Whose idea was this, anyway?

'Tis the season...

... for Christmas Markets.

I just put Spotify on to listen to Christmas music, and there’s a spate of Vienna Boys Choir carols that just came on.

It reminds me of when Mom and I went to Vienna for the Christmas market back in the ‘80s.

We stayed at the Imperial (woo hoo) and were able to secure a few sets of tickets to traditional Viennese music events: the Volksoper (Folk Opera) was playing a silly but fun operetta called “The Tour Guide.” We also had seats for a Christmas concert in the Wiener Musikverein (the famous “Vienna music hall”) which started at 10 p.m. Neither of us made it to the end.

The third pair of tickets was for the Sunday service in the Royal Chapel of the Hofburg Palace. 

The resident choir there is the Vienna Boys’ Choir.

The regular attendees to the Chapel get to sit down in the main floor of the church and watch the priests do their thing.

We had to settle for the upper loft.

This allowed us to see the boys up close and personal. On an early Sunday morning, they all looked as though they’d just gotten out of bed: their hair tousled and sleep still in their eyes.

But let me tell you about the sound that came out of that choir loft.

I swear someone had opened a door to heaven, there came such an angelic noise.

I’m a little weepy just remembering it (music does that to me).

Anyway, ever since that trip to Vienna, I have always thought it a special treat when I get to visit a Christmas market: Vienna, Prague, Cologne, Bratislava; even here in Banská Štiavnica and our own little village of Svätý Anton.

Scott just returned from the one in Prague. He was there last year with our friend Annabel. I was at the Bratislava and Vienna markets with her then too. And the year before, my friends Ailsa and Jens met me in Vienna for the opening.

Vienna has several big markets including one between the Natural History and Art History Museums and out on the grounds of Schönbrün Palace. The main market is on the front park of the Rathaus (town hall), an impressive building in its own right – a neo-gothic meringue, they make into a giant Advent Calendar each December. There’s a skating rink, some real comfort food and some of the best Christmas tree ornaments you’ll find in the world, many hand-blown.

And then there’s gluhwein.

In Slovakia they call it punč. In Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm they call it glögg. In Tallinn they call it hõõgvein (you need a couple before you can pronounce it).

Hot mulled wine.

In Tallinn, any café or restaurant selling hõõgvein lights a lantern on the doorstep, so it’s easy to find.

Whatever market you visit, it is an indispensable component when you’re strolling around in below-freezing temperatures, taking in the festive atmosphere.

In both Vienna and Cologne, when you buy a cup of this essential winter elixir, you pay a deposit for the ceramic mug it’s served in.  You carry the mug around with you all over the market and can get a refill in the same mug.  If you want to keep it, just take it home (you’ve already paid the deposit) or you can give it back to any stall selling wine and get your money back.

(We have half a dozen so we can drink our homemade hooch in style.)

Most all of the Christmas markets have some really great food too:

And not all the beautiful food is in the markets. Here is my friend Annabel outside the December window at Demel (confectioners to the Emperor).

That life-size princess is entirely edible.

Vienna embraces the season:

So does Budapest

Bratislava spreads its market out between the main square and the square between the National Theater and the American Embassy:

 

The market here is especially good for aromatic wreaths and other hangings (and a handmade boar or two:

       

Handmade linens can be found at our own market here in Svätý Anton:

And sales of the punč (punch in English) at the Svaty Anton market support the local hockey club.

You gotta love that: a village of 1,100 has a hockey club.

This of course requires us to donate generously. We walk down to the village and home so that we can enjoy the festivities – and support the team.

Our mayor dresses for the occasion every chance he gets. He helped us improve our road so that we can drive up and down during the winter, even when the snow is heavy.

And of course it’s always wonderful to see the children dress up for the annual Christmas pageant:

Prague may perhaps have one of the prettiest settings for their market:

But I think St. Nicholas and his troupe have the most fun in the Banská Štiavnica Christmas market:

 Whatever market you find yourself in this season, may you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

Happy holidays!

Our first guest post, by Annabel Fiddian Green: AFG in NOLA

You know Annabel: she's my favorite dinner partner and fellow master cooking class student. She was in the U.S. over the Thanksgiving holidays and had the chance to visit New Orleans for pleasure - she's been there often for business but hasn't really had a chance to explore The Boy's hometown. Scott gave her some pointers, on food mostly, but Annabel has made this trip her own.  Here it is:

I flew from Palm Springs, via DFW, on the Monday and stayed at the Omni Royal Orleans as I wanted to be in the Quarter (but not too noisy – am I getting old ……?).

 

It was after 8pm when I got to the hotel and I was feeling tired and in need of a good pillow.  But I did pop out for a quick drink, to start to get the feel of the place.

The next day saw me up bright and early.  The St. Charles streetcar was my first friend that day, taking me down to Louisiana Avenue for the start of my morning amblings. 

It was a really hot day (I had to keep topping up with sunscreen and really wished for a hat…) and I started off wandering around Prytania etc.  I took in Lafayette Cemetery, quite a bit of Prytania Street, various other streets as well – just loving the wonderful houses dressed up in their festive finery.

 

I was meant to be having brunch at Commanders Palace but it turned out to be a tasting of some of the restaurants classics.

I then made my way to Columns Hotel hoping, as you had suggested, to have a wonderful Bloody Mary.

But I got there around 1pm and was told that the bar doesn’t open until 2pm – boo!!  So back to the Quarter again, via that fabulous streetcar. And I had some of the best oysters I’ve ever had in my life.  It brought back huge memories of Helen, who was always looking for the chance to slip in “another swift half dozen”!!

Other yumminess included the best Eggs Benedict ever at the restored Brennan’s (which was not going to open for dinner until after I had left the city, sadly).  Beignets at Café du Monde (of course), wonderful veal chop at Brennan’s Steakhouse and some outstanding prawns at Red Fish Grill (only later did I realise the amount of Brennan’s I was taking in…).

I took a boat ride out into the bayou and saw some wonderful things.

Animals

 

And some wonderful sights as well

It was a calming and peaceful trip, and I loved it.  I was dropped back at Café du Monde

and then walked around Jackson Square and them “home” for a snooze (Londoner, not used to fresh air).

I had a wonderful time in New Orleans, walked around until I almost had blisters, ate until my waistband was positively painful and just took in the sights and sounds – heavenly!