Sunday, June 23, 2013

Dreaming of France -- What Do You Bring Home?


Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.
Maybe we can all satisfy our yearnings for France, until we get there again
When you go to France what do you make sure you bring home? My list is always long, but a true necessity is wine. Our friend Michel usually takes Earl to the wine store to buy six bottles. We each stash three in our suitcases.
We have the hardest time knowing when to drink that special wine though. Sunday we decided to open a bottle to celebrate our anniversary. Earl is afraid some of it is getting too old. I don't know much about wine, but apparently some wines age well and others don't.
We picked a bottle to open, a 2004 Chateau du Breuil. When we brought it up from the basement, it looked like this.


We put it in the refrigerator to chill. When we opened it, we could smell the strength of it. We forget how much stronger French wine is than the mostly sweet wines, nearly kool aid, we've been drinking here.
We sliced up some peaches to go with our dessert wine and it tasted marvelous.

What do you bring home from France?
Thanks for playing along today, and if you get a chance check out a review of my book on France Book Tours at Caffeinated Life on Monday. I hope she likes it. 



9 comments:

Esme said...

I have a routine-there is always chocolate, tea, croissants, chocolate tart, herbs and then others savouries from the region where I have been. Of course one cannot forget French fashion. For awhile I was lugging back French cookbooks. On this last trip I purchased three purses-each was different-one was very casual, one I use for work to put my files in and one is really nice. It was my little splurge to me.

Linda said...

I do it just the opposite. I bring back baggies, make-up, jeans and shoes back to France-it's cheaper and the baggies are better quality. For friends and family I will take Maille mustard, Mariages Frere tea and sometimes a purse that my daughter in law designs and manufactures.

Sim Carter said...

French wine is fine. A French lover would be nice but I doubt MLH would approve. Sorry I don't have a Dreaming of France meme to share this week:( I've had better weeks but no worry, things are looking brighter.

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I don't bring much home, just memories and photos and a few bars of chocolate for hubby . and send postcards for the grandkids ,,

I do not like sweet wine ,, has to be medium dry .. Earl is right , I would be afraid of it getting too old,, . We don't keep wines for a special occasion ,, not that we drink it on a daily basis ,, but wine is meant to be drunk .. so maybe with a lovely meal ,, :-) xo

Joy said...

Happy Anniversary! What a lovely way to celebrate.

From our trip, we brought back 3 scarves (1 for my husband) and two books signed by their gardener authors. And a box of macarons for the neighbor who watered my garden while we were gone.

Clearly, I have more to learn about what to bring back from France.

Jackie McGuinness said...

I collect small boxes so I brought home a Limonges box from Monet's Garden last year. I also bought a small painting from the gardens as well.

Just Me said...

Hmmmmm...can't seem to get to the review. Hope she likes it too.

Sim Carter said...

ps. thanks for your supportive words Paulita:)

Louise said...

Memories and photos are my favourite part of what I bring back. I love not knowing what I will bring back, the anticipation of finding amazing new things. So far this trip I've bought a few books (although they were in Holland), and a magnificent new perfume. I'm hoping to buy some shoes, and scarves on sales (the big sales start tomorrow), but if I find other stuff I don't mind. My favourite souvenir from my first trip was a pair of gold nail clippers that I bought on the Champs Elysee, and my favourite from last time was a trivet that I bought on Ile St Louis. As an Australian its often difficult to take foodstuffs home, but we can take things like vinegars or mustards, and chocolate.

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