Rob and I couldn't resist this beer as it was on the featured beer of the week at the high end department store Globus in the center of town. Rob describes this beer as rich sweet maltyness balanced with a high alcohol content. Delicious! 
Rob and I headed out last Saturday morning to the Ferney-Volataire farmers market. (Yes - The one I have raved out before). This time we could actually buy some food since we now have a kitchen to cook in!
We purchased some great button mushrooms, compte cheese, lemons, fresh gnocchi, scallions, two 1/2 loafs of bread, fresh large scallops, and a huge head of lettuce type green. Terrific produce and unique stands. Lots of cheese, olives, meats, seafood, liver pates, spices - you name it! If you plan on visting us on a Saturday morning, we are definately taking you here!
Update - I changed out the slideshow for real photos. The slideshow sucks . . .
This past weekend was a local Geneva celebration dating back to 1602. It is called L'Escalade.
According the wikipedia article - The event is celebrating the defeat of the surprise attack by troops sent by Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy during the night of 11–12 December 1602.
Thanks to blogger Catherine P. for giving me the links from my previous post on the mysterious chocolate pots everywhere in Geneva. I am glad I didn't miss out on this event!
Those chocolate pots represent a big pot of boiling soup a brave woman in Geneva poured on the enemies during the invasion in 1602. Families tradionally smash the pot at home during the celebration and yell: "Ainsi périssent les ennemis de la République! " (Thus perish the enemies of the Republic). Rob and I didn't partake in this particular tradition but we did spot in old town the "kettle" a woman was carrying around.
This was a fantastic weekend long event where lots of people are involved! All of them are dressed up in period costumes and partrol around old town. There are lots of events going on in historic buildings and churches. It ended with a parade on Sunday evening with a large bonfire (the fire department set up) in front of the church. Lots of snacks and drinks are sold along with traditional vegetable soup. Rob and I made some leek potato soup at home to mark the occasion.
Simply stated - I love really good beer. That means I don't drink (or avoid it if I can) what is known to many people as American big name mass produced crap beer. I am sure you can name off a few off the top of your head.
This European adventure if giving us a great opportunity to drink some stuff that is impossible to find in the US and visit some of the best countries and areas of the world that brew beer. So, as a continuing feature on this blog, we are going to document all the unique stuff we drink as best as possible. Enjoy!
Growing up in southern california, I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing snow fall. It has been two days straight and gentle flakes keep whistfully coming down from the sky. Since we are temporarily staying the in French countryside where it is less dense you can see large fields of white. I know many people have said that you'll get used to it and then start to hate it. I still love it. I probably always will. Here are some pictures for you pleasure of in front of our temporary apartment. 
Have you ever seen in the US those really cheap frozen pizzas in the freezer section that are 99 cents or so? Totino's is the main brand and it comes in a bright yellow box. Growing up I used to heat these up in the toaster oven and have a serious snack. Now I realize how much processing and preservatives goes into them. Oh well. Live and learn. I wish I did know about this - rolling them up! Mmmm. I have a soft spot for those little cheap pizzas too.
Live in San Francisco? This article made me wish I was there. I am normally opposed to food off a truck. For good reason too. The lunch trucks that show up at jobsites smell like 3 day old fried chicken. I also feel like I need to speak Spanish to get my order just right. Too much of a chance to catch Hep B or Gastroenteritis. The lunch truck described in SF though - looks very much the opposite.
Govenor Blagojevick got caught trying to sell a senate seat. How disgusting. It does make you wonder, how many other politicians are doing dirty things. All of them? Where are their ethics? Where are those very American ideals of fairness and equality? He sunk to a serious low. I think we are lucky he was caught in time.
We are having a UCI Christmas Dinner tommorow night. I am making dessert. Check out the recipe I am using. I think I am going to add some banana rum sugar topping to it. Rob discovered that our "microwave" oven is also a regular convection oven as well. We couldn't tell right off the bat since everything is in french.
Happy Human Rights Day! UDHR (United Declaration of Human Rights) was passed 60 years ago today. There are a ton of articles out there that are showing the roadblocks in the way. Here is an interesting one about Islamic culture and the direct conflict with human rights.
Read more...Burger King launched a little advertising documentary getting people who have never had a hamburger to taste Big Mac's and Whopper's. Most of the people didn't even know what a hamburger was. My opinion is . . . too bad they are being introduced to American crap food as their first taste. I don't oppose globilization in many ways - but spreading fatty overly processed foods that are obviously a cause of obesity in the United States can be considered disgusting.
Watch the video here: www.whoppervirgins.com
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