Christmas Eve

Our celebration of Noël started last evening
at Rachel, Gille, Ludo and Yaëlle's home.
After some wonderful appetizers and champagne,
chaos ensued;  Laure and Leo handed out the gifts.

Marie wearing the apron Cathy made

Leo with his new ball

Michel sporting his new cap

I don't need anymore gifts
than Jeff and Alec 

Laure with her new doll

Food, of course, began the evening around 7:30.

Meat Pie

 

Marie's escargot served in
 "shells"  made from clay
which Marie found 30 years ago
in a flea market

Snails (Escargot sounds much more elegant, n'est ce pas?

For 4 people, 4 dozen INGREDIENTS: 48 medium or large snails, canned, 200 g of fresh butter, 15 g of finely chopped parsley, 10 g of garlic chopped very fine 15 g shallots chopped very fine 8 g of salt, 2 g of freshly ground pepper Fond of cooking snails. PREPARATION: While kneading the butter, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic and shallots; Put a spoonful in each shell dessert cooking background, a knob of butter handled; Put the butter into the shell and introduce a snail Drained: I'escargot pushes the butter in the bottom of its shell, the shell Boucher completely by the addition of butter. COOKING Put the snails on a snail, opening up the shell so that the butter does not come out during cooking,  the heat long enough in the oven and serve when the butter is foamy. If eating escargot makes your stomach a wee bit queazy  I did read one recipe which adds a splash of cognac;  now this sounds appetizing.l

We took a break to attend midnight mass at the Cathedral in Metz.
 This cathedral is a tourist attraction and before the mass
I saw a woman walking around in high heels with
a small, white dog on a leash!

Upon returning home we finished off the evening/morning
 with Cathy's delicious cake.

Cathy's Cake disappeared quickly

Finally, around 2 a.m. we left for home and bed.  Bonne nuit.