Cheese and Eggs

As Easter approaches, I have been happily babbling on about Cadbury Creme Eggs and their rightful place of honor in the world. As a result, I have also been exploring the decadent universe of all things Cadbury Creme egg related, from the McDonald's Mcflurry to wildly extravagant baked goods. A good friend of mine from home emailed me a recipe for a cocktail using the Cadbury caramel eggs, so in true Angela form, I went one step further and found recipes for a CCE Mojito and and CCE Martini. I then sought out my American friends from class and suggested that we make a night of this overindulgent but purportedly delicious monstrosity. 

Long story short, last night we organized a small gathering at my American friends' spacious apartment near Saint-Michel, overlooking La Seine... a perfect atmosphere for true American excess. In contrast, however, we began the evening amidst real Parisian inspiration. After a lovely round of aperitifs as the springtime breeze flowed in from the open windows, we sat down to my very first traditional French Raclette... And might I just say, swoooooooooon... As it happens, Raclette is actually a Swiss dish, which involves melting cheese on an open flame. Similar to sitting around a fondue pot, it's an interactive meal where you get to melt your own cheese, grill your own accoutrements, then pour all of this yumminess over small potatoes. Typical trappings include onions, gherkins, and various charcuterie. We also used a variety of cheeses such as traditional raclette, chevre, and raclette with mustard seeds. In essence, edible divinity. 

After enjoying such satisfying hedonism, I'm not sure that it was entirely necessary to sally forth with such rich desserts. But since when has temperance or moderation ever stopped anyone? We continued on to concoct our crowning achievement for the evening. We began by preparing our CCE martinis, as they needed time to chill in the refrigerator. This involved heating milk on the stove, and melting whole creme eggs, one required for each allotted portion. After this was done, we moved on to the mojitos, more of a frothy blended cocktail, fully equipped with mint and lime. These cocktails required TWO eggs per serving size. My friends had only Martinique rum on hand, which I discovered tastes quite different than what I am normally accustomed to, meaning that these mojitos had quite a kick to them. Though I had anticipated the martinis being more successful simply because the eggs were melted in more smoothly, at the end of the day, both drinks were so intensely sweet I can't say that I would go a' craving them much more in future. Though in no way shape or form do I regret the activity or the attempt. I, of course, went and bought WAY too many creme eggs, and now have quite a supply to last me the next several weeks. 

All in all, the evening was a roaring success, a blend of cultures, and a wonderful preparation for the Easter holidays. I have attached the links to the CCE recipes below for general amusement. And now that I have confirmed my plans to spend Easter in Scotland after a couple of days romping around London, I feel rather certain my Cadbury cravings will soon be sated!

http://food.uk.msn.com/drink/cadburys-creme-egg-mojito-cocktail-recipe?page=2

http://www.barbellsandbellinis.com/2013/03/cadbury-creme-egg-martini.html