Lunch in the Countryside

That’s right. I am officially a bourgousie. Today I had lunch in a tiny village in the Loire countryside. An English Teacher, who has been extremely helpful, invited me for Saturday lunch. Since I had nothing else to do, and since French lunches are so much part of the culture, I accepted. She picked me up from my appt. in the school and drove the 7 km or so.

Then she pressed the button to open the gate and we stepped onto the property, which included a church. A church. On her lawn. The house isn’t a castle or anything, its just a normal size large house, but it used to be the ‘vicar’s’ property, ergo church.
We sat down for an apertif beside the roaring fire (I feel as though I am writing a 19th century romance novel) and she poured me white wine and blackberry liquer.

It was noon. I had only eaten a bowl of cornflakes (how very juxtaposed; american vs. french eating habits) After one glass I was plastered.
I chatted, or rather tried to chat, with her husband who doesn’t speak a word of english. Every other word I would ask the teacher “what’s the word for … again?”

Then we sat down for lunch where her husband poured me a glass of white wine. I had told her I was a vegitarian but ate fish, so the salad was shrimp salad. I politley left the shrimp on the plate and then explained that when I meant ‘fish” I meant…um…anything but shellfish. So she gave them to her cat.
The next course was french fries and salmon. They didn’t serve the fries with ketchup, but they were still soooo good. I (l) fries. Yum. Then, more white wine, and then cheese. For desert? She put 3 full cheese wheels on a platter and your suppose to cut yourself a piece. I’m still not really up on french etiquette. I don’t think ill ever be. With the cheese the husband poured some red wine and I sweat the cheese popped in my mouth. Yuuum. I must try that again instead of making myself nutella brie sandwiches.
After the cheese we had apple pie without the top part of the crust and rice pudding with whole milk.

I don’t think I’ve ever had whole milk in my life. I don’t know any urban young women who has ever tried whole milk. But, I’m in France, and apparantly French women don’t get fat (another post) so, I ate the whole milk. It was great.
Theeeeen we had coffee in the sitting room were we had the apertif. Really good, strong coffee with sugar cubes (not sweet n low packets)
By this time, like 3 hours had gone by. 3 hours for lunch! Not 10 min infront of a tv!
In her staircase was a statue of jesus, I assume left over from the Vicar. She told me to “go see it up close”, which I did. His blue eyes were really penetrating. I was scared. I ran back downstairs.
Then the teacher asked if I’d like to go for a walk in the nearby forest. Even though I felt like passing out since it was 4 pm and I was still jetlagged and realllllly needed a nap, I said sure.

So off we went, for what I would assume was a stroll.
2.5 hours and 9 km later we returned.
Now I understand why French women can eat cheese and stay slim.
In that time I saw a bunch of 14th century (14th!!!) mills and some 16th century limestone mill things where they burned limestone to use it as fertilizer for the fields.

People actually live in these houses, where if they were built in the 17th century they are considered not old.
Finally she drove me home; but not before giving me a bag of grapes, a slice of pie and a jar of tomato soup.