Thanksgiving Abroad


This year we headed out to one of our favorite places in France, Noyers. Noyers is a medieval village in the Burgundy region. We are lucky enough to have good friends there who have invited us into their home again for Thanksgiving. They had a total of 40 guests, most of which were American friends that traveled far and wide to sit at their long grand table. Turkeys were ordered through the local butcher shop, friends brought their favorite ingredients from home, and all made incredible dishes to bring a piece of home turf to the Thanksgiving feast.

Americans from Paris in Noyers by the old ramparts of the village
 During an afternoon break while things were roasting, baking, and simmering, our Paris gang went on a walk to forage for items to decorate the table and house with. The table ended up filled with beautiful giant orange leaves, lichen covered branches, yellow leafy sticks and lots of candles. Friends from the village came by to experience our American holiday and all gave toasts throughout such a lovely meal. After dinner , and before the dessert buffet was raided, we all ran outside to light up sky lanterns and watched them as they drifted off into the night sky. The cool air and excitement of this got everyone in good spirits. After digesting and relaxing, the room was cleared, the music turned up,  and everyone starting dancing by the fire. The following day we rolled out of bed hit the village streets to check out the black truffle market then we went up into the hills to get a post turkey nature walk in before heading back into bustling Paris.
Cheri Messerli and Scout on the foraging walk
Alison and Josh liking some lichen ....  Adrian and Mike Gallardo keeping the peace


The village of Noyers-sur-Serein looking down from the nearby ghost Chateau
 One of our hosts, Rod Deweese,  toasting every glass....
From Cheri's quinoa cornbread to my grandfather's gravy, this one was epic!

Marco Vignuzzi, our other dear host, doing his toasting rounds...

Josh, owner of Candelaria in Paris, naturally took charge of the pouring

Thanks to our bud, David Rager, we have now learned that Sky lanterns are officially 
one of the coolest things you can bring to a party



The last truffle fair of the season

On our walk home, we passed this door and admired the simple cat cut-out door. 
Then Josh pulled some magic and got the cat to appear...
Josh and Adrian at one of the 'belvedere' look out spots on the chateau trail



Countryside Break

Just returned from a few days in the french countryside for Thanksgiving.  The next post will feature the walk we took while foraging for décor for the grand feast tabletop and the meal cooked for 42 guests! Ah.... the countryside.


TofC at Jack's Jumble Sale at Candelaria in Paris

Our pain d'epices caramels just before getting dressed for the party...made with hand ground gingerbread spices and love

Last weekend we participated in the first 'Jack's Jumble Sale' event at Candelaria, put on by The House that Jack Built. It was full of charm and warmth. The goods varied from personal closet treasure's set up like a classy vide grenier, garage sale, to haircuts by Japanese hair stylist extraordinaire Kazuko (I totally got a new do!), hot autumn punch by Candelaria's Carina, second-hand designer menswear from Paris wine blogger Aaron and ...

Lauren of T.H.T.J.B. and Cheri Messerli stoking

 
Stylist Hannes Hetta trying on some shades                                                              Aaron Ayscough 

Madison with her lavender-honey cakes and other delights / Carina (rt) prepping some steamy lemony cocktails
Kazuko cutting Oliver's hair... the doorman of Candelaria
Insanely cute things made by Stella


...vintage blouses, boots and scarves from Alison and Lauren (the ladies behind the T.H.T.J.B.), sweet tunes by DJ Rager, jars of fragrant loose chai tea by Tifamade, rad vintage books and glasses from t-magazine writer, Sarah, and lots of other mega goodies and good vibes galore.


Chef and consultant Yvette Bordignon made chutneys, biscuits and lollipops!
We ran into Thomasine Barnekow at the event who was wearing one of her glove designs
Her work is very unique and intricate... and such soft leather

French vintage paperbacks on Sarah's Moroz's table
Tifamade's goodies in one of their vintage display suitcases (normally on a back of her signature pink delivery bicycle)
Tiffany of Tifamade with her magical Chai Tea
T.H.T.J.B.'s vintage children's kitchen set that appears at their Candelaria events
Alison keeps the tea bags stored in the lil oven
Adrian designed and crafted beautiful wooden pendant necklaces out of tropical hard wood and colored leather cords. I made organic oreo's with a white chocolate ganache, pain d'epices, gingerbread, caramels and organic vanilla-lemon sandwich cookies. Our oreo's were such a hit that I blinked my eye and they were gone. Seriously. The french do love their chocolate.

Our Oreo and l-v sandwich cookies     photo by Cyril Pennec
Adrian's wooden pendant necklaces ( write to us if you would like to purchase one!)
Adrian asking Aaron, our friendly event neighbor, about the black leather boots he eventually went home with... Merci A!
Our pain d'epices caramels ... no one said 'no' to a sample of these


Disclaimer: I normally like to feature photographs taken with our high quality equipment but due to the rush of wrapping every last caramel, we ended up taking informal photos using an available pocket camera ;) Fun times.

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