A few evenings ago on ‘The Debate’, France24’s nightly discussion programme, French and US panellists were discussing the difference between their respective July 4 and July 14 celebrations and the Americans contrasted their customary low key neighbourly BBQs with France’s grand parades on the Champs Elysée.
Yesterday we had a great time at one of the former, with real American hosts (@TFJWM & TJFWM OH) who had not only personally imported authentic Stars and Stripes paper plates and napkins, but piled them high with US sized amounts of appropriate food, all washed down with generous amounts of (non US) booze - Domaine Laurens’ shop is just across the street - and lots of traditional US music - remember The Shirelles and The Dixie Cups?
Unfortunately, today has been spent cleaning up, not from the BBQ, but from the dish that never quite made it there, at least not as how intended. En route via the Decazeville bypass and greatly enjoying the unusually empty road, I suddenly spotted in the sky a large parasol that had helicoptered off from a nearby vide grenier and was descending in front of us. Visions of metal pole down the side of the car - partial swerve and 100kph emergency stop on top of the parasol. Relief tempered by sudden realisation that the large bowl of roasted Med veg was probably no longer on the back seat - Closer inspection revealed that was indeed the case, and its contents were now underneath the driver’s seat, apart from what had gone into the AC vents.
The car currently smells like a Moroccan ristora, but at least this time, fish wasn’t involved - our memorable Cantal fish kettle salmon incident was of a very different order…