Pot de l'amitié - Le Vin Doux

 

Aurélie greeting

Are we happy? Yes, we are. Happy as bubbly, rum punch, wine and tasty nibbles can make a person or 100 odd people, which is quite happy. And noisy. And warm. Lots of happy people came out in the sunny evening to see what was up. They came smiling and stayed quite a while, smiling more and more. 
I was told that the punch was not very alcoholic. I knew better and I was right. The person who made it said it was traitorous and I agree. However, it was delicious with dark and light rum, orange juice, guava 
 juice (yum), cinnamon, vanilla... I did taste it, just to make sure. It really was delicious. Left hand, rum punch, right hand, bubbly. One has to be very sure.

A short speechette by the mayor and a nice welcome speech by Aurélie - Isa disappeared into the kitchen when asked to say anything. The place looks nice, shelves are up in the bar, the footie was on telly for the kids and others. The Illy espresso machine is installed - hello daughter! Basic groceries are available for purchase and local goods will be added. There will be a bar menu for those who want to eat, drink and watch the footie or who are too tired to go home and heat up a frozen pizza. Beer pumps are on and they have gas in the kitchen as from this evening. Isa cooked a lot of the stuff for tonight in her own personal kitchen - hmm. And they still don't have all the cold space they need. 

Me talking to Isa

So, quiche which was universally acclaimed, canapés, pinxos, or toasts - whatever you want to call them with peppers (red and green) topped with mozarella (made for me because I wanted peppers for tomorrow evening and Isa noticed my rude pining behaviour 3 days ago when we chose the menu). Also, she remembered that I am allergic to nutmeg and put no nutmeg in anything - I think I'm in love. Then there were sausage rolls - pretty nice, and my favourite - little choux pastries with smoked salmon, whipped cream, dill and lemon - I know because I asked (only because of the allergies, natch). I had to check they were all right and by the fifth I was pretty sure they were good. The cream went every where - an elderly gent I didn't know wiped his hand on my Gerard Darel silk shirt  (that's what I wore) in a friendly fashion and then explained that it wouldn't show so much on my shirt as on his, because mine is a leopard print. Hmm. Many children, happy older people, happy councillors, happy mayor.

The Bar

Happy punch drinkers

 

As an aside, at home between the plastering, painting, glueing and etc. we found another hen's nest today with a new egg from a different hen. At some point I may bore you with the entire saga of hens, narcolepsy and escapology. For now, as we wait for the other Cécile to appear demanding a tasty supper snack (there really is another Cécile who does not live here and is not me). It will be mushroom soup, with the leftover chanterelle white wine cream sauce I served with pork chops in the week and pâté and stuff with Gérald the baker's bread and some fresh apricots or cherries. Simple and just as well given the amount of bubbly one consumed...

Happy children

Happy....