A pleasant Sunday with rare flashes of sunlight. Perfect for a day in champagne country. The HG/BSK/Riva family (six folks in all) piled into an auto and drove through hills filled with vineyards. Beautiful vistas (plus some grim reminders of World War One battles). First stop was the charming town of Epernay where the group visited a Gothic revival cathedral, inspected the exterior of a centuries old Romanesque church and then left spiritual musings behind in a charcuterie shop. More than a score of lush terrines and pates displayed. Three were chosen for a late night snack: Pork, rabbit and an unusual terrine that combined chicken, egg and mushrooms. Three bottles of wine. Tavel, rose, Beaujolais. Appetites nicely honed to a sharp edge, the group stopped for lunch at La Madelon restaurant in Mancy. Nice interiors decorated with World War One memorabilia. The downstairs room was filled with jolly, celebrating people (birthday? wedding?). Upstairs were multi-generational family groups enjoying traditional Sunday luncheons. The HG/BSK/Riva group settled in for a long feast. Amuse geules of shrimp and crab in a tarragon sauce. Escargot and mushroom fricassee in cream sauce. Crab and avocado salad. Mains of rare duck with honeyed potatoes and veal chops in a robust sauce with smashed potatoes. Brie de Meaux with salad. Traditional desserts: Creme brûlée and Ile Flottante. Champagne, of course, plus a robust Cotes de Rhone. After luncheon Calvados for HG. Drowsy HG had an alcohol fueled nap upon arriving back in Reims. Awoke to watch gallant Federer lose to inexorable Djikovic on the living room TV. Pre-bedtime snack of terrines, cheese, Comice pear and Tavel. The climax of a happy day.
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