food, family, and more family

The rest of my parents visit was not nearly so eventful as Beaune was. I had classes most days so I suppose they walked around the town and took in the sighs.

My host family invited them over for two nights, and they were definitely interesting experiences. My host parents speak only a little bit of English, though they were able to understand a fair amount, and of course my parents don't speak any French so it was mostly up to Louis and I to translate. It was hard, but somehow someone always found a subject of stumbling conversation and it rarely got too awkward. I'm sure the two families would have a lot to talk about together if they could properly communicate.

The rest of the nights of their visit I went out with them to restaurants around town, which was definitely a nice change. The first night they indulged me and I got to have Indian food (with Abby!) which was a delicious change from all the French food I've been eating. The other nights, however, I decided should be about showing my parents food of Burgundy, so we ate at two French restaurants.


The first night we found this really neat little French restaurant that played wonderful bluesy music and had walls lined with jars and various interesting food items. Sadly, we had sort of an early dinner (7:30) so it wasn't very lively or good for people watching until we left.

And now, in honor of Michael Carbone, a description of my dishes: I had steak tartare (again), this time served to me in a jar, and some of the best french fries I ever had.

Sorry, Michael, I can't do it like you can.

If it seems like this entry is laregly to do with food, it's because I didn't have much time to see my parents outside of dinner. The only other thing we did together was go (in my case, return) to the Musée des Beaux Arts. This time, however, the contemporary arts sections were open and we got to see the Impressionists, including some Manet and Monet, as well as some non-obnoxious modern art. I also learned that the streets of my neighborhood are named after some really interesting Dijon artists: Francois Ziem and Francois Pompon.

After that thouroughly educational experience, it was time for some pop culture. We met Abby near a bus stop and rode over to the El Dorado (one of the few theaters in town that show movies in their original form with French subtitles rather than dubbed in French) to see Fantastic Mr. Fox. I loved it so much ; the animation was really amazing and, well, it's Wes Anderson so of course the music was wonderful and the cast was fun. Because it was an animation it wasn't as obnoixiously obvious that it was a Wes Anderson film as his normally are. Yes, it was his typical cast transformed into woodland animals, and, yes, there were a few things that were very typical of him, but to see it like this was just adorable, I though and didn't annoy me at all. I always thought of myself as ambivalent toward him as a director, but now I think I like the majority of his movies, so I must be a fan.

And these are the times when it's easy to forget that we're in France. Thus, we head back to the center of town for another French dinner. Nathalie recommened to me a very nice place that's open on sundays and it did not disappoint. Everything was delicious. (Ok, Michael, let me try again!) We shared two appetizers of smoked salmon, which I absolutely love and could eat forever and ever, and fois gras. The latter was perfectly smooth and creamy and my parents were lamenting the fact that it's banned in the States. For dinner we all had some kind of fish. Mom and I had fried scallops in a sauce that was unbelievably good. It was the kind of dish you eat slowly. Dad had a sol stuffed with mushroom, which was a pleasant surprise to him because even the English menue was indecipherable. For dessert, Abby had carmelized pears, I had crepes with cassis (blackcurrent liquer) and my parents both got the cheese plate, which means they bring out the cheese cart and you choose as many cheeses as you want. Yes, we are in France.

I was never really sure about French food before I came here, but let me tell you, I now know what I've been missing and I'm a fan.

My parents last night in Dijon was at one of our weekly group dinners. Each Tuesday, two people from our group make dinner for everyone and for their host families. Basically, it's a chance to get together, relax, drink wine, eat great food and attempt to speak French. It's wonderful. This week the two boys were cooking for the biggest group we've had so far -- with my parents and Taylor's family there, we were almost twenty people. It was intense, but so much fun. I think it was a good way to send off my parents and I'm sure they had a great time.