Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

This is the national motto of France and its usage becomes widespread during Bastille Day or the La Fête Nationale, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille, a prison considered as a symbol of the ruling monarchy and marked the beginning of the new French Republic on July 14, 1789.

Traditionally, Bastille Day is celebrated with a military parade in the Avenue des Champs-Élysées and I missed the celebrations by a week when I visited Paris in 2010. It was an opportunity of a lifetime wasted because of delays in the completion of the Schengen visa requirements.

Bastille Day is also celebrated in Cebu and your favorite food columnist received an invitation from Honorary Consul of France Michel Lhuillier, Mrs. Amparito Lhuillier and the Alliance Française de Cebu to celebrate the National Day of France with the presence of the Ambassador of France, H. E. Gilles Garacho.

While waiting for guests and friends to arrive at the Cebu Grand Ballroom at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, refreshments were served like appetizers which are called les amuse-bouches along with an apéritif, the tradition before dinner. Usually a bubbly drink is served like the Champagne Lhuillier Brut and it is called "champagne" if it is produced in the Champagne region of France.

I had to work fast to get these food photos for the viewing pleasure of my beloved readers and because I have the first peek at the food displays, I know what dishes to savor later. Many of my friends always ask me which dishes to sample first.

When you have a very generous host like the Cebu Honorary French Consul, the tables are always groaning with French food and wine; in fact, through the decades when I have been his guest, food and wines served have never run out. I also listen to the friendly advice of my doctor that unless I change my lifestyle, I will never be in good health. I have listened to such suggestion and I have not seen him in the last 10 years!

Armed with a glass of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, I tried the following dishes: Classic Bouillabaisse soup from Marseille, Crab with Brie Cheese, Coq au Vin, Ratatouille, John Dory with Lemon Butter, Quiche Lorraine and my favorite dish that night, the Entrecôte (roast U.S. Prime Rib Eye).

I did miss the Steak Tartare, a favorite of the dean of print media, Jaime Picornell, which was personally prepared by the new executive Marco Polo Chef Karl Beter. I was fortunate to have tried this dish in Paris and it was ordered by my friend who did not know that the meat (beef or horse) used in the preparation is raw. In their home, his wife insists that everything is cooked.

Switching to the Gigondas 2009 and the Chateau de Pressar, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, I tasted these cheeses: Talleggiodop, Camembert (ligueil), St Paulin (ligueil) and my two favorites, the Bleu d' Auvergne Volcan & the Melusine (goat cheese). However, these two have a rather sharp taste and smell; similar to our durian, its either you love it or hate it.

Finally, the desserts — there were so many on the table and my capacity so limited, so I went for tiny portions of the Chocolate Mousse, Vanilla Panna Cotta, Tart Tatin, Apple Cake and one serving of the Paris Brest.

This is how Cebu celebrates this most memorable day of the French Republic and certainly that pleased the Ambassador of France, H. E. Gilles Garacho, who suggested the possibility of the transfer of the French Embassy…Goodbye Manila, Hello Cebu!