Saturday night, Easter Eve, Sue put on a fabulous dinner.
She started us off with little scallops in a creme sauce, served on scallop shells, also prawns served over pureed potatoes heavily laced with lemon!! and parsley. The potatoes were amazing!
Next came the beautiful leg of lamb done to perfection. Accompanying were deep roasted potatoes, creamed chopped leeks, and a sort of curried sweet potato dish. Afterwards, we had an assortment of cheeses. I've forgotten the name, but my favorite was a local cheese from cow's milk. A medium firm, slightly sweet, and bold but with mild aftertaste. Great with my red wine from the Rhone.
For dessert, Sue served pears poached in a gingered, white wine sauce along side individual chocolate tarts in feather-light crust.
After, we had coffee by the fire and chatted until it was time to roll ourselves out the door. We lost an hour's sleep that night as Easter Eve was France's night to turn the clocks ahead. I wonder who thought of that!
(I have been planning (in my head) my own dinner party, but after Saturday, I have to revamp. A high standard has been set by Sue and by Ann Bird!)
Once I got home, I stupidly, foolishly made the decision to stay up late to cheer on Ohio State in their NCAA quest for championship. I was so mad at myself, staying up so late for THAT disaster. PLUS, I lost an hour.
I did oversleep, but still managed to get to the church on time for the Easter Mass. The bells had begun pealing a little after 10. And they didn't stop until 10:30. By the time I took my seat, way up front, the huge pipe organ had taken over.
Everything was very lovely. The chorale music gorgeous. Of course, the mass was in French and the setting medieval and so the mood was serene. Brigitte reminded me that the choirmaster has "created" the choir in just a couple of years work and practice. He owns a B&B on an island in the middle of the river. He also is a New Yorker!!!
St. Therese
I did notice that there were no spring-y pastel colors being worn. No florals, no white ruffles, no big hats. No "Easter Parade". No little girls in their new Mary-Janes. We were all dressed in our dark winter coats. AND that is not just because of the cold. Even if it were warmer, there'd have been no real
"dressing up" for Easter. It must be an American or British thing. (Here is the pipe organ)
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