Dinner Time!

After reading my friend Bobbie's blog (which is excellent, you can check it out at: http://bobbie419.wordpress.com ; for those of you who don't know, Bobbie and I have been friends and running buddies since freshman year and last year she lived in my suite), I think I need to up the ante in terms of cultural analysis...so here goes:

I have noticed that French dining is very orderly. Not only are there glasses and utensils for everything (not entirely unusual), but there is a definite way of doing things. For example: when eating the cheeses during the cheese course, you start with the most mild and work your way up to the most flavorful. This is, of course, so your palate isn't shocked by the super strong cheese. But when Noelle handed me the plate of cheeses on the first night, I took a bit of each and then started with the one that looked most appetizing. Now I know to ask, if I can't identify the cheeses myself. Another example: the wine which the host/hostess picks out for the table is served to everyone before the plat principal and everyone waits until each person's plat arrives before sampling it. This is the order in terms of how courses and wine are served:

• Aperitif (with or without olives and small crackers or some such)
• Entree is served (what we would call the appetizer), bread is brought to the table
  
• Wine is served, after host or hostess tastes it
• Plat principal is served (what we would call the entree)
  
• Cheese/salad course is served (I've only had this at home, usually at restaurants we order a 3-course menu, not a la carte)
• Dessert is served
• Coffee is served

So tonight for dinner we had a delicious ham and onion quiche. I could smell it cooking as I walked through the front gate this evening. That, along with some spinach-like greens (which I'm sure Holly could identify on sight) tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper. The pastry crust on the quiche was excellent! Then we had the same two cheeses I tried last night: a very soft chèvre and another whose name I haven't quite caught. Except tonight I ate them in the right order (chèvre first). And I didn't cut from the wrong end of the chèvre (it's a log similar to a loaf of bread and I did the equivalent of cutting the crust off the uneaten end - oops). We had some grapes too. So far in France I've only had grapes with seeds, which I actually prefer. Having the seeds inside reminds me that these are real. Last night the dessert was fruit, which is fine by me. But tonight I was pleasantly surprised when Noelle produced a plum tart piping hot from the oven. Quite tasty.

Tonight it was just Orane, Noelle, Joseph and I at dinner. Gaspard started classes last week in Paris, but he seems to randomly appear at home here in Dijon. I meant to ask Noelle tonight at dinner, but I forgot. I have to work hard to understand the conversation at the dinner table, because everyone talks quickly and Joseph speaks softly and mumbles a little. They speak slowly when addressing me, but I try to follow the other conversations too. Tonight there was a little spat because Noelle bought tickets for a theatre performance in Paris and Joseph and Orane are unenthusiastic about attending. Of course, Joseph asked me if my parents took me to the theatre when I was younger. I told him yes, we went to the Nutcracker every year. Actually, it's the Casse-noisettes and I had to describe it before Noelle guessed what I was talking about. But I told him I like to go to concerts and plays now, which was not quite the answer he was looking for. I told him how my dad avoids theater performances when he can and Joseph asked if he was coming to visit. Between their mutual love of nice cars and new technological gizmos, I think they would get along great. Of course, Joseph speaks about 10 words in English. He was telling me today that he really wants to learn. He speaks Russian as well as French, but no English. I am actually surprised by how little English my family speaks. It's not really a problem, since I can usually describe something in French, if I don't know the exact word. Neither Joseph nor Noelle speak it, which doesn't surprise me as much as the fact that Orane (who is 14) and Gaspard (who is 18-ish, I'm not sure) don't really either. Orane said she's learning it in school, but she doesn't seem very confident. And last night at dinner Noelle asked if I would help Gaspard with his conversational English. He looked like he'd rather paint his toe-nails Barbie pink. I told her I would love to help, but I doubt Gaspard will follow up.

Well, time to do some reading. I have lots of class tomorrow. Today we met the professor for our "France Contemporaine" class. I am a little intimidated by all of the work I am going to have once we get back from our trip to the Loire Valley/Paris. The "France Contemporaine" class is in addition to a class on French art, and then classes in oral and written French at the university. Having all of my classes in French makes a 15-hour course load a lot more difficult. I guess it seems more intimidating because we're still taking the class with Dr. Barbour too. I'm sure it will be fine. Off to read about baroque architecture.