Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

It did...the other day....here in Paris! This is one of the things that I miss most about no longer living in New York. We rarely get snow here and so when it does, I'm like a kid in the candy store. Nothing can be more beautiful than the charming French streets in a little snowfall. Luckily it doesn't stick to the ground here so you're not trekking around in that wet sludge.

Christmas in Paris is a magical time of the year. There are Christmas markets all over the city selling hand-made, artisanal goods and seeing your favorite monuments decked out in Christmas lights is a real treasure. Some of my favorites are the Place Vendome, L'Hotel de Ville, the Champs Elysees and of course, the department stores windows are not to be missed. Last year, there was an igloo made entirely of ice on the roof of Printemps. The ice rinks that are installed seasonally are a big hit with my son too. In years past, they have even created one on one of the levels of the Eiffel Tower!

Of course, Christmas time also means that every baker and specialty patissier in-town will be unveiling their 2008 editions of the Buche de Noel. This is a classic holiday dessert that terminates the French Christmas dinner. It is typically a rolled cake made with genoise or sponge and buttercream and decorated to look, like the name suggests, a buche or log. There is a funny story about the origin of the Buche on Wikipedia. (I just learned something new!). In recent years, many of the gourmet food shops have associated with famous names to create limited edition, top-of-the line buches such as these made by Pierre Hermé and Swarovski; Lenotre and Philippe Starck (which has a wood flavor); and again Lenotre and Givenchy (covered with a 22-carat gold powder, if you please, and on sale in limited quantities for 115 Euro each!). Bon Appetit!