Call me the Ice Queen!

Posted on 1 June, 2015

With the thermometer still finding its silvery tongue frozen into the minuses, you might think I’m insane but I’m putting up my hand and admitting publicly to loving winter. Of course the hand I put up will be encased in a flock-lined leather glove. I’m not invulnerable to the weather by any means, but along with the shiver of cold down my spine there is an equal shiver of delight when I pull on a pair of heavy boots, swaddle myself in a coat and stride out across the frozen grass for a morning walk.

I always think we look much more alluring in winter, there are few looks more glamorous than a tailored coat belted in tight and worn with a pair of big sunglasses. It turns anyone into an instant fashion icon. There is a mystique about winter dressing-or more correctly undressing. Slowly peeling off those layers is a bit like removing the wrappings off a parcel to find the treasure within. There’s much more promise of adventure than the sheer clothes and bare all attitude of summer can offer, and a greater sense of anticipation. Winter to me is very, very sexy.

So I thought I’d share some ideas to keep warm for the rest of winter’s icy glory…

Coats

My dream is to have a wardrobe so big it extends all the way to Narnia. It’s the only way I could comfortably fit in my collection of winter coats. I can wear a different coat each day for a fortnight and never double-up. I consider this a healthy investment for Canberra living. My collection has been built up over the years but I’ve always chosen coats that are well made and suit my shape so I don’t have to worry about following trends. I haven’t spent a fortune on them either, most are from second hand stalls or vintage shops and a couple of years ago I managed to score from my mother a stunning long, camel cashmere 1960s coat. I feel like a movie star in it! If you’re trying to beat the winter blues, give yourself a budget, head to an op shop or vintage fair and see what treasure you can find to snuggle into.

My modern pieces all seem to be from the UK, from when I lived there a few years ago or have bought online from ASOS. Understandably the Brits know a thing or two about dressing warmly.

The most recent addition was one from ASOS last year, described as a ’corset style military coat’. And ASOS didn’t lie, once buttoned up it is rather hard to take a deep breath. But I love it all the same, dark green wool it cinches in my waist and flares out over the hips, all held together by big brass buttons. I feel like shouting ‘stand and deliver!’ every time I wear it. Well I would if I could breathe.

Boots

I can’t be the only one who thinks its sexy zipping up a pair of long leather boots. I think it’s because that very simple act lets my imagination run riot with thoughts of who might be unzipping them later (Ryan Gosling, you can help me with a difficult zip ANYTIME!). Think about it: leg extended, you reach down and forward, hold the zip between thumb and finger and pull upwards with a confident movement. It’s very satisfying hearing the ‘zzrrrrp’ sound of the zip coming together. And as for the sound of it being slowly taken down the other way…um, okay I’m back now, all thoughts of Ryan Gosling firmly put aside.

I don’t see how anyone living in Canberra can afford not to invest in a good pair of boots. I have 11 pairs. Of all colours and designs. My newest boots are a few weeks old and are already favourites: buttery soft tan leather that go with everything. They join my slightly overstocked wardrobe and nestle next to a chocolate brown pair, the burgundy maroon pair I bought in Paris a few years ago, the tall black buckled pair that I can pull on over my jeans, the cowboy boots that I bought on e-bay and the pair of red suede ankle boots that are actually two sizes too big but were Spanish and half price and I couldn’t resist them.

Fortunately living in Canberra gives me the perfect climate to jaunt about in all of them, one by one. Each pair is an old friend that has joined me on many, many adventures. Sadly none of those adventures have involved Ryan Gosling. Yet!

Accessories

Winter is such a good time for accessories, scarves, gloves and hats are just as important as coats and boots. Anyone who knows my deep love of Dr Who won’t be surprised that I adore long, long scarves, a la Tom Baker’s Doctor. After all, a long scarf isn’t just warm, you can use it to lasso Daleks.

And warm accessories aren’t just for humans, which brings me to…

Dressing up your dog!

Now for every one one of you who just rolled your eyes and muttered “child substitute” under your breath, there is someone else cheering me on with an “aaaaaawwww how cute…”

Yes winter offers the perfect excuse for dog owners to dress our beloved pooches in snuggly coats and woolly jumpers, the kind that would once have seen us glaring balefully if our mums had tried to make us wear them.

And that’s the great thing about having a dog, unlike a child they can’t argue back! I’m not talking about dressing them up as superheroes or Gone With the Wind characters anything like that (although even a quick Google search on ‘dog clothes’ will introduce you to a whole new world…), but dogs who spend a lot of time indoors do need some protection when they are outside, particularly smooth coated and short haired dogs. My little fox terrier Tiff has a collection of coats, and I’m SURE it is pure coincidence that they just happen to coordinate well with my own winter coats. It’s a coincidence I tell you! Honestly!

Tiff has a particular favourite, green camouflage, that has earned her cries of ‘look, it’s a little soldier dog’ when she goes out. It’s cute by daylight, but wasn’t so good the time she slipped her collar on a night walk and ran off into the inky dark. Suddenly I realised what ‘camouflage’ really meant. No little white dog to be seen. Fortunately Tiff’s time on the mean streets as a starving stray have made her very appreciative of a pampered home, so she came back quickly and was happy to return to her favourite spot: curled up in front of the heater.

Get out and enjoy yourself

Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you can spend all winter hiding inside. Canberra’s crisp days under blues skies are sublime, and the best way to enjoy it is to rug up warm and get out there!

For the fourth year now the ACT government is erecting an ice-skating rink in the middle of town for kids and adults alike to scoot around. There’s even set to be a curry festival!

Canberra even offers a unique way to watch the footy and the chance of snow sometimes comes true, you’ve got to be hardy to follow your team in Canberra! My friend Matty shared one of her memories from a few years ago, “On 26 May 2000, the Canberra Raiders played in a freak snow flurry at Bruce Stadium. Air was icy, heavy with promise of snow, crowd went crazy with excitement as the flakes drifted down and maybe a bit of fuzziness after having downed quite a few winter warmers. My standout memory was watching the scrum come together, a great cloud of water vapor forming over their heads. It was a magical Canberra moment.”

Hot drinks

There’s one thought that can sustain you through a bitter wind: going home to have a hot chocolate to warm up. Forget the pale, insipid boxes of sugary hot chocolate, reach instead for a box of Dutch cocoa. Open it up, inhale deeply and let that divine smell, like powdered velvet, wash over you. Now heat some milk, add a generous spoonful and no more than a pinch of sugar and stir. This dark, delicious confection is as bittersweet as an illicit kiss, and like that stolen moment, one taste will leave you wanting more.

There are other wonderful winter drinks too of course, mulled wine being one of the best known. The mix of cinnamon, cloves and orange peel will invoke Christmas memories, and the best bit is together they transform a cheap bottle of plonk into a drink of the gods.

Even if you don’t like your wine heated, winter is for me the best time to enjoy a good glass of red. I’ve become a seasonal wine drinker over the years, so I save up my craving for a robust red and from the time the autumn leaves have turned golden I have delved into my stash. Come summer I’ll be wanting verdelhos and bubbles again, but for now I am revelling in the merlots, grenaches and smooth shirazes on offer.

Slow cooking

And while you’ve got a bottle of red open, you’d be amazed at how a slurp can enhance the flavour of a hearty winter meal.  I often devote a Sunday to cooking up meals for the week ahead and my favourites are the slow cooked dishes that just seem to get better on the second or third day. I haven’t invested in a slow cooker, but I did treat myself to a Le Creuset casserole dish a few years ago. I love it, you can brown the meat and sauté vegetables on the stove tope, then add stock (and wine if you so choose) and transfer it to the oven on a low heat for a couple of hours. As long as there is enough liquid and a low heat you don’t even have to be tied to the kitchen, you can pop out for a bit for whatever quick errands you need to do.  Or you’re free to ‘entertain’ Ryan Gosling if he just happens to drop on by…

Don’t leave it unattended for too long though, you don’t want it to dry out. Just check occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid and the meat is tender and succulent (I could make another Ryan Gosling comparison but I will resist…). The good thing about this kind of dish is that the cheapest cuts of meat are the best to use and offer the most flavour, while the final product can be easily turned into a pie the next day by adding a covering of puff pastry.

The additional benefit of slow cooking is that is helps heat up the living areas, and a bit of extra heat is not to be sneered at in this climate.

Soups

Seriously, how yummy are soups? There is something so especially warming and nurturing about a big bowl of soup served piping hot from the stove.

I know many dedicated soup aficionados who happily slurp away well into the summer, and I wish them all the best, but I prefer to save up the experience for frosty days and savour their comfort for when I most need it.

My current favourite sounds really daggy, and straight out of the Women’s Weekly 1970s cookbook, but I challenge anyone to not enjoy a steaming bowl of French onion soup. And the best thing is it is so easy to make. If you’re making it for two people, slice two brown onions, sauté them until golden and soft, add a dash of sherry and pour in two litres of a good stock. If you cook up your own stock, you are a legend and I salute you, otherwise go for a good quality commercial stock or consommé. My favourite is beef consommé, it gives a rich earthy taste to the soup. While the soup is bubbling on a low heat, cut off a good thick slice of crusty bread, top it with tasty cheese and grill until it’s gooey and melted. This next bit is optional but really does enhance the flavour, add a tablespoon of brandy to a soup dish, place the bread on top and then ladle the soup over the lot. Warming, hearty and exactly what you need to keep the chill out.

Snuggling under the covers

I know I said get out and about, but sooner or later you have to come back inside and then there is nothing to the sweet pleasure of curling up under a blankie.

I bought a leather couch last summer and it was only when the temperature dropped that I found out a leather couch is not like a pair of flock-lined leather gloves-that baby is COLD! It’s now piled high with faux fur rugs and although they slide all over the place it’s better than a cold butt.

Make yourself a nest and curl up with a hot drink and a good book or DVD box set.  Or if you’ve got a laptop, spend some time under the covers with the HerCanberra community.

Don’t forget those in need

For all my love of winter, I know I’m really lucky, I can afford warm clothes and heating bills. A lot of people aren’t so fortunate and this is the time of year when charities like the Salvation Army and St Vincent’s need help.

You might want to help out by going through your wardrobe for warm clothes you don’t wear anymore, it will give you have more room and help someone else face the winter cold.

Or you could host an event for your friends at home to raise money for a charity. After all if you’re having trouble convincing mates to brave the cold for normal social outings, maybe a good cause will give them the kick-start they need!

It doesn’t have to be elaborate, what about something fun and seasonal, like a trivia night combined with a fondue party. Ah yes, fondue, once so de rigour in the 1970s, and now so wonderfully kitsch. But really is there any better way to stave off the winter chill than dipping bread into melted cheese with your friends?

Mmmmm, melting cheese over gentle licks of flame while stirring in crisp, sweet wine, now that’s something Ryan Gosling and I can do to last out the last few weeks of winter…