at home with James Martin - December 2012 - (Page 145)

| FOOD MARKETS| EXPERIENCE the magic F WORDS: GEORGINA MARIC | PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK If you’ve never been to a foodie fair before, you’re missing out! The artisanal food and drink stalls are truly enchanting ew things capture the spirit of the season as well as a Christmas market: the glow of streets lit by thousands of sparkling lights, the amazing traditional food, the warming mulled wine. Here are some of our favourites: takes place in the Old Town Square – dating back to the 11th century and overlooked by the remarkable Astronomical Clock – and Wenceslas Square. In the Old Town there’s an enormous tree lit up by hundreds of lights, plus a stage-set nativity scene where children can get up close to sheep, goats and a donkey, and a large Bethlehem scene depicting Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus and the Three Kings in a wooden stable. You can enjoy daily performances by folk bands and traditional Christmas carols from schoolchildren from all across the country. Bag yourself some carved wooden toys from brightly decorated huts selling traditional Czech products such as Bohemian crystals, garnet jewellery, icing-covered gingerbread, and traditional straw and maize decorations. And warm yourself up with a cup of hot wine – svarené víno ˇ or svarák – in your hand! ˇ an outdoor ice skating rink, a circus and an observation wheel to keep the kids amused. A new addition this year is The Magical Ice Kingdom, with aweinspiring ice sculptures. From 23 November to 6 January NUREMBERG NOVELTIES Perhaps the most famous Christmas market in Germany – quite a feat bearing in mind there are hundreds – the Christkindlesmarkt has 180 or so stalls lining the city’s main square, the Hauptmark, in the Old Town. There’s none of the piped music or plastic tat that we often see at home: instead, there are lots of handmade crafts including wooden toys, candles, music boxes, beautifully painted Christmas decorations and, to keep hunger at bay, the city’s spicy gingerbread, lebkuchen, to enjoy. There’s a children’s market, the Kinderweihnacht, in nearby HansSachs-Platz, with carousels and a steam train, plus hands-on stalls for little ﬁngers to get messy baking cookies and making candles. James says... From 1 December to 6 January ‘I remember going to France as a kid – I’ve since gone back and the markets there are fantastic: they’re a way of life. In France they don’t have a supermarket culture, just tradition.’ Other must-visit Christmas fairs in the UK are in Bath and Winchester, both from 22 November; Edinburgh, with lashings of German beer and gluhwein on hand to keep out the cold, from 29 November; and Leeds Christkindelmarkt, when the Millennium Square is turned into a little bit of Germany with 40 of the country’s traders, from 9 November. For more information on Europe’s festive markets, go to www.christmasmarkets.com ✱ BEST OF BRITISH You don’t have to go out of the UK to enjoy a good Christmas market – and let’s face it, this is the year to be patriotic. In London there is Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, with row upon row of chalets where Christmas crafts and handmade gifts are sold. There’s also From 30 November to 24 December CZECH IT OUT Prague is one of the most enchanting cities at Christmas. Its main market HEAD NORTH LINCOLN IS THE UK’S MOST EXTENSIVE MARKET BY AREA www.athomemagazine.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 | 145 http://www.christmasmarkets.com http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of at home with James Martin - December 2012

DIARY DATES
YOUR CHRISTMAS KITCHEN
UP THE ORANGE APPEEL
MEET MR MARTIN
THE CHEF DIARIES
FLAVOURS OF THE FUTURE
COOK LIKE A PRO
THE STAR EVENT
COOKING SOS
UNDER THE SEA
VEG OUT
JUST DESSERTS
WINE O’CLOCK
TASTEBUDS ON TEST
GUYS’ GIFT LIST
SANTA SPOILS FOR HER
FOR FOOD LOVERS
CHINESE, PLEASE?
THE ROAST WITH THE MOST
MARY CHRISTMAS
BAKE LIKE THE BEST
THE BIG CHEESE
FAT’S YOUR LOT
CLEAN UP
PINES AND NEEDLES
WINTER FOODIE BREAKS
ALL ABROAD
COFFEE BREAK
‘MY FOOD FANTASY TURNED INTO REALITY’
LAST WORD
EDITOR’S LETTER
FESTIVE WELCOME
NEWS AND VIEWS

at home with James Martin - December 2012