Logique-logical.

Since this is a 'Gourmet/Gourmande Weblog', it's logical that I will be busy over this period of the year, and indeed - I AM! Not too busy however to thank you all for your support and visits over the time (21,445) - not bad  for the type of Weblog and the short period it has been available! I hope you will continue to support me, and I will be coming up with some new ideas for next year ...........
2014

treize desserts......thirteen desserts

Tradition has it that around Christmas, the treize desserts are eaten here in the Provence area.
Mainly, in fact, entirely made up of fruits and products of the area, they are greatly appreciated.
Because of their fabrication costs, they are expensive, nowadays, 'candied' fruit (whole) is not cheap. Even these - the 'mendiants' (beggers) of the 13 are expensive (nuts etc being very limited in quantity)

Français : Mendiants (beggers) des 13 desserts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_desserts

 the modern day system has kept   closely to the old one with certain exceptions.
Wine was not particularly counted as one of the 13 - it was present anyway...!

Dried fruit and nuts

Four beggars

The first four of these are known as the "four beggars" (les quatre mendiants), representing the four mendicant monastic orders:Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinian and Carmelites.^[3]

• Raisins (Dominicans)
• Walnuts or hazelnuts^[4] (Augustines)
• Dried figs (Franciscans)
• Almonds (Carmelites)
• Dates, representing the foods of the region where Christ lived and died^[5]
• Dried plums from Brignoles

Fresh fruit

• Apples
• Pears
• Oranges
• Winter melon
• Grapes
• Tangerines

Most of the following have been added over time, dependant on your pocket book.....and because they are all made in the area.

Sweets[edit]

• Biscotins (biscuits) from Aix;
• Calissons d'Aix,^[6] almond-paste pastry with sugar icing (marzipan)
• Candied citron
• Casse-dents of Allauch (biscuit)
• Cumin and fennel seed biscuits
• Fried bugnes
• Fruit tourtes^[6]
• Oreillettes, light thin waffles^[2]
• Pain d'epice
• Pompes à l'huile or fougasse à l'huile d'olive, a sweet cake or brioche made with orange flower water and olive oil^[5]
• Quince cheese/quince paste (Pâte de coing)^[6]
• Yule log

• Two kinds of nougat, symbolizing good and evil^[1]
• Black nougat with honey (Nougat noir au miel), a hard candy made with honey and almonds
• White nougat (Nougat blanc), a soft candy made with sugar, eggs, pistachios, honey, and almonds

If you can find some or all of these things, and with your own local products of chocolate and other, try it - on a separate table, it makes a nice change from the rich meat and other Christmas things, and can replace, happily, the nibbles to go with the aperitifs. 

Incidentally the Germans have a much smaller but similar tradition.... http://www.vistawide.com/german/christmas/german_christmas_traditions.htm   German Christmas foods & recipes:
Dresdner Stollen | Glühwein | Lebkuchen | Marzipan | Plätzchen | Pfeffernüsse 
Vanillekipferl | Springerle | Spritzgebäck | Zimtsterne 

Nowadays, they also put marzipan fruits and chocolate items on a large dish apart from the table for eating. Game, Goose, Duck Chicken and more recently Turkey is available, often with red cabbage.

Try it - it's great stuff, and different!

German Christmas traditions | German Christmas carols

Bonne Appétit et Bonnes Fêtes.

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Advent 2013 - food.....

  http://www.germanfoodguide.com/holiday-christmas.cfm
The Germanic speaking countries celebrate considerably more the 4  Sundays of Advent than elsewhere in the World. Every town and village has it's 'Weihnnachtsmarkt' (Christmas market) lasting from 1 day to 4 weeks (Nurnberg)....and each Sunday is a bit special regarding the food. German descended, mainly in USA also celebrate these days.

QUOTE.....'

Advent
Advent is a very important part of the Christmas season in Germany. For Christians, Advent-time is the four weeks before Christmas and represents the waiting for the birth of Christ. For non-Christians, Advent is a time to prepare for the Christmas celebration. Advent is celebrated on the four Sundays preceding Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve.

Advent (Photo credit: kathleen_jowitt)

The time of Advent is filled with many traditions in Germany. The Advent-Wreath (Adventskranz) is a very important part of Advent-time. It has four candles and each Advent-Sunday a candle on the wreath is lit to represent Christ, the Light of the World. Equally important, especially for children, is the Advent-Calendar. This is a calendar with 24 tiny doors that counts down the days until Christmas. Everyday a door is opened. Behind the door can be a cartoon, a small toy or gift, or candy or chocolate. Advent is also the time to decorate the house for Christmas, both inside and out. This time is also used to bake Christmas cookies, cakes, and other sweets. We have listed many of the traditional baked goods and sweets (right) that are so well known throughout Germany. 
A very important day for children during Advent is Nikolaus Day (Nikolaustag), December 6th. On this day, Nikolaus is said to pass by and leave the children candy, chocolate, fruits, nuts, or small presents in stockings or boots that they've placed outside the front door for him. Historically, Nikolaus represents Nikolaus von Myra, a bishop from Asia Minor (Southern Turkey), who died on December 6th in the 4th century. Not too much is known about this man, except that he was known for his kindness and good deeds, especially toward children.
December 24th, Christmas Eve, is the last day of Advent. On this day, many people go to church or attend a midnight mass. Also, many families choose to exchange their Christmas gifts on this day.
Christmas Markets

Photo: © Markus Langer - Fotolia.com

In the weeks before Christmas, many cities throughout Germany, and in the U.S., offer an open-air Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlemarkt, Christkindlmarkt or Adventmarkt ). Historically, these markets used to be "Winter Markets," where visitors could take care of winter necessities. But over time, these changed from Winter Markets to Christmas Markets and are now a major part of German Christmas tradition. Read More >>**********
You can find the German style Advent dishes on the above link, from Goose to Carp.....
I've kept this article with links to German (in English) sites, since they have the largest variety, and celebrate the most...  http://germanfood.about.com/od/adventandchristmas/

All I can suggest is try some of these things and have a good time over the 4 Sundays coming up! The 4th Sunday is Christmas anyway, and all 4 candles should be on the table and lit!

                                        English: Advent wreath, First Advent Sunday (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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1st Advent.......

 http://wine.about.com/od/holidayswithwine/r/MulledWines.htm

Saturday is our 'get ready for Christmas day' since tradition has it that the 1st Sunday of Advent (this year 1st December) requires the putting up of decorations and the like!

We will have 'mulled wine' - stollen - chocolate and vanilla flavoured sponge rolls - chocolate bits and bobs - and other things, Christmas music - and plug in the tree lights - look for the ones that don't work - get upset.....everything normal!

We may even have to go to the supermarkets which only open on the 4 Sundays of Advent and the Sundays in the Tourist seasons, otherwise Sundays - no go, mostly.

Papa Noel at Vauvert....!

After all................It's too early to ask me to start working.....but somewhere to park my sledge would be quite agreeable!

Santa Parking Only (Photo credits: www.myparkingsign.com)

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Musique pour Noel....

What.....you followed my menu plans, but forgot the music.....? Well - I can maybe help you out - go here- make your choice, put your pc onto 'fullscreen' - full volume- and click.....off you go! Thank u - You Tube.....!
 https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=christmas+songs+playlist&sm=1

Rabbit and wine......Lapin au Vin Rouge (simple)

  There is no great difficulty with this dish unless the fact that rabbits can be interpreted as 'domestic pets'....another problem is who wins the fight for the delicious morsels - the liver and the kidneys, which should go in the last 15-20 minutes only!
Another problem is that the flesh is delicate, all of it, and doesn't like to be overcooked. I recommend cooking either in a  deepish cocotte, in the oven, or in a casserole on a low heat on the top of the stove. Preparation is the same......Chopped onions, crushed garlic, 1 rabbit (pieces or whole) marinated in red wine/sugar/herbs de Provence, 2 sugar cubes or 2 small spoons of sugar (to counter effect the vinegary of the wine), and a fagot of herbs overnight   Personally I always put fresh carrots in as well (everybody knows - rabbits love carrots!)
If wished, a cube of chicken stock, some olive oil, salt and pepper......
Method: Heat the oil (don't burn it!) slide in the onions/garlic and brown them slowly. Put the rabbit in and turn it to seal/brown on all sides. Crush the stock cube into the mixture, the sugar as well, and add the fagot and marinade together with some water, don't salt and pepper yet - wait till the end. This should not takelonger than 45 to 60 minutes in a middle oven heat or the same on top stove middle heat (covered).
Test the meat with a fork, and when tender, but slightly resistant to the fork, take the meat out and reduce the sauce, if necessary. At this moment you can add mushrooms or other vegetables, and even mustard goes very well! When reduced to your taste, slide the rabbit back in and finish off, putting the liver and kidneys in, for about 10 minutes. Depending on what you have put in, you can dress it with fresh (or dried) Parsley - Triangular fried croutons (nice and crispy) - take the fagot of herbs out, and.....off you go 'A table'
Bonne Appétit!

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When in France........

 In France, eating out is an integral part of a holiday maker's life, so it's best to know a few rules and phrses.
This link is very good and gives you many tips:     http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/restaurant.htm (it also gives you the main phrases in French and English that a waiter may ask or you may wish to ask the waiter...maybe printing this out and taking it with you may help!
It all starts of outside the place, looking at the menus and understanding them! Surely it isn't easy, without being in the trade yourelf, to understand ALL the dishes on offer, but certain things should be understood, like whether animals are allowed in, smoking is now allowed nowhere (not even on the enclosed terraces), whether reservations are required.....that 'TVA' is the equivalent of the tax 'VAT'.....that 'TTC' means 'Taxes,tous compris' (taxes - all in prices including service charges) Sevice Charges or tips are old fashioned nowadays, so unless you are particularly pleased or it is marked on the bill, you don't need to leave anything. This is another link telling the main points http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/04/tipping-in-fran-1/ Of course it's all up to you!
In what I call 'La France Profonde' (deepest France) the rules are different. Normally tips are smaller, if at all, and the waiters may feel it to be an insult,so really just a small amount! 

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