Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/614946
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2015 X Christmas Supplement X Christmas Supplement IT is nearly time for the Cor- inthia Palace Hotel & Spa's now-legendary New Year's Eve spectacular. Following on from the magic of Great Gatsby in 2013 and last year's Voulez Vous events, which sold out and wowed the guests present, this year's gala dinner and party will be themed around the 40s and is called Swing Around the Clock. As always, the Hotel's execu- tive chef Stefan Hogan has gone to town on the menu, ensuring it is both authentic and exciting. He explained the process that has gone into crafting the dishes for this year's feast, all based around the atmosphere and history of the 40s. "Food was very sparse back then and in very short sup- ply, so people had to be very inventive when it came to mak- ing a little go a long way," says Stefan. "For instance, the Lord Walton Pie that I am making for one of the courses on New Year's Eve, though slightly enhanced for today's palettes, was very popular back then. It was served at the Savoy Hotel in London, which was one of the grandest locations of its day. The chefs would fill the pie with vegetables to make it appear more substantial, as guests back then would have been lucky to find even one bit of meat in their slice. We'll be changing that for Swing Around the Clock, of course, but the principal will still be the same – a delicious pie!" Stefan explains that the 40s were known as the 'swinging 40s' because of the vibrant dance scene associated with the decade. "That's how we chose the overriding theme for the event," he explains. "I also started to think about the other themes associated with the era – the blitz, London, rations, the tiny amounts of food and the idea of sharing the food you did have. I also researched popular songs from the era and planned the whole menu around that. Thus, our New Year's Eve menu has a very strong connection to the music of the day." Of course, 40s cuisine varied depending on whether you lived in the town or the coun- try. "In country people had the capacity to shoot game, fish and grow their own vegeta- bles," continues Stefan. "In the cities, the 40s actually gave birth to the 'allotment', and the council provided people with a patch of land so they could grow their own vegetables too, even though it was likely to be in lesser quantity." Along with these allotments, which actually help to boost neighbourhood and community spirit, other elements came into play with regards to the food that was eaten. "These included ration cards that dictated how much flour, sugar and butter each family would be given, so of course this dictated the dishes that made it to the table." Stefan reveals that guests will be in for lots of surprises at Swing Around the Clock, and that the menu will really represent the different aspects of the 40s. "For one course I am taking a piece of wood, burning it and nailing a ration card to it; that will set the scene," he ex- plains. "Some of the food will be served in little metal tins, such as a spam tin or sardine tin – and the first course was inspired by the song 'Free Eats' by Count Basie. There will be charred leeks, a nod to the American's and their love for spam, pressed smoked eel as a nod towards the East End of London, and vodka-cured salmon with potato foam, which highlights how potatoes were a true staple of the time Join us this festive season as we display e Craftsmanship of Care throughout our hotel. Starting with the Lighting Ceremony on the 8 th of December and going through to our decadent New Year's Eve Swing Celebration, join us this winter and let us craft the ultimate Christmas and New Year Experience. THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR SHINES BRIGHTLY AT THE CORINTHIA PALACE HOTEL & SPA CORINTHIA PAL ACE HOTEL & SPA , DE PAULE AVENUE , SAN ANTON BZN 9023, MALTA +356 214 4 0301 | EVENTS.PAL ACE@CORINTHIA .COM CORINTHIA .COM/PAL ACE Celebrate this New Year's Eve in 1940's Swing Style DRESS FOR THE DECADE IN YOUR BEST FORTIES STYLE A fabulous feast from the forties! While the 1940s were obviously centred around the challenging war years, the cuisine from the era was still interesting and enticing. Here, Jo Caruana chats to Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa executive chef Stefan Hogan, who has crafted a very creative 40s-themed menu for the Hotel's upcoming New Year's Eve spectacular, Swing Around the Clock.