Attendees began their evening at the FICS’ champagne table, where the selection included Moët & Chandon’s Rosé Impérial, and Grand Vintage 2000; along with Veuve Clicquot Brut. Champagne tastings are a highlight at many of the Marché de Noël in France – all of which trace their origins to the oldest and most famous Christmas Market, which is in Strasbourg.

Among the event’s top-rated champagnes was Ruinart Blanc de Blanc, which was served by 1 West Dupont Circle Wine & Liquors. Saurabh Kansal (at left) explains how the champagne is made with 100 percent premier cru Chardonnay grapes, and has a floral “nose,” low acidic tones, and a good dry finish. Also provided for tasting by the retailer was Dom Perignon champagne.

It was a family affair for La Chaumière restaurant, as Chef Patrick Orange and his wife, Luz-Marina, offered a full selection of dishes, including his traditional quenelle de brochet – a pike dumpling prepared in an egg batter and poached in water, and served with a lobster sauce. He also served aspic made with veal, Portobello mushrooms and diced fois gras; along with Vermont goat cheese puffs, and a soup prepared with locally-grown pumpkins, cinnamon and maple leaf syrup.

Arnaud Perreau, Executive Chef at the Pesce seafood bistro, presents his turnip puree, which was topped with crab meat, a radish viennoise and a balsamic reduction with lemon to add a bit of spice. Perreau’s other offering for the evening was a bruschetta with garlic bread, a layer of guacamole, frisee salad, and topped with sweet shrimp.

A mousse suprême and pâté provençal from Fabrique Délices were served by Hugh Cossard, the owner of Food Expression, who presented them on baguette bread slices accompanied by mesclun salad with balsamic vinegar.  The mousse suprême was a combination of goose and duck liver, enhanced by Sauternes and topped with aspic and oranges.  The pork-based pâté provençal was flavored green olives, red bell pepper, garlic, red wine and herbs de provence. 

Chef Fred Darricarrère offers his red beet and goat cheese starter to two young attendees at the Christmas market (one of whom is eating a tuile cookie from L’Auberge Chez François’ Jacques Haeringer, visible at his book signing table in the background).  Darricarrère – who puts the emphasis on natural ingredients from local providers in his creations at the Petits Plats restaurant – also served a beef bourguignon and cheese tortellini, along with a crème brûlée dessert.

The solidarity among Washington, D.C.’s chefs is shown here as Bistro Lepic’s Simon Ndjiki-nya (at left, in the orange chef’s coat) is helped in setting up during the Marché de Noël event.  Bistro Lepic’s contribution to the evening’s food selection included three types of canapés on bread slices (roasted pepper with goat cheese, salmon tartar and pâté de campagne), along with main dishes of calamari provençal, Basque-style chicken, rice pilaf and potato purée.

Volvic water was available to cleanse the palate during the Marché de Noël. Amaury Schoon of AMI Brands displays a bottle promoting the “Drink 1, give 10” campaign, in which donations from Volvic enable UNICEF to provide 10 liters of clean drinking water for each liter of Volvic purchased. The donations are used to construct new wells or rehabilitate existing water sources.

Patisserie Poupon’s line-up of desserts and sweets once again proved to be an FICS event favorite, drawing a steady crowd throughout the evening. Keeping to its tradition of offering high-quality traditional French products, Joseph Poupon and his wife Ruth served up such delights as a chocolate and raspberry Christmas log (bûche de Noël), galette des rois, macaroons, and chocolate in the form of tablets and Christmas tree shapes, which were topped with dry fruit and crystallized lemon.