Best. Lunch. EVAH
I just had the bestest lunch ever. A friend who works at the French embassy had extended a lunch invitation a while back, and at first, I was reluctant, because it's way the hell on the other side of DC and I'd have to cough up $20+ for a cab there and back. Then I realized, what was I thinking? Turn down some high caliber French food? Was I mad?
So I met up with her today. I'd been yapping away about this meal to all who would listen, and I was half-afraid that I'd built up too much anticipation and would be let down by reality, as usual. Not even close.
I started off with some sort of baked good that was stuffed with melted cheese, accompanied with a big plate of french fries. Oddly enough, they have ketchup available, something which I could never find when I lived in France (guess they do that for the barbarian Americans who swing by their cafeteria) and, even stranger, Tabasco sauce. I finished it off with a sponge cake that had been soaked in brandy and had whipped cream and fruit on top.
BTW: Such a difference between this cafeteria and, say, that of the U.S. embassy in Paris. That offered mostly half-cooked burgers, soggy fries, and sad-looking, wilted iceberg lettuce. Plus - true story - it sold consumer products that had been collecting dust in back rooms for decades. I used to drink Tabs there which had undoubtedly last seen the light of day during the Reagan administration. One of my fellow interns at the embassy turned 21 on a weekday. We figured we'd celebrate with a refreshing adult beverage at lunch. But the only alcohol they had available was some Colt 45s. Which we drank, mimicking Billy Dee Williams in the process (anyone else remember those old commercials?).
Anyways. Back to the GOOD embassy. After lunch, my friend accompanied me while I went visited their commissary. I got a bottle of 2001 Chateauneuf-du-Pape. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a good year, because I don't really know much about wine, but even *I* had heard of the winery and it sounded like some right fancy liquor. Then, because it was buy one get one free, I procured two boxes of dark chocolate. Sigh. What a great way to end the week. I really want to bust into my bottle as soon as I get home, but I think that I'd better hold off for a special occasion. Like the arrival of a new DVD of "Futurama" from NetFlix.
So I met up with her today. I'd been yapping away about this meal to all who would listen, and I was half-afraid that I'd built up too much anticipation and would be let down by reality, as usual. Not even close.
I started off with some sort of baked good that was stuffed with melted cheese, accompanied with a big plate of french fries. Oddly enough, they have ketchup available, something which I could never find when I lived in France (guess they do that for the barbarian Americans who swing by their cafeteria) and, even stranger, Tabasco sauce. I finished it off with a sponge cake that had been soaked in brandy and had whipped cream and fruit on top.
BTW: Such a difference between this cafeteria and, say, that of the U.S. embassy in Paris. That offered mostly half-cooked burgers, soggy fries, and sad-looking, wilted iceberg lettuce. Plus - true story - it sold consumer products that had been collecting dust in back rooms for decades. I used to drink Tabs there which had undoubtedly last seen the light of day during the Reagan administration. One of my fellow interns at the embassy turned 21 on a weekday. We figured we'd celebrate with a refreshing adult beverage at lunch. But the only alcohol they had available was some Colt 45s. Which we drank, mimicking Billy Dee Williams in the process (anyone else remember those old commercials?).
Anyways. Back to the GOOD embassy. After lunch, my friend accompanied me while I went visited their commissary. I got a bottle of 2001 Chateauneuf-du-Pape. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a good year, because I don't really know much about wine, but even *I* had heard of the winery and it sounded like some right fancy liquor. Then, because it was buy one get one free, I procured two boxes of dark chocolate. Sigh. What a great way to end the week. I really want to bust into my bottle as soon as I get home, but I think that I'd better hold off for a special occasion. Like the arrival of a new DVD of "Futurama" from NetFlix.
posted by Her Ladyship @ 3:33 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home