

Mouclade

d’Auge Ris de Veau Crème Bachique

A calvados,

Terrine de Volaille Maison

wonderful chicken, recipe apples, bringing together butter and cream.

is a dish you’ll find mainly in Charente, near the Atlantic coast. Mouclade is a more sophisticated version of the moules marinieres (mussels with white wine)

– a paté of white chicken meat, sausage meat, onion, wine, egg and herbs. - calves’ sweetbreads

- an ambrosial alternative to crème brûlée or crème caramel.

The Pamplemousse books are good stuff for story-loving foodies, with meals, market and menus well mentioned. But Paddington Bear is in another league! I fell in love with the brilliant computer-image created bear in the first second I saw him on the screen. there were golden years of travel, for work, pleasure or both. Remembering them makes me realise how difficult the world has become for the independent traveller. Many places have become dangerous to visit, or unwelcoming. The tourism industry has gotten us to the remotest places on the planet, so everywhere you go there’s another bloody Brit, Yank, Frog, or Jap.

I am so glad that for many years I took a camera on my trips, and filing thousands of photographs on my computer, so I can now travel vicariously, whenever I feel like it. A lot of people have given up sending Christmas cards – it is a great British custom and I treasure the messages that arrive from old friends and colleagues, who otherwise I would lose touch with.

Then in 2016 we made regular use of two video systems that use the Internet, “Skype” and “Facetime”, to see and speak to people a town away or on the other side of the world. Things I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams a few decades ago! 1 generous kilo /2 1/2 pounds of stewing beef 75cl (1 bottle) dry red wine) 1 onion, peeled and cut in half 1 bay leaf 1 sprig of thyme 6 black peppercorns 5 shallots, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon corn-flour 225 g / 1/2 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced 225 g / 1/2 pound piece of bacon, cut into lardons (5mm / quarter-inch thick) Vegetable oil Salt and pepper

1. The day before serving, cut the beef into 2-inch chunks. Place in a large, enamel or china bowl with the onion, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and peppercorns. 2. Pour wine over to cover meat. 3. Cover, and leave in the refrigerator to marinate overnight. 4. Drain the meat, reserving the marinade liquid. Pat the cubes of beef dry with paper towels.

5. In a large heavy saucepan, heat two tablespoons of oil on medium high heat. Add the meat. This will release a good deal of liquid. After about 3- 4 minutes remove the meat with a skimmer and pour the juices into the reserved marinade. 6. Return the pan to the heat, add two more tablespoons of oil. 7. Sear the beef cubes until brown on each side and season with salt and pepper. Remove the meat again and set to the side.

8. Heat one tablespoon of oil in the pan, then add the shallots and sauté them until transluscent. Sprinkle the corn-flour over the cooking shallots and stir well, after 2 minutes or so, add the reserved marinade.

9. When the marinade begins to boil, turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the carrots, mushrooms, lardons and reserved meat.

10. Cover the pan and simmer over medium heat for at least an hour. Adjust seasonings and serve warm, with rice, mashed potatoes, or, my preference, ribbon noodles (as pictured). Serves 6.