Friday, September 14, 2012

Yes the first picture is of goose and duck fat.  You can buy it in a jar rather than save your own.  It actually is fabulous pured over chicken to cook in the crock pot.  it's just the thought that kind of gags you.

Well, another week has passed and we are heading out of town this afternoon to Angouleme.  We are staying with Jacques and Claire for the weekend and will go tomorrow to an antique car show and race in the city.  It’s a yearly event and it interested Ross, so we will try it.  I’m all for a good excuse to visit with friends!  I told Claire I needed this trip as it’s been a weird week for me.  I know they told us in Cultural Training we’d have odd cycles and moods and this week was the first in a long time that I was truly homesick.  I don’t know what triggered it, and maybe it wasn’t one specific thing, but it was a few weepy days for me. I know in my head that even in my “old, real” life, there were just days that were off, so I know it’s normal; but when it happens here, I tend to wonder why!  There was a full moon this week, so maybe I’ll blame lunar cycles.  I know that Katie put up some new adorable photos of Liam and that started my boo-hooing.  But, I’m done and as the week has gone on, I’m fine again…..I don’t like emotions much and hate when they get me!!  The older I get, somehow they hit easier and I can’t block them as much.  I know, I know, that’s much healthier, but I sure prefer to bottle them up!

Last Saturday we had our first annual neighborhood BBQ.  There were probably 50 people there and they blocked off our street and set up tables.  It was nice for Ross and I to meet some neighbors and introduce ourselves.  Everyone brings their own meat and then salads and desserts to share; kind of a pot luck supper but outside. It was funny to watch those who speak any English trying it out on us. My French did me just fine and I was able to communicate nicely which was great.  When a group was talking and it goes quickly, I’m lost, but one on one it was good.  One neighbor is a teacher in the junior high level and her subject is English, so she sat right across from us.  One other couple had just gotten back from a month in the US, staying with the family who owns our rental house here who live in Georgia currently.  They brought their ipad to show us photos of Atlanta, the aquarium, Turner Field, the lake, the Coke Museum, etc.  It was fun to re-live their trip with them.  I loved the photos she took inside places like Costco….it’s exactly what I do here, take photos of foods and things that amaze me.  It was fun seeing it in reverse.  I so enjoyed the photos of their visit to Trigger Time, the local shooting range.  Here in France, firearms are illegal, so they thought it was fabulous that you can go rent a gun and use the shooting range.  It just cracked me upJ

My food was a hit, although I had been warned at language school that the women would all scamper over to see what I brought…you know, the tall America lady!  I made my two favorite salads that I would make at home.  One is a broccoli salad with bacon, raisins, onions and a sweetish sauce. I had to substitute lardons for bacon  but it was close.  They really liked it and weren’t expecting the sweetness of the vinegar/mayo/sugar dressing. The other, my 7 layer spinach salad got many comments.  Apparently, spinach (epinards here) are served hot as a veg and not a salad.  So when I layered spinach, bacon, onions, mushrooms, peas, parmesan and then made a mayo/sour cream (substitute crème fresh) dressing, it was something everyone wanted to try.  I had several people comment how much they enjoyed them both and the new tastes.  Then I made a strawberry rhubarb crumble, it was a huge hit.  Very different than how they would make it.  One man asked me (yes in French) why it was pink, when I said I put strawberries with it, everyone stopped and we had a whole discussion about how that was so different.  The man said he loves rhubarb but never had it this way.  I commented that I had picked it from my garden too and they loved that.  Then my crumble topping was even more of a discussion.  Here they make it with just white sugar, flour and butter and mine was not that!  I had to describe it in detail….it’s just flour, brown sugar or cassonade, butter and I use oatmeal.  Now, I’ve had trouble finding oatmeal here so I know it’s not something they use much. Well, they loved it and thought it was so original.  It made me laugh, but I enjoyed describing it to them and that it was a normal thing for me to add strawberries or use oatmeal.  I know they weren’t just lying to make me feel good since both salads and the crumble were pretty much gone and I watched people eat it and not tuck it to the sides of their plates.  

Okay, so the fashion oops I’ve mentioned before of dark undies and bras under see through clothes has gotten ridiculous, I see it everywhere, so now I’m thinking it’s the fashion, not an oops.  So, watch out America, fashions tend to start in Europe and move west, so by next year, prepare to see lots of dark or patterned underwear! Trust me, it’s not a good fashion! The other is the men’s shorts…..oh my, you better hope this fashion does not come across the pond….those very, very, short bike shorts…..black, kind of nylon…..they’re everywhere…..not flattering on any man!!!  I’m not talking the tight lycra kind although they are also very popular, but the wispy, blow in the breeze kind!!! 

One nice moment this week for me was on Sunday at church.  Everyone is back from holiday and school has begun.  So, the pews are full now.  A mother and her 18 month old girl, Annelle, sat next to me.  I’ve seen her before and the little girl is always so well behaved and quiet at church.  Very cute but stays pretty close to her mom.  Well during the singing, she looked up at me, crawled on my lap and fell asleep for the entire meeting.  It was hot and we were both sweaty, but I LOVED every cuddle moment.  I needed that!!  She’s a doll baby and I hope to foster our friendship.

Shopping is interesting right now, I have to learn the seasonal fruits and veggies.  Right now, tomatoes are fabulous as well as peaches, but you can’t find a strawberry anywhere.  It’s just a very different growing season for me and the stores use local produce which I love and it’s always fresh.      

Cooking is an adventure too.  I brought my American recipes and measuring cups etc, but I have to convert the products to American weights. Then I have to find ingredients for the ones that I can’t get here.  It’s been a challenge, but I think I’ve mastered most of it.  Although I am making a cake today that will either be a bomb or fabulous.  I’m taking it to the Coquerel’s so if their boys won’t eat it, I’ll know it’s bad!!  I even ran out of sugar, flour and eggs; which for me is a first in 30 years of marriage.  Ross said, “what do you mean you ran out?”  I am a stockpile person, but here I don’t have room and it’s just two of us so I purchase most things fresh.  I keep flour and sugar on hand, but no extra.  I will need to replenish next week. I’m learning a whole new way to shop, store and cook here!

Last night we went to the store for one purpose….to buy wine!  GASP, words you never thought you’d hear from me……but…...we live in France for crying out loud.  Anyway, it’s harvest season for the grapes right now and all the local supermarkets have one week in September of wine sales to make room for the new seasons batch.  Everyone has been telling us about it….and you know me, I love a bargain; so if we’re going to buy it, we’re going for a sale!!  

It would absolutely be rude and offensive here if we didn’t offer someone wine at our home or have a glass with them at their home.  Yes, even the tightest of old Christian bretheren drink wine!  Anyway, I get laughs when I tell them in my adult life I’d never had an alcoholic drink other than a very occasional glass of wine and that I’d prefer it with some Sprite in it….their faces are priceless.  As a child  at home there was always alcohol to fix any problem, scotch for a sore throat, peppermint schnapps for a stomach ache, blackberry brandy for diarrhea and we were told to drink beer as it was cheaper than milk.  So, as an adult it has just been a choice I’ve made not to be a drinker.  It is separate from any religious or moral beliefs, just my choice.  

So, as we live in the Loire Valley, this area is famous for its white wine and it’s usually fairly sweet and used for an aperitif or a dessert wine; I’ve found those are my best choice.  I have also found a glass with your dinner is part of life and it actually does aid your digestion.  So, don’t worry that I’m becoming some sort of a lush; it’s not a drunken party here….just a very different culture and way of living.  So, if you come to my house here, I’ll most likely offer you wine with dinner!  And if you’d prefer not to have any, I won’t be offended…..We’ve stocked up since it was buy some get some free week and some were as cheap as 2 euro a bottleJ I can see my kids reading this thinking “oh great, Mom’s a wino” but trust me, it’s not like that!!

We also went to a tomato festival after church this week.  It had about 50 exhibits and all sorts of tomatoes.  The chateau is the same one we went to the chicken festival at in the spring.  The restaurant is outside under a tent and they serve from whatever the festival represents. The food was fabulous and I’ll put up some photos.  We are enjoying the courses where you get small amounts but several of them.  It’s very slow to eat out here and even if you finish, it’s a good half hour before you get the check.  It’s an event, not just a meal.  Very hard to get used to at first, our American mindset is eat and go; but this is relaxing and talking at the table is part of the meal.  

I’m off again, but I’ll keep a watch out for the unusual and funny.