Make This Christmas an Extra Special One
Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat. This is all well and good. Yummy. But how often do we sit back and think about how, exactly, the poor birds are raised? Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not about to jump on some high horse and bang on about animal welfare. As anyone who knows me is fully aware, I love my meat and certainly don’t live your stereotypical öko lifestyle. I have no straw matting in my apartment and I don’t dissect my yoghurt pots before I put them in the bin. But, having been lucky enough to have spent a significant amount of time with city foodies, I have become increasingly aware of the importance of buying good quality, local ingredients. It’s not exactly rocket science—buy local produce, that’s been raised well and it’s more likely to taste great than something that’s been mass-produced with purely commercial interests at heart. That’s to say nothing of the good you’re doing for the local economy by supporting small-scale, traditional producers. And, as Christmas, in particular, is the season of goodwill, it seems the perfect time to do your bit for the region’s farmers. We’ve scoured Munich and the surrounding area to compile your complete guide to making this Christmas both tasty and ethical, whether it be through chopping down your own tree or swapping your smoked salmon Christmas Day breakfast for locally smoked fish. Take a look at what we found on page 19 and treat yourself to some of the fabulous produce out there.
Treats, in fact, are what this issue is all about. And there can be no bigger treat, in culinary terms at least, than the truffle. Never bought one before? Then turn to page 36 for the complete beginner’s guide to this magical delicacy. Yes, they may be expensive, but a few shavings of truffle is probably the simplest way to pep up any dish and turning a regular meal into a Christmas treat. We’ve also included five recipes to help you recreate an amazing truffle feast. Your guests won’t know what’s hit them. If you prefer to let others to do the cooking, take a look at our suggestions for the best restaurants for a special treat (page 16). Of course, Christmas is also a time for giving. Make sure your gifts are the most talked-about under the tree by checking out our Christmas shopping guide on page 38. There’s something for everyone—whether you’re after a present for your clueless aunt or for your culture vulture boss. And, once all the work’s been done, why not get the family together and tackle the MUNICH FOUND Christmas treasure hunt on page 20? Not only will it give you an excuse to get out into the fresh air and work off some of that Christmas pudding, but you might also learn something new about Munich en route. And what’s more, there are some great prizes on offer for your efforts—we wouldn’t wrench you out into the cold for nothing!
On that note, it remains for me to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2006 from all of us here at MUNICH FOUND.
See you in February, when we’ll be back with more treats!
