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I was going to do a gif thread for Babette’s Feast on Christmas Day, but I was busier than I expected. So the day after it is. This film is a very personal love for me, because I adore food. But it’s more than that. It shows how good food can bring people together.
The film stars Stéphane Audran as Babette, and I’m going to focus solely on her and her preparation of the feast. Here she is walking with the large order of ingredients for the seven course meal. Notice her slight grin. She knows what she’s about.
Unpacking of the various wines. Of course she has wine pairings. This woman doesn’t mess around. Why, it’s a Clos de Vougeot 1845 from Chez Philippe on rue Montorgeuil! In short, its a very nice Pinot Noir. 
I’m adding this because it’s hilarious to me. She works as a housekeeper for two very religious sisters, and after seeing her exotic ingredients, they are absolutely terrified of this feast. This is a scene from one of their nightmares.
The day of the feast and the setting of this enormous table. Seats 12!
Here she’s preparing puff pastry shells for her Cailles en Sarcophage. This is basically quail in a puff pastry shell with foie gras & truffle sauce. There’s also a recipe on NYtimes, for the curious. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5670-babettes-cailles-en-sarcophage
Slicing the truffles here to include with the Cailles en Sarcophage. Notice how nice her puff pastry turned out. I’m not hungry.
Here she’s preparing the sauce with figs and a smidge of truffle and probably foie gras. More is more here. I can’t possibly do this, I would burn my hand. Probably. Very, very likely.
Pouring the broth for Potage à la Tortue (Turtle Soup). This is the starter course.
This kid spends most of his time serving and pouring the drinks. Gotta make sure the hair looks good.
Guests have entered the dining room and the Potage à la Tortue is already on the table. Look how nice the table setting is. This type of thing takes planning and work.
I’ll continue my thread tomorrow night. I hope if you haven’t, you’ll give Babette’s Feast a watch. 
Back to Babette. Here she’s making Blinis Demidoff. She’s scooping spoonfuls of caviar with sour cream on top of buckwheat pancakes. Another recipe (and a short enjoyable story) for those interested: http://thelittlelibrarycafe.com/blog/2016/11/16/blini-demidoff-babettes-feast
The General realizing that he’s drinking Veuve Cliquot champagne. The only other time he’s had it was in a Paris café & the chef was a woman. Interesting!
*Correction: Veuve Clicquot.
Now look how her Cailles en Sarcophage has turned out. Pouring the sauce before serving. What a presentation.
Now look how her Cailles en Sarcophage has turned out. Pouring the sauce before serving. What a presentation.
I think the sisters have finally come around. Their nightmares remain just that. Enjoy the food, ladies.
Babette is now preparing a refreshing endive salad. Honestly, that alone looks great to me. This takes place before my favourite part of the feast. And with that, I’ll try to continue my thread tomorrow night. 
