We had dinner with Astrid and Ed this past Saturday and had such a great time! The French way of eating is very different from our own, so I hope you don't mind the blow by blow details. :)

When we arrived at Astrid's and Ed's place, we started our meal with an apertif of spanish mussels in a tomato sauce and anchovies. This may sound weird, and looked even weirder, but it was very delicious. For the entree (which means appetizer en francais), we had fresh avocado served on bread with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It had such a beautiful appearance and tasted amazing.

Our plat principal consisted of grilled salmon with breaded potatoes and green beans (with cumin and tumeric)! I loved the flavor and could instantly taste the cumin! I am not sure how the potatoes were made, but they were also very good. And, of course, the salmon was very delicious as well.

Next, we had Comte and Roquefort cheese with bread slices and red wine. I have never been a big fan of red wine, but it definitely brought out the flavors of the cheese. They complimented each other very well. As I recall, the red wine had hints of blackberries and cassis.

As we finished our 3 hour meal, we taught Ed and Astrid to play Carcassonne and Tichu. We had a great time, and of course, the girls won! I really enjoy the French way of living here; it is not so rushed and gives you time to appreciate the finer things in life. And for me, that is food, friends, and wine!

Andy teaching everyone how to play Tichu