Five On Eurovision

Hello, thank you very much for calling in, you are very welcome here on this sunny May Saturday, especially if you have arrived via Love Made My Home.  I am very busy in the kitchen today because tonight we are holding our annual Eurovision Song Contest party, as we have done for more than twenty years now - I wrote about my Eurovision history last year and you can read it here.

 

So, each year we research the food and traditions of the hosting country and prepare an appropriate buffet.  There is plenty of food and drink, we watch the contest and give our own scores and although we are very enthusiastic, we don't really take it seriously; we know that the UK will never win it again.  However, for one evening a year we feel in happy communion with the rest of Europe in this festival of music and spectacle.  So, today I would like to share with you five things which I have learned because of this annual event.

 

Firstly, I like Nordic cuisine.  Over the last ten years we have metaphorically been to Finland, Denmark and Sweden (twice) and the food is fab: gravadlax, cardamom buns, reindeer salami, open sandwiches... I am always happy when a Nordic country wins because I  look forward to next year's buffet immediately.

 

Secondly, Azerbaijan is a fascinating place, geographically speaking, with a great number of different terrains and climates which means that just about anything can grow somewhere there.  Consequently, the cuisine is varied and delicious, influenced by Iran and by Mediterranean Europe.  Who knew?

 

Thirdly, a lot of pork is eaten in Serbia.  Our Serbian buffet was not very varied.

 

Fourthly, a Black Forest Gateau is not really a Black Forest Gateau unless  there is kirsch in the sponge.  The rest of that bottle of kirsch has been in my cupboard for five years now and I really ought to think of something to do with it because I don't really like Black Forest Gateau.

 

Finally, some European countries seem to think that the way to garner votes is to put attractive young women in dresses which reveal an awful lot of cleavage.  This makes them appear backwards to the rest of us and so backfires.  Remember those Polish milkmaids? 

 

So, I must crack on now with preparation of the smorgasbord.  I am sorry there is no photo in this post but I am having technical difficulties (actually, I don't think the problem is with the technology, I rather think it's with the idiot operator).  As ever, thank you to Amy at Love Made My Home for hosting Five on Friday and if you have time, please hop over there and have a look at what everyone else is up to.

 

See you on the other side.

 

Love, Mrs Tiggywinkle x