31 December 2021

Adieu 2021!

 Adieu 2021!

Here we are again, on the last day of a year full of patience. Looking back at my posts - I tried an awful lot more recipes, we had some beautiful skies, and the extremely rigid confinements were eased due to COVID vaccinations and the French health pass. We were able to see friends, and I restarted my weekly English conversation workshop (with masks, but in person). We are (of course) ending the year with a sudden surge in COVID cases, breaking all records.

Despite all the difficulties, this, 2021, was a banner year for me! I made it through all the hurdles, and became French!


Vaccination centers open



Schedule for deconfinement 



French embassy in USA





French!



Thanksgiving


Christmas Downtown



27 December 2021

Pot Problems

I had pot problems a few days ago...

Yes, my favorite pot, given to me a decade ago, lost its handle! First it was loose, then it just snapped! Luckily, I was prepared for it, and none of my carrots were lost 🙂.

I used a kitchen towel for a day or two, but that was *really* awkward! So, the next shopping day, I picked up this little gem! 

Top: broken handle
Bottom: new handle!

And I have my favorite pot back - with a French twist 😉 

In use

~~~

I know, you thought I was talking about something entirely different...


25 December 2021

White Christmas?

 Yep, it's a White Christmas, just like the ones I used to know...

Fog, all day long...


UPDATE: It cleared to scattered, interesting clouds for the afternoon - temperature in the mid-50's F.


24 December 2021

Lamb Chops

 Lamb Chops

Salt the lamb rib chops that have come to room temperature (leave on the counter for ~30 minutes)

In a medium hot pan, add:

olive oil

2 small lamb chops (to be well done)


Cook covered ~5 minutes, then flip.

Turn the heat to high, and

add 2 more small lamb chops (to be rare)

Sear all 4 on both sides, ~2 minutes per side, uncovered.


Serve with warm sauce:

Cherry preserves

Ginger

Port

Pinch of cayenne


Sides:

Asparagus

Pan-roasted carrots

Baguette


21 December 2021

Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is here, and I keep thinking about what a friend went through, years ago - he was working in the north of England, and said he had taken up beer-making as a hobby. His reason? Well, what else is there to do, when the sun goes down at 3:30? Yeah, it was a little shocking at the time!

We don't have it quite as extreme here in southern France, but we still lose more light than anywhere else I've lived. I got curious, and went looking for approximate sunrise/sunset times.

Sète, France - Sunrise at 8:15, Sunset at 5:10. That's six and a half hours less sunlight than in Summer!

Sacramento, California - Sunrise at 7:20, Sunset at 4:50. That's an earlier sunset, but half an hour more sunlight than Sète.

Albuquerque, New Mexico - similar to Sacramento, but with 15 more sunlight minutes.

Costa Rica - of course, sunrise and sunset times don't vary much at all! Winter daylight hours are only half an hour less than at the equinox!

What's interesting to me is the quality of the winter light here in France - even at noon, it feels like late afternoon; the light is all from the south. It's just weird...

At least an early sunset means the birds swarm early 🙂


(Even the lonesome bird is out) 


I am looking forward to getting this all back in June! Sunrise at 6:00, Sunset at 9:30, for fifteen and a half hours of sun!


17 December 2021

Christmas Downtown

We strolled around downtown today - lots of Christmas decorations!