Done eating until 2008

The day after I posted my last blog I wished I had waited another day so I could write about something a little bit more interesting. Sunday I went and hung out with my friend Benjamin for the day. In the morning we went riding so I could buy my host sister a Christmas present (a little late). Then I checked out a weekly market in Benjamin's town. There you can find clothes, crafts, fossils, cheese, sausage, and rotisserie chicken that smells amazing when you're walking past it, hungry. Afterwards I ate lunch at Benjamin's house and watched an old classic movie, "La Tatoué," with the French actor Louis de Funès.

Then after lunch I did something that I think is necessary for my French experience - I toured a winery. It's owned by Benjamin's grandparents, and although I didn't learn much as Benjamin was my guide and he doesn't know that much about how it is made, it was still cool to see everything. If you ever get the chance to yell inside of an empty wine-fermenting tank, do it! It sounds awesome. Benjamin's grandparents also gave me six bottles of wine, which was incredibly nice of them. Therefore it is my job to promote their wine and their "cause." The name of their winery is "Domaine de Tavernel," although they don't export their wine to the U.S. However, I can help them out in promoting biologically produced wine, which is what they make.

Now, moving on to Christmas... Christmas Eve (the "Reveillant," "waking up" in French) we started eating at around 7:30. Small appetizers with an aperitif wine, then the dinner started. Raw oysters, shrimp, salmon, and mussels with butter, parsley, and garlic with white wine. After that everyone had of course eaten pretty well, so we took a break and opened presents. Then more dinner of roasted salmon with Camargian rice (a mixture of white and brown rice from the local Camargue marshes). And finally, for dessert there was a ice cream "log" of vanilla and chocolate ice cream with a layer of chocolate. That, along with champagne, lychees, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, chocolate truffles, and fruit as you please.

Christmas day was a little different, as we had already opened the presents. Also, one of the presents the night before was a foosball table for the family, so we built it and played until at least 2:30 AM. Then next morning I woke up at 11 and didn't eat anything, as the next big meal was coming after noon. Again small appetizers, then the meal of red wine, foie gras (fattened duck liver, which is highly acclaimed but I didn't find that special), escargots with the same persillade sauce that the mussels had, which I actually liked a lot and ate about a dozen of. I really don't know how this
turns into something yummy, but it does! After the escargots, there was quail with parsnips and garlic, another ice cream log and all the other dessert items.

So my long story about the food and all is done. I'm leaving for Barcelona the 31st to meet my parents, which I'm really excited about. I'm not sure if I'll post a blog before I leave or if I'll wait until I get back here January 5th with pictures. Happy New Years!