SARRAZ'S QB INC

Burger days

I'm on the bandwagon of the $120 food challenge.   120dollarsfoodchallenge.com

What caught my eye were the beautiful photos of the food and the recipes, rather than the controversy.  Whatever you might say, there goes another intrepid Aussie.

So far we've tried the pavlova (served with whipped cream and frozen mytrilles) for Australia Day, the croque-monsieur and some biscuits.  

 

In the oven.....mmmmmn

words cannot describe...

I can honestly say it was the best pav I've ever made, and that I've finally cracked the croque-monsieur, complete with it's crispy salad; 

however my best attempt to date is my own - brought on by two days of no central heating or hot water and the necessity of having to use up the food in the fridge after avoiding the house for those days.  I had a truck full of mince but no burger buns, so I whipped up these beauties in about 40 mins, eh voila - aren't they a bit of ok!!!

Get a load of my lovely buns!

they even split like a proper hamburger bun.
Recipe courtesy of http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/burger-or-hot-dog-buns/Detail.aspx

 

 

 

Annus horribilis or just horrible anus?

Floods, Fires, Eathquakes and more.

It makes any issues we have seem trivial.  Especially when the face of the little boy who sacrificed his life for his brother in QLD floods leaps out from an advert outside the local tabac.

But knowing that does not make the difficult times any easier.  Lately we have all been in hiding - Ange at work, me at home.  The weather has been absoutely terrific which has been a boon, but I have certainly reached a language plateau and have been avoiding everyone for fear I will have to say more than 'ca va'.  In fact the other day that was all I could manage in passing an acquaintance at a pedestrian crossing;  saying it several times over whilst in the middle of the street made me appear more than clown-like.

I have not mentioned the Post Office incident, and I don't think I want to go into details, but that certainly sparked a massive loss of self esteem.  Some of  the provincial French ladies in my village can be so good at gossiping unkindly in earshot of their intended victim.  The offence can be anything from hairdo, do shoes, handbag, clothing...you get the gist.  Generally it's the things about you that you either can't or won't change without losing a piece of yourself.  Luxeuil is a bit renowned for impecable homes, designer clad children, spray-on hair styles and large cars (not to mention the carefully manicured nails, and that's just the men!), but I'm happy to say that we are making inroads in meeting people who like us just as we are. All it takes is patience (and the hide of a rhino).

An experience like this makes me appreciate my friends more than ever.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.  I am determined the year will not degenerate into annus horribilus.  Imagine my suprise then, when at gym today, stretched out in all directions, trying to decode the instructions, breathe in at the appropriate time and out (I've always been a bit uncoordinated at the breathing thing) and hold my tummy in, we were instructed to exercise our sphincters.  Now I know I have just detailed at great length that I'm no great shakes at the language but even I know a sphincter when I hear one (several times over).  I'm not sure how necessary a tight sphincter is to the mainly elderly women in my class (some of whom are around 80, bien sûr).  Maybe there's something I'm missing here - a little je ne sais quoi ?

Of course it would be hilarious if I was the only one sucking in my butt cheeks while thrusting at the sky but trust me, on this occasion I had managed to be in sync with the class; the only thing worse than attempting to exercise one's sphincter in public is to have a faceful of  someone else's, especially when it's 'seen better days', is clad in thin, tight lycra and belongs to an octogenarian.   I rue the day I insisted on being at the bottom of the room (literally) so I wouldn't look too out of place when I was still on tortise while everyone else had moved on to hare.  It's not much fun trying to co-ordinate the body and be linguistally challenged at the same time.  I've found myself in knots, trying to work out what the last instruction was while trying to untangle the previous pose. 

I have a gym buddy, for which I am grateful.  There is a posse of ladies that arrive early, top to toe in designed gym gear, hair sprayed to attention, shoes with not a speck of dust, who bag the best mats, balls and other equipment and set their mats in a peculiar fashion that screams their alliance and air kiss each others cheeks.  I find it quite frightening.

After all the bending and stretching of both body and mind (see sphincter: above),  I raced off to the boulangerie to request my bread and trade the usual insult. Today it  was 'bordel', delivered by the 'baw oui' woman of previous blog post fame.  I'm happy to say I took very little notice;  I am taking strength from the many French in Oz - if they can be there than I have more than enough right to be here.  And if I look messy, running around town with no car, 2 very active kids and the combo of all that excercise and a long puffa jacket to ward off the snow (yes it snowed today!) then what's her excuse? 

I very nearly made the universal hand gesture to ask her to exercise her sphincter, then realised I've had enough of that for one day - I'm off home to rest mine instead.

 

Piccy of our house.  More news on this next time...but yep, thats snow.

Hope to hear from you all soon

Quotes of the  day;

"There are only two remedies for the suffering of the soul - hope and patience" Pythagorus

"Remember, no human condition is ever permanent: then you will not be overjoyed in good fortune, not too sorrowful in misfortune" Socrates

 

 

 

New homes

First we need to say the weather has been brilliant.  Sunny or light rain, no snow or ice at the moment.

There are several renovation projects on the go:

Ange has been helping his brother renovate a house he has just bought.

We have received all our quotes (devis) for this place and presented the dossier to the banque.

Finally,  Rhino has been given a brand new palace.  Felix and Chanelle, let us know what you think!

Tiling the new house for Ange's brother.  These tiles look like laminate flooring.


Tiler sandles!



Made in just a few hours by handy Ange, from a cheap wine rack.  What a palace!

Amby sings Rhino to sleep in his new house

Getting stuck in exploring the new place


 

 

 

A time to reflect

I can't help railing at being here at times; the life we had in Oz was at least ours, to with as we pleased.   But like any medicine, France is hard to take at times...And when I come to my senses and see how we have lived I have to agree that a bit of discipline (in all areas of life) is a good thing.
No I don't want people commenting on why my shutters are perpetually closed - its cold for goodness sakes, but on the other hand, I've become more aware of my existence in the world and therefore my responsibilities...for example, take a look at how we lived at the in-laws over the Christmas break.

At the in-laws
We set the table for every occasion and not once sat down to eat in front of the telly, despite having countless kids around.  TV just wasn't interesting to the kids, they were far more entranced with each other and their new toys (sing a ma jigs went down a storm by the way - easily one of the top gifts this year!)
We washed up after every meal. 
The majority of the drinking was done at the table.
Every morning someone hoovered and someone else mopped the entire of the downstairs area.
Every morning the kids bathed, cleaned teeth and then came down for breakfast at the table.   As soon as the table was cleared books were put down and study began - even for Alex.
Every morning someone collected fresh baguettes from the boulangerie.
Study included learning to read out loud, dictation, learning conjugations, maths etc.  Anything they had struggled with at school was fair game. 
Study was always accompanied by an adult (no running off to clean the house or go on the computer!) and did not finish until lunch time.
Lunch was a formal affair of hot food, cheese course and dessert.  Examples are thinly sliced carrots (squared not rounded!) sauteed in butter, accompanied by pure mince steaks (again cooked in butter) and steamed rice (with butter added!!!!).  A fresh pineapple had been bought and was cut up in chunks and served with a thin drizzle of honey.  The kids had runny cheese with a bit of bread or 'kiri' which is like an individually packed cream cheese.  There was yoghurt as well.  The drink was mineral water (still).
Again the table was cleared and everything washed up.  Clothes were pulled in and out of the washing machine/ dryer or arranged on a dryer. 
Just when I thought I could relax and have some me time, the announcement was made that we would go for a walk and get some fresh air.  2 hours later we finally got in.  More clothes were washed as the kids played indoors. The TV was allowed on and the kids played the new xbox kinect.
Someone went to the boulangerie and bought a galette (puff pastry filled with frangapani), for gouter.  This was warmed up and served with hot chocolates at 4pm. Que washing of hands etc.
Not once did I go on the computer/watch TV or even pay a bill.
When my kids were around the focus was 100% on them - I had certainly laxed out a bit on this front in the past.
Me time became a quick cup of bitter coffee (it's almost a joke!!)
It got a bit strained in the afternoon - longing for the blokes to come home and inject a different sort of energy into things.
Then champagne would be popped and kids would be chased and business would be discussed and dinner would still only be a slight anticipation in the back of ones mind.
Finally, around 7 ish the dinner would be started.  By then we would be assured of no visitors interrupting procedures or awkward moments of 'would you like to stay...'
Raw foie gras was cut into smallish strips ready for sauteing.   Oysters were shucked and the red wine vinegar sauce and shallot sauce made (beautifully by Ange). In another bowl giant gambas (prawns) would be covered in olive oil, garlic and other seasonings ready for pan frying.
The main course would then be discussed, from a variety of options and then once the starters were under control the meat for the main course would be bought up and prepared.
We had a whole Turbot one night which I gutted (and removed the fins), put on a bed of aubergine, zucchini and tomatoes, probably in champagne.  Certainly the oyster were served warm with champagne. There was another night we had smoke salmon on toast rounds, more giant prawns, followed by lobster and crab.  Interestingly enough, the portion sizes are smaller, so no small lobster or even half per person.  More like a taste of this and a taste of that.  Not out of stinginess, but common sense.  Starter, sorbet, main, salad, cheese, dessert, coffee and roll under the table to sleep. 

We ate like this almost every night / weekend we were there save for the sorbet course.  Every meal was served with champagne and on special nights the magnums (big boys) were pulled out of the cellar - like this 1995 Chateau Haut-Marbuzet.

Delicious, but a bit upstaged by the pallet of champagne downstairs - p.s. it reads 'quality is my truth'

Sommelier of the day

Sneaking in an english christmas cake - thanks Nigella

Foie gras on toast with onion conserve

A lobster ready to be portioned out



Gambas

Foie Gras before cooking - being seasoned

After cooking - melts in the mouth

Sorbet

Frogs legs berfore...

and after

Tiny scallops - much sweeter and more delicate than the big ones. Yum

Summer pudding, made with the myrtilles frozen during summer

mmmmmm

Winter's day's walk

Sometimes running is better in the cold!

How to make a salad dressing - step 1 - ingredients

Step 2 - whisk, et voila

Ange's quail.  Cooked with the heads left on (for the jus).
The cepes and girolles were from last autum's mushroom picking.

It has not always been easy, being squeezed into a french shape.  Some of it I love and some frankly, I hate.  Some of it I would get anywhere - being 'etranger' and not understanding the nuances of what is being said, being taken advantage of, being abused by small minded people...

It's definitely been enriching for us all so far.  I must liken it to boot camp.  I love the results but I loathe the workout.  Bear in mind we are in profound France - the middle of nowhere - but with a large extended family - and thus the experience is both familiar and intense.   However much I want my children to grow up with sand in their feet and a laid back life, I also want this.   If only we were 12 hours away and not 24! 

Tonight in hommage to my new found sense of direction, we ate freshly prepared guacamole and tortilla chips, steak hache (7.99€ per kilo and freshly ground in front of us by the boucher) and sauteed carrots,  a salad of endives with vinaigrette (my own) and lardons, three cheese and cancoillotte (the runny cheese), followed by petit suisse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petit_suisse_%28cheese%29).

Bron, for your info I stumbled across the coconut yoghurt and it looks like it is made with an essence.  The esters are so strong that they went through the whole of downstairs.  It was delicious though, and the kids fight over who gets the last one!

Cheryl I will pluck up courage to go the posties this week - more about that one on another blog.  Ambre LOVED the card!  So sweet, thank you.

We are thinking of those suffering in the floods in QLD and hope that things get better soon.

We miss you all and wish there was a way to be with all of you over Christmas, but alas it's not been invented yet.  In the meantime, in the words of Orange - who supply my mobile network and were kind enough to text me this week -

"De merveilleux moments à vivre en famille, des rires à partager entre amis, des moments magiques tous les jours, nous vous souhaite une belle année 2011"

Ange, Ruth, Ambre and Alex

Gros Biseous