Potage Parmentier

Three reasons to make Julia Child's classic Potage Parmentier...

1) There is a legitimate rainstorm going on, so despite otherwise stroke inducing temperatures, one can feel justified in making such a wintry dish.

2) Your hairdresser left you in a state of despair after hacking off almost, albeit necessary, four inches, and you need something to catch your tears...

3) You are starting your French culinary self-training and following others before you, start with Child's very first recipe in The Art of French Cooking.

A word for the wise... even though you may be having a bad day, don't give the poor girl at the check out a dirty look when she asks you, "are these leeks, or kale?"

For the recipe

The Olympics

The Olympics are here!  Well, have been for about three days now.  I will leave my NBC-is-ruining-viewing-for-Americans complaint at the door.  But srsly.  I'm not even watching tonight because I already know what happens thanks to a few international friends who can't keep their mouths' shut!   You know.  Who you are.  

What a great opening ceremony!   USA is just trailing China by four gold medals... and France?  What are they putting in their water?  

In other news... My plane leaves for CDG in a week.  So my comments for the closing ceremony (crossing fingers for Elton John mega concert*) will be in real time... from Paris!

*Spice Girl reunion okay, too. 

Dire Quoi?

"In an old house in Paris, covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines..."  and I could keep going.  Madeline held a permanent  spot in my five-year old-reading repertoire and still today I beg the children I watch to let me read it to them.  But, my (apparently American-centric) world started to crumble two days ago when I found out a French friend of mine had never even heard of the book. The book that features classic Parisian settings from The Luxembourg Gardens to the Place de la Concorde... the book that has names like "Miss Clavel"... the book that has the Eiffel Tower on the front.  How could he not know Madeline? 

I was shocked to learn that Madeline was neither published in France nor originally written in French.  It is only now that I am realizing what pitiful logic that was..."it is set in Paris ergo it must be French."  

The Austrian author, Ludwig Bemelmans was born in Italy and lived there until he moved to the United States working as an illustrator until he eventually wrote and published his beloved children's books.  Qui sait? 

Still, I feel sorry for the French children who are missing out on such a classic story about their country. Instead, they are reading these absolutely terrifying books. America wins! Just kidding...But, this same friend, was also not familiar with my favorite little elephant, Babar. Research confirmed that Histoire de Babar is most definitely French. So perhaps I shouldn't take his word for it...

La Famille Pt. II

Vergisson, France 

And now... part two of the riveting Reverchon chronicles.  Where we left off... Jacque Maximillen Reverchon has left most of his family behind in France for La Reunion, Texas.... a socialist commune inspired by Charles Fourier which is now modern day Dallas.  If you're interested in botanists and children born out of love affairs I suggest you... 

Les Films Américains

As I will be acting as the American cultural ambassador for my little French boys, it's high time I start deciding what American kid movies they really need to see.  Also, it seems to rain in Paris like.... all the time.  What else am I going to do with them?*

Note that I am thinking of more obscure movies... no Pixar here...

* I kid, I kid.  What great nanny lets her kids watch movies all day?.....  

Meatballs

I'm not going to toss around the word, "brilliant"... but, I just had a great idea.  The other night I was talking to my French family about cooking and they seemed to be  were enthusiastic about me preparing American dishes for the two boys.

So, here I was, a day or two later sitting on my bed, staring absentmindedly at my computer screen when food popped into my brain (this seems to happen more often than not).  I think the thought process went something like this...

Òu-Est La Bibliotechque?

Okay.  I know.  Another video.  But it's 2:37 am and I am wide awake for reasons unknown to me (probably because I am trying to force myself to dream about Andrew Garfield).  Like any twenty-something in this day and age, I get online when I can't sleep and I stumbled upon this forgotten pot-of-gold, thanks to swiss miss.  Amazing.  Foux da fa fa...

Straight From France!

Here are some beautiful pictures taken in Paris this evening! Tonight the theme to the fire work show was Disco! Oh là là! What do you think they listened to?  The BeeGees? Abba?  Donna Summer?  Surely Gloria Gaynor...
Thanks, Julien!

Le Quatorze Juillet

Happy Bastille Day everyone!  Today is France's National Day which commemorates the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789.  There will be lots of cool events going on today... including fireworks and the oldest and largest military parade in Europe.

A French friend of mine will be going out for happy hour, and has reservations at a restaurant where he can drink wine and watch fireworks.  And of course, will finish off with a party.... Not so different from our Fourth of July!   Click through for pictures of French fireworks, and my personal favorite version of La Marseillaise...

Weird Things I'm Bringing...

I'm starting to pack for France.  Well... starting to think about packing for France.  Since I am limited to only two large bags, space is a precious commodity.  Yet, I am sure there will be some things that just have to come with me.  My Clemson Tervis Tumbler (one of many), for example.  Do I think that the French have managed to develop cups where cold liquids stay cold and hot liquids stay hot, keeping condensation at bay? Probably.  Am I willing to chance that they don't?  Hell.  No.  

Une Autre Vidéo

So I feel like I have been posting a lot of videos rather than writing some insightful posts.  My last excuse was that I was on vacation. This time, my excuse is that I am suffering from a minor medical procedure and the pain meds aren't quite as strong as I like.
Alors!  Here is a great video of Paris shot entirely on an iPhone.  Enjoy.

La Famille: Part I

 There are many things I am looking forward to in France... eating, drinking, reading, museuming etc...
But one thing that I may be the most excited about is continuing on my research in regards to my French ancestry.
I knew I had a bit of Frenchy floating around in my blood due to my grandmother's maiden name: Calliet.  But, once it was decided I was off to grande Paris, I began snooping around the ol' gene pool to see what I could find. And boy!  What didn't I find?  Revolutionaries, socialists, the child of a love affair...  Très Français, non?

God Bless America

So it was July fourth two days ago, America's Independence Day for any of my Continental readers out there.  I certainly was feeling nostalgic for my home I haven't left yet.  I was a little worried that the waterworks would start whilst watching fireworks.  But, we had a pitiful view from our beach house, and I was "fluish" from drinking the obligatory Bud Lights in the scorching sun for hours.  You know what did make me cry?  When my Aunt Diana gave me a card that said, "don't forget where you come from," alongside a Clemson University mug.  Woof!  But I digress... I just finished a book about American's favorite past time, baseball and it got me thinking about some of the American things I am truly going to miss...  

Louvre

Live the Language

Hello darlings.  I am on "les vacances" right now.  So not much coming in the way of interesting posts...but the video... oh this video... it kills me.  It's actually an advertisement for some language school that I am not affiliated with in anyway, but damn, what marketing!  I get butterflies in my stomach every time I watch it.