What's for Dinner?

Food is at the very heart of French culture.  It is not unusual for the conversation at a dinner party to revolve around food – how was this dish prepared?  Where did you get your asparagus?  Did you salt the lamb before or after you grilled it?

So it was no surprise that we talked about food last night when our friend Mathias came for dinner.  After all, he’s a retired chef.  And while there were a few moments when we talked about family, or dogs, or broken bones (my contribution), mostly it was hours and hours about food.

We learned about the different types of cattle, and pork, and chicken.  We learned about the special pastureland of Provence, the various herbs that grow there, and how they affect the taste of lamb. 

We discussed industrial versus small-scale farming and its moral implications.  We learned of the secret chemicals that some chefs use (not Mathias) to add flavors like truffle or vanilla to a dish.  And as a beekeeper, Mathias told us the sad story of how pesticides have wreaked havoc on his colonies.

And then there was fish.  Mathias loves fish.

We heard all about his weekly shopping expeditions to the Cavaillon market and how he gets there early to have the best selection.  He described how he starts from the cheapest fish (sardines, anchovies) and works his way up, rarely buying the more expensive varieties.  If you know how to prepare fish well, who needs the high-priced kind?

We got a whole discourse on fish cleaning, fish preparation, fish storage.  How a little vinegar should be put on the front of a fish before freezing.  How some types of rouget should be fried and others baked.  How you can tell if a fish smells bad because it is supposed to (there are some stinky varieties) or because it is spoiled.

You would think that after hours of this talk we would be bored.  But Mathias was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable that it was fascinating. And as he talked about different dishes he likes to make, I found myself getting hungry even though I was eating!

As we said our goodbyes at the end of a delightful evening, I thought, “Only in France.”

KVS

Mathias brought us "boules de neige" from his garden and wine from his cellar - guess who got what?