Well hello! It’s been awhile since my last update but today felt like the perfect day to write – its freezing so I cannot possibly go outside AND I have some good stories. Usually I go running on Mondays (everyone should feel super proud of this because I actually hate running more than anything… ever… a lot more) but it’s just too cold. I don’t know how I lived in Indiana or Colorado because now I am a big giant wimp. Angers is some sort weird mecca for no snow but it is still so cold. I don’t get it! Its about 27 degrees but I can’t imagine leaving my apartment (even though my apartment is also quite cold, I woke up this morning and could see my breath, though in all fairness that’s probably my fault as I forget to turn on the heat… but that’s because my awesome family sent me pink flannel snowmen sheets and a zebra snuggie so I am always warm in bed!). I digress, basically no running and instead tea and a chausson aux pommes (a delicious apple pastry treat that literally means “slipper of apples”). That’s really problem here, you have the option to exercise and then you get distracted by cheese, wine, pastries or my personal… all of the above!
I continue to love/detest how random my students are. I can write something on the board and say write this “Today is Monday Janauary 31st” and I’ll get “Tueday am January 31 Monday”… its like their brains are not engaged at all. I suspect this is a complaint of teachers everywhere. I asked a student today if he liked coffee and he responded “I am the coffee”… well heck yeah, you are! I feel that way too sometimes, kid, when I’ve had too much coffee.
I’ve been enjoying some delicious food as well. I thought I might share because isn’t that one of the best things about France:
Tartiflette: like casserole with potatoes on the bottom, cream cooked with onions and bacon poured on top. And of course don’t forget to cut half a wheel of cheese and put it on top. And bread for sopping up all that cream when you’re finished.
Pizza’ish stuff: pizza crust with peppers and tomatoes on the bottom, covered with cream baked with ham and tomato sauce poured on top, and again blue or preferred cheese cubes on top. Bread for cream afterward
Galettes: wheat crepes with a sunny-side up egg inside, ham and tomato sauce, swiss cheese, and naturally (??) some salad on top
I forget the name: strips of chicken covered with sliced tomatoes and béarnaise sauce, with herbs wrapped in foil and cooked in the oven – easy and so delish!
I hope you’re seeing the themes of “cream cooked with ham”… and “cheese”.
My friends and I had a fantastic dinner out the other night at the restaurant, O Quebec. It’s a restaurant on steroids of Canadian stereotypes. All wood inside – the walls, chairs, tables. A little Quebec flag sits on every table with canoes as centerpieces. We enjoyed apérotifs (the drink before the wine) of kir (white wine) and maple syrup. We tried to order rosé wine with our meals but duhhhhhhh (the waitress sort of politely pointed out) you take red with your red meats. I had a bison burger and split some poutine (fries covered in gravy and cheese with Cajun chicken on top) with a friend. Plus then of course, maple syrup crème brulée for dessert. Life is not bad at all.
My birthday is Saturday and luckily I’ve managed to convince all my friends the event should be nearly as big as Christmas. We’re enjoying fondue on Friday night and then we’re making a boîte de bijoux (jewelry box) cake and ordering pizza. My Australian friend is making fairy bread, which is white bread with butter and sprinkles. Apparently it’s a must have for birthdays. And I may or may not have bought a rainbow sparkly crown. As I explain, I might be turning 23 but really that should be 2+3=5…
A bientôt mes amis!
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