Because it's his last day, we may or may not have internet access for the rest of our time here. We leave Tuesday morning and arrive back in "the states" on Tuesday night. If you don't hear from us until we're back, assume that our plane crashed. Just kidding.
On a final note of Parisien exploration, we've been trying to go out more since Katie arrived, and since we typically can't understand anything on the menu, we randomly pick what we'll eat with no idea what it will be. Meals here are usually three courses, so that's a lot of picking. Below are some of the quotes after our culinary discoveries:
Katie: (after a thoughtful glance at her plate of pate) "It tastes like catfood."
Dan: (upon realizing that he doesn't know how to say "medium-rare" in French) "Maybe I should just get the fish."
Meghan: (after her first taste of salad with chicken gizzard) "It's actually not that bad."
Dan: (after trying Meghan's gizzard) "Yeah, it's good. Pretty salty."
Katie: "seriously, this taste like catfood" (said repeatedly until the nausea dies down)
Meghan and Katie: "Is that the charlotte aux fruits rouges? It looks like cheesecake. I'm getting that."
My all-time favorite food conversation:
Ordering
Meghan: "Je voudrais ragnons geneux aucilles, s'il vous plait." (or something like that.)
*Katie points at what she wants. The waiter attempts to explain in English what she's getting. He says that what Meghan ordered is a veal dish. Emphasizes the "young" part of the calf or something like that. Meghan has a moral opposition to veal, but didn't change her order for some unfortunate reason.*
The meal is served
Dan: This is fantastic. I love duck a l'orange! Katie, what's yours?
Katie: I don't know. But I think it's chicken.
*deep breaths coming from Meghan's side of the table*
Meghan: It's ok, really. I'm fine. It's good. These potatoes are great.
Katie and Dan: Yeah, the French really know how to do potatoes.
Dan: (to Meghan) Do you want to switch? Because mine's great. Totally edible.
Meghan: No, it's fine. Really.
Dan: Let me try some. (he tries some, chewing slowly) Not my favorite.
Katie: Now I don't know if I want to try some. Aw, give me some anyway. (she tries some). That tastes like cow, and I don't mean steak. I feel like I'm actually eating a cow. That's God awful. (Katie is a seminary student.)
*Meghan tries another bite, and this time, almost gags and has to stop eating. She remains worried that she'll offend the waiter and chef, who are actually both wonderful. She begins to wonder how to make it look like she ate more than 4 bites.*
Katie and Dan: Here, give me some. I can take some for the team. Seriously, we'll help you out.
Dan: We can put some in my pocket! Just wrap it in your napkin!
Katie: We can put some in my purse.
*Meghan seriously considers this possibility*
Katie: I was joking.
Meghan: Well can I hide some under your chicken bones then?
Midway through our conversation of how to make the meal look like it disappeared, the table is cleared. Meghan feels awful, because although she's the one who didn't eat her meal, Dan is the one who's forced to have an awkward conversation in French about how "full" Meghan was, but the food was good, while Katie points. Katie LOVES to point.
We came to find that Meghan's dish was actually veal kidneys. Dan later admitted the dish was more than "not his favorite."
Dan: There's not much I won't eat, as long as it's cooked. But that was one of the most disgusting things I've ever put in my body. That was horrible! I can't believe you ate as much as you did. I wanted to gag after my 2nd bite. Why did I take a second bite!?!!?
Editor's note: this was also the meal of the chicken gizzard salad. We went home and immediately looked up the words of the meal I ordered. CRAZY.
Leave comments! Hopefully we'll be able to read them (and post again!) before we leave. Love you!
The meal is served
Dan: This is fantastic. I love duck a l'orange! Katie, what's yours?
Katie: I don't know. But I think it's chicken.
*deep breaths coming from Meghan's side of the table*
Meghan: It's ok, really. I'm fine. It's good. These potatoes are great.
Katie and Dan: Yeah, the French really know how to do potatoes.
Dan: (to Meghan) Do you want to switch? Because mine's great. Totally edible.
Meghan: No, it's fine. Really.
Dan: Let me try some. (he tries some, chewing slowly) Not my favorite.
Katie: Now I don't know if I want to try some. Aw, give me some anyway. (she tries some). That tastes like cow, and I don't mean steak. I feel like I'm actually eating a cow. That's God awful. (Katie is a seminary student.)
*Meghan tries another bite, and this time, almost gags and has to stop eating. She remains worried that she'll offend the waiter and chef, who are actually both wonderful. She begins to wonder how to make it look like she ate more than 4 bites.*
Katie and Dan: Here, give me some. I can take some for the team. Seriously, we'll help you out.
Dan: We can put some in my pocket! Just wrap it in your napkin!
Katie: We can put some in my purse.
*Meghan seriously considers this possibility*
Katie: I was joking.
Meghan: Well can I hide some under your chicken bones then?
Midway through our conversation of how to make the meal look like it disappeared, the table is cleared. Meghan feels awful, because although she's the one who didn't eat her meal, Dan is the one who's forced to have an awkward conversation in French about how "full" Meghan was, but the food was good, while Katie points. Katie LOVES to point.
We came to find that Meghan's dish was actually veal kidneys. Dan later admitted the dish was more than "not his favorite."
Dan: There's not much I won't eat, as long as it's cooked. But that was one of the most disgusting things I've ever put in my body. That was horrible! I can't believe you ate as much as you did. I wanted to gag after my 2nd bite. Why did I take a second bite!?!!?
Editor's note: this was also the meal of the chicken gizzard salad. We went home and immediately looked up the words of the meal I ordered. CRAZY.
Leave comments! Hopefully we'll be able to read them (and post again!) before we leave. Love you!
4 comments:
Congrats on completing your studies, Dan.
Meg, I loved the recap of your conversation at dinner. I would have been doing some serious two-stepping to the "latrine" (sp?) I'm Swedish, you know!
Travel safe - love you both,
Grandma
I am still laughing....out loud. That story will be worth the 30? of so Euros it cost to order that meal for Meghan. You will have years of use from that one. I loved the "why did I take a 2nd bite?" comment. Like you said, you know it has to be BAD if Dan won't eat it!
You should have "phoned a friend" and Gma could have suggested taking the noxious food to the latrine!! The waiter was probably trying to WARN you earlier, don't you think?
Love you all. Have a fun weekend. Mom
Bon Voyage! So many wonderful memories to add to your life journals.
Stay safe and know that you are loved.
Grandma and Grandpa
(Sometimes I forgot whose Blog I'm on. (:-))
hahahaha oh man...i didn't have any crazy food experiences like that! well, except the prune cake that the waiter repeatedly (seemingly) tried to warn me of. But since i didn't know the word for 'prune'....i just pretended i knew that that's exactly what i wanted. not good...
can't wait to have you back and see you guys in person! (and absolutely true metro rules, great work)
Post a Comment