Parlez-vous Français?

Kiki Royale hosted a festive French-themed affair this month (on September 23rd). Despite not feeling so well, Ms. Royale was a wonderful hostess to our full house this month (all eight of us).

A Tribute to Kir
To start the evening, we visited the light, refreshing Kir Royale - crème de cassis topped with sparkling wine. This drink was named in the Dijon region of France around the time of World War II, perhaps by (and for) a mayor or instead a priest, named Kir. However, it may have actually been consumed as far back as the 1840's, when crème de cassis was first introduced in the area.

French 75s
Continuing with the champagne cocktails, we moved on to the French 75. Named for a French artillery weapon, this drink is traditionally made with gin, fresh lemon juice, sugar and sparkling wine. Some say it was originally made with cognac, and in fact the legendary French 75 Bar serves it that way. Ms. Royale made hers with gin, and they were delicious. Recipe coming soon.

Fromage et Pommes
Ms. Royale also put forth a spread of French treats, including an array of cheeses, cheese fondue, and Tarte Tatin. The Tarte Tatin was the favorite, and the recipe should be forthcoming.

Additional notes:

• We are planning a big celebration for Repeal Day this year (Dec 5), and are starting to make our plans now - more details soon!
• Thanks to Ms. Royale, there were goldfish crackers present, even though they are not shown in the pictures.
• This month's Rye Confession comes from yours truly. In the midst of a discussion of world travels and visiting tombs, I shared a story from when I went to visit Lenin's Tomb in the mid 1980's with a school group. I had a crush on a boy in our group (named Troy), and was trying to look pretty (I was 14 or so at the time). Therefore I was not wearing my glasses - they were in my pocket. When we got into the tomb, we were not allowed to put our hands in our pockets, so I couldn't get my glasses out - the guards yelled at me and stopped me. So I couldn't see Lenin, just a fuzzy shape in the distance. Maybe I'll have to go back someday, or maybe not.