Day 27, August 23, Wedding #3

And the final wedding of the season, and perhaps the final post on this blog before we leave for Ivory Coast, is the wedding of Celine's sister Isabelle and the groom Alban.  It was smaller than the previous wedding but, as always, the food was very well planned and impressive!

The Ceremony started at 5:30...

After the ceremony and the greetings, we arrived at the Hall around 7:00

Kids Table!

The Vin d'Honneur started almost immediately 

Time for the photographer (me!) to take some group pictures to earn my food!  

Then back for the Vin d'Honneur! 

The theme of the wedding was dragons, which you might have guessed from the table decorations.  Wait until you see the wedding cake (aka the Pièce montée!).

Then it's time for the main course around 10:00 pm

Cheese arrived not long after the main course, around 11:30

Dessert was served by 12:30!  

Look at that Pièce montée!  Beautiful!  All made with pastries and caramel.  ALMOST too beautiful to eat!

Well I did say ALMOST too beautiful to eat!  Unfortunately it was also delicious!

And now we're off for our next adventure in Abidjan!  Look for the new blog about our life there!  Thanks for visiting, and don't forget to be bold, in food, drink, and life!

Day 27, August 20: Lunch and Dinner

Lunch: Vegetables! 

This Pear compote might not look like much, but it had a delicious creaminess with just the right amount of peary grittiness.  

Dinner:  Raclette

Raclette is a common mean for when there are guests and the hosts want to serve something simple.  It's made by putting little platters of cheese into a small oven that's set in the middle of the table, and once it's melted then it is poured over potatoes with slices of meat.

Day 26, August 26: Lunch

The extended family is with us today, with an extended meal and a cinematic surprise!  

Strips of fried pork (giant bacon, I guess?), with boiled string beans and Dijon mustard 

There were high hopes for this 11 year old bottle, but it had gone bad.  I'm not that refined, so I simply noticed that it was unusually acid, but before I'd taken a second sip it was whisked away and poured out

It was replaced with a "sure thing."  When it has to be good, make it Bordeaux!   

Ready for dessert!

I found the blue cheese to be much too strong.  The solution? "Add some butter!"  And the French paradox deepens...

Fruit for dessert

Some of the last of the Mirabelle!

Candied peanuts for a final dessert!

For my American viewers, you'll never guess what Dominique randomly bought for his grandkids to watch....  here's a clue.

Here's another clue!

If you're not surprised, you should know that I've NEVER seen The Princess Bride for sale anywhere in Europe, and every time I've tried to show it to a European it fell flat.

You'll be pleased to know that the kids are now watching it for the third time, and all I've heard for a couple days is "¡Buenos días! Je m'appelle Inigo Montoya. Tu a tué mon père. Prépare-toi à mourir!"  Yes, there is hope that the next generation of French children will know and love the Princess Bride!