Whenever you take something that is quintessentially American and try to recreate it elsewhere you are bound to have interesting results. Sometimes it is actually a success, as with the cheesecake I made for Zach's birthday without using any cream cheese at all. Most of the time, however, it turns out just not quite right as with any attempt at Tex-Mex food here in France. So take a holiday as American as Thanksgiving, then have it hosted by a Franco-Haitian professor with guests coming from at least five continents, and you've got something quite interesting indeed.
This past week, Zach teamed up with a professor of his to help plan a Thanksgiving feast for his classmates. It was impossible to coordinate who was bringing what with over thirty guests, so the invitation was open to bring anything, particularly traditional Thanksgiving food if possible. What do you get when you ask university students in France to bring something to a party? Wine and cheese and more wine...except for the three American students who brought stuffing, green beans, and an apple pie. Now Moise, the professor, had already bought several kilos of cheese and a few cases of wine. This Thanksgiving smorgasbord was quickly shaping up quite differently than expected. Thankfully we did have two turkeys, but Moise insisted that one be smeared with foie gras and stuffed with more foie gras. While foie gras is delicious, if you don't know what it is, it's better not to find out before you eat it. We had volunteered to bring mashed potatoes, but they were definitely trumped by the HUGE, delicious dish of gratin dauphinois that another professor brought.
There we were in a very crowded apartment in the Marais spending Thanksgiving in a most untraditional way. However, maybe Thanksgiving has become too much about the traditions rather than what it really was meant to be about. Upon taking a second glance, the crowded apartment (which had a view of the Eiffel Tower I might add) became full of the people who have become like family to Zach and now to me, and the haphazard selection of food became filled with all sorts of French delicacies that we will miss dearly when we leave France. We have much to be thankful for. Sometimes, it just takes a second glance.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Wedding Weekend
We spent a lovely weekend last week in the countryside east of Paris where we celebrated the marriage of our friends Katie and Jonathan. They are friends from my time in Aix who have also moved up north to the Paris area, and we couldn't have been more pleased to take part in their wedding festivities.
Zach and I met up with our friends Josh and Julia who had flown in from Aix and who let us trek out with them in their rental car. How nice to get out of the city and take in the misty countryside where the trees were in full autumn splendor.
Weddings in France are required to take place at the 'mairie' (city hall), and the church ceremony we attended was focused on seeking God's blessing and recognition of their marriage. It was an immensely pleasant surprise that the preacher giving the message was Hugh Wessel, a friend from my time in Marseille three years ago. Three months into our own marriage, it was a beautiful reminder of God's purpose in marriage.
And after the ceremony...celebration! In France this generally means lots of good food and drinks over a long period of time spent in good conversation, oh and yes, more food. Guests lingered at the church for a couple hours grazing on appetizers and countless, beautiful bite-size desserts (I lost count how many Zach sampled) while the bride and groom greeted everyone.
Later in the evening we migrated an hour to the south to a quaint farm that had been converted to a reception hall and guesthouse. Then ensued a six-hour, multiple-course meal interspersed with speeches and games about the newlyweds. We ate and learned more about Katie and Jonathan than I ever thought possible! Amazingly, we found room for dessert and at 1:30 sleepily made our way to our lodgings for the night - thankfully located just next door. What a joy to have been included on all this! Sadly my camera was left in the car for the evening, but I doubt we will easily forget this first French wedding we attended.
Zach and I met up with our friends Josh and Julia who had flown in from Aix and who let us trek out with them in their rental car. How nice to get out of the city and take in the misty countryside where the trees were in full autumn splendor.
Weddings in France are required to take place at the 'mairie' (city hall), and the church ceremony we attended was focused on seeking God's blessing and recognition of their marriage. It was an immensely pleasant surprise that the preacher giving the message was Hugh Wessel, a friend from my time in Marseille three years ago. Three months into our own marriage, it was a beautiful reminder of God's purpose in marriage.
And after the ceremony...celebration! In France this generally means lots of good food and drinks over a long period of time spent in good conversation, oh and yes, more food. Guests lingered at the church for a couple hours grazing on appetizers and countless, beautiful bite-size desserts (I lost count how many Zach sampled) while the bride and groom greeted everyone.
Later in the evening we migrated an hour to the south to a quaint farm that had been converted to a reception hall and guesthouse. Then ensued a six-hour, multiple-course meal interspersed with speeches and games about the newlyweds. We ate and learned more about Katie and Jonathan than I ever thought possible! Amazingly, we found room for dessert and at 1:30 sleepily made our way to our lodgings for the night - thankfully located just next door. What a joy to have been included on all this! Sadly my camera was left in the car for the evening, but I doubt we will easily forget this first French wedding we attended.
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