Nov = Calendrier de l'Advent

The French are early birds when it comes to planning for Christmas.

Or maybe all of Europe starts polishing their wooden shoes for St. Nick as soon as they get back from the summer holidays?

I know, I know. Advent calendars begin on December 1 not in November.

But October and November is the time to plan and stock up to fill all those 24 windows in France.

While we're still thinking about what kind of cranberry sauce to make...

The French are plotting out their bonbons for the advent calendars.

When I waltzed into Le Bonbon au Palais in October, thinking only of caramels au beurre sale, two school teachers were stocking up on little packets of candy to hide in the calendar windows. I asked Georges if he carries the calendars and he said, Oh no, no. I just have the candies.

At La Mere de Famille you can buy an adorable cardboard house

Very charming indeed - it's a copy of the old shop.

And it comes already filled with their candies.

But most Advent calendars are DIY. You pick the bonbons to go in the windows.

There are tons of them, if you're in need, at W.H.Smith Bookstore at 248, rue de Rivoli along with English poppers and paper hats.

I didn't know Richard Sellmar Verlag in Germany makes over a million different designs every year. Wow

I would imagine for those of us with self-control issues, an advent calendar would come in handy. Eating just one candy a day for 24 days would be a trial by fire of sorts, but the habit would be set and you could survive the holidays without gaining an ounce. Ha Ha

Baccarat would like you to put their mini crystal tree decorations in your calendar windows perhaps...

Last night window gazing at the Madeleine, I spotted Kaspia caviar still dithering over what to put in their Christmas windows...

I bravely went into fancy-pants Fauchon and asked (in English to be safe) if they carry any advent calendars. The saleswoman raised her eyebrows. I could see she was thinking poor thing. doesn't she know any better? So no, don't go looking for advent calendars filled or unfilled in Fauchon.

In Germany many town halls deck themselves out as life size advent calendars!

Just by chance department store BHV looks like a life size calendar with Christmas trees in their cupola doesn't it?

Do you keep an advent calendar? Is it for yourself or for the little ones? Or are you too busy with cranberry thoughts to think about such things?

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Paris Xmas Windows

The gorgeous girl in pink in all of Galeries Lafayette Metro posters is no where to be seen in the actual windows. What happen??

Still I loved this giant cat with clocks for eyes...

Clocks are the theme

In all the windows.

Is it about the tick, tock before Santa arrives?

I have NO idea but the kiddies were lapping it up as always and that's who it's for.

There is always a splendid feast scene in GL's vitrines...

Tick, tock...

Natch the chef is loaded with lobsters for the grand fete.

Other GL windows have giant hour glasses and moving floating bunnies.

You tell me what it means but at least it's very pretty, dreamy...

Printemps has joined forces with fashion house Prada

Dancing bears doing a Rockette number

And snow bears on a glacier jumping about.

But most of their windows are full of Prada fashions...

A slightly different feast scene...ahem

I have no idea at all what this is about...

Wolves in sheep's clothing at Printemps. Look at the shadows - a giveaway.

I'll take these clock-shaped lemon meringues inside Printemps from Hugo and Victor thank you very much.

I'll be missing Bergdorfs windows this Xmas...

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Marches des Producteurs

Back to French farmers marches in the streets. This time Marches des Producteurs on Bd de Reuilly12th arron.

Saucisse sautéed on the spot - the aromas put you in the right frame of mind.

Crowds form when there's cooking going on...

Onion beignets frying up.

But I saved my euros...

For this gorgeous bottle of vinagre a la framboise from la Comtesse de Chateau Merle. The look was so enticing, jam-packed with berries.

I bought a bunch of Laurel/Bay leaves too. I better get a French cookbook soon...

I did make apple compote and tossed in a vanilla pod today. Perfection.

Vin chaud. Tis is the season. It will be everywhere but I'll end up on the floor out cold if I down half a cup.

The Raspberry lady from Pari Fermier was here too. These farmers make the rounds on the weekends and produce like crazy during the week on their farms.They come up with endless variations on a theme whether the product is honey, walnuts or raspberries.

Sheep yogurt in a wide variety of flavors including chestnut. I meant to go back...

A sheep from the Alps-Pyrenees at Salon Saveurs, another food fair.

Salon Saveurs was at Porte de Versailles this weekend.  There are farmers but more distributers, so more polished and much less hay. Still very fun.

I almost got vanilla pods from Tahiti (2 gousses for 10 euros). They were so much more delicate and fragrant than the Bourbon beans. I do regret not diving in.

Duck/canard at both food fairs in every form under the sun including almost life size chocolate.

At both marches the tastes are endless. No wonder the French are discerning from an early age.

Shopping is much more fun than the high-end department stores at the marches too. And the interchange is informing and friendly.

You won't find these big home-made nut tartes at l'Epicerie or at these prices.

I got my snails last night.

They were delicious. A PBer from Australia said, there's an awful lot of food at Parisbreakfast these days. Heading into the holidays, which begin much earlier in France, it will be difficult to avoid. I'll try for balance but preparation for holidays/fetes commences here with passion.

The next Marches des Producteurs will be on Square des Batignolles in the 17th arrondissement December 7 - 8. Don't miss it if you want to sample fresh foods straight from the farm in the city.

The Christmas windows on PB tomorrow. 

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