beef, beautiful beef

What a week.

Even if I put Christmas aside for a moment, there has been quite some memorable eating. My first taste of foie gras, with the perfect accompaniments of crusty bread, maldon salt and 5 year old tokay - courtesy of Mr J. A beautifully-wrapped rectangle of foie gras, topped with a thick layer of butter (-?) it was something more exquisite than, but of course similar to, a liver pate; melting on the tongue it was soft, delicate. The sweet wine cut across the salty offal in the perfect act of companionship. I felt the extravagance and sense of occasion somehow contributed to the taste - certainly the experience.

I know I absolutely can't do justice to this word-wise, but if there was a photograph of my face as I ate, it would show something short of bliss and that is the way I will remember it.

Then there was champagne at the Tempus bar in Hotel Russell. I'm not sure how it isn't everyone's favourite place but it is now mine. Old fashioned, nooks and corners and the most elegant staff to ever take an order for two drinks from a companion-less girl in trainers, without flinching.

But the beef. The reason I have motivated myself away from the brand name cheap after eight mints, and TV 'special' drama, is to make a note of today's roast beef. A topside of Aberdeen Angus which my mother roasted to a point where it looked cooked outside - but was delightfully bloody inside. Ridiculously good. Hot horseradish, goose fat-roasted potatoes... etc. You get the picture. Whilst washing up, Rose and I snuck a couple of lukewarm slices, trailed through the blood and dripped in our mouths.

Supper was the completion of the meat: cold, over-pink slices flopping, velvet, next to jacket potato, coleslaw and pickles. I just had to get that off my chest.


Other good things:
The Pret Christmas Sandwich; Katie's Christmas pudding (made in February each year); every last sprout; smoked salmon on Christmas eve; blue Stilton, white Stilton with apricots and Stilton with ginger (repeat on rotation); sneaky slices from the turkey under pretence of making sandwiches; stealing a sausage-in-bacon from the fridge to kick-start breakfast.