AubrysInFrance: Guests of a Chef

France continues to present us with surprises, and today was definitely one of them.

We met Bernadette last year at Vitenature, our favorite boulangerie. She is actually a neighbor and lives in a building at the end of our block so we see her often in the neighborhood and have treated each other to coffee at the boulangerie. So we weren't totally surprised when she invited us to join her family in their apartment on a Sunday along with Phillipe, Angeline,(owners of Vitenature) and their boys. Certainly a very nice gesture! (NEVER believe those books that tell Americans that the French are very private people and will never invite you into their homes. Who comes up with that stuff anyway?!)

So today we went to their apartment and were welcomed by her and her daughter, whom we had met before, as well as her husband, Claude, and Bernadette's sister. Claude has an amazing collection of small models of cars, ships, motorcycles, etc., etc. (The boys were fascinated!) In mentioning us to Claude, Bernadette had told him, among other things, that we enjoy French cuisine and that David had been in the Navy. Claude had also served in his country's Navy and insisted on giving David one of his old Navy hats. He also proudly presented us with an envelope.

Now, Bernadette had mentioned in passing that Claude is a retired chef, but we thought no more of it. Until we opened the envelope, that is. Claude had actually worked for years with Paul Bocuse, the reknowned 3 Star (Michelin) chef. The envelope contained, among other things, a card and a small pamphlet personally inscribed: "Pour Anna et David Aubry - Amities gourmandes, Paul Bocuse" and "Pour Anna et David avec mes compliments. Paul Bocuse." Claude also gave us a picture of him and the team he coached to win a European culinary championship. And, of course he had prepared a special gateau for us all te eat, along with the champagne that flowed.