It would seem a curiously protestant thing to do, when everything is grey and the days still short, to pile on more misery, but increasingly people here and in several other countries are opting to eschew alcohol consumption in January, the dreariest of months. Taking its origins from the UK, the French have caught on to the idea in recent years, too, even though President Macron’s government has failed to lend its support to the défi de janvier campaign. This is presumably due to a decline in alcohol consumption among its people. There are economics to consider.
The private members’ club, 67 Pall Mall, polled its members today, asking them to state their intentions for the month. The options translated crudely into: Dry January, Drier January or Quickly-Pour-Me-A-Drink-January. Percentage uptake for option one is currently high. I don’t know what to make of this: enthusiastic year-round drinkers feeling the need to atone? Or is the idea behind Dry January simply a bit of fun, a challenge even? At this point, January for me is still dry and will continue to be so until such time as I have to engage with wine (next Wednesday). I take the view that a reduction in consumption for a few weeks has to be a good thing, and if so many others are doing it, and retailers and wine bars are anticipating it, then January is as good a time as any to get with the programme. In other words, I do not feel the need to atone for inordinate alcohol consumption in the previous month, the Christmas period not having involved bouts of excess.
Tomorrow I am hosting lunch for dear friends, both of whom are serious wine lovers. The problem is, one is observing dry January, at the same time celebrating his 70th birthday. This has presented a challenge, and one that caused me to reflect on why I love wine so much. I think it’s safe to say that all wine enthusiasts love food; conversely not all food enthusiasts love wine. I know plenty of people who enjoy food but don’t drink (although some of them at least are former drinkers). I suppose I started off just loving food. Known as something of a glutton at school, the passion has followed me all my life. I am just more discerning now about what goes in. As I developed an interest in wine, the magic was ignited. Enjoying well-matched food and wine is such a gratifying experience, and as an enthusiastic amateur cook, something I take a significant amount of effort in trying to get right. So back to tomorrow’s lunch. We will start with an elaborate assortment of crudités, something that normally presents a problem to wine pairing, owing to the dressing. Red meats and game birds being unsuited to a lime and soda chaser, a fish and seafood casserole will be the main course. A cheeseboard in these circumstances being beyond contemplation, a fruit-based dessert will follow.
Food shared with friends is always a pleasure, and birthdays that continue unimpeded by poor health are always something to celebrate. But there’s no denying there will be an element missing to our lunch. Roll on February, or at least next Wednesday. January for me will be medium-dry.