Thursday, April 24, 2008

Le cafe!

Today's wonder is a foamy cup of cafe au lait.
Mmmm. I'll just linger here just a minute, if you don't mind.



I liked coffee before we moved to France, but while we were there? I took it as a lover.
Sorry. Did I say that?
But I do love it so. I love everything about it. The taste of course--the rich dark flavor you can only get in France-- and the foamy steamed milk of a cafe au lait that sticks to my upper lip. But not just that. I love the cups and the saucers and the tiny spoons. The sugar cubes and the sugar sticks.

Not these, so much,


Although I do like the brand name Daddy. Daddy sugar. That's funny. Not sugar daddy. (Maybe I'm just easily amused.)

I loved ones more artfully done. Like these.


Did you know that in France, people frequently collect the sugar wrappers? I found a great site for you, here. Hop over for a sec and take a look at the collections.

Wasn't that amazing?
I collected wrappers for a short while when we lived there (which was a brilliant excuse for more trips to the cafe) until one day Todd asked me if I had gone bonkers with all these papers cluttering up the drawers. Didn't I know that mice also love sugar laced paper?

This awakened a fear I'd had since a child, when my mother told me about when she was a little girl and found a nest of baby mice in a dresser drawer.

I gathered up all my wrappers, put them in our little bitty French trash can, and became fascinated with sugar bowls instead. I love the French sugar domes. Like this plain one here.

And then one day I found it: a sugar dome that made my joy complete. A French company named Pylones made it, along with a whole slew of the most fun utensils I've ever seen. I'd never been so thrilled to examine a dustpan. Seriously. Take a look at their company website, here. I think it's the most beautiful product website I've ever seen. (Play around on it when you have time and you'll see what I mean.)

Cute, huh?
Anyway, I coveted this sugar bowl for weeks, until my beautiful husband, worn down by all my hinting, bought it for my birthday. Here it is.



Isn't she so cute? Since we're American again, she holds Splenda.
Still, I wish I had some of these.

I've got to get some coffee now. Like Johann Sebastian Bach once said, "Bring me a bowl of coffee before I turn into a goat."

21 comments:

Susan Sandmore said...

Thanks for that link to the company website. I am now in love with a kitchen timer.

Sherry said...

Rebecca, I'm glad you found me too!! Your site is a little slice of heaven...I'm linking because I know I'll be back!!!

Naturegirl said...

Becky I'm here with my morning cuppa cappacino and loved seeing this foamy delight! France I will be there in Aug. so I shall remember to collect the wrappers..even though I drink my coffee without.A pleasure to meet you! Thank you for stopping by my Sedona Jeep tour post! sunkissed in AZ and loving it NG

Britt- Sparkled Vintage Charm said...

cool post :-) xo Britt :-)

May Vanderbilt said...

You took coffee as a lover! Hilarious.

Okay, are you to that stage yet where you have to own a burr grinder, as if your life depended on it? And only beans roasted THIS WEEK will do?

Um, let me know. I hit that stage about a year ago and people are starting to stare...

Guess what? I'm going to France for eight days in May! To Bordeaux and Paris!

Anonymous said...

A toast to you Becky! With my coffee cup that is. I'm a lover of coffee and foam too!! No one can do it the way it's done in France, to include the wrapping on sucre.

Thanks for stopping by today. You brightened my day!
Constance

Anonymous said...

ps

Your banner is spectacular. Susan T did an excellent job!

Amy said...

Thanks for your comment at my blog, I've bookmarked you and I'll be back :-)
btw I agree with you about the sugar wrappers - I'd collect them too :-)

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Susan, those timers are incredible. People, you've got to go see what we're talking about. It's a robot timer that when it goes off, it dances to Samba music! And it's cute too!

Sherry/cherie, naturegirl, and brittt-sparkled vintage charm, it's my pleasure to meet you!

May, if I didn't love you I'd hate you! 8 days in Paris and Bordeaux! How dreamy!! What a lucky girl you are. And no, I don't even grind my own beans. But it does make me appreciate good coffee when I get it. I do brew it strong though--it makes me type fast.

Rochambeau, you always brighten my day. And yes, Susan was incredible with the banner. My friend Susie took pictures of some of my junque, I sent them off to her, and look what she came up with! She's so talented.

And Amy. Another sugar wrapper collector! It's great to meet you!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

By the way, does anyone know how to add French accents over letters in blogger? I'm feeling self conscious over my naked e's.

Anonymous said...

I understand the obsession with the French sugar wrappers. I have to admit that I still have a box of French sugar in the back of my pantry....and I moved back 5.5 years ago! I can't even tell you what the theme of the wrappers is anymore because the sugar is hidden behind 30-some-odd boxes of pasta (each about 1/4 full). I'm afraid to go look because all of the pasta boxes are very precariously situated and they will probably fall and take a few cans of tuna with them, which will undoubtedly fall on my foot, thus rendering me unable to go to work tomorrow and perhaps for several days after that, which will take a chunk out of my paycheck so that I won't be able to replace the dishwasher that I just discovered is leaking, therefore causing more damage to my wood floor necessitating a greater repair cost which will inhibit my ability to send my daughter to college next fall.
That's a lot of consequences stemming from an inability to part with a box of French sugar!
Give me a few minutes and I'll come up with a reason why I haven't thrown out the gallon-sized bag of dog-themed wrappers in the desk drawer.

JEWELGIRL said...

This looks soooo Yummy right now
since it is raining outside.
Stop by and say hi, you might like my Jewelgirl Loves Jewelry site,
jewelry + retro stuff every friday!
Jewelgirl

Betty Carlson said...

Glycophilie? Thanks for teaching me something and thanks for your message on my blog -- I hope you'll come up. I'll put your book on my reading list for the summer.

Anonymous said...

Beckster! Have you seen my Pylones pie server? It is a Dr. Seusish dog with a flat triangle head. Lindsey and i spent all of our gift money at the Pylones store near Monmartre. I miss sugar cubes and unwrapping them and watching them sink silently into my cafe. Your blog is a little bit o becky to start the day! Hugs, Susie

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Anonymous, you are too funny. I have the same 1/4 full boxes of pasta at my house. Good luck with the dishwasher!

Nice to meet you jewelgirl. And Betty C., I love your blog! I found it not long ago and now visit any time I need a French fix.

Susie, my friend, I do remember your pie server. Love that thing. Did you know that Swoozies now carries a bunch of Pylones stuff? It's expensive, but I love to go look!

Susan Sandmore said...

é Is that what you mean? On my keyboard, you press option and e at the same time, then let go. The hit e.

é

I'm on a Mac, so "Option" may be "alt" to others?

Rebecca Ramsey said...

It doesn't work on mine. But thanks though. Usually, when I'm just typing, I hold down control and apostrophe at the same time and then type e and it works. But not here.

Rebecca Ramsey said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Melissa @ The Inspired Room said...

I was in Paris a year ago and couldn't get enough cappuccino. Both there and Venice had the BEST coffee. It just isn't the same here in the USA. And I don't think it was just the ambience, it actually tasted DIVINE!

Unknown said...

Hello Rebecca,
My first name is Anne-Marie, I am a french sugar packet collector. Sugarmania is my website.
You put the link of my website on your blog I am very glad for that and too for your interest about my collection.
I'll like to give you more information about my hobby but unfortunatly my english is not fluent. I saw on your blog that you wrote a book "la France par coeur"
Do you speak french ?
Best regardsl

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Bonjour Anne-Marie,
I'm so happy to meet you! I was thrilled to find your site. Your collection is so interesting.

And your English is very good! I can read French fairly well but my written French is not good. I do like to speak it, but I don't get the opportunity very often here.

Feel free to email me if you like. My address is rebecca.ramsey1@gmail.com

Enchante!
(I need a French keyboard for the accent :))