Your wide-ranging Heyday Friday newsletter
A mystery destination, an unexpected recipe, a tear-jearking recommendation and a hilarious food-related video in this week's newsletter
Hello!
Last week I was back. This week I’m away again.
Or rather, to be more precise, I was back last week, and in this week’s blog I write about somewhere I went when I was away.
But it’s not Oman. And it wasn’t hot. Which may come as something of a surprise to you.
It’s somewhere we ended up having to spend a short, unplanned, but delightfully enjoyable stay. Somewhere we discovered the footprint of the devil, a renowned football-related balcony, and the region’s biggest hat shop. Where we climbed more than 300 stairs to enjoy spectacular views, sampled delicious food and drink, and watched the antics of a famous clock. All in the space of just two hours.
Discover where this destination of delights was and why we ended up there for such a short time by CLICKING HERE. Here’s a picture, if it helps to work it out.
I chose these travel-relevant
WORDS OF WISDOM
from film director Werner Hertzog, because where we visited was his birthplace (I don’t just chuck this stuff together you know).
I realise winter isn’t exactly the time to be posting a salad recipe, but I’ve eaten this so often for lunch since getting back, I wanted to share what a satisfying and fresh meal it is with you. Feel free to tuck it away for future use if you’re more inclined to be supping on soups right now.
SALMON NICOISE SALAD
This takes a little prep, but no time at all to assemble, and uses a fail-safe technique for making the perfect jammy eggs every time courtesy of the lovely Hannah who serves up all manner of brilliant recipes (see what I did there?) on her excellent website, BUILDING FEASTS
Bring a small pan of water to the boil and add two eggs. Cook for 7 minutes then plunge into a bowl of iced water to stop them from cooking any more.
Heat up a griddle pan sprayed with olive oil. Chargrill a handful of fine green beans until they’re cooked to your liking (I prefer them well charred), then sprinkle with some sea salt and set aside.
Season a salmon fillet with salt and pepper (I add a dash of soy sauce, but feel free not to. Or, indeed, to use any other seasoning), add a little more oil to the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side.
Whilst that’s cooking, chop up any salad ingredients you fancy - I’m partial to lettuce, cucumber, pepper and tomatoes for this, but anything will work.
Once the salmon is cooked to your liking - I prefer it just cooked through, but pink in the middle is good too - remove it from the pan and let it cool a little.
Whilst it’s doing that, peel the eggs and cut into halves, toss together all the salad ingredients, then top with the beans and the salmon, flaked into pieces, sprinkle over some salad dressing of your choice and then add the eggs.
Bon appetit!
WHAT MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK
Whilst we’re on the subject of food, this didn’t just cheer me up, it made me laugh out loud. It’s SO true!
THIS WEEK I’VE BEEN…..WATCHING
I haven’t recommended a film that’s on at the cinema for quite a while, but if you can’t catch this memorable and moving bio-pic on the big screen, I’m sure it’ll turn up on one of the streaming channels in no time, so look out for it there. Either way, I challenge you not to be deeply affected by the story of Sir Nicholas Winton, the subject of this expertly-crafted and beautifully acted drama.
Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, Nicholas, then a young stockbroker, visited Czechoslovakia to see for himself the growing humanitarian crisis, and the increasingly perilous and desperate situation for the exiled Jews in the country.
He so shocked is he by what he witnesses and hears that, helped by his fiercely tenacious mother, Babette, he determines to rescue as many of the children as he could, somehow organising not only the documentation and train transport they need to escape the country, but finding families willing to take them in when they arrive in the UK.
Nicholas eventually managed to save an astonishing 669 children. But throughout his life it was something he rarely, if ever, spoke about, not least because he was haunted by the seizure by the Nazis of the final, and largest, rescue train and the 250 children forced off it,whose fates he never knew.
The humble self-effacement of the older Nicholas is perfectly captured by Anthony Hopkins, whilst Jonny Flynn equally convincingly portrays the fierce determination and commitment of his younger self, and Helena Bonnam-Carter inhabits the character of the indomitable Babette with relish. The supporting cast, which includes the excellent Romola Garai, are as uniformly rounded and believable.
For all that the depiction of Winton’s story is affecting and agonising, the real emotional heart of the film arrives towards the end, when thanks to the documents he kept hidden away in his home for decades getting into the hands of the TV programme That’s Life, this modest man, a hero in everyone’s eyes but his own, finally understands the significance of what he accomplished and the life-changing impact he had on the children he rescued from almost certain death.
One Life is in cinemas at the time of writing
Watch the trailer HERE
I’m finishing this newsletter off sitting in bed with my electric blanket on because it’s the cosiest place to be on a literally freezing evening. So this
FRIDAY FUNNY
seemed particularly apt.
That’s it for this week. Your next newsletter will arrive on a particularly significant date (for me anyway).
In the meantime, stay warm!