Christmas Chocolate Logs
In France the traditional Christmas cake is a log.

Ingredients:
18 sweet biscuits
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
small pot double cream
1 teaspoon icing sugar
knife and fork
whisk
basin
foil
plate

Preparation
1. Put the cream, sugar and cocoa in a basin. Whisk cream until until it is just stiff enough to stand in peaks.
2. Spread the cream on the biscuits. Sandwich them together in a long roll. Use about half the cream.
3. Wrap the roll of biscuits in foil. Put it in the fridge with the rest of the cream.
4. Next day, unwrap the roll, put it on a plate and cover it with the rest of the cream.
5. Drag a fork over the cream to make a 'bark' on the 'log'. Decorate it with icing sugar snow and holly.
6. This cake is rich so serve small slices

Sauce Creme au Chocolat

Sauce Creme Au Chocolat
Chocolate cream sauce.

125g cocoa

1/2 cup water

1 cup cream

2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup sugar

1. Place the cocoa and water in saucpan.

2. Cook slowly until mixed and smooth.

3. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

4. Just before serving, add, off the heat, the cream and butter.

5. Whip for 2 minutes.

Pudding De Noel a La Francaise

Pudding De Noel A La Francaise
French Christmas Pudding.

1/2kg marrons glaces pieces(chestnuts) crushed finely.(Chestnut Puree is just as good bought in a tin)
7 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
8 egg yolks 6 egg whites, beaten very stiffly
vanilla

1. Crush marrons glaces finely, flavour with vanilla and mix in butter.
2. Dilute with cream.
3. Pour into sieve(you do not have to do this if you are using tinned chestnut puree).
4. Add the egg yolks.
5. Fold in the whites, beaten very stiffly.
6. Pour into charlotte mould and bake at 325 degrees celcius for 30 minutes.
7. Turn out and when cold cover with the chocolate cream sauce.

French Christmas Tradition

In Southern France, a log is burned in people's homes from Christmas Eve until New Years Day. A long time ago, part of the log was used to make the wedge for the plough as good luck for the coming harvest.

The traditional Christmas is a chocolate log.

In France families once had a Three Kings Cake with a bean hidden in it. Whoever found the bean in their slice was made King, or Queen, for the day.

In France the children go out to look for the Kings, taking gifts of hay for the camels.
Another name for this day is Twelfth Day. It is the last of the Twelve Days of Christmas, which used to be one long holiday. It was the last night of the Feast of Fools before the Lord of Misrule had to give up his crown and become themselves once again.

In France it is a time for the whole family to come together at Christmas time to holiday and worship. On the eve of Christmas beautifully lit churches and cathedrals, ring out Christmas carols with the church bells.

Once dinner is over and the family has retired to bed, they leave a fire burning and food and drink on the table in case the Virgin Mary calls in. Children leave their shoes or wooden clogs called sabots in the hearth for the Christ Child or Pere Noel to fill. In the north of France, children are given gifts on December 6, which is St. Nicholas' Day, instead of Christmas Day. The adults give each others presents on New Year's Day.

French children set out their shoes in hopes that le petit Jesus will fill them during the night with small gifts.

Christmas in France

A French Christmas

Nearly every French home at Christmas time displays a Nativity scene or creche, which serves as the focus for the Christmas celebration. The creche is often peopled with little clay figures called santons or "little saints." An extensive tradition has evolved around these little figures which are made by craftsmen in the south of France throughout the year. In addition to the usual Holy Family, shepherds, and Magi, the craftsmen also produce figures in the form of local dignitaries and characters. The craftsmanship involved in creating the gaily colored santons is quite astounding and the molds have been passed from generation to generation since the seventeenth century. Throughout December the figures are sold at annual Christmas fairs in Marseille and Aix.

The Christmas tree has never been particularly popular in France, and though the use of the Yule log has faded, the French make a traditional Yule log-shaped cake called the buche de Nol, which means "Christmas Log." The cake, among other food in great abundance is served at the grand feast of the season, which is called le rveillon. Le rveillon is a very late supper held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The menu for the meal varies according to regional culinary tradition. In Alsace, goose is the main course, in Burgundy it is turkey with chestnuts, and the Parisians feast upon oysters and pat de foie gras.

French children receive gifts from Pere Noel who travels with his stern disciplinarian companion Pre Fouettard. Pre Fouettard reminds Pere Noel of just how each child has behaved during the past year. In some parts of France Pere Noel brings small gifts on St. Nicholas Eve (December 6) and visits again on Christmas. In other places it is le petit Jesus who brings the gifts. Generally adults wait until New Year's Day to exchange gifts.

Croustade or Pastis Gascon

Traditional pastries that require a certain agility as its not everyone who can make a good croustade. Even if the recipe seems simple: flower,water, salt and egg yolks, making it is a different matter - it needs technique and know-how.

Grandmothers of old had the secret and they passed it on from generation to generation as it was only they who knew how to roll out the pastry until it became as thin and transparent as a sheet of paper.

You will find this dessert on most tables in Gascony and you will be able to discover the delicious smells that make up this dish: apples, prunes and depending on the recipe, Armagnac.

Wine Making in Gascony

The histroy of vineyards in the Gers dates back to ancient days, long before the Gallo-Roman era, as can be seen in the Seviac mosaics ( Montreal). Vines cover most of the Western part of the department. The combination of ground, climate and know-how all give the wines of Gascony a unique wealth and variety.

Wine production of Gascony is famous mainly for Armagnac: the king of eaux-de-vie, thought to be one of the oldest spirits in the world.

THE ARMAGNAC LABEL - Armagnac is divided into three production areas, the contours of which are curiously in the form of a vine leaf.
- Bas-Armagnac - Armagnac-Tenareze - Haut-Armagnac

FLOC DE GASCOGNE - The result of the combination of malt from fresh grapes and Armagnac, prepared according to an old peasant tradition. Available in red or white, it is excellent as an accompaniement to melons, foie gras, desserts or fresh fruit.
Armagnac is also used in the preperation of a number of fruit-based products (such as prunes in Armagnac) or for Gascon cocktails.

MADIRAN VINEYARD - This is a vineyard built on the lower slopes and which extends over three departmetns. Madiran was used for a long time as a wine for mass and it gained its renown thanks to the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostella.
Very rich in tannin, the red wine is full-bodied and well constructed. The white which is called Pacherenc, is available either dry or sweet and is powerful and rich and excudes complex perfumes of fruits and flowers.

COTES SAINT-MONT - This vineyard covers the southwest of the department right n the heart of gascony. It is a very old vineyard and has been revived thanks to the efforts of the local wine growers and now produces wines whose quality is unquestionable. Red, white or rose, they are all fine wines thanks to the quality of the soil.

COTES DE GASCOGNE - Vin de Pays: white, red or rose, some of which are rather successful, all bear the imprint of the local soil and the know-how of the Gascon vine growers.