I’m Turning Lebanese, I Really Think So

I took the children to my favourite crêperie bretonne today for lunch, mainly as a treat for me. The food is simply wonderful: authentic Breton galettes, or savoury pancakes, made with sarrasin (buckwheat) flour and smothered in melty butter.

I hope to take the Macs there one day. The Manly Mr. Mac would really love the galette Auvergnate, which has blue cheese, walnuts, lettuce, and soft saucisson from the Auvergne region. The saucisson is not dry and chewy like salami or other dried saucisson varieties, but fleshy and moist and a bit melty from the heat of the galette.

The Lovely Ms. Mac would possibly enjoy the Méditerranéenne, which is filled with ratatouille and thin slices of chorizo or merguez.

I almost always choose the Fruits de Mer: prawns and mussels drowning in sauce Mornay, garnished with plenty of lemon juice and parsley. My son always agonises between La Nordique - smoked salmon & sour cream with dill - and L'Hamburger, with minced beef, onions, cheese and egg.

I also have a strange crush on Madame la Patronne, the owner and hostess. She’s a tiny, fine-boned woman and she must be in her forties, but she is still extremely beautiful and gracious. She has big brown eyes, sculpted cheekbones and a lovely smile. Her voice is low and musical and terribly appealing. She always remembers my name, pays special attention to the children, who get a naughty lollipop when I’m having coffee after the meal, and she adores birds – finches and parrots - as much as I do. I know nothing else about her, in fact I don’t even know her name, but we do la bise (kiss cheeks) to each other once a year, every January, to wish each other a Happy New Year.

I’m always completely relaxed when we go there, and it feels like we are eating at a friend’s house. However, the reason I say my crush on her is strange, is because it borders on more than simple admiration. Every time I pay her a compliment I start to blush! I could be turning Lebanese again, temporarily. I simply must drag Ms. Mac along with me one day to see if she falls in love with her too.