Christmas in France

The menu last night (Christmas Eve) at Ema's sister Leo's place: foie gras en croute with Monbazillac (what the Australians amongst us would call a 'sticky', although that term doesn't really do it justice); smoked salmon; snails (of course!, but not a cliche, although it's possible to eat far too many of them ...); roast chapone (a sort of cross between a huge chook and a small turkey - a 'churkey', then) with chestnuts; and two buche de Noel (Christmas cake with chocolate and sweet chestnuts).


Then collapse in a heap ...

... and come back for more the next day! So, today was lunch chez Michel (Ema's father), which was a slightly more sedate affair. Meaning only 3 courses rather than 5. Salad, pate and saucisse to begin with (which at least one of us confused with the main course, meaning that when the main course actually arrived it was all over Red Rover for that particular member of the family); an Alsatian speciality involving smoked pork and boiled potatoes; and more buche de Noel. And to finish, a small glass of a 25 year old Chartreuse. But this time, rather than collapse in a heap it was ...

... time to go for a long walk around the environs. Em's dad lives high up on the side of the valley, immediately beneath the St. Eynard, a very large and imposing mountain. The photo here doen't begin to do it justice; neither does it remotely capture the particular sound of silence that is associated with snow. However, as the forecast is for sub-zero temperatures for the rest of the week, my sense is that there will be many more opportunities to work on the photographic technique.

But that can wait. Now - with the bells of sundry neighbourhood churches (one of which dates from the 14th century) ringing, and the snow still falling - it is time to sleep.