The Mountain Man's Lair

So I finally got to see where Bernard (the mountain man) lives! And it's sooooo perfect - you drive up some scary mountains and around some daring switchbacks until you get to a picturesque, quaint, old farmhouse nestled in a hillside with a beautiful garden and a few fruit trees.

All of us interns and my bosses were invited to dinner at Bernard's house with his wife and two kids! He married a woman from England, so conversation was in a mix of British English, French, and American English. As it turned out, most of it was spent as Americans trying to mimic British English phrases and sayings, and failing miserable. But we were all pretty darn tipsy and it was pretty darn funny at the time. Actually, it was one of the most fun dinners I've had in a while! It ended with Bernard's son William playing some awesome music on the guitar, about 4 hours after the dinner started. I love French meals.

And one of the most delicious! Sorry to make you jealous, but I just gotta post up another menu...
Appetizers: Dried fruit, nuts, Pringles, some Asian rice mix thing, olives, wine
First Course: Fresh beans from the garden, fresh salad from the garden (best ever! With baby tomatoes, mushrooms, green onions, and corn), home-made taboule (sp?), cucumbers in a white yogurt sauce, and roasted zhuccini
Second course: Pork with amazing spices and pitted olives with rice and bread
Third course: Bread and the most amazing cheese ever. It's called Gras des Bouges which literally means Fat of the Mountains. It's soooo delicious! And they had Roeblechon, another regional specialty which is softer and more mild.
Dessert: Chocolate mousse, bread pudding, and the most delicious apple tartes ever! (Diana and I made the pudding and the tartes to bring... and they were rockin!)

And of course, sooooo much wine... I mean literally, bottles and bottles!

So between the good conversation, the wine, the amazing food, and the great company, it was a night to remember.