The dark days of winter are here. In Tibet there’s no change of the clocks. Hilariously, all of China (Tibet included) goes by Beijing time, even though the country spans five geographical time zones. Beijing is more than 2,500km away from Yeshi’s home in Tibet, and in practice the family have always followed their own rhythm and flow. They rise with the sun and rest when it’s dark. Even since the arrival of mobile phones no one pays any attention to time as we know it.

Winter used to be Yeshi’s favourite season. As a nomad he worked hard from February through till November. The cold months brought with them the promise of a warm bed in a real house and home-cooked meals with mum by his side. Cherished moments after almost a year of perpetual movement. Trekking from camp to camp and pasture to pasture with large herds of yaks and sheep and just a couple of male relatives for human company. The relentless schedule of feeding, milking and churning out butter and cheese.

These days Yeshi is less fond of winter. The days are shorter here than they are in Tibet, and the restaurant runs right through the cold months. In fact, this is usually its busiest time of year as our warming dishes come into their natural season.

When we were in Tibet earlier in the year we had lively debates about men and women and who gets the fuzziest end of the lollipop. No doubt the men work hard out there on the mountains, but the women who keep home never get to pause during the off-months. Planting and harvesting crops is a full-time job even without the need to put meals on the table three times a day. Not to mention the washing, cleaning and taking care of the animals that live at home year-round.

This disparity is mirrored in our own working lives. When the restaurant is open for the week Yeshi is busy – he’s keeping on top of what the kitchen needs and he’s continuously sniffing out the city’s best vegetables before he can think about washing them, chopping them and turning them into your favourite dishes.

But when we close on Sunday evening he switches off. I handle all the behind-the-scenes stuff: I’m never really not working. So Yeshi’s life still has its seasons, and I’m the Tibetan wife who doesn’t stop. Or maybe this is just the universal experience of women? Answers on a Postcard, please.

Taste Tibet is open for another round of momos all the usual hours this week, as follows:

Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9.30pm (dinner)
Sunday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9pm (dinner)

This week’s menu is up on the website – check it! Come by for take away, dine in or you can order home delivery through Deliveroo.

Our freezers are also packed with all the nutritious meals you don’t have time to make yourselves, and we have good stocks of chilli oil and cookbooks as well – pop in for yours or head to the website for online orders.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon,

Julie and Yeshi

Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Saturday: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
Sunday: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9pm
☏ 01865 499318

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