Why I won’t be having gammon for Christmas and why I don’t mind.
Since 2012 I’ve been celebrating Christmas apart from my family and friends. Apart from what I considered tradition and apart from typical Spanish Christmas food (which by the way, I took with me every year since then, but you get the point, right?).
This year, only a couple of weeks ago, I had a car crash. It has stopped the streak of years celebrating Christmas in Ireland, with all our friends and many more (You can read more here) I won’t be able to sing for the homeless, or have Christmas dinner at Paddy’s.
I won’t be able to eat Pandoro with our Irish “family” and I won’t be celebrating New Year’s eve twice. Once, following the Spanish time while some Irish people ask what the hell are they supposed to do with those dozen grapes on their plates. The other, with the countdown, the kisses and the hugs, the fireworks on a cold London sky surrounded by my half-Galician, half-Scottish part of the family. A night that will later be full of young people celebrating in Shoreditch, Soho and Picadilly, much drunker than me.
It’s sad. You wouldn’t understand how sad, actually. All those foreign things before 2012 have now become my only way of understanding Christmas. That’s why this year, after the accident, I was very thankful to be alive. Nonetheless, every now and then I get sad feelings mixed with those of joy for being able to spend at least one more Christmas safe and sound.
But I think I’ve already made clear I’m an optimist. Well, I won’t be having gammon this Christmas, but I am going to enjoy all those things I haven’t been able to enjoy these long five years!
1. I have a Christmas tree. Sounds stupidly simple, but taking into account I have been spending Christmas in other people’s apartments and New Year in a different country, probably taking a Christmas tree in the car wasn’t the best idea.
2. I can spend it with my cats and family (see how the cats go first hehe) Being able to cuddle in winter with the most amazing cats in the whole world…is priceless. Also, after such a series of events (car crash in France, being hospitalized and staying for a week while recovering) you want to spend time with your family. And I was missing visiting grandma for Christmas Eve. It’s not going to be as crowded as Grafton Street, but at least I’m going to have a family dinner and not only Abra Kebabra’s loaded Taco Fries at 3 am.
3. I can make food. IN. MY. KITCHEN. You may think I am exagerating, but last year I cooked Christmas gammon in the oven of an apartment in Dublin. The fire alarm was so sensitive, that not even opening the windows could we stop the alarm from going off each time I opened the oven to see if dinner was ready. I became friends with the man in the reception desk explaining how I couldn’t lower the central heating and the flat was roasting, and not only the gammon. Kind people, anyway
4. I can post more recipes for you 🙂 Check out the only recipe I posted last Christmas.
5. I can have some “holidays” This is not true, because I can’t do a lot of things I enjoy because of my neck, but I can sleep more and work less (not something I actually enjoy) Maybe this shouldn’t be included in the list.
There you are, 4 and a half reasons for being thankful this Christmas. Nonetheless…I won’t be eating gammon. And that is sad. But my lovely aunt brought me some pieces of gammon a while ago and I’ve made some recipes for you to cook it if you are fortunate enough to be living in the UK or Ireland. Also, if you can find gammon somewhere else, let me know.
This one is a very simple recipe for those who are busy on Christmas Eve and want something that is quick to prepare. It takes a couple of hours, but you won’t be taking care of it while it’s cooking.
Ingredients:
1 piece of gammon. Chose the size according to the number of people that is going to enjoy your meal. Usually you will find that information on the internet or even on the package.
Baby potatoes (unpeeled, 5 per person)
Carrots (2 per person)
1 big onion (peeled)
500 ml water
Parsley
1 bottle of French Cider (Cidre Doux) French cider has less alcohol than other ciders and it’s taste is a bit different. If you can’t find French cider, any other nationality will do.
Method:
Add all the ingredients to a big pot.
Add the water and the cider until it covers the gammon. (Mine was small and I used 400 ml. If it’s bigger use the whole bottle and add some more water)
Bring to a boil and lower the heat.
Let it simmer for about 3 hours.
Serve with some parsley on top to garnish and if you can, reserve a glass of cider to drink. It will emphasize the taste of the cider you’ve used in the gammon.
Enjoy your Christmas wherever you celebrate them this year. Have fun and keep fooding!
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