“Aye, There’s the Rub!”

Among the many questions that I got upon my return from the land of Asterix and Obelix, the most common was “How was the food?” I guess that would be like asking Monica Bellucci’s significant other “How’s the view?”

The food was MAGNIFICENT, OK? We did not have a mediocre or bad meal during the entire time. My friends really came up big for us: May and Gerry(Cous-Cous), Jean-Paul and Fabienne(Oysters, “Sanglier”, or Wild Pig), Patrick and Martine(Quiche), and Guy and Martine(Ratatouille and Quiche) just spoiled us rotten with wonderful food. Every restaurant meal we had was excellent. Rachel loved her Steak-Frites in Paris, Ian really loved the squid(Rouilles) done “Sete-Style” while we were in Montpellier. I have to give a special mention to Patricks 79 year old mother in law, who lives outside of Sedan, in the Ardennes of France, not far from the border with Belgium. “Mami”, made us a feast worthy of a fine restaurant: We started with  Pate`(washed down with champagne), followed up by sublime mini quiches, salad, veal, fresh green beans, fried potatos, 4-5 different cheeses, washed down by a Bordeaux. For dessert, she made us homemade rum cake, followed by coffee. I felt like Obelix after a BIG meal…I should add that on the way back home, I had a chance to sit next a chef from Marseille, and I could not resist asking him if he had seen the movie “Ratatouille” and what he thought of it. He smiled and said that he LOVED the movie, that it did a great job of showing what goes on in the kitchen and the passion that a chef has for tastes and making new and different tastes to please people. That, I thought, was pretty high praise.

PS-His restaurant is Une Table au Sud, 2 Quai du Port in Marseille. www.unetableausud.com