Les treize dessert de Noel

You can pick anything for this celebration.
I carved an apple into a bird!

This Fall I found the Quince, and while searching more about it I stumbled on a celebration from the South of France, the Languedoc-Rousillon region, kind of the Provence area. Well, one thing you may not know is my admiration for all things French. I dream of a world of taking time, of valuing relationships and time, of spending beaucoup money to take time, hours of it really, sitting in a cafe, talking, writing, just being there, knowing your waiter will not interrupt a minute of your time unless you summon him/her. The idea of spending more time talking to your companion at a meal, than you spend answering questions like: "are you done, can I take your plate, do you want dessert, would you like a refill, do you want the check." It is exhausting going out to eat, I would like to spend more time talking to my family than the wait person. So, that means I must return to France. Until I make it back I decided to search for little bits of culture incorporated into my every day life. This is one.

My version includes dried figs and dates, nuts like whole walnuts and almonds, and every rare fruit I can find. I found: persimmons, perscimmons, pomegranates, asian pear, palmello, kiwi, sweet cuties, star fruit, quince (made into membrillo or jam) and the more common honeydew melon.

To serve I make a salad with the fruit, make a French Fogasse shaped like a tree (focaccia in Italian),

This is Quince!

This is the color when
you make it into jam!!!

which I break with my hands (symbolizing breaking bread at the last supper) to serve with quince jam and cheese and a morning orange lime beignet dusted with powdered sugar. 

OVERNIGHT REFRIGERATOR CARAMEL ROLLS

OVERNIGHT CARAMEL PECAN ROLLS

(modified for Bread Machine from AllRecipes.com)

Makes: one dozen rolls
The original recipe calls for 7 cups of flour!!!! Too much even if you are gluten tolerant. By the way this is better than my grandmother's recipe. Kind of reminds me of a story. I used to have a Sunday morning business in my home town, where I would sell these to my neighbors. They loved these rolls and every other baked good I made. The problem was I took all night to bake these for them and oops, I got my ingredients for little or no cost and sold them at cost. Needless to say, this was not a lucrative business, but I did have great friendships with all the neighbors. Enjoy!!!!!

Combine liquid ingredients and place in bread maker:

1 cup milk, scalded (heat to bubble but not burnt and before thin skin develops) and then cooled,

mix with

¼ cup warm water

1/6 cup vegetable oil

1 egg already mixed (be sure above ingredients are cool before adding egg)

Blend dry ingredients, and carefully place on top of liquid ingredients:

1/6 cup white sugar

½ Tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Make a well in the dry ingredients and place in center:

.25 ounce package active dry yeast

START BREAD MACHINE FOR DOUGH (takes about 1 ½ hours), when dough is ready, punch down and roll out in a large rectangle (tip: sprinkle a little flour on the counter so the dough doesn't stick), roll up the edge a little so the contents don't spill out on your countertop. Spread: ¼ cup melted butter evenly over rectangle

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecan halves

1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

Cover bottom of pan with:

another 1/8 cup butter, softened

¼ cup brown sugar crumbled evenly and

pecans if you want

DIRECTIONS: roll the long side up, cut 1 to 1 ½ inch discs to make one dozen rolls. Ideally space about one inch apart, I used one pan, but to keep them an inch apart, may need two pans. Cover with Saran Wrap and place pans in refrigerator. The next morning take out of refrigerator and preheat over to 350 degrees, about then the rolls will be doubled in size.

Bake uncovered until golden 30 to 35 minutes. Immediately invert pan on heatproof serving plate. Wait for 1 or 2 minutes before removing pan, so that caramel drizzles over the rolls.