Today Anthony Capella, author of The Various Flavours of Coffee, answers our Christmas questions.
What is your favourite Christmas memory?
I’m not actually a fan of Christmas. I’m someone whose soul responds to sunshine, warmth, wine, a bottle of cold white wine and a table overlooking the sea... For me, Christmas is just a way of passing the time until a decent season comes around at last.
That said, when I was writing The Food of Love my wife and I went back to Rome to do some research, late in December. Piazza Navona, a beautiful oval piazza that was once a Roman chariot-racing track, contains a rather sweet market of children’s toys. I remember stopping for some roast chestnuts, and discovering that the same stall also sold bruschetta – a simple piece of toast, roasted over a mixture of hot coals and hot chestnuts, rubbed with a piece of garlic, then dribbled with a generous, laser-green glug of freshly-harvested olive oil. At that time of year the oil is so peppery, and so olive-tasting, it catches in the back of your throat.
And then, a little further on, there was a lorry selling porchetta – sandwiches made with roast suckling pig rolled in thyme and myrtle and bits of the pig’s own fried organs. The meat was so tender it was almost creamy…. ah, joy.
What is the worst present you’ve ever given or received?
My children regularly give me whatever they want themselves. I’ve had X-box games, rugby balls, fleeces that magically disappear into teenage bedrooms on boxing day, you name it.
What are your plans for this Christmas?
I’ve just found out I’m cooking for 22 of my wife’s relatives.
Are you giving any books this Christmas?
Yes. I always give my relatives books, because I think they’re such a great present. But they never give me books, which suggests that they don’t agree.
What book would you most like to receive this Christmas?
A new Jilly Cooper, to escape with.
Any tips for surviving the festive period?
Go to Italy. For them, Christmas is a much quieter deal than La Bufina, our Twelfth Night, when a fairy grandmother goes around distributing presents.
Posted 13/12/2008 07:34:30 by The Little, Brown Santa with 0 comments.
Paperback: £8.99