BINGO!

Wait, no... "QUINE!" Quine is what you shout out when you've achieved the equivalent of a Bingo moment. Yep, it feels just as exhilarating too. The family to whom I referred to in my Brangues entry, la Famille Michaud, invited me once again to spend a Sunday afternoon in the hills of Nord-Isère. It was a special day because LOTO was on the agenda. LOTO is very similar to Bingo, as I mentioned before, and takes place during the winter months. Basically, the strategy and goal is the same as BINGO, the more 'cartons' or bingo cards you have the more chances you have of winning. I had a blast hanging out with Héloise and Anatolle (a student and her brother) and even finding out that I in fact have a hard time with some larger numbers in French, haha.

I came close to winning three times, but I went home empty-handed in the end. Prizes ranged from those weird robot vacuum cleaners to baskets full of pharmaceutical products to Hams. Yes, the meat, a big 'ol cut of hearty ham. I, personally, was shooting for the ham because it was the most useful prize. However, I came close to winning the GPS and my friends and I chuckled because where would I have used/put a GPS? In my backpack? I crossed my fingers that it gave directions 'à pied' for walking. haha.

I am going to jump-ahead in time, to lunch. Whenever les MICHAUDS invite me to their home Madame (Elizabeth) makes sure to cook a traditional French dish. Along with that comes the traditional number of courses (aie!) which means you're set for a couple days in regards to eating.
Course 1: Apéritif- you're offered a small amount of sweet wine or kir (white wine mixed with a berry liquer) as well as crackers or nuts.

Course2: Entrée- it can range from grated carrots/cabbage/beets to crawfish/shrimp/oysters. With the vegetables there is usually a light sauce involved. Les fruits de la mer (crustaceans) are accompanied by home-made mayonnaise and lemon. It really depends on the main dish that will be served.

Course 3: Plat Principal (main dish)- so far I have had BOUDIN NOIR, BLANCHETTE DE VEAU, CONFITS DU CANARD, and GRATINÉ DAUPHINOIS

Course 4: Fromage (cheese)- usually two or three varieties are offered and you take your pick, with bread.

Course 5: Dessert- for example Île flotant, which is a vanilla cream topped with whipped egg white and drizzled with caramel. mmmmm

Course 6: Coffee

I am going to explain Confits du Canard because it left the most lasting impression out of all four. Vegetarians, close your eyes for this: 'canard' means 'duck', but 'goose' is most commonly used. Basically, the farmers over-feed the geese so that they produce a lot of fat. When it is time for their life to transform into 'a duck's after-life' their most precious meat as well as ALL OF THEIR FAT is canned together. You then cook the meat and fat in a skillet, using some of the fat to flavor the skillet-fried potatoes doused with 'herbes de provence.' So, I ate goose and it was good. Ah yes, the lasting impression...

Well, the day I ate 'confits du canard' was the same day I tried oysters for the first time, raw oysters. The number of courses, oysters, and the greasiest food I've encountered since being in France made for a lethal combination. I literally had to sit perfectly propped-up for three hours waiting for everything to digest, moving was not an option. haha.