what a sweet deal

I became a chocolate maker 

     Truffles, actually.
     Julia treated us to a truffle making class at the Cailler headquarters in Broc.
     It was a pretty awesome experience.
     Thomas, the chef in charge, led us through the multi step process of creating truffles.  We added liquor, decided on toppings, sampled a little of our work (ok, licking the hands counts as sampling to me) and eventually making two dozen truffles.
     It was a long day.  Jackie, Julia and I were there about 5 hours.  The class was almost 3 hours and we followed with a tour of the Cailler factory.  Cailler was the original chocolate maker in Switzerland and after Nestle figured out a way to make milk chocolate, the two eventually merged into one candy maker.
      That's a brief and highly inaccurate history.
     Making truffles is a pretty precise operation.  Heat the creme to boiling, add butter and chocolate but do not reheat the pan a lot, add alcohol, whisk everything to a state of smoothness and then refrigerate it all.
     While it was cooling, Thomas showed us the next step:  Loading our glob into a pastry bag and squirting out the most perfect ovals on parchment paper.  He took about 15 minutes to do this, and by then the  mix was cooled enough to load into the pastry bags.  Mine came out looking like dog turds from very small dogs.  Not to worry.
     The drops went back into the cooler while the next step was demonstrated.  That was taking the blobs, breaking them, rolling them and putting them back on the parchment paper.  Then we cooled it again so it was ready for the next step:   putting on the finishing touches,  toppings, chocolate swirls, white chocolate swirls.
     It was all very cool.
     But the proof is in the pudding.
     I have saved mine and will be sharing them with family and maybe a few friends when we get home. I don't know if Jackie and Julia will hold on to theirs , but so far we have not eaten all of them.
Which is a miracle.
     Anyway, the move is almost done....a few more boxes up at the old apartment.  Cable people were here today and said the cable is not "big" enough for Julia to run Internet.  A new cable has to be installed, but they did not say when that would be done.
     So, my access is spotty and limited.
     Have not done much wandering while I am here, but hope to get to explore a little around her new town of Corseaux.
     And as usual, I have dropped my little camera and now it does not seem to recharge.  And I am missing the connecting cord for my big camera, so when I do post again it will be with I phone pictures....if I remember to charge my I phone.
     Anyway, a few shots from Cailler.

This is the finished product.....

 My lumps looked liked dog turds.

 Yikes.....this isn't easy!

 Filling my pastry bag....ready for the next step.

 Let the class begin....I am ready!

Jackie pouring her mix into the pastry bag.

I think this is a perfect mix.

where to begin?

I think I survived the move

     It's the unpacking that is killing me!
     Schlepping boxes from one room to another, unpacking dishes, drinking wine....it is all very tiring!
     Just a little about the move.
     It was 91 degrees last Thursday.  It was hot.  And humid.
     The truck showed up on time.....but they could not get it backed down the hill.  So the three guys had to hand carry everything half way up Julia's driveway.
     I get winded with the garbage.  I can't imagine what it is like carrying a sofa!
     The truck filled once, then a second time.  The three guys worked until about 5:30.....they were hot   and sweaty.  We kept them provided with water.... but when it is that hot, it may not help.
     Julia had her eye on an Ikea table for outside.  So we went to  Bern Friday.
      Now I know I measure poorly.....but I swear on my dead granny's bed skirt that the table would fit in the Honda CRV she borrowed.
     We had it in the car at one point.  I would have had to ride back to Chardonne almost laying flat in the front seat with the table over my head.  Julia would have been scrunched up so far in the front seat she would have had to hold her breath for an hour.
     C'est impossible!
     We ended up tieing it into the Honda and driving home with the trunk slightly ajar.
     My job, in the + 90 temps, was to put the grill and table together so the people coming over at 7 could eat.
     Her first cook out was a success.  So on Saturday, she had a friend of ours and his wife and adorable daughter over a barbecue.....first rain in months.  But all worked out well...good food, great visiting with George and Monica and great meeting their daughter Stanzi.  Actually, I met her in 2010 when she was born, and int 2011 when she was 1.....but she is one adorable 5 year old.
     She can speak French, English, and Swiss German....and like most kids her age she flows smoothly from one language to another.  She even taught me a few French words as we played princess and the castle before supper.
     Which brings us to  today, Sunday......
     But that will be tomorrow's topic, if  I can get on the Internet.
     The wiring in the house does not seem to be quite what was expected, so she has to call the cable company tomorrow.  Hope their service is better than you know who.
     Meanwhile, tonight it is raining, again.  The storm is moving across the lake....you can't see the mountains.  Last night the yellow lights were flashing an a strong windstorm went through.....quite exciting when you are cooking out!
     Here are some photos.

The bus stop here is Grand Pin.  This pine tree is absolutely astounding in its size.

 Yes, I had some Starbucks......white mocha with a dollop of whip cream....the creme was served in a side dish.

 Yes, it's back to school time here too!

 Storm moving into the area .... very windy!

 I thought this was neat....at the Ikea snack bar, one of hte containers is for liquids!  If you don't finish your drink, you pour the liquids out into a separate container!

 I thought it would fit!  Seriously!!

OK, we will just tie it down!

Starting with a clean slate

 Table together...what about the grill?  Company's a coming!!

 Table set....sausages done....it all worked!

so long, fare well.....

This could be my last post for a while

     Today is moving day.  Movers will be here in about an hour to start the change.
     I will miss this apartment....great views, great bakery......but her new apartment is quieter and has more room.  It is actually a house, but she is renting.
     We spent most of yesterday, which I think was Wednesday, packing and packing.
     Last night we went out for dinner at a little neighborhood place near where Julia works.  It was a friend of hers birthday.  Stuart, who helped us move out the cave, turned 42....a babe in the woods.
     I was going to order a carbonara dish, but Julia said no, order the beef.  So I did.
Now some places have a different way of serving beef.  They bring out a raw chunk on a super heated soapstone and you cut and cook to your desired level of done.
      I can't imagine doing that in the states because someone will touch the stone and get burned, prompting a suit and several warning labels.
     Over here, you are expected to be smart enough not to touch a 400 degree stone.
And of course, Sheri, wine and dessert were involved!
     The Swiss are efficient.  When we got back we packed a few more things and went to bed.  I sat down at about 11:55 to do my blog and at 12, the Internet disappeared.  She's moving, and had it disconnected as of Aug. 6.
     Luckily I can access another system through her I phone.....wonders of invention.
     So...here are a few pictures to highlight the last two days.
     Hopefully, I will be able to reconnect tonight and give a full report on the days  proceedings.....hopefully.
     Until we meet again.....

 Jackie was the sock lady.....

 Jackie gave the drainpipe a good bye kiss

 The gargoyle drainpipe at Julia's

 The stone is super hot....just slice and flip.  Cook to desiered taste then dip in the sauces....great food.

Jackie opted for a chicken salad.

A bib is provided.....the group called it a penis bib....don't know why.

what a walk!

My feet are killing me tonight

     Julia and I  went to her new place today.  I opted to walk from there to the market in Vevey.
     OK, I did not walk my fastest......so it took me a little over 35 minutes.  It was warm.  It was drizzly for a few moments.
     I strolled the market and bought some cherries, apples and a roasted chicken for supper.  Then I set off for Jumbo for more bubble wrap and more tape.
     I was struggling through my pocket for change to pay the bill.  I laid everything out on the counter as the lady ahead of me picked up her things and left.  I noticed she forgot part of what she bought, so I yelled Madame!  Madame!  She stopped, I walked out to her holding the item and she was most appreciative.
    So I paid my bill and walked to the fun, which is only about three minutes from Jumbo.
     The funi leaves at 14 minutes to the hour.  About one minute before it departs, I decide to take a photo and I can't find my camera!  I can't find my phone!!
    I get off and hustle back to Jumbo.  I go in, the clerk looks at me and I say "telephone?" and she hands me my phone and my camera!  Bless her heart, she kept if for me.  Funny thing, I don't remember where I left it....on the counter or next to the counter.  All's well that ends well.
     The previous renter of the house Julia is getting had to meet with an agent before he could sign the apartment over to Julia.
     The agent went through the house, noting things that were not right and comparing them to the original rental agreement of 8 years ago.  He checked drawers, shades, doors, the stove, oven, fridge....making sure it was clean and working.  It took 90 minutes!
     Julia has to go through the same process when she vacates.  First the apartment has to be painted, then cleaned.  Professional cleaners come in and do the cleaning because they know how to make the agents happy.
     It's a very strange way to operate.
     Speaking of that, Julia has a lease through December.  She can not leave the lease early unless she finds someone to rent the apartment.  She has two people interested and the rental agency has the information.  Once she finds a tenant, she is off the hook.  The agency can decline the tenant, but doing that also gets Julia off the hook.
     Like I said, it is different.
     Now for some pictures.

 Julia has a roll down shade to keep the sun out of the house

Walking through the grapes is a popular past time

 Evening sunset was beautiful

Julia's new place....this is the living room from the dining room.

 View out the living room....I was concerned about the view.  No worries now!

 Looking toward Geneva....apartment  building next door is three levels and should not block her view.

 This is one of the guest bedrooms on the first level.  Very large with an en suite bathroom... sort of.

 The outside of the house.  There has been no measurable rain for about 6 weeks...all the lawns are brown and dry.  Under the tarp is a Mercedes .... and no, we can not drive it!

 This tree is huge!  I was amazed at its size.

 Sausages at the market in Vevey

This is a British store booth at the Vevey market.  Everything in it was from England.  There are a few Englishman in Vevey and my guess is he does a good business.

This antique market was part of the market.  I remember the cow bells from last year.

Veggies and fruit rule the day

But sunflowers were also on hand.

Our dinner tonight was from here....I love the chickens and the adventure of ordering one.

A chocolate shop in Vevey....I had never seen it before.  Premium chocolate, all hand made on site.

OK, Vevey has a less desireable side also.  This complex of apartment buildings houses lots of immigrant families.  Graffiti is pretty common, as are ethnic groceries and lots of people just hanging out.

Well, that's all for tonight!

the legend lives on

I might be  becoming a legend in Chardonne

     Remember all those old westerns, when the new guy comes to town and everybody stops and stares at him as he walks down the street?
     I may have become that man.
     Maybe the locals call me, "The American who can't speak French but doesn't know it."  Or maybe, "the guy who really tries but comes up short....a lot."  Or maybe just, "Weirdo."
     I went to the postal office to buy the official garbage bags.  10 bags, 20 franc.  Bags will last a long time if you compost and recycle, but when cleaning out a house, they tend to fill quickly.
     I waited my turn then said to the lady, "Good day madame.  I don't speak French very well and I understand just a little.  I would like to buy some garbage bags."
Now in French, that is a mouthful.  My pronunciation is based on high school French class and the six CD set on how to speak French in six weeks.
     The lady just stared at me.  I don't know if she was over awed by my powers, or thinking she was confronted by a babbling lunatic.
     Our eyes locked.  It became a battle of wills.  Finally, she said something in French which was way beyond my ability to understand, but I decided to take a stab.
     "The little ones or the big ones?"  she may have asked.
     "The little ones, the 35 litre one," I wanted to say, but I could not get 35 straight in my mind.
     Finally the lady behind me, who had been waiting for a good 5 minutes while this played out, asked. in English, "Do you want the 35 litre bags?"  When I replied yes, she relayed that to the post person and I got my bags.
     I was under orders to get a loaf of bread and some cheese for supper, so I crossed the street to the alimentary, which I think is the word for 7-11 run by Swiss people.
     I walked in and noticed that the lady ahead of me in the post office was now in the store.  She looked at me, said something to the lady behind the counter, who looked at me and then they both chuckled.
     I don't know if it was my boyish good looks, the garbage bags I was carrying, the confused look on my face, or my new grocery bag, purchased just today during my trip down to Vevey....but they both seemed to,have a good time at my expense.  I did check my zipper, by the way, because frequently that is a source of levity for people when I am out in public.
     So, recapping my day:  Got  my watch back, which was pronounced fine.  Bought a new set of grocery bags.  Coffee at Starbucks.  Bubble wrap at Jumbo.  Paced boxes.  Sorted socks.  It was too hot to walk, so I put that off today.  To be fair, I do walk about one half mile to get into Vevey center from the funicular, but I don't count that as a walk.
     No pictures today.  I have had a couple of glasses of wine and am suddenly very tired.
     Tomorrow I go to the new house and unload boxes while Jackie waits at the old house for more boxes to be delivered.  And pack.
     Tomorrow is also market day, my favorite time.....lots of good food, photo ops, and opportunities to try my French.
     Bonne nuit!

what can I say...

Packing boxes can be tiring

    Julia's move is coming along.  We have packed about 20 boxes.  She should have more coming tomorrow because we have run out!
     Some of the boxes are neat in that you don't have to use tape.  Me being a worry wart decided to tape them anyway rather than test the theory.
     Not only are boxes being packed, the cave is empty.
     The cave is a basement storage area.  For those who don't know, all Swiss buildings have bomb shelters in the basement.  These also double as storage areas.  Julia's cave is not in the bomb shelter, but next to it.
     Yes, the shelter has a thick steel door that locks from the inside and ventilation tubes leading out.  I think there are emergency supplies in there also.
     Unfortunately, there are also spiders.  Large, hairy spiders.  Julia is afraid of the buggers and hasn't been actually in the cave for a while.  So she enlisted two friends to help haul the boxes out to the garage.  That took about half an hour.  We did find some dead lizards and a couple of squashed mice in addition to a spider or two.
     I took an amble through the vineyards.  I love walking along and just looking at the lake.  Got caught up in a boules match and spent about 15 minutes watching the two teams attempt to land nearest the "little pig" and thus score points.  It's like lawn darts but with steel balls.  Surprisingly there is a lot of strategy.
     When I looked at the pictures tonight I realized a very weird thing....but you'll have to see for yourself.
     Tomorrow I get to go buy garbage bags!
     The government is pushing recycling.  One way to encourage that is to require residents to place garbage in official government garbage bags, priced at about $3 a bag.  We ran out today, so I get to go try my French on an actual government official at the post office.  Should be interesting.  I just hope I don't buy anything weird.  Or say anything to get me deported.  My French is so bad I might say, "Your mother has the face of a mule's behind." when I meant to say, "May I please buy garbage bags?"
     Anyway, here's a few shots from the last two days.

 Julia's current apartment is in the building in the upper right

 Well, self explanatory, isn't it?

 Cute little gate into a vineyard.

 I thought this was a swastika, but it is the shadow created by signs.  The pig is the little ball in the upper triangular like shape.

 Lining up for a crucial shot.

OK, I can imagine floating in the pool in this house.

 The cave contents and Stuart and Matt, brave cave explorers and conquerors!

 Boxes everywhere!

 We also made use of paper bags for the library collection.

The main room minus most of the decorations.

 My favorite place to shop!

    

My 3 franc apricot and raspberry cookies....worth it!

     So, that is it for today.
     Hope the weather is great, the news all good, and your wine tasty.

A little history

Today is July 4 in Switzerland

     Well, actually it was Aug. 1, which is National Day.
     Stores are closed, mostly.  Julia told me the patisserie was open, so I ambled up there for some bread.  They also have these amazing cookies, as well as the Chardonnes....the crispy, crunchy, extremely sugary treat. I bought a loaf of bread, two Chardonnes...one large, one small... and six of the cookies.
      If I had known the cookies were 3 Franc each, I might not have bought 6!  Holy cow, I had a 20 bill out, and she said 34 and I was shocked.  I guess I should have asked first.
      The nice lady today spoke English very well.  I noticed a buzzing insect in the display case.  In French, she told me it was not a fly but it was a "guepe", which sounded like keep, only with a g at the start.  Le guepe is a wasp.  I think she was concerned I thought there were flies in the food, so she wanted to make sure I understood the difference between a fly..."la mouche".. and "la guepe."
     And strangely, I understood.  I sort of remembered the word for fly, and I figured out the wasp thing when I pinched myself and said ouch and she laughed and said yes!  A sting.
     Anyway.....
     Way back in 1291, over 200 years before Christo Columbus sailed the ocean blue, three leaders of separate cantons met in a field near Lucerne.  They pledged to unite and never fight again. That was the official start of Switzerland but the day was not declared a national holiday until 1994.
     It is celebrated very similar to our July 4.  Fireworks were in the air over the towns on this end of the lake.  We watched three or four fireworks displays last night, and two tonight...with a third smaller one on the other side of the lake.
     It is kind of neat to sit and watch all the explosions of colors in the sky.  And there were no mosquitoes!
     And yes, people here also set off fire crackers and their own fireworks, although that has been discouraged this year because they have gone almost a month without rain.
     There are also bonfires in the various towns, but we did not see any burning but the one out on the lake.  Again, dry conditions may have changed some minds.
     Kevin and Cristina came over and we had appetizers and wine the watched the displays.
     But nobody ate the cookies.
     After they left, Julia had a half....and I finished the other half.
     It was worth the 3 franc.
     Anyway, just a couple of pix.....still can't find a cord for my real camera!

 I know the quality is not great....but that is Vevey with fireworks from I believe Le Tour de Pez....

     Pretty impressive display, actually.
     Now I have to go to sleep, for I have boxes to pack......