Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année

Ah the French!

The St-Germain Le Peep Holiday Chapeau.



Christmas Eve. My St-Germain liquer "Le Peep holiday chapeau" was strategically posted to be received on Christmas eve. It was taken from the lovely cardboard envelope that I found with other Christmas tidings in the post. The return address was St-Germain, Coral Gables, Florida and I was puzzled to receive this. St-Germain is made in France. But what was inside? St-Germain is made in France from the the flower of Elderberry, sweet and best accompanied in champagne.

Much to my delight I found three papers inside - 2 of heavy cardstock. The contents - a cardstock paper with 3 pictures and a "template"/recipe card, an instruction page and a card stock chapeau,. The last, one has to assemble. St-Germain referred to it as a "peep show" and it did not take long to see the lovely early 19th century Parisian ladies posed in various stage of dress.  The instructions guided you thru the placement of the card inside the box on the reverse of the peephole. It further suggested that one might use the template card to insert a picture of one's own. (commenting - "this could be very interesting".)

 

It is suggested one is expected to wear this on top the holder's head at holiday gathering and for New Years' celebration.  It did take some guidance from a cohort of mine to explain the use of the "chin strap".

 

Making Christmas Sweet - A letter from Elaine Sciolino.

Not to be outdone, on Christmas morning - over the din of 5 splendid grandchildren running and rummaging around the tree - I picked up the New York Times and to my further delight found Elaine (recall author of La Seduction) has posted a letter from Paris in the Dining section on Christmas day. You know how I feel about Elaine.

I smiled so broadly as I read of the arrondissemonts and shops in Paris that I had only been to 6 months prior.

The "seduction theme" could be found again as I started to read the article in which Elaine wrote of a 'Chocolate Christmas tree", chocolate yule logs to scale and other tantalizing chocolate experiences of the French life. The efforts by the Paris Metropolitain, "metro",  to paint a train car chocolate brown and display it in all the stations of Paris with an exhibit on chocolate. And she wrote of all the the efforts the French go through to reach chocolate perfection.



      tip - Valrhone chocolate is considered the best industrial made chocolate.


Bonne Année

The St-Germain Cocktail
   Bon cocktail, Bon Chic.
   from St-Germain Liquer

2 parts Brut Champagne
1 1/2 part St-Germain
2 parts sparkling water

Stir ingredients in a tall chilled ice-filled glass, mix completely. Think Paris circa 1947. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Variation: Think Sartre circa 1947. Be the lemon twist.

Appetizer: unsalted almonds.

Playlist:
Something lively and fun like of the music of Cuban chica Cucu Diamantes.

Happy New Year ... Bonne Année et Bonne Santé ... Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος

The CIA Ganache Factory Emporium

 

 

Un Chocolatiere

There is a man with a toque

 

His wife always dresses bespoke

 

The toque man Marcel is into Ganache

 

The toque man's wife -- oil and clay
 

                      by author

 

 

 

The world is a greater place because of those talented artisans who bring to us mortals the delights from food and art. I write of one such artisan.

 

Admirers of "Death By Chocolate" dessert, Marcel's  book series, The Trellis Restaurant and not to be left out - the PBS television series, now enjoy Marcel and Connie's newest endeavor, the Mad About Chocolate patisserie.

 

I won't deny it, I am a fan - devotee of good food, a tasty drink, and an enjoyable place to experience these with my favorite date. Whether it be Washington, San Francisco, Peshawar, Paris, Athens, Berlin or London and Williamsburg, I have a long list of memories and experiences like enjoying a beer with "Laki" at the Saturday morning Frankfurt farmers market, an espresso at the Architect Museum coffee lounge or ouzo at the port of Mykonos.

 

Since father and son Peter and Nick BeLer's* The Williamsburg Restaurant, along with the Lafayette Restaurant, Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn, this little city of Williamsburg has experienced a growth of fine dining venues. *And I cannot tell this story without mentioning Nick and his brother Buzz's The Prime Rib of Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia.

 

The Trellis - the inspiration of Marcel's - not only brought out but made a name for a divine dining experience and has led to the more recent establishments - The Fat Canary, LeYaca and Chef Dave Everett's Blue Talon, the re-opened Trellis and the DOG Street Pub, along with Dave's newest fancy The Blackbird Bakery. (One awaits Dave's distillery.)

 

These special places .... here in this idyllic town...... Well, It's almost as if the CIA reached out from Hyde Park and sprinkled fairy dust on this quaint little hamlet.

 

And as we watch these gems on the landscape, we see a Havana Cuban-inspired  locale (since closed), the soon to open Jewish Mother and likely more in store.

 

Which takes me back to Mr. D and his Ganache Factory ... soon to be visited by five little persons who are quite "mad about chocolate".

 

The Marcel Desaulnier Ganache Martini*

 

          1/2 oz. Ganache from any "Mad About Chocolate" dessert

                      Remove Ganache and save pastry remainder for eating

          1 1/2 oz. Grey Goose Vodka Vanilla
          Mix Ganache and vodka well, then add ice

          Shake well, pour into a chilled tall martini glass

          Top with one layer of whipped cream

          Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder
                            *a creation by Constantine
 

a bien tot, 

Constantine