Le Diner de mes Reves

I'm living with a 4 star chef. So, going back to that whole "everything is so different" thing... eating here is the most amazing thing that I've ever encountered. The French are very traditional people (I mean, extremely traditional). Madame is no exception. She is absolutely set in her ways and you MUST do everything she says to show respect for her and her home. Before dinner, you sit down in "le salon" (the TV/living room) and have "appertifs" (before dinner drinks) which tonight consisted of glasses of "Kir" (a French port-ish like wine). Then, you proceed to the dinner table and begin with the salad course. Your bread must be kept ON THE TABLE no matter what, never on your plate, and "a la gauche" (to the right side) of your plate. You also never put your hands under the table, which is completely opposite from American culture in which putting hands on the table is rude. Not in France, oh no, you put your hands visibly on the table while eating. Anyways, the meal consisted of a salad course (which was cous-cous mixed with fresh tomatoes & cilantro), "l'entree principale" (the main dish- rice covered in a mushroom/chicken/cheese sauce SSOOO good), "la fromage" (fresh hand-picked cheese from "la fromagerie" (the cheese shop), "la mousse chocolat" (chocolate mousse), and "les bon-bons" (little sugar-covered pastries from the "la pattiserie" (the bakery). It was so good. Now, I'm ready to fall asleep for the first real sleep I will have had in 48 hours. Good night!