bombance
Monday, September 17, 2007
I realized later that we had vegetarians at the table... Live and learn.
Infuse your soul (and studious self) with French music: Les Nubians
la bombance (bon-bahns) noun, feminine
feast; carousing
Ou je me trompe fort, ou quelque joyeuse bombance est dans l'air aujourd'hui.
Either I am greatly mistaken, or there is to be some jolly merry-making today.
--from the book "On ne badine pas avec l'amour" by Alfred de Musset
.
Along with sous-chef, Jules,* I'll be spending the morning sorting out savories for today's Harvest Lunch Number 9. By the time I figured out that the harvest meal is celebrated at the END of harvest, it was too late: our grape pickers (who've finally admitted they are used to packing a sack lunch) had been
spoiled rotten and looking forward to the next feast. So far, I haven't had to ask the butcher for help--why should he be so adored? And I am learning, after so much resistance, that feeding others is the best reward. (Though I stop and growl when the oven breaks down, as it does when using a gas-fueled four.* Don't panic, unhook the empty gas tank, put it in the trunk of the Citroën, zip over to the supérette/gas station and get a refill. Back in time to finish baking those beans before the harvesters file into the kitchen....)
Today we are fourteen at table, two less than yesterday. I've got chickpeas for a change, fresh from Cousin Sabine's garden; the little beige boules* have doubled in size after soaking overnight (who knew?). The pois chiches*--along with potato gnocchi, betterave,* red cabbage, and guacamole are just a few ideas that come to mind today as I try and accommodate our vegetarian and vegan harvesters who've brought their own supply of soja* just in case. Wait till they discover the peanut butter... They'll never connect celery to soup again!
That's all for now...back to the casserole dance--instead of La Bamba we'll call it La Bombance!*
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References: Jules = my mom; le repas (m) = meal; le four (m) = oven; la boule (f) = ball; le pois (m) chiche = chickpea ; la betterave (f) =beet(root); le soja (m) = soya; la bombance (f) = the feast
The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen
From the Caudalie Spa in Bordeaux, France: Sauvignon Scrub
:: Audio File ::
...back soon (half our French speakers are at grade school, the other half [is]
out in the vines...)
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Shopping:
Caudalie Purifying Mask
In music: Oxygene by Jean Michel Jarre
Garden Harvest Basket--holds vegetables, bread, rolled towels, knitting supplies....
SmartFrench CD-ROM--"the smart way to learn French"
Roger & Gallet Signature Mini Guest Soaps
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French Expressions:
faire bombance = to revel, to feast; to go on a spree, binge
French Synonyms
...to bombance:
le repas (meal), le festin (feast), la ripaille (blow-out, feast), le gueuleton (big feed)
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