A typical French lunch

As guests arrived they were greeted with beer to, as they said, “open the way”. That is to open up their appetite, Milcent explained.

Next, guest to take their place at the “dressed” table or as we say it, laid table for the “ap?ritif ”.

Milcent described it as: spirits in cocktail or natural (some French women should also appreciate some white French wine) served with a few appetisers (“amuse-bouches” in French). Females were served Planteur (fruits rum), while the men consumed “T? punch”.

The appetisers can be “saucisson” (French dried salami), some little salted biscuits, crispie with a sauce, etc.Next was the enjoying of a good meal with some French wine. Milcent said: “If you have several plates, don’t forget to choose the wines that will match with each of them. We advise one different wine for every different flavour.” Placed on the table for this course was Milcent’s signature dish “Pommes de Terres Confites”, mixed veggies done French style and Beef Rib Eye Steak, along with a bottle of Lalande-de-Pomerol (Gironde) French Wine After the main course the French stay at the table for the “digestif ”, usually light liquor for women such as the “C?ment - Cr?me-au Rhum Vieux” and net spirits (Rhum Vieux Agricole X.O. D’Age) for the men. “That’s supposed to help the digestion and, by the way, permit the people to stay together longer,” said Milcent.

As the afternoon wears on he said some beers should be welcomed to go on sharing a good time together.

“The most important thing in a French Sunday lunch is to take the time to enjoy and share the drinks, the food and the discussions with your friends or family,” said Milcent, who together with Sol?ne and F?lix did just that.

However, to get the recipe for the special Pommes de Terres Confites from Milcent wasn’t easy. He just was not ready to share his secret recipe.

Laughing he said: “It will cost you many Stags to get my secret recipe. But I’ll give you my recipe for the “Pommes de Terres Confites.” Pommes De Terres Confites shot potatoes (small and young potatoes) duck/goose fat (if you don’t find some, mix half salted butter half olive oil) bay leafs thyme salt flower (if you don’t find salt flower, try to grind fat your salt)mixed peppers (green, red, white, grey and black) fresh garlic Directions: 1. Put the fat in a high-sided frying pan and make it melt on medium fire (be generous with the fat because it will have to feed your potatoes).

WARNING: during the whole recipe, the fat must tremble but never boil! 2. Clean your potatoes without peeling them. Put them in the fat (hot level 3).

3. Put the bay leafs, the thyme, two pinches of salt, 1 pinch of mixed peppers, garlic (5 or 6 cloves without peeling them; we call it “en chemise” can be translated by “in shirt”.

4. Cover and let it go for at least 1 hour. Just stir from time to time and keep an eye on the fat that must not boil.

5. Serve with a good piece of meat and some dry wine (French, of course).