How do you eat?
When eating in restaurants in the US I’m usually asked: ‘Would you like an appetizer?’. The question always makes me think of Potato Skins or Cheese Curds or something similar…. Something to nibble on while deciding on dinner.
The dinner which will consist of a first course, a main course and a dessert.
I always decline the appetizer, then order a first and main course (and confusing the server, I’ve learned).
Here, as in the rest of Europe, the question is never asked.
It’s assumed.
Occasionally, for lunch you will see offers of a 2 course menu option – either first and main or main and dessert.
But, a full dinner menu at any restaurant is the norm, and includes a first course, main course, cheese course and dessert.
At a ‘nicer’ restaurant dinner will start with a small ‘taste from the chef’ and end with chocolates or a small sweet ‘from the chef’ with coffee.
Coffee, by the way, is a separate, optional, course.
And the cheese trolley at a nice restaurant is a thing of beauty – often 10 – 15 different cheeses to choose from.
But, that’s dining out….. What about dining in?
How do you eat at home?
When I was a child we had the traditional meat, potatoes, vegetable with an occasional, seasonal dessert.
When I started entertaining in the US, I normally served a salad, main course and dessert.
When I started entertaining in Andorra, and now in France, I serve a first course, main course, cheese course, dessert, coffee with chocolates.
Preceded, of course, by drinks and nibbles.
But, how do you eat at home? When not entertaining?
On Friday and Saturday we have a first course and main course. Occasionally we’ll have a bit of cheese or a bit of fruit after, rarely an actual dessert and rarely coffee. Maybe a square of dark chocolate.
On Sunday, in winter I’ll make a kettle of soup, or a slow-simmered stew; in summer a roast or chicken on the barbecue.
Monday – Thursday we have stir-fries, pastas, simple grilled or braised meats with rice and vegetables, salads in summer, leftover soup in winter.
Needless to say, one of the things we eat a lot of this time of year is courgette (zucchini).
Mon mari thinks I should do a cook book: 101 Ways with Zucchini.
Perhaps I shall….
I do have about 30 recipes in my personal arsenal, but, when time is short this is my favorite.
Sometimes simple is best.
It works equally well with yellow and green…. or my bastard mixes…..
These get very, very creamy inside – melt in your mouth!
The recipe, Fried Zucchini, has been updated and re-posted here: Sautéed Zucchini Slices.
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I find that a tablespoon (or less) of oyster or char siu sauce on fried zucchini dramatically spikes the flavor and aroma of this dish. But I haven’t tried shredded basil; that’s next!
Hi Katie – I saute zucchini with tomatoes, then add in the basil – soo yummy. We are not big dessert people in this house, once in a while for a treat, or occasionally a piece of dark chocolate. When I make a big meal, we usually end it with a garden salad. Someone told me once that the French always have salad at the end of the meal? Supposed to be better for the digestion? Not sure, but thats what we do.
My husband has a horror of zucchini (unless it’s very well disguised in ratatouille). I love it raw and cut into sticks with blue cheese dip. These fried slices look like a brilliant alternative.
Maybe shredded basil will be enough of a disguise so I can serve it to both of us.
Zucchini! Soup, of course. Also, cut up and stir-fried with yellow squash and a teaspoonful of hoisin sauce and dash of rice wine. I got taught that microwaving zucchini for a bit before cooking reduces cooking time — that’s needed given the altitude here at which things cook (or don’t).
We’re not much for appetizers before a meal. But we like a selection of appetizers as a meal.
I would take cheese AS dessert. I think all cheese trays in the US were auctioned off to IT Departments and can now be found pushing monitors and monitoring gauges around to office cubicles. A terrible degradation of culture, along with pasteurization.
It is interesting to think about how we eat and how it might differ from other cultures. Zucchini is in the market now, so here we go!!!
Brassfrog, what a good idea – I’ve used Teriyaki, but with so much zucchini one must try everything!
Ina, the French often have a small salad before, or sometimes with the cheese – as a palate cleanser…
Elizabeth, most guys will eat almost anything fried…. (she says, generally)
TikiPundit, I usually have the cheese and skip the dessert if given a choice. A nice runny, stinky, high fat raw milk cheese….. LOL I remember cooking at altitude – and we were only at 1300 metres.
Val, I never realized just how different it was until we started moving around.
zucchini is my all time favorite vegetable! I’ll pretty much eat it any way I can get it but if it’s fried, dunk it in some delicious ranch dressing.
When entertaining, I usually have an appetizer, a main, a salad after the main, and dessert, which is usually a platter of fresh fruit cut up and ready to serve. Sometimes I serve coffee after the meal and usually offer a bite-sized chocolate truffle with the coffee. I have a killer truffle recipe. 🙂
I never have a first course, unless you count all the nibbling I do while cooking.
Sigh, I would so love that zucchini for dessert! Honest, there are plenty of times eating out a veggie course like your zucchini would be very happy with me.
Glorious photo by the way!
Just came across this; never thought of it before: zucchini chips!
http://foodiebia.blogspot.com/2010/05/zucchini-chips.html
Foodies at home, Ah, Ranch Dressing…. must make some of that… Good idea!
Zoomie, can I come to your next party? Please? Sounds wonderful -esp that truffle….
Pam, I think the first course is the most fun and creative part of the meal…. My main reason for doing them!
Tanna, I’m thinking of going vegetarian for the next few weeks – just to keep up with the garden.
TikiPundit – thanks for the link – I just checked it out and they do look good. Who would have thought you could do that to watery zucchini!