Celebrating Bastille Day

Bastille Day is the French National Holiday or Fête Nationale, celebrated on the 14th of July every year. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille in July 14 1789. Bastille was a prison considered as a symbol of the absolute powers of the ruling monarchy and its downfall marked the beginning of the French revolution.

In Paris, festivities start on the eve of Bastille Day with a dance party in the Place de la Bastille, the square where the Bastille once stood. Later that day, the Indian Army was the Guest of Honor of the celebrations and four hundred soldiers marched for the first time on the Champs-Elysees of Paris.

 This was reciprocity because French President Nicolas Sarkozy was the guest of honor at the 2008 military parade commemorating the founding of the Indian Republic. The ceremony was in New Delhi, headed by the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In Manila, H. E. The Ambassador of France Thierry Borja de Mozota hosted a reception at his Forbes Park residence. On July 24, it was Cebu that held a dinner and reception at the Pacific Grand Ballroom, Waterfront Cebu City, hosted by the Honorary Consul of France and Mme. Michel Lhuillier.

Opening drinks to the festivities was Champagne and when you have an exclusive French ambiance, only wine from the Champagne region of France is served and not those, excuse me, sparking wine pretending to be champagne. It also marked the introduction of the latest product carrying the exclusive Lhuiller brand (besides ahem, the usual wedding gowns, shoes, bags, dinnerware), the Champagne Lhuillier Brut.

Now, your favorite food columnist has to include this among his favorites like the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Moët et Chandon Brut Imperial and Dom Pérignon. Slight problem would be that it is way beyond his budget unless it is pawned at my favorite store, Jardul!

As usual, very simple lang, any dinner hosted by the Lhuilliers. Nothing really that fancy, only the freshest breads, seafood and vegetables available, the very best cheese and meats to be transformed into exquisite cuisine by experienced Chefs.

At the Boulangerie, various breads and cheeses (Roquefort, Brie de meaux) were available including butter, fresh grapes and nuts. If you were a guest that has a Pinoy stomach that require gyud cooked rice, life is a bit difficult because the only rice I remember served during the last two decades hosted by this family was the Bukhari Rice.

Two salads were served that night: Salade de fruits de mer (Mixed Seafood salad) and the Salade de pamplemousses, artichauts, coeurs de palmiers, laitue, courgettes poilees et champignons (Antipasto of pomelo and artichoke with asparagus, banana hearts, lettuce, fried zucchini and shiitake mushrooms).

Decisions had to be made which salad to taste and surprisingly medyo snub this time because my eyes feasted on the Plateau de Fruits de Mer (Fresh Seafood on Ice) with the huge Pacific lobster, rock lobsters, and prawns. Very fresh, indeed!

For fiber, I visited the Légumes sautés à la méditerranéenne (Mediterranean seared vegetables) before partaking on the Main Courses, the Confit de canard (duck), Couscous de mouton (lamb couscous) and the Rosbif (roasted US beef rib-eye). Looking at these pictures, boy, I am hungry again.

Closing remarks was the Dessert Station with Millefeuille, Crêpes gratinées à la mangue, Gâteau au chocolat, Baba au rhum and the 3 colored macaroons representing the colors of the République Française.

 Nothing fancy really, excuse me, these Lhuillier Dinners!