The city of Cologne on the Rhine is a fine example of how European cities don’t descend into Brit chavdom. Picture by Gavincato.
THIS ISLAND LIFE
I HAVE no idea what the Germans think of the British, but I suspect their opinion was confused by an episode in which I was involved with my old mate Mick Bull during a long weekend in Cologne.
It is a magnificent city and we had stoically accompanied our spouses on the traditional trudge around the Christmas markets.
But you can only have so many mugs of steaming gluhwein or lumps of stollen before succumbing to a yearning for something English in general or Islanderish in particular.
Our eyes lit up, therefore, when we spotted a computer terminal in the hotel lobby, and it wasn’t long before we were enjoying a reminder of home.
However, one or two passing Germans may have been bewildered to hear two mature Englishmen earnestly discussing the merits of Carisbrooke Reserves’ 5-2 win at GKN in an Island League Combination1 match.
It is through his 40-year association with football on the Island that Mick is best-known, of course.
Not for nothing is he called 'Mr Island football,’ and week after week, year after year, his face could be seen accompanying his Match of the Day report in this newspaper.
Indeed, he’s probably had his picture in the CP more often than anyone, with the possible exception of Alan Titchmarsh. So when a lot of people began taking photographs of him, he assumed the obvious.
"You’d never think there’d be so many County Press readers in Cologne would you?" said a beaming Michael.
"Nothing to do with the fact you’re standing right in front of the best view of the cathedral then?" said his wife.
I once passed through Germany en route to somewhere else but this was the first chance I’d had to mingle with the locals.
It’s difficult to rid yourself of stereotypes, and I half expected to find towels thrown over the backs of the pews upon entering the cathedral.
But the people were, without exception, friendly and inordinately proud of their city.
Cologne is remarkably clean and blissfully chav-free. It has the sort of thriving cafe culture New Labour had in mind when it introduced 24-hour drinking to this country a few years ago.
But the Germans seem to have grasped the fact that 24-hour drinking doesn’t mean you have to drink for 24 hours.
During an evening cruise on the Rhine, the locals on one side of the vessel sang Silent Night in their native tongue, while we were encouraged to offer a rendition in ours. I’m pleased to report that we registered a comfortable victory.
But it was in the shadow of the cathedral that the true meaning of Christmas could be heard.
As the shadows lengthened, the lights twinkled and the aromas of the season filled the air, the unmistakable sound of Slade singing Merry Christmas Everybody came booming up the street.
Wight method for the definitive doughnut
I HAVE been inundated with recipes and memories concerning IW doughnuts.
Carole Harvey now lives in Seaview, but e-mailed to say as a child in the late fifties she and her family used to holiday in the tiny chalets at Chilton Chine Holiday Centre (which is now IW Pearl on the Military Road).
"My parents would always insist my two sisters and I travel away from the fabulous seaside for a day in Newport just to get a bag of IW doughnuts.
"The cake shop was a very large double-fronted one which also had a restaurant.
"I also have the recipe, but they did not taste as good as the ones made all those years ago."
I think Carole is probably referring to Weeks Restaurant, a place which brings back fragrant memories for so many Islanders.
I also received a letter from Mrs Jennifer Gears, of Forest Hill, London, who hails from the Island and sent me a recipe for the doughnuts which is reproduced below.
Loraine Day, of Cowes, also sent in a recipe, as did Chantal Knight and Penny Turnbull, of Apse Heath.
My thanks to everyone for taking the trouble.
Isle of Wight Doughnuts
Ingredients:
Strong plain flour 175g; plain flour 175g; salt half tsp; unsalted butter 50g; caster sugar 50g plus extra for sifting; ground nutmeg quarter tsp; fast-acting dried yeast 2tsp; milk 175ml lukewarm; currants 50g; mixed candied peel 50g chopped; vegetable oil for deep frying.
Method
Sift the flours and salt into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar and then the nutmeg and yeast. Make a well in the centre and gradually blend in the milk to form a soft dough. Cover loosely, stand in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size. Mix the currants and peel and set aside.
Turn the dough on to a lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide into 12 equal portions. Flatten each piece and place a little of the dried fruit in the centre. Gather the edges together over the filling, pinch to seal and roll into a bowl.
Set aside on a lightly-greased tray while heating the oil.
Heat the oil for deep frying in a large saucepan to 160C and cook the doughnuts in two batches for about ten minutes, turning halfway through until they are puffy and golden. Drain well and sift over extra caster sugar. Best served warm.