Italy: Modena

Close to Parma is Modena, which is home to Balsamic Vinegar. Taking a couple of rules out of the french rulebook to protect their local goods, the Italians instituted a classification system for balsamic vinegar. Basically you can get the great stuff with the stamp of approval, the great stuff without the stamp or approval, the good stuff without a stamp of approval, and the common stuff. Prices range from $2 a bottle to $200. Age ranges from 1 day of aging to 80 years. Consistency ranges from a liquid like water or a thick syrup that is one step more fluid that mayonnaise. Taste (we did a tasting) ranges from good vinegar for a salad to a sweet elixir without a trace of acidity.

Italy: Coming Back through Switzerland

This was just too good a picture to not post. Patrick and I came back from Italy through Switzerland. When the sun was setting we passed through an area that had a bit of fog over a lake - not a bad picture for going 130 kph.

Le Linge

While Patrick was back in the US, the Hagans, Mindy, and I went around Alsace on Sunday. Turns out we came across "Le Linge" or "The Line", which was the World War I trenches that are still maintained in the Vosges mountains close to Colmar.

It was a very interesting experience, both from the fact that there are still unexploded bombs in the area, as well as the dead who have not been recovered. For the historically challenged, keep in mind that World War I ended for all intensive purposes in 1918 - almost 90 years ago.

The other interesting tidbit was the difference between the french and german trenches. The german ones are extremely organized and made with perfectly sized stones - where the french version is more (sorry) haphazard.

Mindy Goes Home

Well, the first of the Application Engineers are beginning to leave. Mindy was on a shorter assignment here in France, so she is the first one to leave for the US :(

This is the last pic of her and I (at Le Linge) just before she went home.

She was also the test case for getting everything back home, and her opinion was that the month before departure goes REALLY fast.

Will miss you Mindy, but we should all be home relatively soon.

Lucia's Parents

As preparations for Lucia's and Alberto's wedding gets closer (like one week away), we had the chance to meet Lucia's parents, Israel and Leticia, for the first time. They came a week early to Strasbourg, and we all had dinner at Rio's on Wednesday night before heading down to Italy.

Pastry Class: A Typical Day

This gives you an idea of some of the stuff that Christian sells. like most of his things, the key is really in the ingredients - he's found a rare supply of Haitian chocolate (apparently Haiti only produces a ton of chocolate each year, and it's considered some of the best). This is also the same guy who searched for years to find the right chocolate for his truffles - ended up going with a Venezuelan one in a limited area in the mountains. He also has an exclusive deal with that plantation too, I think.

Pastry Class: The Classroom

We had the opportunity to learn how to make chocolate truffles and chocolate mousse from one of the better known chocolatiers in Strasbourg. The organization "American's in Alsace" plans various events throughout Strasbourg during the year, and this month's event was going to Christian's to learn from . . . Christian how to make confections.

This is a picture of the classroom. His kitchen is on the second floor, and they sell everything down below on the first.

Pastry Class: Mousse and Truffles

Here's a shot of Christian just before he cuts into his "mousse lasagne". Can't really go wrong when the noodles are Venezuelan chocolate, and the mousse is puffed into little balls.

And if you can't figure out what he's doing, he's heating the knife with a blowtorch before he cuts them.

Chi'-Chi's

Granted it wasn't Chi-Chi's, but we did find a Mexican restaurant up north of Strasbourg, and the whole gang went out. We were even joined by Chris and Claire from Basingstoke. It's kind of amazing to go to a Mexican restaurant in France, because even those there are burritos and fajitas, they still taste french.

Just Disturbing

Yes, I know - I don't support this either. I'm not really sure what Jim was trying to do here, other than freak us all out.