Strasbourg Christmas, an Augmented Reality

Strasbourgers in the Alsace region of France claim that they are the “Christmas Capital” of Europe so as a good muslim I went there to check.

 

strasbourg christmas ornaments michele roohani

Well, they keep saying it everywhere:

 

strasbourg capitale de noel michele roohani

It was a very cold day but thousands of poeple were swarming the streets of this beautiful Alsatian city:

 

strasbourg christmas street michele roohani

walking up and down narrow streets,

 

strasbourg streets christmas 2009 michele roohani

They have no pity for their babies fighting the cold,

 

strasbourg christmas cold baby michele roohani

maybe because they drink this mulled wine called “Vin Chaud” (hot wine) or “Gluehwein” (in german): a concoction usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar. They sell it in every other stand on the big Christmas market in Strasbourg:

 

strasbourg christmas vin chaud gluewein michele roohani

I saw my first chocolate covered “strawberry  kababs”:

 

strawberry kabab chocolate michele roohani

Strasbourg is home to one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe:

 

strasbourg cathedral blue sky michele roohani

where Jesus’ birth will be celebrated this year with pomp and thousands of little ornaments made in Alsace (read China):

 

strasburg marche de noel ornaments micheleroohani

 

The market is not close to the big church but right at its feet with Santa Claus himself selling some of the stuff:

 

strasbourg christmas ornaments santa seller michele roohani

Here is Alsace in all its glory (albeit in miniature):

 

strasbourg christmas alsace miniature homes michele roohani

and colors,

 

strasbourg christmas candles michele roohani

with little chefs baking for the big birthday (Jesus’, remember?)

 

strasbourg christmas ornaments chefs michele roohani

and big chefs of course making macaroons:

 

strasbourg christmas macaroon baker michele roohani

but for people with a weakness for great pastry I have a better treat:

 

strasbourg christmas buche christian patisserie michele roohani

The above are Christmas Buches but Christian Patisserie—that I discovered a couple of years ago on my first trip to Alsace—is known for its chocolate:

 

strasbourg christmas chocolate cakes christian patisserie michele roohani

and anything related to it:

 

strasbourg christmas chocolate christian patisserie michele roohani

Chocolate not being on my repertoire much, I opted for the fabulous chestnut cream “Mont Blanc”:

 

michele roohani strasbourg mont blanc christian patisserie

I went to the cathedral where a thousand Santas were busy clicking away on their cameras,

 

michele roohani strasbourg cathedral santa taking picture

and a thousand candles promised to fulfill wishes…

 

strasbourg cathedral candles micheleroohani

By the end of the day, I was one of the few without a red hat,

 

santa hats michele roohani

Alsace’s emblem is a stork—you see them everywhere:

 

 

strasbourg storks michele roohani

I couldn’t resist buying my first real mistletoe:

 

mistletoe michele roohani

and looking at the holly,

 

christmas holly michele roohani

I went to see the Fine Arts Museum:

 

fine arts museum strasbourg waiting benches michele roohani

where I revisited “the beautiful woman from Strasbourg”:

 

belle strasbourgeoise largilliere fine arts museum michele roohani

and the fabulous dutch still life paintings and my favorite Kessel insects of course:

 

insects and spider kessel michele roohani fine arts museum

By the time I got out it was getting dark but the market was still hustling and bustling,

 

michele roohani strasbourg cathedral night christmas

This whole trip almost made me forget Copenhagen’s climate summit, the American Health Bill disaster and the Swiss minarets…

Have a golden Christmas everybody!

bernardo daddi saint agnes christmas 2009 card michele roohani

On Thanksgiving, is Turkey part of Europe?

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I always cook two turkeys no matter how many people are coming to my house (one in the oven and one in a pot) and this year will not be different even though it will be in Geneva and not Los Angeles.

Some pictures from the ghost of thanksgivings past—brushing the turkeys with butter and saffron),

prepared in front of the Macy’s Parade on TV!

with great persian stuffing camouflaged as the usual stove top…(it has pomegranate seeds people!)

My son has always been very thankful for the turkeys and I miss cooking for him this year…

In a few hours, this below:

undergoes metamorphosis to become this:

Last year I was shocked to know the turkeys were 120 dollars each! Switzerland is not this bird’s natural habitat but I desperatly wanted to make Turkey a part of Europe!

We made the usual two birds with my friends and they turned out great – below, they are taking a nap:

No thanksgiving preparation should be without the company of some Petite Arvine (the best Swiss White Wine)…

and again after hours of fun work, they are ready to be consumed!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING PEOPLE—wherever you are!

Noble Rot, the liquid gold of Sauternes

Drive forty minutes from Bordeaux, and you will get to the most amazing wine country of the region, Sauternais, or the only area around Bordeaux where the noble rot grows.sauterne rows noble rot michele roohani

A most peculiar wine is produced here that has not much to do with the red Bordeaux wines that we all know (red or white). Sauternes is made from grapes that have been affected by a gray fungus, Botrytis Cinerea,  which causes the grapes to shrivel, leaving a sugary fruit with concentrated flavors resulting in distinctively flavored wines. sauternes pourriture noble rot Château de Rayne Vigneau michele roohani

I had heard about the Noble Rot (an oxymoron of a name) but I was still amazed to see these grapes on the vine stocks:sauternais pourriture noble rot michle roohaniThe grapes are definitely getting ripe here, all semi rotten! The best Sauternes come from vines that have been hand-picked—up to 12 separate times—to ensure that the grapes are not removed from the vines before reaching the perfect degree of ripeness required for these wines.Botrytis cinerea sauternes noble rot michele roohani.jpgThe eminent Château d’Yqem, the most expensive Sauternes wine, is the only estate in France who has received a class of its own, one step above Premier Crus. Each grape is picked individually, and only when it is rotten enough. Thanks to the noble rot and a lot of hard work, the result is an exquisitely flavored wine that is acidic enough to avoid falling into the trap of being a mere dessert wine.sauternes micheleroohani chateau de fargues golden bottles

The Sauternes region is located 40 km (25 miles) southeast of the city of Bordeaux along the Garonne river and its tributary, the Ciron, which demarcates Barsac (Orange on the map) and Sauternes (yellow on the map). Barsac lies within Sauternes, and is entitled to use either name. Somewhat similar but less expensive and typically less-distinguished wines are produced in the neighboring regions of Monbazillac (which I tasted  a couple of years ago when visiting Bergerac) , Cérons, Loupiac and Cadillac (not the car)!

sauternes barsac ciron michele roohani

The moisture the Ciron brings, and the morning mists it causes, are favorable to the development of the fungus Botrytis cinereangus. This contributes to the high quality and renown of Sauternes wines.My guide explained that vines produce one to two bottles of wine everywhere else, but in Sauternes, you can only get one to two glasses per year! No wonder this wine is so revered (and expensive)…sauternes association de producteurs michele roohani france barsac

Not having money to burn, I only bought some of the more modest bottles after the tasting:

sauternes tasting bottles glasses michele roohani

Of course, there are myriads of labels to choose from:Botrytis cinerea sauternes labels michele roohanilike these bottles with ample and intense golden liquid inside…Cru d’Arche-pugneau Sauternes michele roohani bottlesYou wonder how on earth with amazing wines like these in the region,golden Botrytis cinerea sauternes barsac micheleroohanisome of the locals drink coffee…gentleman drinking espresso bordeaux michele roohani

My other post about wine:

A night with some dry drunk Persians here