Sadly I will be in the UK next weekend so I’ll miss all the fun this year (I still have one more chance next year, so it’s not the end of the world). Discovering Slovenian wine has been one of the great joys of being posted here. I’m not exactly a wine buff, but there are very few Slovenian wines on sale in the UK and so I’d never had the opportunity to try it.

Eating and drinking are two of the easiest (and most enjoyable) ways to access a culture. I am very lucky to be a Diplomat and to have the opportunity to travel the world, having new culinary experiences wherever I go. Slovenia has proved to be a little gem, with high quality produce, seasonality and a natural variety in Slovenian dishes that reflects the country’s position as a European crossroad. I came here with few expectations, either good or bad, but now evangelise back home about the joys of Slovenian food and wine.

Of course there are foods and drinks from home that I miss. London is one of the best destinations for food in the world; not because of the quality of our domestic fare (which I love, but I’m British so I would), but because of the sheer diversity of cuisines on offer. I’m proud to come from a city where you can find foods from virtually every corner of the globe. It says a great deal about British openness to others that we want to try new foods and to make them our own. Curry has become a staple part of our food culture and last February the British Embassy organised a curry festival here in Ljubljana. We brought out seven British chefs to showcase the best of modern British curry cookery. They were joined by a number of produce suppliers, part of our ongoing effort to increase trade between the UK and Slovenia.

Although I miss certain things from home, the joys of discovering new and delicious things more than makes up for it. Now that I’m entering my third year here, I find myself looking forward to foods and drinks that crop up at certain times of year, whether it be celebrating wine on Martinovo, beautiful seasonal fruits in the summer or a keeping away the winter chills with a hearty ričet. And I am sure that I will continue to discover new delicacies throughout my time here.

Jamie Hilton, Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy