Now doesn’t feel like the time for abstemiousness

Everywhere I look at the moment I’m seeing references to #dryJanuary or #veganuary. Even to the extent that spellcheck just found veganuary for me when I misspelt it. If ever there were frequency illusions I didn’t want to be happening at the moment, it’s these.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against the principles behind either idea, but now just doesn’t feel like the time. I’m sure we’ve all over-indulged in the last few weeks, but in the middle of winter, with updates on the pandemic making me ever more reticent to pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV, I have no urge at all to plunge into a vat of self-imposed abstemiousness. 

I will hold my hand up and admit to feeling a little like this every January, as it always feels quite a foodie time for me. Particularly as my birthday comes very quickly after Christmas and with each year that goes by more and more of the presents I receive are food-related. This year I had a couple of interesting food parcels which I’ll be revelling in this month and a new cookbook which is already adding many recipes to my ‘must cook’ list.

The first food parcel was a selection from The Tinned Fish Market. This company specialises in exotic and unusual tinned fish from around the world. You can buy individual tins, selection boxes, or take out a subscription and have something interesting drop through your letterbox once a month. If you’ve clicked the link you will have already seen that the products look wonderful, and on the evidence of the tin I’ve tried they taste pretty damn good too. I received the Taberna Sardine box and I don’t think there’s much doubt that in time I’ll be going back for more.

If these weren’t enough, I also received a selection of in-house food from Ottolenghi. I bought Ottolenghi’s new cookbook a few months ago and my partner knew I’d been finding it difficult to lay my hands on some of the more exotic ingredients which it requires during the lockdown. She’s solved the problem for me with this gift and given me a further excuse for some January indulgence. The first thing I tried is the jar of Green Shatta and I’m hooked. Your first thought is inevitably about the heat it packs, but then there are layers of peppery flavour that almost leave a sweet aftertaste. I just love it when a new food comes along which you’ve never tried before but now don’t want to be without.

My final foodie treat came via my dad when he gave me Nigella Lawson’s new book for my birthday. Cook, Eat, Repeat is one of those books that does exactly what it says on the cover. Full of recipes you’ll want to cook and eat, then at the first available opportunity do it all over again. If you’ve already got a Nigella book on your shelf, or seen her TV shows, you won’t need me to tell you that no one writes or talks about food quite as enthusiastically as she does.  

So after a few weeks when I find myself flagging, hence the infrequent posts on here, I’m feeling a bit revived by all these good things and looking to get up and running for the new year.

P.S Good luck If you’re taking part in either #dryJanuary or #veganuary. You’ve got a stronger will than I have.