Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

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What Happiness Brings a Big Butt Cannot Deny

Freezing cold

 

Do you remember, that we do not have heat in our house due to the fire? Well the insurance inspector guys finally came by (over a month later!) and gave their blessing for a 100 percent coverage, so know we can have the construction guys do their thing and start the dusty work.

Meanwhile cold is what we are. I feel like I am freezing half my butt off, but no, it is still firmly attached. 

 

PASTA MAKING

 

Thierry, Alice and French Husband are making pasta from scratch. French Husband is the pasta master. At least that is what Alice is calling him.

Note Alice is wearing a down vest of mine. Cold. Even with an electric heater in the kitchen. Even while cooking. 

It snowed today.

 

FLOUR FACE

 

 

Powdering faces.

These two are making my cold winter days warmer.

Goofing off.

Having fun with flour.

Not so fun to clean up, especially in a black kitchen.

But I am not in charge of clean up.

 

 

COOKING

 

 

Thierry is going to make his wild mushroom sauce that I love for the homemade pasta. Even if I am terrified to eat the wild mushrooms that he and French Husband picked. I love his sauce. Garlic, cream and parsley…. oh and the wild mushrooms.

Gulp.

Alice looked up a recipe for a cake that she makes back home in Australia.

Half a frozen butt worth of cream. There is no hope for my ever being skinny with cream goodness like this coming from my kitchen.

 

 

How many does it take to make pasta

 

How many people does it take to make pasta?

 

The three peas in a pod.

Without French Husband in charge I daresay it wouldn't have happened.

They have been standing so close to one another in the corner of the kitchen, having fun. Thierry having fun. Thank you universe and God of love, and prayers said for such a loving feast of thanksgiving in January. Thierry is here, happy, alive and what a feast his well being brings!

 

Have you ever made home made pasta?

 

Happy feast of love

 

Have you made someone smile today?

 

Feast of love. Everyday. Every moment. Find it, hold it and let it flow.

 

Date pudding

 

See the sticky pudding cake cozy-ing up to the pasta? Alice made this sticky pudding date cake delicious wonder. With a carmel sauce.

God my butt. My holy sacred butt. I am hopelessly in love with good food and friends who create these feast in my home. 

 

Wild mushroom pasta

 

Feasting Friday: Wild mushrooms. Homemade pasta. Sticky date pudding cake.

 

Click here to see a video, 2008,  Thierry, Yann and a friend picking wild mushrooms.

Comments

35 responses to “What Happiness Brings a Big Butt Cannot Deny”

  1. Star

    Could it be a bit of early birthday cake? Sounds like ALL of you are having fun. So much for which to be thankful.

    Reply
  2. g

    of all that is loved and adored by me in this post what brings me the GREATEST joy and smile and true warmth in my soul my heart my being is….the picture of our Thierry raising his glass….yes I have waited to see something like this-

    Reply
  3. Zosia

    In Poland we also pick wild mushrooms and make soups, sauces, tortellini (uszka), and pierogis with them.
    Corey, don’t think of the cake and cream as calories, think of them as the survival kit. As you said, it’s cold in your house and you need to stay warm. Calories are your survival heater. Feel better?
    Have a great weekend.

    Reply
  4. head in the sun

    Yay Thierry!!

    Reply
  5. Franca Bollo

    My dad used to pick wild tree mushrooms. Sautéed in olive oil with garlic. Divine.

    Reply
  6. Toni

    Thierry’s eyes say it all! AMEN

    Reply
  7. Alan from Chicago

    Cheers to you Thierry. 🙂

    Reply
  8. debbie

    Sounds like a magical time – what a great start to 2014 for you all!

    Reply
  9. Patti

    Reminds me of coming home after a very long hard day at work and saying to my husband, “I worked my butt off today!” He looked at me with one raised eyebrow, smiled and said, “It followed you home.” Hope you had a warm dinner.

    Reply
  10. Rhonda

    Those three could teach a cooking class – wouldn’t that be fun? Lucky you with all that good food and comical cooks.

    Reply
  11. Marilyn

    Wonderful, treasure every moment of this delightful day.
    Mushrooms, homemade pasta, laughter, and cake.

    Reply
  12. Debra

    What struck me was your reminder to make someone else smile today . . . hope that I did that today. Yum, mushroom sauce. Sorry, you are cold. It is very cold here on the east coast . . . You made me smile today . . . xo

    Reply
  13. Ann

    Yep, we make our own pasta and it tastes so good fresh. I love cooking together like that – it’s like a cooking party. Enjoy the moment, Corey.

    Reply
  14. Gail

    A beautiful family…a community of love. So wonderful. I had trouble rolling pasta thin enough with the rolling pin by hand so I bought myself the pasta attachment for the kitchen aid. Have I made any since? No. You give me courage to try this weekend. Tell us Thierrey’s mushroom sauce recipe. God bless him.

    Reply
  15. Jody

    It looks like a very happy time there for all of you, very genuine. I hope the food and wine warmed you, but what I really see is the love exuding warmth . Oh what a blessing, oh what a kind , happy home that opens its doors to share and care for friends. Definitely, I see where you have given and heaven has opened it’s hands abundantly back to you! Those happy faces spell ” I am loved and happy here together”. Thank you for sharing your blessings!
    xxoo jody

    Reply
  16. Marsha @ Splenderosa

    Corey, I love your life!

    Reply
  17. Maria

    I made pasta this week with my preschool class. Tuesday we made dough by hand. That was a nice sticky adventure. Wednesday we used the Atlas machine to flatten and cut into fettuccine. ( confession: I made new dough at home in the food processor that morning before school) anyway, they gobbled up every bit with lots of butter. I do this every year..:)
    Btw, do u know a good way to clean the pasta machine without water?

    Reply
  18. Maria

    Also, please post the mushroom sauce recipe!

    Reply
  19. Teddee Grace

    What fun. You all will surely remember this fondly…particularly because you had no heat. Tell Thierry we are all so happy he is feeling better…and I watched that video. That was one ugly mushroom. The only kind my family eats are morels that pop up around Mother’s Day in northwest Missouri…but the sauce looked delish.

    Reply
  20. 24/7 in France

    Mais oui – making homemade pasta is gratifying and delicious fun!

    Reply
  21. Dd

    You are so cheerful with no heat. You are always welcome in Boston, where it is cold, but plenty of heat. I have given up on ever being thin and would love T’s recipe for mushroom sauce foe my homage pasta.

    Reply
  22. monika

    That looks like so much fun!!!
    After a week at work (oh, and yesterday was particularly tough!!), and our daily commute though, I can’t imagine doing this… the kids would be too growly, and it would be bedtime before it got made… 🙁 it’s been a looooong time since I made fresh pasta.
    I am buying lottery tickets in earnest, so that we can move back to Europe and have fun!

    Reply
  23. Linda P.

    What a wonderful teacher you must be, Maria! Corey, what a wonderful time together with family and friends!

    Reply
  24. Paulita

    Probably no chance of making pasta today, but I can definitely make someone smile. And I have already helped someone out of her difficulties this morning. Enjoy.

    Reply
  25. Di

    What a reason to rejoice and celebrate. I have known those times of worry for another’s well-being, wondering what will bring light to their darkness. Those smiles are a beautiful thing!
    And homemade pasta?! Cream sauce?! Caramel sauce?! I think my pants are tighter just reading about this delicious meal!
    Enjoy your weekend, Corey,
    Di

    Reply
  26. Elaine

    So enjoyed the video and hearing my beloved French. Counting the days until my return Apr. 1 . . .

    Reply
  27. Kim

    Now Corey — we all know that food is more important than fashion. Do not give your bottom another thought, especially when wild mushroom sauce over homemade pasta is on the menu.

    Reply
  28. Chris Wittmann

    I need to get caught up on what’s been happening in your part of the world Corey, we’ve been so busy trying to stay warm ourselves here in the frozen north of New Hampshire…many many days and nights of sub zero temps, the coldest winter I recall since the early 1980’s! A fire? Boy am I behind. I hope all is well with you folks, and that you have plenty of down comforters! And speaking of butts….mine needs a reduction big time….but if it’s any consolation that extra padding goes a long way to keeping you safe if you fall and it keeps you warm too!

    Reply
  29. Shelley Noble

    Salute!! So WONDERFUL to see Thierry enjoying life! Bravo, Thierry!

    Reply
  30. nancy w

    You had a run of misfortunes and now you have turned the corner to the sunny side of the street. All of those smiles have warmed me on a cold, grey day. Thank you.

    Reply
  31. Kathie B

    For years, until my health made it more of a challenge, Farmboy and I frequently made all sorts of homemade pasta — from super-skinny angel hair (that cooked in moments) to spaghetti, linguine, fettucine, lasagne and ravioli. I miss it so…

    Reply
  32. Sharon Penney-Morrison

    I miss dinner parties…

    Reply
  33. Irina

    Wild mushroom pasta! Wished I could join you for dinner 😉

    Reply
  34. Mdm. Tortoise

    I, too, collect wild mushrooms in the forests on the Sunshine Coast which are just a 40 minute ferry ride from where I live in West Vancouver. There is nothing like the taste of a good wild mushroom sauce especially if mushrooms are collected by oneself. I am always with friends who know what they are doing in that regard because I don’t want to experience “death by dinner.” Pasta, not so much; tried once years ago and gave up, never to return. Think the fact that I need pasta making lessons a very good reason for both of you to visit. Kindly let Thierry know that the photos of his sauce made my mouth water. The fact that he is in your wild and wonderful kitchen fills my heart with joy. I have followed his progress and now it is as though he is a friend cared for by many. I hope his heart is warmed by such a thought.

    Reply
  35. Erika

    A few years ago, a girlfriend of mine introduced me to handmade pasta and ricotta cheese. We made raviolis and I could not believe how easy it was and what a wonderfully tasty experience it was! We are in our early thirties and it is a little saddening that it was the first time I had experienced it. But I thank God for people that pass down this knowledge and passion. Love this post!

    Reply

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