Vellum–I’d be surprised if anyone in North America (Anglophone Canada included) taught Quebecois French. I’m sure you learned standard Parisian French.

Students of Canada’s French Immersion programme (where the mission is to educate Anglophones in Quebecois culture) often acquire a blend of standard and Quebecois French (even when Québec is several thousand miles distant). No outright joual, of course, but we certainly learned that cars were “chars,” dollars, “piastres,” and hot dogs,”chien chauds”—expressions that sound pretty archaic to Parisian ears. Meals were “petit-déjeuner,” (or “déjeuner”) “dîner,” and “souper,” but everyone understood if you used other terms.

I got slammed with a 9-Euro charge for “petit-dejeuner” in my dumpy Paris hotel last week that I had cluelessly conflated with the “free” breakfasts that American motel chains give you before sending you out onto the Interstate.

Per Kalm was coming from Sweden, and it’s interesting to reflect on the combination of latitudinal similarities and cultural differences through which he would have looked at New France foodways. I think in northern places they worked with razor-thin growing season margins and really had to presume the possibility of starving times, especially with regard to the wheat crop.

Or boiled with beef, and then, for some reason, it’s known as ‘bouilli de legumes’, at least in my family. Traditional simmered dish, done at least once a week starting mid-July.

Janice–I was a skeptic of the boiled veggie melange, but if you don’t overcook them, keep everything very fresh looking and tasting, and serve it with some aioli on the side–it’s delicious. I’ve been served that mess o’veg at truck stops, fine restaurants, and even in a private home. I think it speaks to the fact that in a cold climate, the season for fresh food was short and therefore all the more to be enjoyed. Pulling together a mixed boil of whatever was on hand was a way for hardworking people to enjoy the benefits of the season without undue fuss. (And what could be simpler than cucumbers and cream, or salted cucumbers and radishes?)

Susan: I too found the observations about the colonial French vs. colonial English interesting. (And it’s unsurprising to read someone pronouncing the English dirtier than the French!)

I’m glad you all found this appetizing. We’ve been doing hikes and bike rides the last few weekends, which with all of the yoga I started last week is making me really famished all of the time.

I’ll have to try CPP’s suggestion for a cocktail next time I’ve got a huge watermelon. I’ve whizzed melon wtih lime juice and little bit of honey in a blender and then strained it–much better and tastier than an energy drink or Vitamin Water. Now that I think of it, I need to make some cucumber-infused cocktails this summer. . . like a G & T with cucumber and basil essence, or perhaps lavender?

A friend of mine is a server at a restaurant with a special Sunday brunch with mimosas.

Last night we were at our friend’s restaurant eating dinner, and one of his waiters was experimenting with a different Sunday brunch beverage: dry champagne with freshly pureed and strained watermelon. He had us test it, and it was absofuckenlutely delicioso!