A taste of New Year

Last night we were with Nadia and Patrick Lambert and their family for New Year's Eve or La Saint-Sylvestre, which is usually celebrated - as last night - with a really gorgeous dinner. It included a couple of firsts for us - frog's legs and kangaroo! Both were delicious. But then all the dishes were delicious. Like Christmas Eve, the meal on December 31st is a significant affair. However both take place steadily over about five or six hours. As a result, although you are eating a lot of food, you feel comfortable. Patrick is also a wine producer so we were rather spoilt, with wines from his personal cellar. It was such a special evening for us and like our Christmas Eve was full of laughter and chatting and eating and drinking and playing silly games.

We'd asked Nadia what we could take along. Something British! No problem. So a few days before, Mike made some Atholl Brose. We'd hesitated on this occasion to take wine round to a wine producer, so Atholl Brose provided the ideal solution. Something completely different and it makes a good digestif. For anyone who doesn't know it or hasn't tried it, Atholl Brose is a Scottish drink - Mike is a MacGregor on his grandmother's side, so we could legitimately take it along.  You make it by mixing oatmeal, honey, whisky and cream. Eventually you strain the liquid to remove the oats and are left with a smooth and in terms of flavour, a perfectly balanced liqueur. Great with the mince pies as well.

It's far superior, I have to admit to Baileys Irish Cream - which I guess I am allowed to say, albeit reluctantly, as I'm from the Connelly Clan. In the 'spirit' of New Year I'll leave it at that. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I'm not really a liqueur girl. However - Mike's Atholl Brose was terrific and seemed to go down very well. Weather-wise it wasn't a nice night, so while normally we'd walk to Patrick and Nadia, this time we needed the car. I drove, so only sipped a little of the delicious stuff. No matter, we can always make some more!


Today New Year's Day, we went into Chinon for a late lunch at Les Années 30. It's somewhere we go to quite often. Although having said that, with all the upheaval of the last few months, we worked out that we hadn't been since July 2013. Crazy. When I booked the table for today, they wanted to know where we'd been. Anyway, we'll go again soon.
It was terrific as always and also full.

Christmas and New Year in France has been such fun. Through the kindness and generosity of neighbours here in Cravant, we have had a terrific time. We're surrounded by lovely people. To all our friends here in France and in the UK, a very happy New Year to you all, and may 2014 be everything you would like it to be.

Hilary and Mike xxxx