Monday 26 November 2007

Moules & Frites

We had what I would consider to be a "French" kind of day yesterday. Not surprising being that we are in France you might think. What I mean is that we did the kinds of things that other people seem to do in France and write about on their blogs. Foody winey kinds of things.

In the morning we went to a fete at Chaptelas where there were stallholders selling oysters, sausages,wine, cheeses, liquors and such. We tasted wine, honey and cheese (well I didn't taste the cheese as I hate it but was assured that it was outstanding by TS and our friend Miranda) and bought some. Then had Moules & Frites for lunch along with a bottle of the wine we had tasted and bought in what looked like the village hall. This is the kind of foody winey experience I enjoy. Sitting at a trestle table on a plastic chair rather than in a posh restaurant, with your neighbours wishing you bon apetite and tucking into their food and throwing their moules shells into an old margerine carton in the middle of the table.

Then in the afternoon we went over to another friend's for champagne and cakes to celebrate her birthday. The company was a mixture of French and English as was the conversation. Mine mostly English with the odd French phrase thrown in, some peoples mostly French with the odd English phrase and a few clever people fluent in both bridging the gaps.

Only the one glass of champagne, unfortunately I was driving, but lots of cake to make up for it.

9 comments:

Imperatrix said...

Moules & frites!

Sigh.....

Stew said...

mmm Moules Frites.
I love the communal meals they have here. There are now a few that we try and get to every year because they are such good fun. There is an moules frites evening in the next village which is always very raucous. The long tressle tables have singing competitions and then there is vigorous dancing to accordeon after.
There is a summer mechoui under the trees at another village which is damn fine, and a nearby town has an enormous autumn brocante and moules festival.
It is such fun eating amongst friends and strangers, getting to meet new people.

Bi-lingual & alcohol. These 2 go hand in hand. Enough wine and you find you are fluent in Swahili!

softinthehead said...

It sounds so wonderfully relaxed, I am so looking forward to the days when we can join these occasions - in our village of course, not yours, wouldn't be so presumptuous(?) !

Moonroot said...

Mmmmm! Moules & frites! Champagne & cake!!! Yum!

Kitt said...

Ooh yummy.

But wait, you hate cheese? All cheese? Really?

Breezy said...

Imperatrix but you had pie!

Stew I just KNEW more champagne was the key

SITH it wasn't our village even if it was you could come!

Moonroot a foody day and more importantly I didn't have to cook anything

Kitt I know I shouldn't really be allowed in the country. I'd like to like it. It always looks so interesting laid out on the stalls

aims said...

Hi Breezy - if your going to do some knitting - along with Debra down the way - I found a bear pattern that's really cute -

www.kertzer.com

Look for Sammy the Bear -

Breezy said...

Thank you Aims he looks really sweet (and not too difficult)

Rowan said...

Sounds like a really good day but 'je naime pas les moules'! OK with the frites and champagne and cake though:) Glad to hear that your Tech Support is safely back and bearing useful if not glamorous gifts. Sometimes glamour has to take second place to comfort though.