Free Lunch
So they say that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Every year here in Mérillac the council organise a meal for the over 60's on the electoral roll. Other people are invited but they have to pay.
It follows the format of all the village meals with a few exceptions.
The council sit at the top table rather like the bride and groom with the best man and bridesmaids at a wedding.
Claud Ogier is the village animateur. President of the 'Old folks Club' and deputy Mayor gives him ample opportunities to perform this roll. He officiates at most 'do's. He wears a hand mike like an extention of his arm. We are all welcomed of course. Then the 80 year olds are invited to stand to receive our congratultions and applause.
Claud relinquishes the mike for the mayor to deliver his round up of the year. We stand for a minutes silence for the deceased members and then the newcomers are invited to join him on the stage.
A micro-mini history of each one is delivered - place of birth, life in Merillac, proffesion etc..
Yesterday was one such occasion and the two women were presented with enormous boquets and the one man with a wrapped bottle. We speculated, whiskey? pastis?
Of course a round of applause is also requested for Simone, our doyenne, who was a 100 this year and must be verily sick of the attention she has received.
A printed menu lies in every place and by this time we have finished the first course amuse bouche and the apperitifs (I had Raphael-a kind of sherry).
We move on to the soup with white wine after which Claude resumes his role with mike and coaxes someone to sing. Realistically although all guests need coaxing it's just a mime which proves to be false modesty since they all have tucked away somewhere about their person a sheaf of papers containing words to songs or enough jokes to perform in a comedy club.
This format proceeds during or between courses. After the soup came beef tongue served with mushroom sauce and more white wine, then Trou Breton ( sorbet with eau de vie) to cleanse the palette. Pork with half an apple baked in wine and pommes de terre Dauphenoise came next with red or white wine.
The jokes meanwhile got longer and ruder and the singing lost some qualitity until Simone raised it again. Even at 100 she sings better that most.
Next came cheese with dressed salad and grapes served with more wine before the dessert with mousseau (fizzy white wine) After coffee we are offered eau de vie which is a digestive.
On this occasion as the weather was mild I walked there and back.
I didn't want to risk driving after imbibing and I quite enjoy occasionally savouring the alcohol with each course. The walk to village takes twenty minutes and I am rarely passed by a car.
The whole event illustrates the conviviality of the atmosphere of living in a Breton commune. The closeness of all the inhabitants is revealed. There are sadnesses and disasters of course but the whole village is always there to wrap itself round one like a fleecy blanket with support.
I don't know the names of everyone in the village but they all know my name and where I live.
It follows the format of all the village meals with a few exceptions.
The council sit at the top table rather like the bride and groom with the best man and bridesmaids at a wedding.
Claud Ogier is the village animateur. President of the 'Old folks Club' and deputy Mayor gives him ample opportunities to perform this roll. He officiates at most 'do's. He wears a hand mike like an extention of his arm. We are all welcomed of course. Then the 80 year olds are invited to stand to receive our congratultions and applause.
Claud relinquishes the mike for the mayor to deliver his round up of the year. We stand for a minutes silence for the deceased members and then the newcomers are invited to join him on the stage.
A micro-mini history of each one is delivered - place of birth, life in Merillac, proffesion etc..
Yesterday was one such occasion and the two women were presented with enormous boquets and the one man with a wrapped bottle. We speculated, whiskey? pastis?
Of course a round of applause is also requested for Simone, our doyenne, who was a 100 this year and must be verily sick of the attention she has received.
A printed menu lies in every place and by this time we have finished the first course amuse bouche and the apperitifs (I had Raphael-a kind of sherry).
We move on to the soup with white wine after which Claude resumes his role with mike and coaxes someone to sing. Realistically although all guests need coaxing it's just a mime which proves to be false modesty since they all have tucked away somewhere about their person a sheaf of papers containing words to songs or enough jokes to perform in a comedy club.
This format proceeds during or between courses. After the soup came beef tongue served with mushroom sauce and more white wine, then Trou Breton ( sorbet with eau de vie) to cleanse the palette. Pork with half an apple baked in wine and pommes de terre Dauphenoise came next with red or white wine.
The jokes meanwhile got longer and ruder and the singing lost some qualitity until Simone raised it again. Even at 100 she sings better that most.
Next came cheese with dressed salad and grapes served with more wine before the dessert with mousseau (fizzy white wine) After coffee we are offered eau de vie which is a digestive.
On this occasion as the weather was mild I walked there and back.
I didn't want to risk driving after imbibing and I quite enjoy occasionally savouring the alcohol with each course. The walk to village takes twenty minutes and I am rarely passed by a car.
The whole event illustrates the conviviality of the atmosphere of living in a Breton commune. The closeness of all the inhabitants is revealed. There are sadnesses and disasters of course but the whole village is always there to wrap itself round one like a fleecy blanket with support.
I don't know the names of everyone in the village but they all know my name and where I live.
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