inVLC December 2012 - January 2013 by inVLC Magazine

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#29

December 2012 - January 2013

Make the most of the Valencian Community

Christmas Special The most wonderful

time of the year

Christmas at Spainsburys Festive fiesta information Independent reviews Christmas gift ideas Little America Recipies

Free! The very best in Valencia & the Community

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#29

in this issue

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Editorial Out & about Little America Christmas gift ideas Festive fiestas City Map Festive films A day in the life of PEPA Christmas at Spainsburys Spanish Christmas traditions Language learning Random reviews Yuletide recipies Classifieds

inVLC Contact information invlceditor@gmail.com

inVLC is for all people in the community of Valencia: whether born here, visiting for a day, or living a new life in the sun. We hope to guide you on what’s going on in the community, help those living in it, and support language learning with a bit of added fun. facebook inVLC If you are looking for more up to date information or have any thoughts or comments please 'like' us on Facebook and join in the fun. Important numbers & Embassies / Consulates Fire | 080 Local police | 092 French | 96 351 0359 Dutch | 96 341 4633 Medical | 061 General | 112 USA | 96 351 6973 German | 96 310 62 53 British | 96 521 60 22 Depósito legal V-816-2006 inVLC We do our very best to strive for accuracy but we do not accept responsibility for unintentional errors or omissions, accuracy of advertisements or contributors’ opinions.

Editorial

...The most wonderful time of the year...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for more than one reason, not only is it now that magical time leading to Christmas and the New Year but it’s also our very first edition of inVLC. So, welcome back to inVLC and to our Christmas and New Year special. Hurray! This month we have independent reviews of Little America, Spainsburys, several "Random reviews", Christmas gift ideas, holiday recipies, information on Valencia’s festive fiestas and much more. If you visit any of the businesses featured in this edition of inVLC, please let them know that you saw their name in the magazine. Thanks. There will be some changes taking place over the next few months but be rest

assured that we will continue to deliver the same high standard of content you have come to expect. If you have a business in the city or surrounding community and want to advertise in the next edition of inVLC then please contact us via our email address. Also, we are looking to expand the Classifieds section so contact us with your personal (no businesses) classified adverts for sales, wants or exchanges etc. We will be back in February with a larger edition reinstating articles such as Free & Cheap, News, Live events and Your Photos competition (please see page 23 for terms & conditions), so keep a look out on the first of the month to pick up the next edition of inVLC. Until then, remember to head over

to our Facebook page and ‘like’ us for up-todate information and for those things that didn’t make the deadline for going to print. Finally, our very best wishes to Andy, Kelly and Sean and a big thank you for all their help and for making one of the best free magazines in Valencia. We will strive to continue with quality independent reviews and information on the best of Valencia city and the community and we hope we can continue their good work. A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Feliz Navidad y próspero Año Nuevo.

Lisa & Paul

Out and about El Palmar is a small village in the Albufera National Park famous for being the birthplace of Paella, the internationally renowned regional dish. As you head from the coast towards the village you cross locks, travel alongside reed fringed canals and pass old barracas which are typical old Albufera houses that have steeply pitched, thatched roofs. The town itself is surrounded by rice fields and the lake and accessible over a narrow one-lane bridge. Historically El Palmar is a fishing village and this still forms a major part of the villages income but at certain times this small and otherwise sleepy village with fewer than 800 residents can become quite busy as coaches of tourists come down to sample the famous food, alongside many Valencianos who make the short journey to sample some of the old tradition. The village

in El Palmar

itself has dozens and dozens of restaurants and arrocerías serving the most famous dish Paella, as well as many other regional and equally delicious rice dishes, fideua and ‘all I pebre’ which is eels in a garlic and pepper stew. Of all the available restaurants, we randomly settled upon El Palmar which has a wide range of Menú del Día options that they will alter to include what you want if requested. We opted for a Valencian salad which was a Little disappointing but to be honest, not surprising as the Valencian salad can often be a little unimaginative. We also had Mussels which were superb and a selection of breads and homemade croquets which were also very good. Then onto the main course which was seafood Paella. There was plenty of rice for the two of us to share and it was excellent, definitely several steps above many of the Paellas available

widely around the city. In the end we were also pleasantly surprised by the cost which was much cheaper than expected. All in all, our afternoon trip to El Palmar was a pleasant diversion from city or village living; a bit of space, peace and quiet and a lovely drive along the lakes where you can pull over and admire the views. If you fancy extending your day out, you can also head back to the coast and El Saler which has a nice beach with sand dunes that is more intimate and quieter than the ever popular Malvarrosa. There are also a series of smaller isolated beaches backed by shady pine groves. One word of advice, some of the beaches are registered as nudist areas so if this isn’t your thing then be cautious. In our opinion well worth a day trip at any time of the year.

LITTLE

AMERICA FOOD and DRINKS

C/ M煤sico Peydr贸 No 54 46001 Valencia 607 231 006 www.facebook.com/Valencialittleamerica

Some of our personal favourite soft drinks include Mountain Dew Throwback, A&W Cream Soda, Root beer and Dr Pepper USA. We also can’t get enough of Nerds with Wild Cherry and Watermelon being our packet of choice.

As we were wandering along a pedestrian street behind the Ayuntamiento on our way to the central market, we stumbled upon Little America a newly opened American food store that we couldn’t just walk past without entering.

At the moment there are plans to expand the current range of products and source additional items that customers request to provide a more personal service and we are very much looking forward to watching this business grow.

The outside of the shop is bright and cheerful with a very distinct and eye catching orange and black colour scheme making it easy to spot on the pedestrianized street that is lined with other boutique stores, large ornamental potted plants and outside seating from the surrounding cafes. On entering we were met by the friendly, helpful and patient (our Spanish isn’t the best) owner Jose, who although doesn't speak much English, is as welcoming as you would expect from any American food store owner. Having opened on September 8th, Jose wanted a business that was a little bit different and seldom seen in Valencia and decided on Little America. The store has proven popular with Spanish, South American, British and Americans alike and since then his product range has grown with new items frequently appearing on Facebook.

Jose has a range of about 19 different soft drinks mostly imported from the USA and customer favourites include Vanilla Coke, Cherry Coke and Dr Pepper. Other popular items in the store include cereals such as Kelloggs Froot loops, Wonka candies, Hershey's chocolate, Betty Crocker cake mixes and a good range of sauces and dressings. The store also boasts a large variety of Pop Tarts and baking products.

For the Christmas season, Little America is also stocking a range of candy canes and other suitably festive items. Check out our Christmas gift ideas on page eight and nine for information on personalised food baskets Jose has available by request. Little America has the potential to bring out the little kid in all of us with it’s colourful range of retro sweets, sodas and sauces and succeeds in offering a range of goods not seen anywhere else in the city. So, why not drop by and see for yourself what there is on offer. Present this article for 5% off any purchase over 15€.

Christmas gift ideas Is the strain of finding that perfect present getting you down? Do you feel like you’ll never find what you’re looking for?

Look no further than our Christmas gift ideas. In the spirit of supporting small local businesses and self-employed people, we have put together a Christmas Gift Guide offering a number of ideas personally selected by inVLC. From sweets to handmade jewellery, we hope our guide will give you a few interesting ideas. Located in the Nuevo Centro, Discos Amsterdam offers a wide range of items for the music lover in your life. They have a great selection of both new and secondhand cds and vinyl from ABBA to Frank Zappa, alongside a good selection of branded bags, T-shirts and other accessories. They also stock a number of figurines, posters, books and DVDs. Discos Amsterdam has been open for 30 years and has become a bit of an institution for music lovers in and around the city, so if you're looking for that perfect Christmas present for the music-minded person in your life, head on down.

Beautifully handcrafted jewellery from EL ATELiER who offer a selection of one off pieces which are collaged using ephemera and bits from old books. The base of the jewellery is alloy, the top glass and the result is a series of impressive and individual regalia. A wide variety of pendants, earrings, broaches and cufflinks are available in their store on Calle Navarra, 7, close to Angel Guimera metro. Clock Pendants 1.5": 24.50€ each

Cufflinks: 16.50€

Earrings: 14.50€

Heart Pendants: 13.50€

A selection of British chocolates, sweets and biscuits are available from Spainsburys with prices ranging from €1.75 for a tube of Love Hearts up to €10.99 for tins of Roses, Celebrations and Quality Street chocolates. They also have a range of selection boxes available which are great for stocking fillers. A wide selection such as this offers something for every budget.

Available from Little America, Christmas baskets that can be made to order using any of the products you can find in store making a gift with a bit of difference and adding some personal taste. The large one pictured is a variety of goods for baking such as cake mix, icing, food colouring and decorative candies and is priced at €30, the smaller one offers a selection of sauces to accompany your burgers including mustard, relish and barbecue sauce and is €15.

Pza Jaime Riog, 1. C/ Marc Corneli Lliria.

C/Músico Peydró, 54. Valencia

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Festive Fiestas There are a number of fairs and events on in and around the city this Christmas so there is no excuse not to go out and enjoy the festive season. Belenes in Valencia:

The Feria de Artesanías:

Christmas Market at Nuevo Centro:

There are a number Belen or Nativity scenes displayed around the city this Christmas so why not take a stroll around and visit one or two in the different areas of the city.

From 30th of November the Feria de Artesanías de Navidad or Christmas Craft Fair is on with 24 artisan stalls occupying Plaza de la Reina until the 6th of January.

Belén de la Asociación Belenista de Valencia Belén de la Catedral de Valencia Belén Plaza del Ayuntamiento Belén del Convento de los Monjes Capuchinos Belén de las religiosas San José de la Montaña Belén Museo Nacional de Cerámica Exposición de Belenes del Mundo El Belén del Metro Belén Roca Cúper Belén Hermanitas Ancianos Desamparados Belén de la Galería Jorge Juan

Colon Market:

Many events and attractions are organised in one of Valencia's largest shopping malls including a beautiful exhibition of nativity scenes from around the world. There is also a Christmas train, musical performances, a Christmas house where fairy stories are told and of course, a Santa Claus and three wise men.

This Christmas El Mercado de Colón proposes an agenda of activities starting on 17th of December and running until the 3rd of January. Here you'll find plenty of activities for children - and the not so small. Traditional Christmas Market of Mercado Central:

Christmas Metal Festival: December 14th-15th Christmas heavy Metal Music Festival at Rock City in Almassera, Valencia. English Market

From December 1st until January 6th on the streets surrounding the Central Market a traditional Christmas market with over 300 stalls selling candy, gingerbread, roasted chestnuts, decorations and Christmas figurines.

Saturday December 15th. 10am. Simat de la Valldigna. Mulled wine, mince pies, Father Christmas & carol singing all in aid of PEPA.

Please check our Facebook page for up to the minute event information

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La Galeria, C/ Baja, 38 KandABooks, C/ Tapineria, 18 Liverpool, C/ Sueca, 74 La Birra de Brian, C/ Santa Rosa, 3b Lenguas Vivas, C/ Palleter, 43 Il Genovino, Campoamor, 50 El Atelier, Calle Navarra, 7 Portland Ale House, C/ Salamanca, 10 British Foods.es, Central Market Gusto Nuovo, Av/ Reino de Valencia, 9 Orange Language Academy, C/ Santo Domingo Savio, 68 14 Mad Hatter's Coffee Lounge, C/ Serrano Morales, 3 15 Anita Giro, Pintor Domingo, 7 17 British Council, Av. de Catalu単a, 9

Favourite Festive Films

For Her

For Him

For The Family

Serendipity: From 2001 a love-atfirst-sight romantic comedy that revolves around fate, destiny, and chance. Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) are two New Yorkers already in relationships when they meet one another, each reaching for the last pair of cashmere gloves at a department store. Over coffee, they strike up an intimate conversation, and Jonathan thinks they should see each other again. Unconvinced, Sara arranges an elaborate series of "fate" games; if they're meant to be together, she reasons, she and Jonathan will receive some sort of sign in the future.

Bad Santa: From 2003 comes this excellent film starring Billy Bob Thornton and Bernie Mac about a miserable con-man and his partner who pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. However, they run into problems when the con-man befriends a troubled kid and the security boss discovers their plot.

The Muppet Christmas Carol: The puppets re-enactment of the famous Dickens book 'A Christmas Carol' with lots of singing, dancing and fun. The story of Scrooge, 'a Christmas hating money hungry fool' who is visited on Christmas Eve by 3 ghosts who get him to turn over a new generous leaf.

Miracle on 34th Street: The story of what takes place in New York City following Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, as people are left wondering whether or not a department store Santa might be the real thing when a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane. A young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real deal. The Holiday: Two women with man problems one in England and the other in the USA decide to swap homes over the festive season. Both women end up getting involved with a man while on holiday and must decide if it is love or just a fling.

Home Alone: Is a story about a boy A subversive Christmas film taking named Kevin who is accidentally left at an alternative and darker look at the home while his family go on holiday. festive season. It's also hilarious! Once Kevin realises he has been left alone he learns how to fend for himself Lethal Weapon: This is a classic and befriends an elderly neighbour. eighties buddy movie starring Danny While his family are on holiday a Glover as a veteran cop named couple of robbers plan to break into Murtaugh who is partnered with a every house in the neighbourhood, young suicidal cop, Riggs (Mel Gibson). they then realise they have bitten off Both have one thing in common; they more than they can chew when they hate working with a partner. Now they come up against this young boy. must learn to work with one another to stop a gang of drug smugglers. Elf: After inadvertently wreaking havoc on the elf community due to his Die Hard: John McClane played by ungainly size, a man raised as an elf at Bruce Willis is an officer of the NYPD the North Pole learns of his true identity who tries to save his wife Holly Gennaro as a human and goes to New York City and several others taken hostage by to meet his biological father, spreading German terrorist Hans Gruber during a Christmas cheer in a world of cynics. Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.

A day in the life of PEPA Wednesday 17th October

We’ll all remember it well!! We were expecting a busy day, because we planned to pick up a mum and her 4 pups left home alone in a house when their alcoholic owner was taken into residential care. True to form, the day turned out to be even more eventful than planned! Back to mum and her pups; the story began about 2 to 3 weeks earlier when, together with a Spanish friend, we started visiting the house to feed and make friends with the dogs. It was imperative to remove the dogs before the Valencian community arranged for the pound to come along and take them off - to a certain death. Wow, the state (and smell) of the house was beyond belief: the floor was literally a foot deep in empty wine and beer bottles, old rags, rubbish, fossilized food and other unmentionables. Surprisingly, the dogs themselves were clean and free of fleas and were well fed thanks to the owner of a local bar. But they had never been out of the house and were very frightened. (We’re told that Mum did escape once – and got pregnant for her troubles!) So that’s the background to our big day of rounding up. We went there armed with cages, tranquilisers, enough frankfurters to sink a ship – and of course gardening gloves and torches! After two hours of fighting through piles of rubbish all the pups were rounded up. The neighbours were very supportive and did a great job in

administering minor first aid! A bit of a hiccup with mum who escaped from the house and was eventually cornered in a motorcycle workshop – much to the bemusement of the owner! Poor dogs, they were so frightened – and their ordeal wasn’t yet over. They were caged up and bundled in the car ready to start their journey to their carer in Xativa; stopping quickly at a local vet’s clinic to collect 3 four week old pups that had been dumped outside the surgery the night before and were going onto Xativa to be fostered. Mum and her 4 pups were eventually deposited with their carer, where they’ll be kept in isolation until they’ve been health vaccinated and given a clean bill of health. The 3 babes, still fast asleep, were taken onto their foster carer. Well, what else happened that day on the PEPA help desk? One phone call from a lady in Lliria about a young dog who was camping outside her house. They cannot take the dog in and we haven’t anywhere for her to go. The best we could offer was that if anybody could foster the dog PEPA would pay for all the medical treatment etc. and advertise her for re-homing. Another similar call the same day, this time about 5 six week old pups found in Valencia City. Again our response was the same. We’re literally full to the gunnels and cannot afford to board any more dogs; we have to rely on the people who find dogs to be able to care for them until re-homed.

One last incident that was happily resolved was again a situation where a dog had suddenly turned up outside the home of a lady. The dog was well-kept and definitely seemed lost rather than abandoned. But the lady was unable to take him to the vets to check for microchip and so one of our volunteers personally paid for a vet to come out to the house. Good news: the dog was micro-chipped and is now happily re-united with his owner.

Update: Mum and pups are doing well and quickly getting used to being handled and fussed. Two of the pups have gone into a foster home – the others are awaiting their turn. The 3 babes who were only 4 weeks old have all been adopted. A friend offered to care for the dog in Lliria. She’s been vaccinated and sterilised and is ready and waiting to go to her forever home.

Pet of the month

Hi my name is Cid, I’m 14 months old. I’m well trained and would make a good companion. I’m a cross between a Labrador and a German Shepherd so I’m a big boy. I’ve been castrated and vaccinated. Please give me my forever home. You can get more information about me by calling 650 304 746 or by visiting www.pepaspain.com

Christmas at Spainsburys Many of you may already know of Spainsburys who have been serving the British and Spanish community for a while now. There was a change of ownership a couple of years ago and now Spainsburys is friendlier, better stocked and cheaper than ever before. It is of no surprise that they are gearing up to Christmas with a host of festive favourites to enjoy. So, if you are missing the taste of home and craving some old fashioned Christmas goodies, then Spainsburys have a large selection of items available for a great British Christmas. Firstly they have a couple of festive meat hampers available which for 79.99€ includes a 2 kilo Free Range boneless turkey breast, a kilo each of a best lean topside joint, boneless leg of pork, dry home cured gammon joint and half a kilo each of Lincolnshire sausages, sausage meat and streaky bacon. For larger families the second option at 145€ offers a 5 - 7 kilo Free Range fresh turkey and twice the weight of meat. If the hampers don’t whet your appetite they have a range of Free Range Turkey’s, Christmas Hams, Beef cuts, Lamb, Pork and homemade sausages available for individual order by December 10th and for collection on the 23rd. Also available are a large range of chocolates, biscuits and sweets including a special offer on Family Circle biscuits which are €7.50 for 855g. They have a range of Mince pies, Christmas puddings and frozen party foods alongside nonfood items including boxes of crackers ranging from 1.99€ to 10.99€, a large selection of cards at 1.99€ each or 3 for 5€, parcel tags, wrapping paper, calendars and diaries. Finally, for the morning after the night before they also stock a handy range of hangover cures such as bottles of Lucozade, cans of Irn-Bru along with Gaviscon and Andrews tablets.

Currently there is raffle for a large Christmas hamper filled with some of your favourite brands with tickets costing only 1€ and all profits going to charity. They also have a local appeal for food items and toys that are to be collected and distributed to local needy families. As you can see Spainsburys are continuing to offer a wide range of food and non-food items for the Spanish and expats alike. This ever popular store is open: Monday - Thursday 9.30- 4.00 Friday 9.30 - 7.00 Saturday 10.30 - 2.30 And throughout December Sunday 11.00 - 2.00 Contact information Tel: 962793142 Email: info@spainsburys.com www.spainsburys.com Addess: Pza Jaime Roig No 1, Calle Marc Corneli. Lliria 46160 Valencia

Spanish Christmas Traditions

Christmas Presents

Food and Drink

Spanish tradition is that the Three Kings, (los Reyes Magos) bring presents for all the children on the morning of January 6th (el Día de Reyes). However, as popular culture has been influenced more and more by American films and TV shows, many families have decided to switch to Papá Noel (Santa Clause) on Christmas Day, reasoning that it gives the kids more time to play with their toys, as traditionally the holiday ends on January 7th.

Christmas sweets are a very popular seasonal treat. El turrón is one of the absolute essentials. An almond-based tablet, Turrón traditionally comes in two versions, duro which is hard with whole almonds in a paste of sugar, honey and egg white and blando which is soft as the ingredients are ground together.

Other popular sweet treats include Las figuras de mazapán which are marzipan figurines and los polvorones Many Spanish people also keep their (a personal favourite) which are small fingers firmly crossed for a Christmas soft crumbly cakes made with lard, windfall, thanks to the renowned flour and cinnamon. lottery draw, El Gordo, literally meaning The Fat One. This is a long, The main family meal is on Christmas stretched out event that unfolds on Eve, or la Nochebuena, and centres the morning of December 22nd and as on a major dish of meat or seafood. the top prizes come out, TV and radio Popular choices include lamb, cod, and coverage centres on the search for the shellfish. many winners and for the particular lottery shop where the winning ticket was bought.

Open Tues - Sun 12.30 - 4.00 Open late Fri and Sat 7.30 - 10.30

Avd. Primado Reig, 59 46019 VALENCIA Tel. 96 366 00 79

Something different every day

For New Year’s Eve or la Nochevieja literally 'Old Night', 'lucky grapes' are the tradition. Introduced in the early 20th century, it is said to bring good luck if at each stroke of the midnight bells you eat a grape and make a wish, (un deseo) for the New Year. An interesting modern tradition, just be careful of choking. Did you know? The equivalent of April's Fools Day also takes place during the festive season on December 28th, el día de los Santos Inocentes or Holy Innocents' day.

Language learning This month we present a language learning page including 5 of the most common mistakes that Spanish speakers can make when learning English. 1. Not including the subject – In Spanish, verb tenses change with the subject, so you don’t actually have to use it in itself. In English we always have to use; I, you or he etc. as the verb stays the same (apart from third person singular). It wouldn’t be right to say, “is too late to drink coffee.” The “it,” can be easy to forget as it doesn’t refer to anything in particular. Remember: To form a sentence in English the subject is as important as the verb. 2. Masculine or Feminine? – Not, am I a man or a woman? The Spanish pronoun “su” refers to his or her so it’s common to make mistakes and forget that in English we have a separate pronoun for male and female. Remember: She, her, hers for a girl and he, him, his for a boy. 3. Word order – In Spanish, the adjective often comes after the noun but in English the opposite is true. For example you wouldn’t say “She has eyes green.” The correct word order for this sentence would be “She has green eyes.” Remember: In English the noun follows the adjective. 4. This/These –Spanish speakers usually pronounce these two words the same. In writing normally only “this” is used leaving “these” to learners who have a more advanced level. Ѯ and Ѯ“these - Ѯ Remember: “This - Ѯ ” singular

” plural.

5. Make/Do – In Spanish, hacer can mean “to make” and “to do.” This causes a lot of confusion and leads to sentences like “I make my homework” as you are learning to take control of your new language. Remember: “Make” is constructing, building or creating an object, “do” is to perform an action, activity or task. 6. Contractions – Shortened forms can present a pronunciation problem. Spanish speakers will often miss a contraction, resulting in “don” for “don’t” or “won” for “won’t.” Remember: Always pay attention to correct pronunciation. 7. Spelling – In Spanish, words are spelt exactly how they sound. With so many sounds and silent letters in English it can prove to be difficult to know when to put what where. Remember: Double check your spelling for common errors. 8. Literal Translations – A common mistake would be “I have 25 years old.” instead of “I am 25 years old.” You can have a 25 year old, but you are 25 years old. Remember: Not everything translates literally, so be careful with your translations. 9. False Friends— Librero (bookcase) and libreria (bookstore) can be confused with the English word library (biblioteca). Aprobar (to pass, as in an exam) is a false friend of approve, and familiar (having to do with one’s family) is often associated with the English familiar (something known.) There are plenty of funny Spanish learning stories too, telling someone you are “Embarazada” does not mean embarrassed, but that you’re actually telling people you’re pregnant. Remember: Just because a word sounds the same doesn’t mean it has the same meaning, so if you’re not sure check a dictionary. 10. Pronunciation – Ok, there are different accents and that is fine, but there are also some common pronunciation mistakes that you can make. For example adding an “e” to the beginning of words that start with "s", making words like “espaces” or “eschools.” Forgetting or over-pronouncing the “ed” on the ends of words, over pronouncing "h" as in "hello" or having trouble grasping the “th” sound on words like “throat.” Remember: Good pronunciation can make all the difference when communicating.

Random reviews Kana Makan

Taj Mahal

Peggy Sue’s

This small café / restaurant is one of our favourites. Located next to Plaza del Cedro and with a decent sized outside terrace, the food is an excellent Mediterranean-Arab fusion. They have a selection of tapas such as hummus, falafel and tabuleh for only 1€ each as well as a selection of salads. All the food is delicious and the fact that the owners are very friendly make this a great stop-off point for when you fancy something a little different.

We can’t be the only British expats in Valencia who crave a good curry and such a thing can be hard to find. However, Taj Mahal restaurant on Dr Manuel Candela near Amistad metro, offer an excellent menu of Indian delights. They have set menus alongside favourites such as Tikka Masala and King Prawn Tandoori. With bi-lingual staff and a chef who has worked in the UK, the Taj Mahal is one of the finest Indian restaurants in the area. Also, checkout the supermarket next door which stocks a mix of Indian and British foods with an impressive range of herbs and spices at great prices.

There seems to be a bit of a RetroAmerican craze around Valencia these days so what better time than to head out to a 50’s style American Diner for a good wholesome burger. Peggy Sue’s have two locations in the city and the one we went to was located on Calle Salamanca, 12, in the Canovas area of the city. The retro diner décor complete with jukeboxes in the booths allowing you to soundtrack your meal is a lot of fun. But how is the food? In our opinion, surprisingly good. The burgers had a homemade taste to them, which set them apart from many burger places and you should not confuse Peggy Sue’s with a fast-food outlet. They have traditional burgers with fun names like Aretha Franklin and James Brown and they also have hot dogs, chicken fingers, pizzas, salads and of course, a selection of sides and fries which were very good in our opinion. To wash it down with why not try their Pink Lemonade or choose from their selection of milkshakes. For desert traditional American favourites include brownies, apple crumble, cinnamon rolls and a very nice cheesecake. In our opinion definitely worth a visit as a fun alternative to the norm. They are open for lunch and dinner but check for specific opening times.

C/ Explorador Andres 24 (Pl Cedro) El Olivo

Located in the Carmen at the end C/ Dr Manuel Candela, 20. of Calle Baja, we happened upon El Olivo very recently and have vowed to return. The café offers a selection of well-priced Spanish tapas amongst them fried prawns, croquettes and a selection of cheeses. Alongside the traditional Spanish offerings they have more alternative dishes such as falafel. Popular with the locals, El Olivo is one to visit. Liverpool Bar Situated in the popular Russafa area of the city, the Liverpool Bar offers a range of beers including Heineken and Murphy's on tap as well as a wide range of Gin. They have Sky TV for all your favourite sporting events and frequently offer live music and a language exchange night. Interesting themed decoration and friendly English speaking staff make this a great bar to check out next time you are in the city. Open daily from 7pm until 4am. C/ Sueca, 74 Russafa. Las Cervezas del Mercado Bierwinkel Bierwinkel have a number of beer bodegas located around the city but one of the most easily accessible is the stall located in the central market. Offering a wide range of international beers and ephemera not widely available anywhere else, this is a great place to pick up something a little more exciting than Amstel. Always busy and with English speaking staff, what are you waiting for.

Excalibur We came across the Excalibur pub situated on Calle Dr Vicente Zaragoza in Benimaclet, quite by accident whilst looking for another establishment and we were very pleasantly surprised. What we found was a large pub with a number of English speaking clients mixing with the Spanish. They have a wide selection of domestic and imported beers both on tap and by the bottle and also offer cider. This is a large pub with a friendly atmosphere and boasts a great pool table, which is becoming harder to find in the city these days. They are currently running a promotion where-by you collect 5 stamps for a free drink. The international feel is encouraged with the decoration and ephemera on display and this is definitely one pub we will be visiting again very soon. C/ Dr Vicente Zaragoza, 7-9. Open every day 16:00 – 4:00

Yuletide recipies Candy Cane Cheese Puffs 1 sheet puff pastry 1 cup sliced or grated cheddar cheese or other orange cheese Pre heat the oven to the temperature specified on the pastry packet about 220 Open pastry out onto floured board Cover half of the puff pastry with cheese Fold over and roll slightly to seal Cut into 3/4 inch strips and twist into candy cane shape Bake in pre heated oven for 12 - 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. * Tip make sure the baking tray is well greased as cheese will stick.

Dad's Christmas Egg Nog 6 egg yolks 1 cup milk 3 cups single cream 1 cup Irish Whiskey (Scotch if overpowering) more traditional, use light Rum ¾ cup sugar 1¼ teaspoons pure vanilla ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ to ½ teaspoon nutmeg In a saucepan over low heat, blend the milk and one cup of cream, cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla. Keep stirring while mixture heats, and remove from heat just before boiling point. In a bowl, mix together the sugar with all those egg yolks and whisk until light and fluffy. Slowly add the milk mixture into the egg yolks and sugar (whisk as you are adding the milk mixture. Return milk and egg mixture to a saucepan and over medium heat and heat until it starts to resemble custard (never allow it to boil). Pour mixture through a strainer into container and cool in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator add cream, vanilla, Irish Whiskey and nutmeg. Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

21 Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a jar A cookie jar mix can make a fun, different and

Mix 2 cups of the flour with the baking soda and baking powder add to the jar. Pack firmly between layers.

personalised Christmas gift. 1 litre jar

Next add the brown sugar to the jar, don’t forget to pack it down

1 piece of festive cloth 1 gingerbread man cookie cutter

Finally mix together the remaining flour with the spices adding it as the top layer, again packing down.

1 piece of string 1 piece of coloured card

Place your circle of fabric between lid and ring and tie a gingerbread man cookie cutter onto jar with the ribbon add the card to the jar with the following directions:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder

Gingerbread Cookies

2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cloves

1. Empty contents of jar into a large mixing bowl and stir it all together mixing in ½ cup of softened butter.

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2. Add ¾ cup of molasses and 1 egg slightly beaten.

1 tsp ground allspice

3. Make sure the dough is very stiff and refrigerate for an hour.

1 cup brown sugar

4. Preheat the oven to 175 and roll dough out on a floured surface ¼ inch thick. Cut dough with cookie cutter. 5. Bake cookies on a greased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. 6. Decorate how and if you want. Apple Cinnamon Cookies 4oz Butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg 2 cups of self raising flour 1 grated apple 1 tsp cinnamon Pre heat oven to 190 Cream together butter and sugar, add egg and mix well Sift flour gradually into the mix Add grated apple and cinnamon At this point you may need more flour , mix to a fairly thick consistency Drop dough by using a teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 -12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.

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December 2012 - January 2013

Make the most of the Valencian Community

Christmas Special The most wonderful

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Christmas at Spainsburys Festive fiesta information Independent reviews Christmas gift ideas Little America Recipies

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