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Joyeux
Noël
L'Alliance
Française and Diva team up to present
A Traditional French Christmas Dinner
Story
by
Harold Hoffman
Toledo,
December 20, 2007. Members and friends of the Alliance
Française de Toledo gathered at Diva, on Thursday, December
20th, to enjoy a Christmas banquet featuring French cuisine.
The menu was developed jointly by Diva Executive Chef Ericka
Rapp and AFT Vice President (and French native) Rodolphe
Jamet from the traditional Jamet family fare.
The
meal was served on the second floor dining room of the
downtown Toledo restaurant. The evening began in the
anteroom with foie gras mousseline with quince on an edible
chutney spoon, accompanied by a Toad Hollow sparkling wine.
The diners then moved to the dining room to begin the meal.
AFT President Marci Cannon extended a greeting and wishes
for a Merry Christmas to all those present. A pepper cured
salmon terrine with shrimp cream and salmon roe and Henriot
champagne was then served. This was followed by an
absolutely wonderful oven roasted chestnut soup and an
Alsatian Gewurztraminer. The main course was herb roasted
turkey roulade, apple chestnut stuffing, and roasted winter
vegetables with wilted arugula accompanied by a very nice
Chateau de Thulon Beaujolais.
The
menu concluded with assorted French cheeses with crackers
and wine poached plums, and of course the featured dessert
was the traditional Bûche
de Noël (Yule log). YUM!
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The
AFT Board commissioned a pair of plaques from Ann Tubbs to
commemorate the long service of Co-Presidents emeriti Liliane
Dockett and Maryse Spears. Liliane received hers at
the Board meeting of August 8.
.
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Petanque
is in the news! Check out our
information on this perfect pastime for the francophile here.
Pierre
Cervetto and friends teach the game to Sylvania French club
folks. See photos
here.
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Bastille
Day, July 14
Sandpiper Cruise on the Maumee
Click
the images for enlargements
Bastille
Day Cruise Highlights
The Alliance Française celebrated French independence with a July
14th Bastille Day cruise of the
Maumee River
aboard the Sandpiper.
Thirty-three cruisers boarded at the
Promenade
Park
dock in downtown
Toledo
. The
Sandpiper departed at
8PM
for the two hour
voyage, which ventured up river as far as the islands off
Walbridge
Park
, and downriver to
near the new
Veterans
Glass
City
Skyway
Bridge
.
Beverages and desserts were enjoyed, including a very nice 2004 Côtes
du Luberon “L’Oppidum” produced at the Domaine de la Royere.
The delicious desserts were provided by ladies of the
Alliance
, and there were
no leftovers!
A fireworks show highlighted the voyage as the Mud Hens’ display
commenced just as the Sandpiper
passed under the
Anthony
Wayne
Bridge
(
Hi-Level
Bridge
) heading
downstream. All the cruisers lined the port (babord) side of
the Sandpiper to
enjoy the show while the Paris Combo, Toots Thielman, Georges
Brassens, and Serge Gainsbourg entertained over the Sandpiper’s
sound system.
Special thanks to Liliane Dockett, Elisabeth Nigrovic, Eileen
Hoffman, Popi Grecos, and the other ladies for the delicious hors
d’œurves and desserts!
Harold Hoffman
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See
the calendar of Events for Summer
activities
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Planning a trip to France?
Let us make your trip more enjoyable!
Find the details here; click
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See
"REPORT ON A TRIP TO THE BATTLEFIELD REGION OF FRANCE"
By George E. Gullen III
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The
television channel France 2
posts a wonderful collection of daily journals, including
current news and cultural themes. If you have a broadband
connection you will want to see this! Click
to open a new page.
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| When
things get tough the tough get moving. Wednesday, June 7 THe AFT
Board met to discuss means to ease the budget crunch. (If you
haven't paid any dues this past year, the Board would appreciate
receiving them. Click here.)
Here are some snapshots of the folks at the meeting; click for
enlargements.
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National
Concours
This
year several students of the Alliance Francaise de Toledo (AFT)
participated in the National Concours offered by the American
Association of French Teachers (AAFT). Among the participants at
Level 01 were Juliette Hudson, Bryce Muck and Max Odenthal.
Participants at Level 2 included Catie Montgomery and Katie
Miller. They all did quite well and were all awarded a
"Certificate of participation" by the Alliance
Francaise de Toledo.
One
of our students, Katie Miller did exceptionally well and
earned a rank 4 in the 2006 concours. She earned a "Lauréat
du chapitre" and a “Certificat d'Honneur” . The
Alliance Francaise de Toledo awarded her a book prize: Harry
Potter 1 in French.
She
will be awarded her national and state certificates with prizes
at the Annual meeting at Georgio's to be held on June 14th.
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REPORT ON OUR TRIP TO THE BATTLEFIELD REGION OF FRANCE
By George E. Gullen III
 On Friday September 16, 2005, we took the TGV (high speed train) from Paris to
Arras. It took us less than an hour to cover the approximately 100 mile distance. We were pleased to find that our hotels, the Express by Holiday Inn and the Mercure Atria, were within easy walking distance from the train station. The eight travelers were Gail and Lance Barker, George and Judy Gullen, Kathy Gullen and Richard Bomer, and Carolyn and Neil Spink. George, Gail, Kathy and Carolyn are grandchildren of William Roy Gullen who was a member of the
1st Canadian Battalion from October of 1916 until the 3rd of May 1917 when he was killed in action in the battle for
Fresnoy-en-Gohelle.
Find
the rest of the story here
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Coin
Cuisine: Les Vins
(Ordre de service des vins)
La Cuisine Pratique et Familiale, Pellatrat
L’objet est seulement de rappeler que le service des vins doit être
établi en observant certaine règles, immuables, qu’il s’agisse de
grands crus ou de vins d’origine plus modeste:
Le vin moins corsé précède le vin plus corsé.
Le vin sec précède le vin sucré.
Le vin blanc sec précède le vin rouge.
Le vin rouge précède le vin blanc sucré. Par conséquent:
Le Bordeaux rouge précède le Bourgogne rouge.
Le Bourgogne blanc précède le Bordeaux blanc.
Le Bourgogne blanc précède le Bordeaux ou le Bourgogne rouge.
Le Bourgogne ou le Bordeaux rouge précède le Bordeaux blanc sucré.
Servir des vins très alcoolisés tells que le Porto ou le Madère au début du repas est une grave erreur. Ils neutralisent le palais et l’empêchent de percevoir la qualité et la finesse des vins qui suivent ensuite.
Mais ce sont d’admirables vins de desserts qui assurent une fin de service
tout à fait remarquable.
Le Champagne ne doit pas être servi avec le dessert, mais à la fin du repas.
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COIN MOTS:
Spring:
The spring of the year:
le printemps
The spring of a watch:
le ressort d’une montre
The spring of a cat:
l’élan d’un chat
A spring of cold water:
une source d’eau froide
Sweet:
Sweet wine:
vin doux or sucré (m.)
Sweet face:
joli visage (m.)
Sweet girl:
charmante fillette (f.)
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