I'm so excited... tomorrow night we are going to "Buergbrennen"- an old Luxembourgish tradition celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent to mark the end of winter. And what exactly is "Buergbrennen?" To celebrate, they burn a figure on a giant cross.... No, I'm not kidding. Google it. Better yet- search google images. We first learned about it when we received a flyer in the mail which was an "invitation" from the local firefighters. It has a picture of this burning cross on it, so I saved it to show to Raph, thinking it was funny. Then Raph heard about it at work, and learned that it is a really big deal here. So.... we're going to go! Hooray for cross burning in Luxembourg!!
I will definitely let you know how it goes on my next post.
Today we went to Metz, France. It was really nice; there was a beautiful cathedrale with amazing stained glass. We also participated in a modern "art" project where we froze in postition for 5 minutes. (we saw this done in grand central station before. or read about it- can't remember if we actually saw it). We froze in a kiss- a very pleasent way to spend 5 mintues. We may even have made it onto the local french news. More on Metz to come in a future post.
Okay, it is past midnight here, and I'm going to bed- but I just had to tell you about Buergbrennen in the meantime.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Cheese wars
Here is a link to an interesting article about Camembert from business week that Raph sent to me. Specifically it is about the fight between France's biggest producer of Camembert, (who, on one side, is lobbying to change the official recipe/definition of Camembert to include that made with cheaper, pasteurized milk) and everyone else- from local Normandy farmers to basically all of France, (who want to prohibit this change, and have Camembert continue to be defined as made with raw milk only). It seems that it has become a matter of French national identity and pride, and the traditionalists are winning.
The article is fairly long, but well written, and offers an interesting glimpse into an aspect of the french national psyche.
The article is fairly long, but well written, and offers an interesting glimpse into an aspect of the french national psyche.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Mariage Freres
As I mentioned in a prior post, one of the places we visited last weekend in Paris was Mariage Freres. (translation = Mariage brothers). As the name suggests, Mariage Freres is a tea company that was founded in1854 by two Parisian brothers: Henri and Edouard Mariage. The Mariage brothers' connection to tea, however, dates back much further: to the time of Louis XIV, when around 1660, their ancestors Nicolas and Pierre Mariage worked for the French East India Company, traveling to Persia, the East Indies, the Mogul empire and Madagascar. So by the time the Henri and Edouard founded Mariage Freres, their family had been in the tea business for 4 generations. (How do I know all this? I am reading it in a book I purchased at the store: "The French Art of Tea"). The place we visited this past weekend was the Mariage Brothers' original tea shop from the 1850's, which has since been expanded to also include a restaurant.
First the restaurant, which is an experience unto itself. Every item on the menu has been prepared with tea in some form or another. The salmon that Raphael and Francine had was poached in tea, and was eaten with a sauce made of avocados and tea. The Duck that I had was dressed with a vinaigrette made of sesame and tea. The foie gras that Annie and Robert had also was served with a "caramel du soja" (a type of soy sauce, I think?) made of tea. Now, do not be so naive as to think that each dish was prepared with a simple English Breakfast tea or something equally usual. Mariage Freres has over 600 blends of tea. So for instance, the sauce accompanying Raphael and Francine's salmon was made with "Tea Tamaryokucha", while the tea in Annie and Robert's dish was "Green Tea Hojicha", and the tea used with my duck was "Tea Genghis Khan." The heavenly desserts and pastries were also all made with tea- the cheesecake I ate was citrus tea flavored, while the macaroons and madeleines that Raphael and Annie had were flavored with many different varieties of tea (when I say macaroons, I don't mean the coconut variety, but these), and the mille feuille that Robert took featured a green tea creme center. (thanks to Francine who "borrowed" the menu for me!). After this absolutely amazing culinary experience, I am convinced that all food should be cooked with tea. (I also purchased a cookbook for cooking with tea!) Finally, as you have probably already guessed, each food on the menu is paired with a different tea to drink. Essentially, tea is elevated to wine-like status at Mariage Brothers (a fact emphasized by the descriptions of the teas, excerpted below).
Now the shop: as I mentioned, the shop dates back to the 1850's, and stepping into it, one feels immediately transported to another time. The tall dark brown shelves lining all the walls are stacked to the ceiling with large black canisters of tea (remember they have over 600 varieties). The men who measure the tea are all wearing off-white colored suits with matching bow ties. They scoop the tea with large silver-colored scoops like these, and measure the tea using an old fashioned balance scale, with a little brassy weight on one side, and your burgeoning bag of tea on the other. They scoop and pack the tea so neatly and expertly- they are truly professionals in what they do.
Here is a link to an article I found online entitled "Mariage Freres- The Best Tea in the World." (my sentiments exactly). I highly recommend this link, if only to see the pictures of the store and the tea to get an idea what I'm talking about.
Here is a link to our pictures from Mariage Freres. Oh, and in the pictures, Henry is wearing a sweater that his grandma Annie made for him, complete with a little "H".
Finally, this post wouldn't be complete if I didn't share with you the descriptions of some of the teas, found in the book I mentioned, "The French Art of Tea." Mind you, there are hundreds of descriptions like this in the book, each as poetic and flowery. Words such as "glorious," "enchanting," "sunny," and "precious" are used to describe the teas, and that is just on one page that I randomly opened to. Here are a few descriptions to give you an idea of the Mariage Freres approach to tea. As Raphael aptly said, these descriptions give wine connoisseurs a run for their money:
Festin D'Or: Created in the spirit of Oriental magnificence, this 'Golden Feast' features a blend of green tea with marigolds and Moroccan mint. The heady fragrance of fresh mint and floral scents evoke the sumptuous feasts of A Thousand and One Nights. To be enjoyed hot or cold - the pleasure of a lost paradise.
Pharon: A magnificent alliance of green Indian tea and essence of fruit from the Nile delta. Most civilzed.
Tea Des Impressionistes: In the wild, rocky, maritime region of Provence in southern France, nature's shimmering colours create rare and intense harmonies that delighted Impressionist artists. This green tea, scented with mild spices and white flowers, is also dotted with mauve flowers as a visual echo of the dazzling and powerful fragrance that fills the mouth. A colorful tea.
I could go on and on, and tell you about all the little details of this place that I am completely in love with-- how they have many varieties of candles and jams scented like different teas, and they sell little silver scoops made especially to scoop your tea into your teapot, how they let you smell the teas, or about the many varieties of glass teapots that they sell, each more elegant than the last-- but I don't want to bore you. As for me, I have found a new passion, or perhaps more aptly described, a new cult... one that feels so sophisticated and also peaceful. And better yet, there is so much to explore within this world. As Francine expertly declared, each thing we tasted was like an awakening of the taste buds.
Here is a link to the Mariage Freres website. It is somewhat difficult to navigate, but will show you more of what I am talking about.
Finally, I cannot end this post without acknowledging that something in this old world tea fetish reeks of Colonialism (perhaps the fact that Mariage Freres dates back to the French East India Company.... you think?). Nonetheless, I can't help but love the experience of Mariage Freres as it exists today.
First the restaurant, which is an experience unto itself. Every item on the menu has been prepared with tea in some form or another. The salmon that Raphael and Francine had was poached in tea, and was eaten with a sauce made of avocados and tea. The Duck that I had was dressed with a vinaigrette made of sesame and tea. The foie gras that Annie and Robert had also was served with a "caramel du soja" (a type of soy sauce, I think?) made of tea. Now, do not be so naive as to think that each dish was prepared with a simple English Breakfast tea or something equally usual. Mariage Freres has over 600 blends of tea. So for instance, the sauce accompanying Raphael and Francine's salmon was made with "Tea Tamaryokucha", while the tea in Annie and Robert's dish was "Green Tea Hojicha", and the tea used with my duck was "Tea Genghis Khan." The heavenly desserts and pastries were also all made with tea- the cheesecake I ate was citrus tea flavored, while the macaroons and madeleines that Raphael and Annie had were flavored with many different varieties of tea (when I say macaroons, I don't mean the coconut variety, but these), and the mille feuille that Robert took featured a green tea creme center. (thanks to Francine who "borrowed" the menu for me!). After this absolutely amazing culinary experience, I am convinced that all food should be cooked with tea. (I also purchased a cookbook for cooking with tea!) Finally, as you have probably already guessed, each food on the menu is paired with a different tea to drink. Essentially, tea is elevated to wine-like status at Mariage Brothers (a fact emphasized by the descriptions of the teas, excerpted below).
Now the shop: as I mentioned, the shop dates back to the 1850's, and stepping into it, one feels immediately transported to another time. The tall dark brown shelves lining all the walls are stacked to the ceiling with large black canisters of tea (remember they have over 600 varieties). The men who measure the tea are all wearing off-white colored suits with matching bow ties. They scoop the tea with large silver-colored scoops like these, and measure the tea using an old fashioned balance scale, with a little brassy weight on one side, and your burgeoning bag of tea on the other. They scoop and pack the tea so neatly and expertly- they are truly professionals in what they do.
Here is a link to an article I found online entitled "Mariage Freres- The Best Tea in the World." (my sentiments exactly). I highly recommend this link, if only to see the pictures of the store and the tea to get an idea what I'm talking about.
Here is a link to our pictures from Mariage Freres. Oh, and in the pictures, Henry is wearing a sweater that his grandma Annie made for him, complete with a little "H".
Finally, this post wouldn't be complete if I didn't share with you the descriptions of some of the teas, found in the book I mentioned, "The French Art of Tea." Mind you, there are hundreds of descriptions like this in the book, each as poetic and flowery. Words such as "glorious," "enchanting," "sunny," and "precious" are used to describe the teas, and that is just on one page that I randomly opened to. Here are a few descriptions to give you an idea of the Mariage Freres approach to tea. As Raphael aptly said, these descriptions give wine connoisseurs a run for their money:
Festin D'Or: Created in the spirit of Oriental magnificence, this 'Golden Feast' features a blend of green tea with marigolds and Moroccan mint. The heady fragrance of fresh mint and floral scents evoke the sumptuous feasts of A Thousand and One Nights. To be enjoyed hot or cold - the pleasure of a lost paradise.
Pharon: A magnificent alliance of green Indian tea and essence of fruit from the Nile delta. Most civilzed.
Tea Des Impressionistes: In the wild, rocky, maritime region of Provence in southern France, nature's shimmering colours create rare and intense harmonies that delighted Impressionist artists. This green tea, scented with mild spices and white flowers, is also dotted with mauve flowers as a visual echo of the dazzling and powerful fragrance that fills the mouth. A colorful tea.
I could go on and on, and tell you about all the little details of this place that I am completely in love with-- how they have many varieties of candles and jams scented like different teas, and they sell little silver scoops made especially to scoop your tea into your teapot, how they let you smell the teas, or about the many varieties of glass teapots that they sell, each more elegant than the last-- but I don't want to bore you. As for me, I have found a new passion, or perhaps more aptly described, a new cult... one that feels so sophisticated and also peaceful. And better yet, there is so much to explore within this world. As Francine expertly declared, each thing we tasted was like an awakening of the taste buds.
Here is a link to the Mariage Freres website. It is somewhat difficult to navigate, but will show you more of what I am talking about.
Finally, I cannot end this post without acknowledging that something in this old world tea fetish reeks of Colonialism (perhaps the fact that Mariage Freres dates back to the French East India Company.... you think?). Nonetheless, I can't help but love the experience of Mariage Freres as it exists today.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
My Growing French Vocabulary
Everyone wants to know if my french is improving.... I guess the answer is slightly. Here is a list of words that I have learned since being here:
Canette = female duck (or "wife of the duck")
Pietons = pedestrians
Poubelle = trash can
Bouchon = cork, or traffic jam
Boucheron = lumberjack
Dinde = turkey
Din (sp?) = deer
Infuser = to steep, as in tea.
I have also learned that there are many different races of plums in France.
Despite my increasing vocabulary, which is obviously growing leaps and bounds, I am still having trouble being understood. My conversation with the person serving coffee the other day went something like this:
Me: Avez vous le cafe decaffine? (do you have decaffeinated coffee?)
Server: Cafe au lait? (Cafe au lait?)
Me: Okay, cafe au lait. (Okay, cafe au lait.)
I then received a cafe au lait. Query whether it was decaffinated.
Similarly, the very same day at McDonalds, I asked the serving girl to have it to go, or "a emporter." Instead of transferring my food from the tray to a bag to go, she proceded to switch my fries to some other type of french fry- a thicker, seasoned kind of fry. Now everyone knows that the best part of McDonalds is the french fries (the usual french fries, that is). So now I was faced with having to ask this clerk to please switch back the fries, and also to re-attempt to get her to understand that I wanted it all "a emporter"- to go. (Fortunately, my father in law was with me, and handled the rest of this tricky negotiation.) Clinging to the hope that perhaps the word for these other fries is something similar to the words "a emporter," and therefore that perhaps my accent was just a little off, or I put the emphasis on the wrong syllable, rather than the more likely scenario that I completely failed to make myself understood, I have since checked the French McDonald's website to find out the name of these rogue fries. Sadly, these other fries are called "Les Deluxe Potatoes."
Now, I know that foreign language has never been my strong suit, but how this clerk got "les deluxe potatoes, s'il vous plait" instead of "a emporter, s'il vous plait" is what is really beyond comprehension here.
Canette = female duck (or "wife of the duck")
Pietons = pedestrians
Poubelle = trash can
Bouchon = cork, or traffic jam
Boucheron = lumberjack
Dinde = turkey
Din (sp?) = deer
Infuser = to steep, as in tea.
I have also learned that there are many different races of plums in France.
Despite my increasing vocabulary, which is obviously growing leaps and bounds, I am still having trouble being understood. My conversation with the person serving coffee the other day went something like this:
Me: Avez vous le cafe decaffine? (do you have decaffeinated coffee?)
Server: Cafe au lait? (Cafe au lait?)
Me: Okay, cafe au lait. (Okay, cafe au lait.)
I then received a cafe au lait. Query whether it was decaffinated.
Similarly, the very same day at McDonalds, I asked the serving girl to have it to go, or "a emporter." Instead of transferring my food from the tray to a bag to go, she proceded to switch my fries to some other type of french fry- a thicker, seasoned kind of fry. Now everyone knows that the best part of McDonalds is the french fries (the usual french fries, that is). So now I was faced with having to ask this clerk to please switch back the fries, and also to re-attempt to get her to understand that I wanted it all "a emporter"- to go. (Fortunately, my father in law was with me, and handled the rest of this tricky negotiation.) Clinging to the hope that perhaps the word for these other fries is something similar to the words "a emporter," and therefore that perhaps my accent was just a little off, or I put the emphasis on the wrong syllable, rather than the more likely scenario that I completely failed to make myself understood, I have since checked the French McDonald's website to find out the name of these rogue fries. Sadly, these other fries are called "Les Deluxe Potatoes."
Now, I know that foreign language has never been my strong suit, but how this clerk got "les deluxe potatoes, s'il vous plait" instead of "a emporter, s'il vous plait" is what is really beyond comprehension here.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Back to Paris
In addition to Aaron's birth (see below), we had a nice long weekend in Paris. Click here for some pictures from the weekend, including a video of a Raphael and Henry "wiggle party," and a video of me and Raphael attempting to introduce two very disinterested parties (Henry and Cashmere). There is a point during this video where both Henry and Cashmere look at the camera as if to say, "what the heck is going on here??" which I find hysterical.
There are also pictures from a great little restaurant we went to called "Creperie des Canettes." (Canettes being the name of the street that the creperie is on). If our last trip to Paris included a restaurant that featured souffles, this restaurant, as the name suggests, featured mostly only crepes. I had a delicious crepe called "Mille Sabord," which included egg, cheese, spinach, and creme fraiche. Delicious!! Interestingly, "Mille Sabord!" is a curse that pirates used to use. The restaurant had a decidedly nautical theme, as crepes originally come from normandy and britanny (a fact of which I was previously unaware. One learns something new everyday. Especially when living on a new continent). For dessert, I had a crepe called "Mont St. Michel," which included caramelized apples, cinnamon, and whipped creme. Equally delicious!! True to the nautical/ Normandy theme of the restaurant, Mont St. Michel is an elevated rocky cliff of sorts in Normandy. Here is a link to what Wikipedia has to say about Mont St. Michel. For lunch, Raphael had a crepe with only camembert, and for dessert, he ordered a crepe of Nutella and banana, and customized it by asking that it also be flambed with calvados. Not exactly appealing to me, but he loved it.
Picture from Creperie des Canettes
(During the weekend, we also ate at Mariage Freres, but I am so enamored by that place, that it will be its own post to come soon...)
I believe I am officially eating my way through Paris, and I couldn't be more pleased. In addition to tasting all that Paris has to offer, I am also learning a great deal. This weekend, I learned a bit about Paris architecture under Hausmann. We also did short walking a tour of Le Marais. Finally, we did a driving tour across Paris at night, which hopefully began to improve my orientation of the city. Even if I don't retain the understanding of how the various neighborhoods connect, it was simply beautiful to drive around in the Paris twilight. The driving tour also included a visit to the home where Annie grew up and the home where Raphael lived for a few years during his childhood. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip down memory lane. So, an additional thank you again to my unofficial tour guides/ sponsors/ hosts: Annie and Robert. One truly couldn't ask for a better customized and enthusiastic (and ongoing) tour, where room and board are included.
There are also pictures from a great little restaurant we went to called "Creperie des Canettes." (Canettes being the name of the street that the creperie is on). If our last trip to Paris included a restaurant that featured souffles, this restaurant, as the name suggests, featured mostly only crepes. I had a delicious crepe called "Mille Sabord," which included egg, cheese, spinach, and creme fraiche. Delicious!! Interestingly, "Mille Sabord!" is a curse that pirates used to use. The restaurant had a decidedly nautical theme, as crepes originally come from normandy and britanny (a fact of which I was previously unaware. One learns something new everyday. Especially when living on a new continent). For dessert, I had a crepe called "Mont St. Michel," which included caramelized apples, cinnamon, and whipped creme. Equally delicious!! True to the nautical/ Normandy theme of the restaurant, Mont St. Michel is an elevated rocky cliff of sorts in Normandy. Here is a link to what Wikipedia has to say about Mont St. Michel. For lunch, Raphael had a crepe with only camembert, and for dessert, he ordered a crepe of Nutella and banana, and customized it by asking that it also be flambed with calvados. Not exactly appealing to me, but he loved it.
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(During the weekend, we also ate at Mariage Freres, but I am so enamored by that place, that it will be its own post to come soon...)
I believe I am officially eating my way through Paris, and I couldn't be more pleased. In addition to tasting all that Paris has to offer, I am also learning a great deal. This weekend, I learned a bit about Paris architecture under Hausmann. We also did short walking a tour of Le Marais. Finally, we did a driving tour across Paris at night, which hopefully began to improve my orientation of the city. Even if I don't retain the understanding of how the various neighborhoods connect, it was simply beautiful to drive around in the Paris twilight. The driving tour also included a visit to the home where Annie grew up and the home where Raphael lived for a few years during his childhood. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip down memory lane. So, an additional thank you again to my unofficial tour guides/ sponsors/ hosts: Annie and Robert. One truly couldn't ask for a better customized and enthusiastic (and ongoing) tour, where room and board are included.
WELCOME AARON!!!!!!!!!!
Baby Aaron just couldn't wait to come out and play with his sister Alena and cousin Henry, and so on Sunday, February 22, Aaron Emile Joseph Dussaucy decided to be born!!! Considering that he was born a bit early, he is doing very well, and we are just so happy and relieved that he arrived safely. We have only been able to see him behind the nursery glass, from which vantage point he looks extremely cute. This is, of course, confirmed by his proud parents, who have been able to spend precious bonding time with him.
Despite the short notice that Aaron gave us of his impending birth, the Cohens and Dussaucys couldn't let this precious little boy enter the world without a proper welcome, and so on Sunday, we were 15 people at the hospital waiting room, and subsequently, 15 people toasting his arrival with champagne. In addition to me, Raphael and Henry, the welcome party included grandparents Robert, Annie and Michele, (Grandfather Bernard dispatched from Dijon immediately upon hearing the news), Aunts and Uncle Beatrice, Celine and Jeremie, Great Aunt and Uncle Patrick and Dominique, Great Grandma Nelly, and of course, Aaron's excited little sister, Alena.
Aaron's name is not only beautiful but also meaningful. His middle name Emile was the name of Alexandre's paternal grandfather. His second middle name, Joseph, is the Hebrew name of Great Uncle Patrick. (Might I add that Aaron is one of my absolute favorite names...)
We are extremely proud of Joanna, who, following the birth, promptly requested a cheeseburger. Alex didn't do so bad either. :-)
Click here for pictures of the welcome party (mostly Henry pictures, as usual). There are some cute ones of Alena and Henry, including a video, and also a video of Henry playing with his great grandma Nelly.
Despite the short notice that Aaron gave us of his impending birth, the Cohens and Dussaucys couldn't let this precious little boy enter the world without a proper welcome, and so on Sunday, we were 15 people at the hospital waiting room, and subsequently, 15 people toasting his arrival with champagne. In addition to me, Raphael and Henry, the welcome party included grandparents Robert, Annie and Michele, (Grandfather Bernard dispatched from Dijon immediately upon hearing the news), Aunts and Uncle Beatrice, Celine and Jeremie, Great Aunt and Uncle Patrick and Dominique, Great Grandma Nelly, and of course, Aaron's excited little sister, Alena.
Aaron's name is not only beautiful but also meaningful. His middle name Emile was the name of Alexandre's paternal grandfather. His second middle name, Joseph, is the Hebrew name of Great Uncle Patrick. (Might I add that Aaron is one of my absolute favorite names...)
We are extremely proud of Joanna, who, following the birth, promptly requested a cheeseburger. Alex didn't do so bad either. :-)
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Friday, February 20, 2009
Top 10 Supermarket List
Now that we are up to date on our pictures, I've been thinking about what to write about. A lot of you have asked me what the biggest differences are here, or what I've had to adjust to. I think the biggest differences I've noticed are at the supermarket. So, here you have Jill's top ten list of differences between Luxembourg and U.S. Supermarkets:
10. The radishes look different. Radishes here are oblong and red and white, not uniformly red and round. The Luxembourgish radishes look like they were grown in a special mold, but I am told by my mother-in-law that this is not the case- that they just grow this way. Click here for a picture of Luxembourgish radishes. Fortunately I don't care for radishes, so I'm not forced to eat these freaks of nature.
9. There is an entire aisle dedicated to yogurt. Or yohgurt. And as you probably know, european yohgurt is so incredibly rich, it is like a dessert. It's like adding the "h" to the word forces you to draw out the pronunciation, emphasizing the utter decadence of the european varieites of the stuff. Yohhh-gurt. Fullllll fat. Yummmm. And the aisle doesn't just contain yogurt, it contains all varieties of custards, although frankly, the yohgurt itself is like a custard, so I can only imagine what the custards taste like.
8. They sell horse meat. They don't only sell it, but there is a whole section dedicated to it. Worse is that there is no special word for "horse meat" (as in cow is not called cow, it is called beef), so they just call it "Horse" or cheval. I suppose this is the same as calling chicken "chicken," but somehow with a larger animal it is more disturbing.
7. They sell pigeon. This is sold in the same aisle as the quail eggs. Makes sense.
6. The milk and eggs are not refrigerated. The thought makes me a little queasy, but so far I've eaten both and not gotten food poisoning.
5. Tropicana orange juice costs 7-8 Euros, which is about 9-10 dollars. Fortunately I have found another brand that is 100% juice and not from concentrate, but it took me several weeks to discover it. The trial and error period was very discouraging- I need a solid glass of O.J. in the morning.
4. There is an entire aisle dedicated to processed pork in its infinite varieties. They sell it as sliced salami, bite-size hard salami balls, processed ham, prosciutto, bacon, dried and diced for salads.... This is in addition to the identical selection of fresh pork products at the deli counter. Very useful for a nice jewish girl from connecticut.
3. There are more varieties of non-pork salami than you could possibly imagine. And better yet, so that you are sure that you are buying the correct type, there are little pictures on the packages to tell you what animal it is coming from. So far I have seen: bison (or buffalo?) salami, ostrich salami, some kind of moose salami, ass salami (as in donkey. get your mind out of the gutter), and cock salami (as in rooster. I said get your mind out of the gutter!)
2. One supermarket that I frequent has a very large section that is dedicated to a different special feature roughly every two weeks. When we first arrived, it was Tastes of Asia, and the section was essentially transformed into an Asian supermarket. Following that it was Italian products, and they were selling all sorts of fresh pastas, olive oils, fresh mozzarella cheeses, etc. This week it is dedicated solely to wine and cheese!!! I suppose you'd have to see how large it is, but it is a very big section just filled with wine and cheese. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Oh! and at another supermarket, they have a little machine from which you can sample the wine before you buy it. And the machine is really cute- you essentially turn this little spigot, and out trickles the wine into your little plastic cup.
And the number one difference between supermarkets here and supermarkets in the U.S. is....
1. Many of the supermarket employees' uniforms include roller blades! (Except, of course, for this one black woman who works there, who is dressed in some kind of full African garb (including a huge fabric headdress), whose sole job is to core and slice pineapples. Since all the other employees are in uniforms, I am guessing that it is not that the supermarket is accommodating her and allowing her to wear what she wants to work, but that this is essentially her pineapple slicing uniform. And of course, roller blades would not exactly complement this outfit.)
10. The radishes look different. Radishes here are oblong and red and white, not uniformly red and round. The Luxembourgish radishes look like they were grown in a special mold, but I am told by my mother-in-law that this is not the case- that they just grow this way. Click here for a picture of Luxembourgish radishes. Fortunately I don't care for radishes, so I'm not forced to eat these freaks of nature.
9. There is an entire aisle dedicated to yogurt. Or yohgurt. And as you probably know, european yohgurt is so incredibly rich, it is like a dessert. It's like adding the "h" to the word forces you to draw out the pronunciation, emphasizing the utter decadence of the european varieites of the stuff. Yohhh-gurt. Fullllll fat. Yummmm. And the aisle doesn't just contain yogurt, it contains all varieties of custards, although frankly, the yohgurt itself is like a custard, so I can only imagine what the custards taste like.
8. They sell horse meat. They don't only sell it, but there is a whole section dedicated to it. Worse is that there is no special word for "horse meat" (as in cow is not called cow, it is called beef), so they just call it "Horse" or cheval. I suppose this is the same as calling chicken "chicken," but somehow with a larger animal it is more disturbing.
7. They sell pigeon. This is sold in the same aisle as the quail eggs. Makes sense.
6. The milk and eggs are not refrigerated. The thought makes me a little queasy, but so far I've eaten both and not gotten food poisoning.
5. Tropicana orange juice costs 7-8 Euros, which is about 9-10 dollars. Fortunately I have found another brand that is 100% juice and not from concentrate, but it took me several weeks to discover it. The trial and error period was very discouraging- I need a solid glass of O.J. in the morning.
4. There is an entire aisle dedicated to processed pork in its infinite varieties. They sell it as sliced salami, bite-size hard salami balls, processed ham, prosciutto, bacon, dried and diced for salads.... This is in addition to the identical selection of fresh pork products at the deli counter. Very useful for a nice jewish girl from connecticut.
3. There are more varieties of non-pork salami than you could possibly imagine. And better yet, so that you are sure that you are buying the correct type, there are little pictures on the packages to tell you what animal it is coming from. So far I have seen: bison (or buffalo?) salami, ostrich salami, some kind of moose salami, ass salami (as in donkey. get your mind out of the gutter), and cock salami (as in rooster. I said get your mind out of the gutter!)
2. One supermarket that I frequent has a very large section that is dedicated to a different special feature roughly every two weeks. When we first arrived, it was Tastes of Asia, and the section was essentially transformed into an Asian supermarket. Following that it was Italian products, and they were selling all sorts of fresh pastas, olive oils, fresh mozzarella cheeses, etc. This week it is dedicated solely to wine and cheese!!! I suppose you'd have to see how large it is, but it is a very big section just filled with wine and cheese. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Oh! and at another supermarket, they have a little machine from which you can sample the wine before you buy it. And the machine is really cute- you essentially turn this little spigot, and out trickles the wine into your little plastic cup.
And the number one difference between supermarkets here and supermarkets in the U.S. is....
1. Many of the supermarket employees' uniforms include roller blades! (Except, of course, for this one black woman who works there, who is dressed in some kind of full African garb (including a huge fabric headdress), whose sole job is to core and slice pineapples. Since all the other employees are in uniforms, I am guessing that it is not that the supermarket is accommodating her and allowing her to wear what she wants to work, but that this is essentially her pineapple slicing uniform. And of course, roller blades would not exactly complement this outfit.)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Video Central
Click Here to see 3 videos that I have finally successfully uploaded. There are two from our weekend in Paris, where Henry is playing with Robert, and one where Henry tastes Nutella for the first time.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Valentines Day visit to Trier, Germany
Originally I was going to divide this post into two parts: Part I was about my feelings about and decision to visit Germany, (as a Jew with relatives who were killed in the Holocaust) and Part II was about the visit itself. I've decided not to post Part I on the internet, due to the public nature of this forum, however if you are interested, I am more than happy to email it to you- just let me know.
So, straight onto Part II. Last Saturday was Valentines Day: what could be more romantic than a visit to Germany? But seriously, Trier, Germany is just across the Luxembourg border, about 30 minutes from us. It is the oldest city in Germany, and was the capital of the Roman western territories. It is famous for a gate, the Porta Nigra, which dates from the 3rd Century. In our pictures of the Porta Nigra, you'll see an enthusiastic marching band that was playing popular songs such as Pink's "So What." Quite the juxtaposition.
We also visited Hauptmarket, which according to the Green Guide is "one of the finest old squares in Germany." While the architecture of the Hauptmarket was pretty, mostly it was just very commercial. In our photos, you'll see a short video documenting a coffee shop that also sold underwear. In the middle of the market is a 16th C. fountain, and the Market Cross. We also visited Dom Cathedral, which "is a fine example of Early Romanesque architecture." I believe it also houses some kind of christian relic.
Our visit to Trier would not have been complete without a visit to the birthplace of Karl Marx, which has been converted into a museum. In researching our visit, Raphael found some article claiming that the majority of tourists to the Karl Marx Haus are Chinese. Sure enough, we were pretty much the only people visiting the museum until a large Chinese tour group arrived. According to the article Raph read, the Chinese are such frequent visitors that local shops have sprung up catering exclusively to Chinese tourists. In our pictures, you'll see one such store. Local shops have also been advised not to wrap souvenirs in white paper, as white is the funerary color in China.
Here is a link to our pictures from Trier.
Small anecdote that is just for Beth and Jeff: We went into a shoe store, where I was trying on a pair of shoes. Wouldn't you know that the sales woman promptly offered me a shoehorn, and was quite shocked and dismayed to see that I managed to try on the shoe without the assistance of said shoehorn. Must be a German thing! (For everyone who is not Beth and Jeff- this refers to a German guy we met together, who refused to put on his shoes without a shoehorn. It is an ongoing joke among us.).
So, straight onto Part II. Last Saturday was Valentines Day: what could be more romantic than a visit to Germany? But seriously, Trier, Germany is just across the Luxembourg border, about 30 minutes from us. It is the oldest city in Germany, and was the capital of the Roman western territories. It is famous for a gate, the Porta Nigra, which dates from the 3rd Century. In our pictures of the Porta Nigra, you'll see an enthusiastic marching band that was playing popular songs such as Pink's "So What." Quite the juxtaposition.
We also visited Hauptmarket, which according to the Green Guide is "one of the finest old squares in Germany." While the architecture of the Hauptmarket was pretty, mostly it was just very commercial. In our photos, you'll see a short video documenting a coffee shop that also sold underwear. In the middle of the market is a 16th C. fountain, and the Market Cross. We also visited Dom Cathedral, which "is a fine example of Early Romanesque architecture." I believe it also houses some kind of christian relic.
Our visit to Trier would not have been complete without a visit to the birthplace of Karl Marx, which has been converted into a museum. In researching our visit, Raphael found some article claiming that the majority of tourists to the Karl Marx Haus are Chinese. Sure enough, we were pretty much the only people visiting the museum until a large Chinese tour group arrived. According to the article Raph read, the Chinese are such frequent visitors that local shops have sprung up catering exclusively to Chinese tourists. In our pictures, you'll see one such store. Local shops have also been advised not to wrap souvenirs in white paper, as white is the funerary color in China.
Here is a link to our pictures from Trier.
Small anecdote that is just for Beth and Jeff: We went into a shoe store, where I was trying on a pair of shoes. Wouldn't you know that the sales woman promptly offered me a shoehorn, and was quite shocked and dismayed to see that I managed to try on the shoe without the assistance of said shoehorn. Must be a German thing! (For everyone who is not Beth and Jeff- this refers to a German guy we met together, who refused to put on his shoes without a shoehorn. It is an ongoing joke among us.).
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
More Henry pictures: week of 2/9/09
Here are some more pictures of Henry from last week. You'll see some cute ones of Raph playing with Henry, as well as a series I like to call "mini-me," where Raph is wearing Henry in the bjorn. They look like a little Cohen totem pole! (For those who don't know, the bjorn is the carrier where you essentially 'wear' the baby on your chest. Understandably, my brother had no idea what the bjorn was, so he was quite confused when I mentioned it the other day, thinking I was referring to a random Sweedish guy). I don't know how Raph does it, but of the two of us, he is always the one inventing new ways to make Henry smile and laugh. Raph's latest "game" is tracing a heart around Henry's face and ending with a little "boop" on the nose; Henry absolutely loves it.
Click here for the pictures. Enjoy!
PS- we have some great vidoes to share, including one of Henry tasting Nutella for the first time, but we have been having trouble uploading them. Stay tuned.
Click here for the pictures. Enjoy!
PS- we have some great vidoes to share, including one of Henry tasting Nutella for the first time, but we have been having trouble uploading them. Stay tuned.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Weekend in Paris: Happy Birthday Annie and Alexandre!
Last weekend, February 7-8, we traveled to Paris to celebrate Annie and Alexandre's birthdays. Of course, we have virtually no pictures of the celebrations... all pictures are simply of Henry. Click here to see those pictures. You will see that Henry is particularly handsome in his superman outfit.
We drove into Paris late Friday night, which proved much easier than the prior weekend, when we drove in on a Saturday morning. The drive wasn't too bad; I made sandwiches of brie to eat in the car for dinner.
We woke up on Saturday morning to snow flurries: pretty, but not exactly strolling-around-Paris-with-Henry weather. Nonetheless, Raph and his father braved the cold to go get Raph's suit jackets tailored (since we don't exactly know a reputable tailor in Luxembourg...). We had a nice lunch at home, including some bubbly to toast Annie's birthday.
Eventually, the weather improved a bit, so we decided to go out and try to find some soccer shoes for Raphael. Why soccer shoes in the middle of winter? Raphael has joined the (indoor) soccer club at his work! So, although we are in Paris-- city of the Louvre, the Seine, L'Opera, Les Jardins Tuileries, etc.-- being the dutiful wife that I am, I agreed to go to Raphael's favorite Paris store: Decathalon. For those who don't know, Decathalon is the equivalent of a Dick's Sporting Goods. Unfortunately, Decathalon, didn't have les chausseurs de foot interior (indoor soccer shoes), so we then took the metro across town to the Champs Elysee, where we went to the Paris St. Germain store, which is the official store of the Paris soccer team, and is equally near and dear to Raphael's heart. Fortunately, PSG (paris st. germain) was having les Soldes (sales), and we were able to find a pair of shoes that not only fit and were reasonably priced, but are also quite stylish.
From my perspective, Saturday night was an improvement from the soccer shoe shopping, as we had reservations at a nice restaurant, La Cigale Recamier, whose speciality is souffles. If you wanted, you could have a souffle appetizer, a souffle main course, and souffle dessert! I settled for appetizer (cheese souffle) and dessert (chocolate souffle), with a steak au poivre for the main course. I have had souffles before, but these souffles were so heavenly, fluffy, and perfect, they were like another food category altogether. While my choices were somewhat pedestrian (cheese and chocolate), for appetizers, Robert and Raphael took a souffle with camembert au lait cru, avec l'huile des truffes (raw milk camembert, with truffle oil), and for dessert, Annie and Robert took a souffle where they were required to pour some kind of alcohol into the middle of the souffle. Yum! Henry behaved fairly well at the restaurant, although at one point he made it clear that he wanted to sit at the table with the adults! (there is a picture of this included in the photos above).
On Sunday, we celebrated Alexandre's 33rd birthday with brunch at another restaurant, Les Editeurs. Alexandre's parents were there, as well as his sister and her fiance, Celine and Jeremie, (who are getting married July 4th weekend in Burgundy, the same region where Joanna and Alexandre were married). And, speaking of birthdays, Jeremie and I discovered that we have the same exact birthday! We will both turn 30 this March 23rd! What I find particularly satisfying about this discovery is that Jeremie and I are symmetrical on the Cohen-Dussaucy family tree: I am married to Raphael, who is the brother of Joanna, while Jeremie (will be) married to Celine, who is the sister of Alexandre. Interestingly, Jeremie detests celebrating his birthday, (whereas you know I love to celebrate mine), so we have jokingly decided that I will have a birthday party in Paris, to which I will invite all his friends. This could work out well, since none of my friends will be here to celebrate with me.
So, voila... there you have it- our weekend in Paris.
Next post will be some pictures of Henry during the week, followed by pictures from our trip to Trier, Germany on Valentines day.
We drove into Paris late Friday night, which proved much easier than the prior weekend, when we drove in on a Saturday morning. The drive wasn't too bad; I made sandwiches of brie to eat in the car for dinner.
We woke up on Saturday morning to snow flurries: pretty, but not exactly strolling-around-Paris-with-Henry weather. Nonetheless, Raph and his father braved the cold to go get Raph's suit jackets tailored (since we don't exactly know a reputable tailor in Luxembourg...). We had a nice lunch at home, including some bubbly to toast Annie's birthday.
Eventually, the weather improved a bit, so we decided to go out and try to find some soccer shoes for Raphael. Why soccer shoes in the middle of winter? Raphael has joined the (indoor) soccer club at his work! So, although we are in Paris-- city of the Louvre, the Seine, L'Opera, Les Jardins Tuileries, etc.-- being the dutiful wife that I am, I agreed to go to Raphael's favorite Paris store: Decathalon. For those who don't know, Decathalon is the equivalent of a Dick's Sporting Goods. Unfortunately, Decathalon, didn't have les chausseurs de foot interior (indoor soccer shoes), so we then took the metro across town to the Champs Elysee, where we went to the Paris St. Germain store, which is the official store of the Paris soccer team, and is equally near and dear to Raphael's heart. Fortunately, PSG (paris st. germain) was having les Soldes (sales), and we were able to find a pair of shoes that not only fit and were reasonably priced, but are also quite stylish.
From my perspective, Saturday night was an improvement from the soccer shoe shopping, as we had reservations at a nice restaurant, La Cigale Recamier, whose speciality is souffles. If you wanted, you could have a souffle appetizer, a souffle main course, and souffle dessert! I settled for appetizer (cheese souffle) and dessert (chocolate souffle), with a steak au poivre for the main course. I have had souffles before, but these souffles were so heavenly, fluffy, and perfect, they were like another food category altogether. While my choices were somewhat pedestrian (cheese and chocolate), for appetizers, Robert and Raphael took a souffle with camembert au lait cru, avec l'huile des truffes (raw milk camembert, with truffle oil), and for dessert, Annie and Robert took a souffle where they were required to pour some kind of alcohol into the middle of the souffle. Yum! Henry behaved fairly well at the restaurant, although at one point he made it clear that he wanted to sit at the table with the adults! (there is a picture of this included in the photos above).
On Sunday, we celebrated Alexandre's 33rd birthday with brunch at another restaurant, Les Editeurs. Alexandre's parents were there, as well as his sister and her fiance, Celine and Jeremie, (who are getting married July 4th weekend in Burgundy, the same region where Joanna and Alexandre were married). And, speaking of birthdays, Jeremie and I discovered that we have the same exact birthday! We will both turn 30 this March 23rd! What I find particularly satisfying about this discovery is that Jeremie and I are symmetrical on the Cohen-Dussaucy family tree: I am married to Raphael, who is the brother of Joanna, while Jeremie (will be) married to Celine, who is the sister of Alexandre. Interestingly, Jeremie detests celebrating his birthday, (whereas you know I love to celebrate mine), so we have jokingly decided that I will have a birthday party in Paris, to which I will invite all his friends. This could work out well, since none of my friends will be here to celebrate with me.
So, voila... there you have it- our weekend in Paris.
Next post will be some pictures of Henry during the week, followed by pictures from our trip to Trier, Germany on Valentines day.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Henry photos weeks 3-8
Click here to see the photos that I already sent to you last week. They include photos of Henry from weeks 3-8 (including 3 short videos), photos from Raph's birthday, and our visit to Chateau Vianden.
Welcome to our Blog!
Hello and welcome to our blog! As someone who has resisted various internet phenomenons, such as friendster, facebook, and now twitter, I really never thought I'd have a blog... but here I am. I suppose necessity is the mother of invention, because it is the necessity of staying in touch with all of you that has caused me to "invent" this blog. (no, I did not invent blogging.).
The title of the blog, "Henry in Lux," is really what I intend to feature on this blog: sharing our updates and stories about (1) Henry and (2) our adventures in and around Luxembourg. I also occasionally may throw in a link to an article or news item that interests me. Really, this blog is mostly to share pictures and anecdotes, so we don't feel so far.
Let me assure you what this blog is decidedly not. I will not become one of those mothers who tells you about every poop or spit bubble that Henry makes, however miraculous and lovely they may appear to me. (I cannot resist, however, telling you that as I type, Raph is holding Henry and has made up a tune with the words "farts are okay" and is singing it to Henry. The reason for this song is Henry's apparent gas pain, and I am very grateful that Raph is managing this episode. Which reminds me, my admiration of Raph's superb fathering skills will undoubtedly be a theme in this blog, as well.).
I hope you will participate in this blog by adding your comments and links. I also hope this blog will not be a substitute for staying in touch in other mediums, like skype. Please don't forget that just because I am updating you about what we are up to, I still want to hear updates from you!
love, Jill
The title of the blog, "Henry in Lux," is really what I intend to feature on this blog: sharing our updates and stories about (1) Henry and (2) our adventures in and around Luxembourg. I also occasionally may throw in a link to an article or news item that interests me. Really, this blog is mostly to share pictures and anecdotes, so we don't feel so far.
Let me assure you what this blog is decidedly not. I will not become one of those mothers who tells you about every poop or spit bubble that Henry makes, however miraculous and lovely they may appear to me. (I cannot resist, however, telling you that as I type, Raph is holding Henry and has made up a tune with the words "farts are okay" and is singing it to Henry. The reason for this song is Henry's apparent gas pain, and I am very grateful that Raph is managing this episode. Which reminds me, my admiration of Raph's superb fathering skills will undoubtedly be a theme in this blog, as well.).
I hope you will participate in this blog by adding your comments and links. I also hope this blog will not be a substitute for staying in touch in other mediums, like skype. Please don't forget that just because I am updating you about what we are up to, I still want to hear updates from you!
love, Jill
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