Scribbling #4: Christmas Time

Instead of the traditional Christmas turkey dinner (which was amazingly well prepared this year by our friends the Prices on the 25th), Slovaks have the traditional Christmas carp.  Unfortunately, I'm not too great with fish, especially bottom-feeders which go out of their way to look ugly and be very bony.  So, this year I didn't take the dubious pleasure of having carp at a friend's house - I had the offered chicken instead.  Christmas Day here is also celebrated not on the 25th, but on the 24th, when Baby Jesus Himself gives out the presents.  I'm not sure why the change of date, due to Wikipedia always shutting down on me since people are bored at this time of year and just want to find out about random stuff.

Anyway. :-)

This is how you buy a carp here - while it is still alive.  The seller (usually found outside the large Tesco here in Nitra) nets the ugly thing from one of the fishing tanks. It flaps all over the place while the seller puts it into a bag that isn't filled with water.  The lucky buyer takes the horrible thing home, fills up the bath, and then places said repulsive fish into the bathtub.  This is so that the unsightly fish can 'clean itself out' - whatever that means - and so be a 'cleaner' hideous fish before the buyer has the exquisite pleasure to snuff its life out.  Hopefully the buyer hasn't got too many small children running around, as I'm sure that the repulsive fish will eventually be seen as a family pet and given a name.  Like 'Buttercup' or something.  There'll be tears before bedtime...

The joyously dead fish would then be taken out, gutted, cleaned then cooked and covered with breadcrumbs or somesuch ingredient, served along with cabbage soup.  The latter I will eat with relish, but I will refuse the former.  Sad affair, but there you go.

Mrs C and I have had a great time over the last couple of days with our non-bottom-feeder Christmas, along with friends and no family (except on the phone - it's that way when one of you is a Brit and the significant other is a Canook).  We've loved receiving prezzies and we've really loved giving them out - it's all about the reaction, you know?  Even pumpkin pie was made in the C household - but unfortunately, Yorkshire pudding was not.  Since my birthday is coming up soon, then I can happily wait for that very special occasion. ;-)

Merry Christmas/Vesele Vianoce everyone, and Happy New Year!