doors, and at leisure. I thought we might take a picnic and find a good spot for the day.' He smiled at Anna, 'Would you like that? You have seen very little of Brittany apart from your walks to the village.'
'Oh, yes! I'd love it!'
'Right. Then if no-one else needs the trap I'll show you the Rose Granite coast, it's wonderful, huge boulders of pink stone...'
'I thought you were going to paint,' Jacques commented drily.
'Of course I am, but Anna is entitled to a little fun, especially after the marvellous meal she cooked for us tonight.' Robert picked up the wine bottle and regarded it gravely. 'I do believe this is almost gone. Another bottle anyone?'
'Not for me. I'm a little tired. Good night.' Sylvie rose from the table. At the door she stopped and turned, and said in her heavily accented English, 'Thank you Anna, for the delicious food. You have a talent for the cooking.' She left the room and the men stared at each other.
'Would you believe it?' Robert commented. 'I think that is the longest speech I ever heard Sylvie make.'
'Yes,' Jacques agreed. He turned to Alphonse and translated what Sylvie had said. Alphonse remarked 'Oui, c'est vrai!' and lifted his glass to toast Anna.
Jacques joined in, saying 'Yes, she is right, ma petite. The meal was... superbe!' He kissed his finger ends with a flourish in Anna's direction, and she flushed with pleasure, for she knew he spoke the truth. She had surprised even herself with what she had been able to achieve. The souffle had been light as air, and the guinea fowl mouth wateringly succulent, although she was unable to pronounce the name of the recipe, which Therese said was "hachis parmentier de pintade". The "tarte tatin" which followed had revealed a supreme blend of sweetness and sharpness achieved by using two distinct varieties of apple, heightened by a hint of cinnamon.
'Yes, it was good,' Anna admitted happily, 'But it is entirely due to Therese. I realise now I understood nothing at all about food or cooking until I came here.'
'You could not have a better teacher,' Robert commented. 'And she has a superb herb garden. When I am back in England I often think of the meals here, and I yearn for Therese's cooking. As you know we have a good cook at home, but French food... ah... this is something different.'
Jacques laughed. 'We 'ave a different attitude to food that is all. The English eat to keep themselves alive, in France food is life itself, and worth the most detailed attention.' He turned to Anna and his voice became serious. 'Take advantage, ma petite, learn everything that Therese can teach you. Make notes so you do not forget. It seems you 'ave a talent for le cuisine. Therese tells me yesterday that you 'ave an excellent palate, you know 'ow things should taste. This is something 'ighly regarded in France. To cook well means you will never be without work.'
Anna laughed, but saw with sudden clarity that Jacques spoke the truth. There would be no opportunity to prepare such food back in Sandley Heath, but there were other places, and if she could come as far as Brittany she could go... anywhere. She began to giggle, and Robert said 'I think the wine has gone to your head.'
'Yes, and I like it. Let's have another bottle.'
'Not for you young lady.' Robert said firmly. 'Remember you have to be up early for our day out tomorrow. Come on, time for bed.' He took Anna's arm, but as she struggled to her feet the walls of the room seemed to move, and she sat down again with a jolt.
'Heavens, how much did you have?' Robert looked quite put out. 'You are drunk my dear,' He hauled Anna to her feet. 'Jacques, I blame you, you always fill her glass too full.'
'Me? I did nothing! Anna can please 'erself.'
'I'm perfectly all right.' Anna said firmly. She took a deep breath and made her way to the door, concentrating hard. 'Good night Jacques.'
'Good night, ma petite.'
Robert followed Anna up the stairs. He was slightly concerned in case she should fall, but she
'Oh, yes! I'd love it!'
'Right. Then if no-one else needs the trap I'll show you the Rose Granite coast, it's wonderful, huge boulders of pink stone...'
'I thought you were going to paint,' Jacques commented drily.
'Of course I am, but Anna is entitled to a little fun, especially after the marvellous meal she cooked for us tonight.' Robert picked up the wine bottle and regarded it gravely. 'I do believe this is almost gone. Another bottle anyone?'
'Not for me. I'm a little tired. Good night.' Sylvie rose from the table. At the door she stopped and turned, and said in her heavily accented English, 'Thank you Anna, for the delicious food. You have a talent for the cooking.' She left the room and the men stared at each other.
'Would you believe it?' Robert commented. 'I think that is the longest speech I ever heard Sylvie make.'
'Yes,' Jacques agreed. He turned to Alphonse and translated what Sylvie had said. Alphonse remarked 'Oui, c'est vrai!' and lifted his glass to toast Anna.
Jacques joined in, saying 'Yes, she is right, ma petite. The meal was... superbe!' He kissed his finger ends with a flourish in Anna's direction, and she flushed with pleasure, for she knew he spoke the truth. She had surprised even herself with what she had been able to achieve. The souffle had been light as air, and the guinea fowl mouth wateringly succulent, although she was unable to pronounce the name of the recipe, which Therese said was "hachis parmentier de pintade". The "tarte tatin" which followed had revealed a supreme blend of sweetness and sharpness achieved by using two distinct varieties of apple, heightened by a hint of cinnamon.
'Yes, it was good,' Anna admitted happily, 'But it is entirely due to Therese. I realise now I understood nothing at all about food or cooking until I came here.'
'You could not have a better teacher,' Robert commented. 'And she has a superb herb garden. When I am back in England I often think of the meals here, and I yearn for Therese's cooking. As you know we have a good cook at home, but French food... ah... this is something different.'
Jacques laughed. 'We 'ave a different attitude to food that is all. The English eat to keep themselves alive, in France food is life itself, and worth the most detailed attention.' He turned to Anna and his voice became serious. 'Take advantage, ma petite, learn everything that Therese can teach you. Make notes so you do not forget. It seems you 'ave a talent for le cuisine. Therese tells me yesterday that you 'ave an excellent palate, you know 'ow things should taste. This is something 'ighly regarded in France. To cook well means you will never be without work.'
Anna laughed, but saw with sudden clarity that Jacques spoke the truth. There would be no opportunity to prepare such food back in Sandley Heath, but there were other places, and if she could come as far as Brittany she could go... anywhere. She began to giggle, and Robert said 'I think the wine has gone to your head.'
'Yes, and I like it. Let's have another bottle.'
'Not for you young lady.' Robert said firmly. 'Remember you have to be up early for our day out tomorrow. Come on, time for bed.' He took Anna's arm, but as she struggled to her feet the walls of the room seemed to move, and she sat down again with a jolt.
'Heavens, how much did you have?' Robert looked quite put out. 'You are drunk my dear,' He hauled Anna to her feet. 'Jacques, I blame you, you always fill her glass too full.'
'Me? I did nothing! Anna can please 'erself.'
'I'm perfectly all right.' Anna said firmly. She took a deep breath and made her way to the door, concentrating hard. 'Good night Jacques.'
'Good night, ma petite.'
Robert followed Anna up the stairs. He was slightly concerned in case she should fall, but she
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