Disappointed ; Not Surprised

Pretty almomd paste cookies with multicouloured  flavoured icings

After settling into our new digs Sunday in the old city section of Lille  (or Rijsel in Dutch, Rysel in Flemish) on Tuesday we drove to the boat yard in Netherlands, Heerewaarden to check the status of Forty Roses III. What we found was our boat outdoors, as we knew, but still much work to be accomplished on the interior. What a great crew presently working on the barge! Werner, Floris and Wilrieke. Werner and Floris are master carpenters and have completed beautiful work on all interior fittings. Wilrieke is apprenticing and has just laid the floor doing an exceptional job. We had been worried about our choice of flooring but seeing it down and completed has relieved that concern. Right now the bathrooms are being finished, the kitchen cupboard door and drawer facings are out being painted and will be fitted in the next week or so. The electronics and engine room still require a great deal of work as do some exterior fittings. We are disappointed but not surprised. We are investigating little apartments for January!

So, in cheering ourselves up this week and in attempting to bring to all of you good readers a taste of where we are, and to recognize and salute the fact our very good friend Lynn O is baking for the season we are posting the following photos...

A few greens before we get to the sweet treats! ...these celery are fabulous in soup...no GMO here

The aroma of mint is deeply intense (Note to Jane R...the cilantro is also incredible)

Friseé, a delicious bitter green excellent with a poached egg.

All the following photos are in keeping with our efforts this week to cheer ourselves despite the delay in barge completion. There is much to see and do as the Christmas season approaches, music programs, traditional foods, sweet treats and amazing flowers so it is not difficult to lose any sense of disappointment.  And no we did not try everything pictured.  Here is a sampling:

Amarylis for tall vases sold by the stem....about $1 Cdn

A delight for the eyes

Rivers of pastel coloured Macarons, these brightly-coloured sandwich cookies line the windows of pâtisseries, and are often confused with North American coconut macaroons. No coconut. Instead, light meringue cookies made with almond flour and filled with ganache, curd or your favourite filling. 

The wrapped and ribboned cakes are a seasonal specialty made with oranges, honey, spices and glacé fruits and are appearing more frequently now along with  brightly wrapped panettone and Breton cakes

The Méert Pâtisserie on Rue Esquermoise has been making sweet treats since 1677...they do know how to make a window enticing.

All pastry shops are not the same...one can see the difference...perfection here.

Many product gaps by 2pm and by 7pm the window is empty. The precision required to make these delights is remarkable. 

These are the Méert house specialities called Gaufre or Waffles and are totally handcrafted.The regional recipe is a  flat waffle filled with sugar, butter and vanilla from Madagascar. The gaufre is cooked between two irons marked with the famous name, then filled and hand trimmed. They are a taste sensation. The recipe, passed down for centuries, is jealously guarded.  

A few doors down from Méert is Maison Georges Larnicol...chocolates, salted carmels, all manner of cakes and "torchettes" wonderful packaging and many, many customers who come in to buy one or 2 chocolates. Each customer is given  a pretty box and diminutive carry bag no matter how tiny the purchase. 

Kouign Amman: This treat originated in Brittany and is sometime called the croissant of the North. It is made in a similar manner to puff pastry with fewer layers, a viennoiserie dough containing layers of butter and sugar slowly baked so the pastry puffs and the sugar caramelizes. Should one eat it in the morning or the afternoon? Well if you can find one, as these are a regional specialty and not always locatable...eat it no matter what the time of day. The above are at Maison Georges Larnicol and have a variety of fruit fillings between the crispy puff pastry and carmelized sugar.  Trying to keep John away!

Festively wrapped cones of  mixed chocolates

My favourites....glacé fruits

Interesting and Different Seasonal Wreaths

Hydrangea  Roses and Eucalyptus

A white botanical for the Season

And finally for this week... a photo that brings the ultimate in handcrafted, artisanal and newest food technology all together on the street!

We think this machine would do well at home...we love it. You choose the toppings,  pay and 3 minutes later you have a hot crispy pizza.  This food is not handcrafted but it certainly made us smile!