Secret Santa Gift Exchange and Raclette Dinner

Ah, yes, last night was the exciting culmination to our roommate Secret Santa exchange … and exciting it was! For the most part, we actually did a good job keeping the secrets. The random gifts ranged from a bath towel to a hand-painted Russian hair clip … never a dull moment! We had traditional French raclette for dinner… melted raclette cheese over potatoes, smoked ham, pancetta, saucisson, and bread. The raclette machine is a square, dual-level, electric grill; each person has a little “shovel” (for lack of a better word, but that’s basically what they are) on which that they put a slice of cheese and then place it on the bottom level to melt. On the top level of the grill you can put potatoes, veggies, etc. Then when your cheese has melted, you scoop it off of the little shovel and eat it with the meat & potatoes. It’s a really fun way to eat and was perfect for our Christmas dinner! We also had a traditional Breton apéritif drink – a liquor made from honey. We are all definitely going to miss each other over the holiday break, but I know that everyone is also looking forward to a change of pace.