French Rituals-Long French Meals
I have been spending my Easter vacation in Paris, which means I've been partaking in many extremely long holiday meals that stretch on for hours. Long meals are definitely not an Anglo-Saxon tradition, but this foodie thinks it's one worth adopting.
First, the meal begins with an aperitif, which the dictionary falsely describes as a drink before a meal. It's more than a drink, however, because it's also served with little nibbles like olives, sausages, and the like. This is the part of the meal that's eaten in the sitting area and it serves as a conversation starter.
Next, guests proceed to the dining table where the appetizer is served. The appetizer is also accompanied by a bottle of wine specially picked to match the dish and conversation continues to warm up. After the appetizer, comes the main course. Not surprisingly, the main course has its own bottle of wine picked to go with it. By the main course, people have drunk enough wine that conversation has become more jovial and you begin warming up to the people you just met. I generally drink too slowly to partake in all the wine courses, but given my low alcohol tolerance, I'm usually one of the more jovial ones even if I've drunk the least!
Third comes the cheese course, which is not accompanied with a wine, but rather some excellent baguette. Counterintuitively, the cheese course is meant to help you digest. Last comes dessert. This course also has its own wine, a dessert wine. After the dessert course, there is the digestif, which is a choice(s) of liqueur. By the end of the meal, everyone is thoroughly buzzed and jokes are effortlessly making the rounds, in an intricate social ritual that oddly resembles sport.
You might wonder how on earth French people are not massively fat after all these courses. Two things come to mind. One, the portions are small per course. Two, when the meal stretches on for that long, it leaves you plenty of time to figure out when you're full. You might also wonder how on earth the French are not all raving alcoholics. That one I think is purely a cultural matter.
Of course, the most important complement to the French meal is political conversation. Everyone, yes, everyone in France has a political opinion to express. Not having an opinion myself on French politics, I felt as if I was in a theater. I was especially amused on Easter Sunday, which featured one branch of my family massively praising Sarkozy at lunch and another branch ridiculing him to the utmost at dinner. Oh do I enjoy these long French meals!
First, the meal begins with an aperitif, which the dictionary falsely describes as a drink before a meal. It's more than a drink, however, because it's also served with little nibbles like olives, sausages, and the like. This is the part of the meal that's eaten in the sitting area and it serves as a conversation starter.
Next, guests proceed to the dining table where the appetizer is served. The appetizer is also accompanied by a bottle of wine specially picked to match the dish and conversation continues to warm up. After the appetizer, comes the main course. Not surprisingly, the main course has its own bottle of wine picked to go with it. By the main course, people have drunk enough wine that conversation has become more jovial and you begin warming up to the people you just met. I generally drink too slowly to partake in all the wine courses, but given my low alcohol tolerance, I'm usually one of the more jovial ones even if I've drunk the least!
Third comes the cheese course, which is not accompanied with a wine, but rather some excellent baguette. Counterintuitively, the cheese course is meant to help you digest. Last comes dessert. This course also has its own wine, a dessert wine. After the dessert course, there is the digestif, which is a choice(s) of liqueur. By the end of the meal, everyone is thoroughly buzzed and jokes are effortlessly making the rounds, in an intricate social ritual that oddly resembles sport.
You might wonder how on earth French people are not massively fat after all these courses. Two things come to mind. One, the portions are small per course. Two, when the meal stretches on for that long, it leaves you plenty of time to figure out when you're full. You might also wonder how on earth the French are not all raving alcoholics. That one I think is purely a cultural matter.
Of course, the most important complement to the French meal is political conversation. Everyone, yes, everyone in France has a political opinion to express. Not having an opinion myself on French politics, I felt as if I was in a theater. I was especially amused on Easter Sunday, which featured one branch of my family massively praising Sarkozy at lunch and another branch ridiculing him to the utmost at dinner. Oh do I enjoy these long French meals!
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