Twinkle, twinkle...

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 We hope you've all had a very happy Christmas. We did!

Sorry we've been a bit quiet for the last few weeks, there has been lots going on here in the lead up to Christmas. Thank you to all our customers over the last year, we hope you are enjoying your little piece of France.

On a recent road trip we stopped at a road-side café for lunch & the bar area was mostly taken up with this elaborate display of a winter wonderland...

Remember back in the summer, we took you on a tour of Sarlat, (see post). We thought we would go back there to visit the Christmas market & see the lights. As luck would have it, the market wasn't open the day we went but we have managed to capture some of the lights.

There was a Chinese theme this year (we're not sure why!), many of the decorations

& shops displays reflected this.

This is a temple shrine at the beginning of the Christmas market, very colourful but not very Christmassy...

...& the post box for letters to Père Noël was quite frightening!

This is one of the oldest houses in Sarlat with a lovely arched passage-way. 

This was decorated with a wonderful garland...

The church looked especially magical lit up... 

...& this little restaurant looked inviting but unfortunately was closed... 

Sarlat looked so beautiful just bathed in street lights and decorations...

...& lastly, as usual, we couldn't resist the wonderful display in the chocolate shop!

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We had some wonderful news to share with you...Kelly is expecting a baby in April! Unfortunately, she has had terrible morning sickness combined with a nasty stomach bug so had been feeling pretty rotten up to now.

Hopefully, she is over all that & can start to enjoy her pregnancy.

Kelly & I would like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy & prosperous New Year.

It's just around the corner...

Can you believe it's December this weekend?

Christmas is just round the corner but there is still time to order from Petit Pica.

There are lots of great items in the shop...

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Pretty collars and cuffs to dress up an outfit, perfect for all those Christmas parties...

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Lace and trims for decorating the house and making gifts...

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Pretty tablecloths and mats for the Christmas table...

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Lovely vintage china for bonbons and treats...

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Some great gift ideas for those who love vintage French...

All items can be found in the Petit Pica shop...

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Happy Thanksgiving to all our American amis...

Another cup...?

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It's a bright but chilly day today & I'm glad I have a hot cup of coffee to warm me up.

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The many French start the morning warming their hands around a café au lait bowl.

Children often have hot chocolate in theirs,
just like the famous Delespaul-Havez chocolate publicity.
I just love the expressions on the children's faces...

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We have some lovely café au lait bowls in the shop...

We're love these, they look so pretty sitting next to each other on the shelf...

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So you're out & about, you stop at a café, what should you order?

un café
a small espresso
♥
un grand café
a double espresso
♥
un café crème
a white coffee made with frothy hot milk
sometimes called un café au lait but crème seems to be more commonly used
♥
un grand crème
a large white coffee
♥
un allongé
an espresso with the same amount of water
♥
une noisette
an espresso with a dash of cream
♥

Remember these so next time you visit a café here in France,
you can order your coffee like a true monsieur or mademoiselle!

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We also have a perfect set of coffee cups in the shop for your for café, café crème or noisette.
These are rather special as they are decorated with the logo of the Wagon-Lits company.

Wagon-Lits is a French travel company,
famous for running great train routes like Le Train Bleu or Le Nord Express..

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...but the most famous was, of course, Orient Express...

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...such luxury...

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..sip your café crème from these cups
& imagine being transported back to the golden age of luxury travel...

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A misty view this morning from the Petit Pica atelier...

Café du matin...

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I don't know about you but I can't function without a cup of coffee first thing in the morning.
Strong & black with a wonderful aroma; it sets me up for the day.

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The French love their coffee.
In the cafés, it's made by an espresso machine.

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Many cafés have a zinc-lined drawer under the counter into which the old coffee grounds are tipped before a fresh cup is made. I love the gentle thud sound made when the used grounds are knocked out, together with the chinking of cups and the lovely aroma of the coffee, this sums up French cafés for me.

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At home, they may use a machine, stove-top pot, cafétiere (French coffee press) or even instant,

(my French friends would be horrified I'd mentioned the last one as it is classed as the lowest of the low!).

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Moka pots, as stove-top espresso makers are often called, are such an iconic design.

Not only do they look good but make a decent cup of coffee too.

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First made by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 to provide both an affordable espresso maker & a beautiful object to make it in. The inventor came up with the idea while watching his wife boiling up water to wash the laundry.

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The design is simple, the bottom chamber holds water which is brought to the boil, steam is then forced through the coffee grounds in the middle chamber & the coffee is brewed in the top.

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 We have our own little beauty in the Petit PIca shop. An unusual design with a 70's style orange & white flower print. It would look great in any kitchen.

 

Our café du matin at the market this morning...

...un grand café and une café crème...

...with a wickedly delicious croissant aux amandes...

...sitting in the Autumn sun...

...bliss...