Raclette

Friday evening we set out for Lyon, it was Sylvain's birthday and it was time to meet the parents. On the two hour train trip down we watched the Hangover on our laptop and then a short little man in red, Sylvain's father picked us up for the ten minute ride home. Sylvain asked for a raclette for his birthday dinner, he had been talking about raclette since I met him because apparently his brother ate it everyday. Raclette is a delicious way to put on some weight, a degustation delight. I imagined something similar to fondue but its a little different, although both involved 70's looking appliances that melt cheese. Plates of huge slices of cheese and sliced meats were passed around and bowls of gerkins, pearl onions and potatoes too.

There are these circular warming plates with little cave openings to put your little plate of cheese to melt. Then you dump the melted cheese on your plate and eat with sliced meat, potato and gerkin- or whatever combination your personal palette prefers.

I did indeed put on a cheese belly at Sylvain's parents. Being part of their family dinners was a pleasant departure from the 7 minute meals I so often shared with my parents. It isn't that my family is lame, it's just that there are only 3 of us and one course. We had at least 12 at Sylvain's, his parents his oldest sister her husband and Millie their daughter, his younger sister and her fiance, his brother and his parents including us. They ate in what I imagine is a particularly French style, but it suited me just fine. Starters were a cooked vegetable- then a meat- which I always passed on, but it hardly mattered because after the meat course there was a cheese or yogurt course, followed by a fruit course, and then finally coffee. Meals took at least an hour but every minute was a pleasure.

I had a great time eating at Sylvain's parents house but there was one thing that made me a little uncomfortable. Meals were made far more lively with 12 people around the table, but their house was on the small side for so many inhabitants. I feel more comfortable in my parents largely open plan house with 3 bathrooms and without kids around (Sylvain's parents babysit Millie) no toys to clog up hallways and corners. Moreover without any of us being National Champions for sports or music we needn't find endless shelving space for the dozens of cups, trophies and medals. After the birthday raclette and a chocolate and lemon tart we finished our wine and toasted with champagne so I guess it was no surprise when the next morning Sylvain's 64 year old father finished only 4th in his half marathon- too much partying the night before...