Happy New Year 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013

* I'm not real sure what the conversation is in the background - but thought this video could give you a new year's view of the Eiffel tower. ;)  We learned something new - no fireworks here for New Years Eve - they save those for Bastille Day & keep it pretty simple to ring in the New Year.  Who knew?  Not us..

For New Years Day, we went to the Arc de Triumphe...aside from a wild drive past it our first day here - we hadn't taken the kids underneath it & Ryan was really wanting to go after studying it in school.  Afterwards we walked down the Champs Elysees and to the Christmas Market for one last walk through. 

After the walk around the 8th Arrondissement, Rebekah and I had one last time out to look around & stopped for a cafe & cappuccino with a Crepe Suzette.  We have sweet friends who had asked if we had seen this crepe while we were here & we had been meaning to try one but hadn't seen one at the crepe stands.  I learned that it is a specialty one & you have to ask.  Although this picture doesn't even come close to its tastiness - please go try one.  It is delightful!  They made this one with a mix of lemon & orange juice and caramelized it with sugar - so good!!

Photo courtesy of BBC.com

Here is a recipe posted on their website for the classic version of Crepe Suzette

For the crêpes

• 110g/4oz plain flour, sifted
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 200ml/7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water
• 50g/2oz butter
• 1 medium orange, grated zest only
• 1 tbsp caster sugar

For the sauce

• 150ml/5fl oz orange juice (from 3-4 medium oranges)
• 1 medium orange, grated zest only
• 1 small lemon, grated rind and juice
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp Grand Marnier, Cointreau or brandy
• 50g/2oz unsalted butter
• a little extra Grand Marnier, for flaming

Preparation method

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs - any sort of whisk or even a fork will do - incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.
2. Next gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don't worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any elusive bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream. Now melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a pan. Spoon 2 tbsp of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it to lubricate the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake. Stir the orange zest and caster sugar into the batter.
3. Now get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake to see if you're using the correct amount of batter. These little crêpes should be thinner than the basic pancakes, so when you're making them, use ½ tbsp of batter at a time in a 18cm/7in pan. It's also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then simply slide it out of the pan onto a plate. If the pancakes look a little bit ragged in the pan, no matter because they are going to be folded anyway. You should end up with 15-16 crêpes.
4. Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest.
5. For the sauce, mix all the ingredients - with the exception of the butter - in a bowl. At the same time warm the plates on which the crêpes are going to be served. Now melt the butter in the frying pan, pour in the sauce and allow it to heat very gently. Then place the first crêpes in the pan and give it time to warm through before folding it in half and then in half again to make a triangular shape. Slide this onto the very edge of the pan, tilt the pan slightly so the sauce runs back into the centre, then add the next crêpe. Continue like this until they're all re-heated, folded and well soaked with the sauce.
6. You can flame them at this point if you like. Heat a ladle by holding it over a gas flame or by resting it on the edge of a hotplate, then, away from the heat, pour a little liqueur or brandy into it, return it to the heat to warm the spirit, then set light to it. Carry the flaming ladle to the table over the pan and pour the flames over the crêpes before serving on the warmed plates.

 Here is a view from the cafe patio of the kids at dinner.  They kept saying au revoir to everything today - their last metro, their last meal, their last walk, .... they enjoyed themselves so much!  

I couldn't help but post some pants I found as I was packing things up.  These pants did some walking.  They were not alone in their fraying either - I have multiple pairs of pants that did so much walking and dragging through the rainy streets that we are documenting them with a photo & leaving them behind.  :)

We are so thankful for this journey and the special time.  I am amazed that we are at night 49 of the 50 days in France.  All of the bags are packed up, the kids are bathed & in bed, and we sit with hearts full of memories and treasured time while we have been here.  As with any trip, it is so wonderful to go and great to get home.  We are ready to get back and are looking forward to journeying that way.  We would appreciate your prayers as we fly out tomorrow.  

As far as posting to this blog, I have a handful of photos that were not posted & I hope to post them this week as we adjust to Texas time and cozy in at home.  So.... the fifty days will continue for a few more posts.... :)

Thanks so much for journeying alongside us!  Bon Nuit!