Cooking in France

I made my host family cinnamon rolls with orange cream cheese frosting from scratch today. I didn't think they were going to turn out because I had to substitute a lot of ingredients. Instead of cream cheese I used some French cheese that is similar, for butter I used oil, and since they don't have brown sugar here I used cane sugar. AND I switched all the cups and all that into metric. It was a lot of work but I think they turned out pretty well... We will see how they taste!

Village Adventures

A weekend

      As most of you probably know I have switched host families. I live in a small village right outside of Colmar. Yesterday my host parents took me to a few other small villages, they were very very old and so pretty, surrounded by castles and vineyards. They were like what you image France to be, like the France you see in movies. It was so amazing. When we finished we stopped at my host dads twin brothers house. We stayed for tea and a little chat. He owns a pottery store. On the first floor of his house is his work shop. I got to see all the things he makes. He invited me to come and make something if I ever felt like it.
      Today I got up at about 11 and went downstairs to see a strange man sitting at the table drinking coffee. My host mom walked in and introduced us but Im still not really sure who he was. There was fresh orange juice waiting for me on the counter and cereal calling my name. Once I finished eating I made chocolate chip cookies for my host moms birthday. It was somewhat stressful because her and my host sister decided to sit and watch me. I felt like Martha Stewart. As I was finishing up the cookies a bunch of people started coming in the house. Apparently we were having a family gathering. My host dads whole family was there, which really isn't all that many people. His mom, his moms Italian''friend'', his twin brother and wife, his sister and her dog. We ate lasagna that the Italian old man cooked. It was the best lasagna I have ever eaten in my life! It was about 6 inches high and filled with things I never expected to be in lasagna. Like hard boiled egg whites, ham, and eggplant, with of course all the usual things as well. It was perfection. I had 3 huge pieces the size of my head and a salad to go with each. It was so much fun I was laughing the entire time. My host grandma told said she liked me because I was always smiling :) They stayed for about 6 hours. We went for a walk, had cheese and bread, dessert and coffee. But now I can honestly say I understand why the French always drink wine with their food....because it is the only humanly possible way to make it through those long meals alive.