In the restaurant next door to my gîte I am eating. Unfortunately I have been placed at a table next to three English of similar ilk to the Carcassone experience, but worse - two late middle aged (businessmen?) and a femme. Admittedly they seem to have waited a long time for their order but for me taking time over a meal in France is akin to, well ...
Tout à coupe one of them jumps up and the others follow, the instigator proclaiming loudly that they are leaving because it has taken too long. At the same instant the food arrives...
(At this point I must inform that I lunched here with three courses of unique French cuisine, and tonight I had an entrée which was a sort of Blumental version of bacon and eggs followed by a marmite of Toulouse sausage, some belly pork, and other stuff which sounds revolting but was wonderful, and only the French can achieve. Ok? That's a major reason why I like coming to France).
...the English across from my table had ordered steak and chips.
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did he/she say this in impeccable french so other diners could benefit . . or in some incomprehensible sarf est lunnon 'patios' so you were the only one to realise why they were leaving - others, being 'du monde', naturally assuming it was because it was bedtime 'pour leurs menage a trios' ? ?
ReplyDeleteYour order sounds like imitation cassoulet, the main reason for visiting Carcassonne. Could the people have moved on because they sensed your growing conviction of superiority, that you were in tune with l'Hexagone and they weren't? Businessmen, forsooth! A far cry from your salaried employment.
ReplyDeleteSteak And Chips As An Ideological And Sociological Statement - consider and discuss in five-hundred words.
Gimmer - the instigator who stood up was waving his arms about and announcing their intention loudly,, irascibly, and on the verge of out-of-control, not quite shouting, and in well spoken English. The other male remained seated and tried to explain to Le Patron in very basic French. They all resumed table, ate the course they had been served and departed.
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RR - I had cassoulet a few stops back- it was ok, but I think I would need to be on an Antarctic expedition before choosing it again. This was not cassoulet, no beans, but lots of petit pois.