Christmas Dinner in Périgord

Everyone is a little bit jealous when I tell them I'm going to France for Christmas. And maybe they should be, but probably not for the same reasons they think. The weather is cold and it rains a lot but even so the country side is beautiful. Unless we go into town, there isn't much shopping or even movies. But there is some of the best food in the entire world.

This is because we are in Périgord, considered the most gastronomic region of France. Not only are we living amongst the vineyards of Bordeaux, but this is the home of fois gras, black and white truffles, and local caviar. Fresh apples, lettuces and organic vegetables are everywhere, visible from the side of the road. Even the oysters come from just down the road, less than 2 hours away. 

A 2007 Bordeaux Pomerol

For the French, or at least my in-laws, Christmas isn't really about presents if you are over 13 years old. It's about sitting at the table and eating… a lot.

Lucette, my mother-in-law who is in her 70's, still cooks fabulously and is not in the least bit intimidated by making an elaborate, multi-course meal for many. 

This holiday we were only six at the table, but she still served up more than fifty local oysters, cooked with butter, parsley and garlic to kick off the meal. 

Then came gambas, steamed and served with a mustard-mayo sauce. 

'

Next came a fois gras the size of your head, served with crusty baguette. This particular one was procured by father-in-law Frank on Christmas Eve. He went to the farm where the geese are raised, which apparently belongs to a friend. He assures us it's very humane and there's nothing remotely "factory" about the place. I believe him. 

There will be plenty of fois left over.

Bring on the roast duck! This was as good as it looks..

Especially with chestnut and prune stuffing..

And "gras" which is gravy that they more correctly call "fat." Since I don't eat fois gras, I figured I had some calories to spare and used half of this vessel on my plate. 

 Cooked, shredded fennel made a nice side dish.

In case we didn't get enough chestnuts in the stuffing, there was a giant bowl of sweet chestnuts to eat on the side. 

For dessert? More chestnuts served up glazed, chocolates and an assortment of candies. So blissed out was I that I forgot to photograph…. but here's an idea of what it looked like...

Discovering St. Germain

Champagne and St. Germain in carafes

 At our big Jac Henri launch party we served St. Germain, the famous French liqueur that is gaining traction in the chicest circles. The storied brand, which was established in France in 1884, is quite new again. At the party, one socialite guest told me she had recently been to a $2 million wedding where bride insisted on a St. Germain-Champagne cocktail to make the celebratory toast, as if to let me know we were right on target.  While our little shindig paled next to that one, St. Germain was perfect with the French, hand-crafted concepts of Jac Henri wallets. The liqueur is made from elderflower that is hand picked in the French Alps and taken by bicycle to the distillery.  In case you're not too familiar with elderflower and wondering what St. Germain tastes like, I would say there is a heavy note of lychee and a light note of citrus. It is slightly sweet enough on it's own to do well simply with club soda and a twist of lemon. At the party, however, we served three prescribed cocktails from St. Germain, each more potent and tasty than the next, with none overly sweet. Just right for this goldilocks.

CUCUMBER PUNCH 

(Garnished with Edible Flowers)

2 bottles of cucumber infused tequila*

1 bottle PLUS 1 cup of StG

1.5 cups fresh squeezed lime juice

1/3 bottle of sparkling wine

*Cucumber infused tequila:

Slice cucumbers into punch bowl and add 2 bottles of Corzo Silver Tequila. Cover and let sit at room temperature. 

  ***

ST. GERMAIN WITH LYCHEE

2 bottles of Grey goose vodka

1 bottle of St Germain

6 cans of lychees WITH juice (save some lychees for garnishing)

3 Lemons cut into wheels

     ***

ST. GERMAIN WITH CHAMPAGNE

we served it in crystal for extra beauty

For Party Pix: http://miamisunpost.com/snaps-jac-henri-launch/

Launching Jac Henri Slim Wallets On Kickstarter

Yannick Henriette, my husband, has been making wallets for a while now. He made the first one years ago when he couldn't find a wallet slim enough for his taste. A lot of people told him to carry a card holder,  but they aren't secure and can't contain cash, so it really wasn't a solution. Neither was a rubber band that a lot of people do. So he made his own, and the Jac Henri Slim Wallet was born, even though we didn't name it that until seven years later. He carried it the entire time and got a lot of compliments as well as requests from friends to make one for them. Almost everyone who has carried one has totally loved it. (there's always that one dentist, isn't there?) And encouraged us to go on Kickstarter. So we did. Click on the link below and out the site. If you like what you see, please pledge and share with your friends!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1694334202/jac-henri-slim-wallet/backers

I Love My 2013 Mercedes GLK

When I'm not driving it myself, I'm taking pictures

I am always writing about cars because I love them. So, needless to say, I did a lot or research before buying my newest, the Mercedes 2013 GLK. Sure, it helps that it was Motor Trend's SUV of the Year, but I had already made up my mind before it was given that distinction. So what sealed the deal? It's better priced than the Audi Q5 that I also love, and much cooler than the Lexus RX or Lincoln MKX, both of which I was seriously considering.

There were some sacrifices made - I don't have GPS, real leather seats or park distance control, all of which my pervious 2006 X3 did have. Of those, the only one I find myself missing is the park distance control. Once you become reliant on the beeps, it's hard to go back - that's all I'll say. I did get keyless start, which I love and the sunroof which I was a little worried about because, when closed it is only covered by a screen and not a solid cover, a concern I also had with the Audi Q5. So far it hasn't been that hot, but we'll see how it does this summer in the Miami heat.

As for driving - it's amazing! So much smoother than my BMW X3 was, but you can still feel the road, unlike a Mercedes ML AMG we once owned. The GLK has both Sport and Economy options, you can choose your drive depending on your preference or mood. Fuel economy is not bad at all, especially compared to previous GLK models.  I find myself averaging about 19-20 MPG in town and 24-25 MPG on the highway.

Speaking of the highway, this little truck was meant to go fast and truly seems happiest at 80 mph. Seriously, it's not just an excuse to speed, which I'd never do ;) And it turns on a dime. I have driven many cars, both mine and as tests and I can honestly say I've never experienced such an amazing turning radius. Never. Not even in the Mini. And, at only 178" long, it is a dream to drive and park in South Beach. The engine cuts off when you hit the brake for more than a few seconds to save fuel, and while at first it was a bit disconcerting, I'm totally used to it now, and it makes me feel "green."

I bought it from the Mercedes dealership in Tampa. Yes, we have plenty of them here in Miami. But let's just say they are used to a very upscale, Latin clientele that does not drive a particularly hard bargain. Meanwhile, on Florida's west coast they gave me a much better price, and full blue book trade in value for my loaded, cream puff of an X3. Not only that, they did it sight unseen, and picked up the trade in and delivered the new car right to my office. The next day a rep from Mercedes came to my work to give me the full gadget tour. You really can't get any better service than that, nor a better car.

Amazingly beautiful and slightly retro dash

Hello Lover. Carrie has shoes, I have cars (and purses).