Lori

I could use some more of these.  Tis snowing here (very pretty, but I hate snow).  Little to do unless I start cleaning or cooking.  Neither of which sounds enticing.

Agree, much prefer Philippe.

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It has been so long since I read Mayle's books, I'd forgotten about the wine after blood donations.  It takes me back to when we were doing a huge renovation of our house in Bedoin.  Nearly all of the artisans would bring huge layouts of food and wine each day for their lunch.  It was an enormous spread.  I was always amazed by it.

Congrats GG and OH !!!  Yes, tea and cakes absolutely.  I know I'll be celebrating when I get my vaccine.  Though  no alcohol as they say it can interfere with the reaction.  Otherwise, it would have been a glass of champagne.  Cake sounds just as special.

I have lots of thoughts, but most of them require les gros mots, I will spare you the rant. I just hope Mr. BIDEN and Ms. HARRIS make it into the White House alive !  As to the current inhabitant, it would not bother me if they hauled him out in a box.  I also expect the White House will need to be thoroughly searched to make sure it is safe for the new administration to move in. Those two wins in Georgia should make things a bit easier for Mr. BIDEN; at least in the short term.  Without those, he would not be allowed to accomplish anything.

Yes, I'm afraid we are not high up on the priority list, so we wait. Most of my husband's family members in Israel have been vaccinated already, in fact most before Christmas.  None of them have experienced a bad reaction from the vaccination so far.  Some have just received their second dose. I don't know anyone in France who has been vaccinated.  I know many elderly folks in the USA who have not been vaccinated yet either.

Oh that looks delish ! 

I can't imagine using that Croque machine with lots of cheese cooking directly onto the gril plaques.  Wouldn't it be a sticky mess and perhaps burn the cheese?? I can see it making a toasty sandwich if all the ingredients were placed between the two slices of bread. No?

I just don't get it.  With each day that passes, it seems like no real progress is made.  If France does have the 500,000 doses they say they have, why aren't they being used?  Its like one of the recent articles said, at this rate of vaccinating we'll have finished in 5000 years.. Maires making salles ready as vaccination centers, begging the State to send the doses for those who want the vaccine is also a sorry state of affairs.  Of course, I am glad they are doing what they're doing and speaking to the media about it, but it is just another reminder that this is not working as it should. https://www.bfmtv.com/sante/covid-19-des-maires-proposent-leur-aide-pour-accelerer-la-campagne-de-vaccination_AV-202101040127.html

We are in the same situation as Idun.  I feel very badly for those who need to go to work each day and send their children to school each day.  I can't imagine how hard it must be to make those kinds of decisions.

Yes, well at this point, I will believe it when I see it.

Rather appropriate that one Lehaut.  Timeless I guess. Yes, Happy 2021 to one and all.  May it bring us all better days.

Congrats on your new job Wooly.  I promise I will be on my best behavior.

I share your sentiments Mint.  If the anti-vaxxers are having an actual impact on the roll out of the vaccine in France, I find that unacceptable.  They have already said the vaccine is not obligatoire, so let those of us who want it have it.  And yes, they have known about the logistics of the roll out for a while now.  The U.S., U.K., Israel and so many other countries don't seem to have a problem ramping things up. 

[quote user="mint"]There is now growing dissent within France, not least among medical personnel, about the slowness of the rollout. It's a poor excuse to say the scepticism of the French people is slowing down the process.  Just get started with vaccinating people and when the sceptics see that people are not dropping down dead after the jab and they themselves start getting ill or their family and friends start dying, they MIGHT get convinced?  Ggggrrrr........I am getting really irritated by so-called explanations that make no sense and doctors and nurses are becoming exhausted and the population getting fed up and some are beginning to flout all the rules[:'(]  [/quote] Agree 1000% percent.

Me and other half are with you Gardian.  We feel like by the time we are offered the vaccine, so many others will have received it, we will know a lot more about any short term side effects. As to long term, well, we will have to see.

I searched for reasons for the delay also Mint.  I found nothing. I had also read that the vaccinations had begun.  Yet, it seems very odd that if they have begun, why are we not finding news coverage of the process? It shouldn't be that hard to find.  Yet, I see nothing on BFMTV, nothing in a general search (in French), nothing on Amelie.. So, where should we be looking?

We (Americans) got our first French home mortgage at Credit Agricole (I don't recommend them).  Many years later we used BNP Paribas's International division.  I believe they still work with Americans. They were quite responsive to us.  Very helpful. Have a look see. https://international-buyers.bnpparibas.com/

Rice wine worked just fine.  Taste was exceptional !  Thank you.

You too Wooly, you too.

Yippee !  Looking forward to Spring blooms and lots of sunshine.

I do enjoy the tree we got this year.  It is one of our prettier fresh trees.  The lights look really festive on it.  The poinsettias we bought at the market are very good quality and very pretty, so that is festive too. The town where we currently live puts lots of lights around the center of town.  Beautiful fresh trees all over town.  However, ALL of the lights are one blue color.  The same color as ambulance lights.  It looks really, really odd to me and not Christmassy at all.  Especially this year.  Seen enough ambulance lights.  Not sure why they couldn't have chosen a nice warm white or even multi-colored lights. When we lived in the U.S., the lights were almost always on the verge of insanity.  I can't even imagine paying some of those electric bills.  Of course, some were nicely done, but too many were not. It is always hard for me to get into a 'festive' mood at Christmas.  I find too many people are at their worst this time of year, for whatever reason.  I don't like crowds (even  more so this year), so I try to avoid them.  That can put you in a bad mood. 

[quote user="Loiseau"] However, what about Noily Prat? It's French, so should be more easily findable. [/quote] I had never heard of that, so I looked it up.  Interesting.  It appears they have four different varieties of Noily Prat.  I have never tasted any of these things, so I have no idea what they taste like. I have had a couple of different, decent (too expensive for this task) Sherries.  I barely remember what they tasted like.  It was a long time ago, but I do remember liking them. I imagine if I chose a Noily Prat, I would want the white, dry one.  Though, honestly, I have no idea. I walk down the booze aisle in the supermarket and have no idea what half the stuff is...

[quote user="pomme"] Here we use muscat de Rivesaltes (or Samos) (about 4€), a natural sweet wine, in cooking. If necessary, sharpening it up with one of the cheap balsamic vinegars in savoury recipes and meat sauces.[/quote] I remember using that in the past.  Only for this recipe, I think it would be too sweet.  Good idea to splash in some vinegar to offset that.