Oh deer, I lapped it up

Declan Cashin experiences a mouth-watering visit to Lapland, has to rein in his appetite a little, enjoys the sights and raucous nightlife but misses out on those bright lights

I DON’T know how I’m going to look my young nephew Aidan in the eye again. He was so excited to hear that uncle Declan was going to Lapland to see Santa’s reindeer. Well, I saw the reindeer alright, up close and personal, and none more so than when it was on my fork en route to my mouth. I’m sorry Aidan, but I ate Rudolph.

Before rushing to judgement, let me state that chowing down on reindeer is practically mandatory in Lapland. I discovered this just after arriving in Helsinki airport where reindeer burger was offered in the terminal’s restaurant. I initially hesitated, but couldn’t resist. It was delicious: juicy, lean and chewy.