My First Dinner Party in France.
Today’s post is an excerpt from my latest magazine edition, The Paris Quarterly, Autumn 2022. You can access the magazine by clicking on my bio link or visit TheParisQuarterly.com.
“On October 31st, Madame K and I arrived in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres quartier. It was 7 PM, and as the elevator whisked us up to the fourth floor of a stunning ancient building, my stomach had butterflies. I could barely say hello and goodbye in French. How was I going to navigate this dinner party?
Mme explained that her partner’s brother-in-law owned the flat. He and his wife were interior designers for the rich and royal, including the Prince of Dubai. The doors slid open, and I stepped out into their apartment. The flat took up the entire fourth floor of the building. Mr. and Mrs. Interior Designer graciously welcomed me into their Parisian home.
The evening started with aperitifs in the salon. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases graced an expansive space with huge windows that opened to views of Saint-Germain.
A vintage cocktail cart was wheeled out as guests began to arrive. Being Americans, we showed up right on time, but the French more appropriately started to trickle in between 7:15 and 7:45 PM.
At one point, Mrs. ID swept up beside me, and in her halting English, she asked if I would like to see the dining room. Their flat was so large that it had a separate formal dining space, with a table that easily seated ten people and cupboards hiding exquisite china & silver built into the walls.
Mrs. ID couldn’t help herself. Giggling and gushing, she bubbled brightly as she pointed out the massive centerpiece on the table. “I looked everywhere for a pumpkin and carved it just for you, Shannon. It is Halloween in the United States today, non?” I blushed a bit over the thoughtfulness of this kind gesture.”
The rest of this story, along with French-inspired harvest recipes & menu template, can be found in the current issue (200 pages!).
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