Table D'Hote - A Gastronomic Event

Table D'Hote (Dinner from the Host) July 23

In case you are wondering whether we do any work around here I thought I better explain that in addition to cleaning bathrooms, changing sheets, vacuuming and dusting, sweeping the terrace, moving pool furniture, grounds upkeep and gardening, we offer meals occasionally for our guests. These meals are not a simple affair in France. It is a well executed gastronomic pleasurable, social event. So be prepared to engage in the extravaganza.

First we meet on the terrace for an appetizer and a drink. This is a good time to learn about your guests and practice your french. It's really quite nice. If there are children they attend too and are required to be a part of the group. Most of them are really well behaved and it's a pleasure to have them participate.

After appetizers we then move to the big table. We try to have dinner outside if possible as it's really nice and easier to clean up. We can serve anywhere from 6-20 people. There is always a first course, followed by the main course and finished with dessert. We sit with the guests to eat and converse and give advise on where to go in the area.

These meals are quite the affair and I would rate them along with top restaurants. For appetizers we have some stand by items like peanuts, pistachio nuts and olives after which we add something cooked or created. Some examples are: cheese twists with our rosemary and sea salt from the area, melon soaked in pineau, fried beignets or one of my favorites, zucchini pancakes. We are getting quite a lot of summer squash right now so I bring out all my zucchini recipes to “wow” the crowds.
With the appetizers we generally serve a drink called pineau which is a homemade sweet wine. I've had first hand experience on making it with currents from the garden here. It is very good and is a nice contrast to the salty appetizers.

After appetizers we move to the table that has been set precisely with yet 2 more glasses. If you do a count of glasses that's 3x14 or 42 glasses that need to be washed by hand at the end of the evening. And if there is anything served in petite glasses for the appetizers that will add to the count.

Our most recent Table D'Hote was quite fun.  Anne made tomato/mozzarella stacks with balsamic reduction as one of the appetizers.  So good. 

The first course we served a trio of corgette appetizers which included strips of summer squash precooked and stuffed with enhanced fresh goat cheese and fresh chervil from the garden.  I also made a curry zucchini soup and a friend zucchini round accompanied by tomato sauce. It was all quite the hit.

The main meal consisted of Fruits de Mer (seafood from the area freshly delivered) with roasted veggies from the garden and our fresh herbs. But wait, did you think dinner was over? Don't forget the salad course comes next followed by the cheese course served with fresh bread! The salad course is fresh lettuce picked from the garden with a homemade vinaigrette and serves as a palette cleanser in my opinion. If you still room you will be rewarded with dessert. Fortunately, dinner is spread out for a couple of hours so that gives you some time to digest a little! Or in our case, we get to run back and forth to the kitchen.

A trio of melon dishes including homemade melon sorbet, grilled melon with honey glaze and melon balls soaked in pineau rounded out our dessert course. Local wine is served with the meal as well, generally a rose or white wine from the Charente Maritime region.

Does it pique your interest? Want to come for dinner?

As you can imagine, it takes a bit of time to plan, shop and execute a meal of this caliber for many people. This particular meal was only for 8 so that was a break. I love it though. I”m in my element in the kitchen and love the presentation and the pure enjoyment people have eating the meals. It seems that the french love their food and take their time to enjoy it. Maybe I'm french at heart. After dinner we try to shoo people out to the fire pit for conversation and roasting marshmallows. Most people have never roasted marshmallows and it's quite funny to watch them burn them or fall into the fire. Marshmallows here are quite different and seem to goo out quickly.

Anne and I try to scoot to the kitchen and get the clean up done. If we are lucky we get to bed by midnight. I hope you have enjoyed this culinary adventure and as we say in french - Bonne appetite!