Happy 2010!

2009 ended on a most lovely note. My 2 week Christmas break saw us back in France visiting Paris, Strasbourg, Bretagne and the French Alps. This trip felt different, almost familiar, as we went around visiting friends and family alike. It was so good meeting everyone again, and I have to admit, knowing the basics of french did help make life a lot easier and made my trip all the more enjoyable.



Our first stop was Paris, where we caught up with friends and of course, our dose of crusty baguettes, salted butter and flaky viennoiseries. It was lovely walking in the freezing cold down the streets of St Germain de Pres, past the Lourve, down the rows of fromages, charcuteries and boulangeries of Mouffetard, where we stopped for a bite of an amply filled cafe eclair and a shot of espresso. Down the street where we were staying was also Paul's, which is a franchise but nevertheless holds plenty of delicious offerings. When we had our petit dejeuner there, I simply couldn't stop crunching down on baguette slathered with butter and jam. Oh and did I mention how comforting it is to graze on chestnuts which have been roasted on a metal plate in a shopping trolley? "Chaud, chaud, chaaaauuudd marrons!"



And yes, we also had space for a French kebab which really looked more like a sandwich. It was served with piquant, aromatic harissa on the side - I'm sold. Another absolute delight was a little Kurdish restaurant that we chanced upon while searching for a pub near Montmartre. I didn't bring my camera out then so I missed out on the photos, but the simple offerings of hummus and pita, perfectly spiced, grilled meats served with a kurdish couscous made me want to kidnap the chef back home.



We went up to the rooftop of a popular downtown mall to see Paris by night. It was everything I would imagine Paris to look like.



Our next stop was Strasbourg. This was the first time I got to experience a real white Christmas! My first encounter with snow was on a mountain in New Zealand, but I was probably too young to fully appreciate it back then. It was pure pleasure as I stood in the middle of Strasbourg and gazed upon the white, flocculant snowflakes falling softly all around and on me and melting away gently on my coat.



But of course, the reason we were in Strasbourg was for the famous outdoor Christmas markets. The smell of cinnamon and spices from the vin chaud, pain d'epices and bredles hung wonderfully low in the air. We wandered hand-in-hand around the various market stalls, sampling pain d'epices baked with honey and eating market-style flammenkuch: essentially one half of a baguette laced with cream, ham, onions or champignons and toasted until everything comes together in one scrumptious bite. Washed down with plenty of mulled vin chaud, we were two very happy campers.



Standing right in the middle of Strasbourg is the imposing Notre Dame de Strasbourg. Grand, morbidly beautiful, one will be stupended by the sheer immensity of this cathedral as it towers over you. Angels carved into the sides also seem to beckon you with a knowing, almost mocking smile.



And Brittany. Talk about being pampered! I was stuffed with all sorts of terrines, charcuteries, saucissons, foie gras, fruits de mer, fromages, crepes, salted butter caramel and gateaux. And champagne seemed to be the standard Christmas fare. We had glasses of champagne perfumed with a purplish fleur de violette sirop, served with little buttered toasts of caviar and saucisson sec for aperos.



The gastronomic highlight of my trip though will have to be Meme Christiane's homemade kig ha farz. Buckwheat dumplings dotted with moist prunes and lard are placed in a muselin bag and stewed with brined meats and vegetabes in a pot au feu. Salty, sweet, with a grainy texture, this dish really hit THE spot. If you ask me, this is the perfect winter dish. I can eat this quite happily for the rest of my life.




With all the food, naturally we had to take our digestive walks. Taking a promenade along the jagged coastlines and breathing in the salty coastal air does wondrous things for your soul, not to mention work up an appetite for the next meal! :)



The last pitstop for my trip was snowboarding at Val Cenis in the French Alps, a la caravan style. I can't begin to describe how exhilarating the whole experience was, although every inch of my muscle was screaming by the end of the trip. It is something you have to experience for yourself. And being in sub-zero conditions in the mountains means having to load up on lots of hearty carbo, cheese-laden foods such as tartiflette and crozons, washed down with a sweet herbal digestif with a deliciously minty flavour known as genepi.



Now, all I need to do is figure out how to get back to the routines of life again... Happy 2010 :)