Nasionale Braaidag

Even if you're not fasting for Lent, many people still enjoy the celebrations that precede it. Germany has Fetter Donnerstag, Mardi Gras is not limited to France, Rio goes crazy and Venice dons her masks for carnival. In Greece, they have Tsiknopempti. From tskino, the smell of barbecuing meat, and Pempti, Thursday. So literally - Barbecue Thursday. And everyone joins in.

It feels very similar to braais back home - everyone is keen, but only three people know how to do it ("Kom ons braai! Ja! Ja! Wie kan braai? hmmm..."). It starts very late and only ends when security asks us to go home. Even then we just move indoors and have more wine.

Vast quantities of meat (kreas) are consumed. Mostly pork with a bit of chicken. Everything is eaten directly from the fire, sprinkled with oregano and drizzled with lots of fresh lemon juice. Apparently every Greek keeps a couple of lemons available at all times.

I can get along with this culture.

Girl on the bus

Igloos have always fascinated me.  Using ice to keep you warm.  I love the contradiction.

Two stops before the university, a girl with an igloo cake gets onto the bus.  Lumps of marzipan shaped into rough bricks, stacked to form a low mound with a small entrance.  Icing sugar provides a dusting of fresh snow.  

A little snowman rolls around on the tray as the bus shakes and rattles.

I think we should all build our own igloos now.

The world is in my kitchen

Pork chops come from Germany. Just like lemons come from Spain, brie from France, wine from Australia and lamb probably too. Avocados are from South Africa and cheddar is from Wales.

Bananas come from a tropical country with a fair trade agreement - it is unlikely that they'll become a competitive threat to the banana growers in Kent. Or Spain, for that matter. And I don't think the country is a strong naval power either.

Back to the pork: after generations of careful in-breeding and genetic manipulation we have pretty chops. A pale pink with a thin rind. Each one as big as the palm of my hand, maybe even a little bit more. Maybe they add water to increase the weight? At least they're pretty.

I make some mash with British potatoes, along with mushrooms (the Netherlands), cherry tomatoes (Spain) and braised leeks (UK). The chops are smothered in Dijon mustard (produced in France, packed in the UK) and a sprinkling of thyme (somewhere near the Mediterranean?) and slowly fried in my pan from China.