It was great to see my French exchange family from 2001-2002. At the age of 13, Gaspard Padet visited me in Canada from September to November 2001 and I visited the Padets from February to April 2002.
Everything was very similar – even the same yellow coat of paint remained in the room I had lived in for 3 months – and I remembered a lot more than I anticipated once I returned to a familiar setting. There was a multitude of international representation because Jacqueline, my French mom’s wish for her 50th birthday was to have all the exchange partners that they’ve hosted return for the celebration. Although not everyone could make it, there were people from England, China, Canada (me!), Germany, Columbia, the oldest brother Francelin now lives in Poland and returned for the weekend with his wife and 1 year old baby boy – Illias, the daughter Elsy came from Paris, and Gaspard was there for a bit of the weekend as well after having written his business school entrance exams.
My goodness the celebrations revolved around food. It seemed as if we took breaks from eating instead of taking breaks to eat. The big party day, which was Sunday, comprised of a traditionally French croissant and café for breakfast. The croissants were fresh from the bakery next door from which the owner instinctively new the Padets by first name and most likely everything about them. This was a light meal relative to those that followed. The afternoon consisted of preparation for the 24-guest event. Everyone was busy chopping a cornucopia of vegetables including tomatoes, onions and carrots on the outside table where we had eaten Ratatouille the previous night – somehow seating everyone comfortably. Whenever anyone acknowledged that they were hungry, the next assembly at the huge table occurred. It was also very hot and sunny the entire weekend. So hot in fact that the eating table was relocated into the shade of the garage because the sun was scorching us alive.
The second big feast that day included guacamole, genuine French flutes de pain (slightly larger than baguettes), tortilla chips, a constantly filling glass of wine, prawns, and salmon locks. Jacqueline was going to continue the feast, but the guests were already squirming in their seats with delight of satiated stomachs. Therefore, it was concluded that a break would ensue to regenerate a bigger appetite for later. The crew, including the baby, the two kids – nephew and niece of the British chap, my French siblings – Francelin, Elsy, and Gaspard, the Columbians and I went for a swim in the refreshing and crowded pool in Chatillon. It seemed as if everyone was at one of the two big events in the town that weekend – the pool or Jacqueline’s 50th birthday. We returned to the house with a regained appetite and Philippe, my French dad, ignited the gas BBQ that he had borrowed from a friend to accommodate the party. Spicy sausages were quickly snatched off the serving plate with great delight and a curtain of silence fell across the guests as we devoured the scrumptious grillings. The only logical thing to do before the 3rd feast of the day was to nap. It was still very hot and everyone had stuffed themselves to that critical point where sleep became the only solution to assist with digestion.
Much later in the day, when everyone awoke with more hunger pangs, the long table was decorated again with food: mashed potatoes, cauliflower and mayonnaise, fresh garden tomatoes, classic balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing with a hint of moutarde and herbes de provence, more guacamole, greek salad, green salad, and green beans. Everyone was in a chattering mood and dishes were passed around the table. Sometimes there was so much passing that you had to sneakily take some food from the dish whizzing by to get any at all. However, bread became a premium and was even rationed because it had to be saved for the cheese. After the plates cleared… the cheese that everyone had been awaiting was brought out: goat cheese, soft cheese – camembert, brie, young cheese, old cheese – blue, Roquefort… Very delicious cheese. If you think our stomachs got a break now – you were misled.
De suite there were two scrumptious deliumptious cakes that emerged from the trailer-like fridge that closed with a huge latch to keep in all the freshness. Due to the shear size of the fridge and the strength of one person, sometimes two people were needed to open the door. Jacqueline’s birthday wishes were sung in a multitude of languages: English, Arabian (Moroccan), Spanish, German, Polish, and French. The cakes were beautifully packaged and decorated with the words, “Bonne Anniversaire Jacqueline!”. A thin top layer of icing coated the first cake, which was meticulously cut and distributed so that no one was forgotten. For a second time, silence spread along the table as everyone delicately brought morsels of raspberry cake dripping in complementing berry purée to their mouths. The second cake consisted of a rich triple chocolate cake, which caressed the taste buds. It seems as if time stopped while everyone cherished the velvety mousse texture that somehow managed to float off everyone’s plate with content.
A rather quick cleanup of the table occurred and the only thing to do next was take the dog for a walk… ie. taking ourselves for a walk. Meandering through the narrow streets lit by evening lights, the marketplace was tranquil – contrasting the boisterous frenzy of Saturday morning vendors. We continued to see an aerial view of Chatillon from the castle and soaked in the luminous rays of light emitted from lampposts that speckled the town. All was peaceful and our stomachs seemed to have expanded and settled. Walking back to the house made me think about how quaint this little town of 4500 people is – and how I came across such good fortune to visit an amicable family in a town I most likely would have not picked out from a tourist map. I was pleased to return to Chatillon – renewing my memories of seven years past with many more sensations and synapses firing. The evening was topped off with a nightcap – café liqueur at midnight. Bonne Nuit!
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