Răcitură

New Year’s Eve is a special celebration for us: it is my wife Petronela (P)’s birthday, which in accord with Romanian tradition means ‘open house’, the table spread with Romanian food. No invitations are issued, friends and neighbours just ‘know’

Romanian food

The day before is a busy one for P as generally she does all the Romanian (specifically Moldovan) cooking but this year I attempted a favourite of mine – răcitură (known as ‘piftie’ in other parts, pieces of meat in ‘aspic’ – in this case pork though I prefer with cockerel or, even better, goose). Of course you can make it with commercially available gelatin but I was determined to make traditionally so was on a hunt for pigs’ trotters (feet) and ears. I was amazed when a butcher in Leeds Kirkgate market suggested the only place I would find them was in the pet shop. “Are you are butcher?” I asked. Fortunately there are ‘proper butchers’ in Bradford so I was able to pick up both trotters and ears on my way to hospital on Thursday (see previous post). The result must have been OK: my Romanian neighbour (Moldoveancă – lady from Moldova) ate almost a whole dish. Something new for me, at the suggestion of my Latvian blogger friend Ilze I ate some with mustard and vinegar. Delicious!

Table with Romanian food, awaiting guests

For those unable to come to ‘the party’ Facebook and other internet applications have created a different way for wellwishers to join in: at the last count over 150 people had written their birthday messages on Petronela’s ‘timeline’ to which must be added more than 30 private messages, some internet live chats and the odd phone call. What on earth would you do with that number of birthday cards?

Birthday girl early

Birthday girl later

London Fireworks

Guests gone (the last at 11pm) we turned on the tv at 11.55pm, popped the ‘bubbly’ at 00.00, then watched the London fireworks as we always do. Of course, with friends in other parts of the world I was sending New Year wishes at 00.00 before and after according to other timelines

Nile Rodgers (pic Rollingstone)

Nile Rodgers and Chic – better music

A big musical step up from previous years, bracketing the fireworks, for me was Nile Rodgers performing with Chic, celebrating their 40th year. Dreadlocks flying, he ensured we stayed awake to finish the bubbly. The likes of Gary Barlow, Bryan Adams and Robbie Williams – as in previous years – don’t cut it for me, boring me to sleep! Queen better!

I’m now going to do something I never did before, stop this post here and continue – with a completely different type of musical experience with a lot of personal history behind it, in another post – probably tomorrow.