What a Celebration!

I just have to share our anniversary dinner in Paris with you and then I promise to go back to card making in my post tomorrow!

We found a lovely restaurant across the street from the apartment we are renting in Paris. My husband, David, made a reservation and told them it was our 40th wedding anniversary hoping that it would result in getting a nice table.

We arrived at the restaurant and the three waiters all wished us a Happy Anniversary! We were the first guests to arrive, so we sat at our lovely table by the window and enjoyed glasses of Laurent Pierre champagne. By the time we finished our champagne, the restaurant was completely full.

My first course was a delicious plate of wild mushrooms with potato slices and an incredible reduced mushroom sauce. David had the terrine masion and thought it was excellent.

I need to mention that I normally only eat plant-based foods with no dairy or oil. I knew that eating in Paris would be a challenge with sauces and butter and other delicious goodies. I decided that I would eat out of my normal mode for our anniversary dinner. David and I shared a main entre of mouthwatering pieces of veal with reduced juices and a slight raspberry flavor for two. I was not able to finish the veal, but it was truly delicious and so tender you could cut it with your fork.

Accompanying our main entre was one of the house specialties called Aligot. It’s mashed potatoes, garlic, herbs, butter, and then a large portion of Tome cheese. Think melted fondue in mashed potatoes and it comes close to the texture and richness of the dish.

The waiter brings the Aligot to the table in a pan right off the stove, stirs it, and then stretches it out to show the rich texture of the dish. Then using a wooden spoon, he places a large portion on a plate. I can’t describe how amazing these tastes! We talked about how we were sure we would have cheese bombs in our stomach the next morning.

The other house specialty is Chocolate Mousse! This has always been my favorite French dessert and when we lived in France (many years ago) I use to judge the restaurant based on the quality of the mousse. I shared this with the waiter, and he said “No, problem, I know we will win the Best Award!:

He was correct – it was the best chocolate mousse I’ve ever had! Dark chocolate, silky smooth, light as air, and not too sweet! It was the perfect ending for a great meal.

After we finished our chocolate mousse, the lights in the whole restaurant went out. We thought they had blown a fuse in the kitchen. Suddenly, the three waiters began singing Happy Anniversary and brought two slices of cake with a lit candle to our table. Everyone in the restaurant clapped and said congratulations. What a special surprise!

David presented me with an awesome gift of earrings and a very special card. It was the perfect ending to a magical evening! I was so surprised by the card and gift that I cried with happiness!

The waiter took our picture as we were leaving the restaurant after more than three hours of an unforgettable evening!

Thank you for sharing our special event with us! Tomorrow we’re off for a week in London but I promise to get back to card making.

Happy Stamping!

Susan