Coffee & Cheese

Forget about coffee & tea, coffee & cream, coffee & donuts. This is the new combo. Yes, it's coffee & stinky cheese.



Remember how I talked about things that are a good deal here in France? That give me sticker joy?Well, dishware is one of those things. Santa brought me some lovely bowls this Christmas, and I just bought mugs to match. I was getting so sick of the mismatched mugs left in this apartment. My friend Sarah has always said she pities me that I don't like coffee, since to her every morning's cup feels like Christmas morning. Well, she shouldn't pity me too much, because that's how I feel about a great cup of tea (ideally, with milk and sugar). The girls and I are fully addicted to a new fancy Mariage Frères flavor, with the unfortunate name of "American Breakfast Tea." There's nothing American about it; it's got hints of malt and caramel, it's strong, and divine.

So that tea in my new mugs? The only thing I can think of more cheerful than writing a big "Yippee!" is a photo of my new mugs and bowls. Click here to read more....

 

Half-Naked Medical Party

Over at A Year in Fromage, I'm having a half-naked party. That's because it's time for my annual check-up, which means a slightly different dress code here in France. I go to the appointment expecting to strip down and put on the humiliating hospital gown. But in France, I simply strip down -- but only the necessary portion -- and hope the room is heated to my liking.

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Boom As We Speak

When I was in grade school, we went on field trips to the local historical reenactment village, one day each year. Once, we went to a pizza place owned by a classmate's father and were allowed to make our own pizzas. That is the extent of the field trips I remember. Gigi, meanwhile, is away for a week with her classmates in Valloire, France for the ultimate field trip -- a week of skiing in the Alps. As I write this, she's at her end-of-week "Boom" (that's a co-ed dance to you and me).

 

 

 

 above photos taken by chaperones on the ski trip

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Cheesing It Up/ Hamming It Up

In case you haven't signed up yet for A Year in Fromage or haven't remembered to check it out lately, I just thought I'd give you some of the latest cheese highlights of my life. My life has become very, very cheesy indeed:

Where can you buy French cheese outside of France? I've researched some of the best spots in some of the big cities, but you all need to help each other out by adding on your own favorite cheese-store sources in the comments.

How can you be polite about your cheese course? Well, first of all, don't chew with your mouth open. But for more cheese-specific advice, check out the posting.

And what are the most beautiful cheeses in my opinion?

As for these "letters home" from my Family by the Seine, I just wanted to let you know that I've recently crossed over 30,000 views, which actually feels quite satisfying as I sit here typing and overlooking the gray river on a dreary, rainy day.

We are back, safely and happily, from a wonderful trip in Senegal. When we arrived home, my brother and sister-in-law were already installed in our apartment, and we're enjoying their visit quite a lot -- the only downside being that with my brother here, I find myself with very few leftovers to use for my lunch the next day. Except for cheese. Even my brother couldn't finish the massive cheese platter.

It may be a few weeks till I get to filter through the 2000 or so pictures I took in Africa and write up our adventure, but in the meantime, you can sign up at Family in Senegal so that you'll automatically receive the stories once they're posted. But here's a little teaser: Anthony and I were fully jealous of our own daughters, even as we were having the experience with them. We just kept saying to each other, "This is nothing like any New Year's Eve party I ever got to go to as a kid..."