More gifts!

High school-age son's girlfriend went to Peru with her aunt to volunteer with Doctors Without Borders.  She spent two weeks there, helping with little children.  To meet children who have never used scissors or glue is an eye-opening experience. 
She returned bearing gifts- again!  There yummy chocolates flavored with coffee liqueur.
Beautiful and really, really good.

A bar of milk chocolate with Macchu Picchu on the cover (the Ex-Ex really likes this one!).

And whole bean coffee.

I love the package!
She spoils us.
The BFF was not supposed to give me a birthday gift since she took me to see Trace Adkins and Toby Keith in concert.  But she did.  She found a perfect gift-- a new cookbook with so many amazing recipes and photographs.

It is written by Stéphane Reynaud.  It contains "299 Traditional Recipes for Family Meals & Gatherings."  I was leafing through it after she gave it to me, when lo and behold, I came across a photo of Chef Érick's cousin, Néné and his wife, Hélène.

They own a restaurant in the Camargue, not far from Arles.  Érick took me there for dinner one night.  I blogged about it, back in August 2008, while still on sabbatical.  Just going back and reading the entry and looking at the photo of pink flamingos I took from the restaurant brings back so many lovely memories.

A coincidence?  The BFF had no idea who Néné is or that his photo is in the book.  But I don't really believe in coincidences.  I think it was meant as a reminder that I really was there... almost exactly two years ago. She gave me the book on August 2, 2010 and this photo was taken on August 1, 2008.
Now I have to be brave and prepare one of the recipes.  Maybe la soupe au pistou... vegetable soup made with summer vegetables served with pesto.

Bon appétit, mes amies!  Vous êtes vraiment généreuses. You are so generous.