Fine Dining Here! Make a reservation.
Dillard Sanders had spent weeks trying to obtain a reservation in the new gourmet restaurant, Bouvillon Arrière-Train*****, to no avail. When his cousin Jim plummeted from the hay loft that day after consuming a tankard of his best whiskey, Dillard managed to infiltrate by claiming Jim's reservation.
The maître’ de (the high school French teacher Mr. Wilder who was half-French) escorted Dillard to his table, handing him a menu. Pour voux, Mr. Wilder bowed and gracefully withdrew to another table.
Dillard examined the menu, Man, I am gonna eat fine tonight: A “Splendid Gastronomic Feast"! He read the header at the top of the parchment paper.
His first obstacle came when he examined the entrees, all written in French. The half-French Mr. Wilder returned and solicitously awaited.
Dillard, filled with anxiety, merely pointed to the fourth entrée,
“BÅ“uf Fumé en Tranches Fines sur Pain Grille en Sauce Blanche”.**
“Bon choix”, Mr. Wilder nodded, handing him a wine list.
Dang! I am out of my league here! But, he thought red wine would be just fine and indicated the last one on the short list:
“Ferme du Aubaine”.***
Before returning to the kitchen, Mr. Wilder snapped the white linen napkin and tossed it on Dillard’s lap. This was a bit of a surprise, as Dillard usually tucked it under his chin. Must be a French thing…
The half-French Mr. Wilder returned with the bottle of wine and presented it to Dillard, who felt confident here, having watched “Murder, She Wrote” one hundred times and had seen how this was handled.
Dillard nodded, and Mr. Wilder opened the screw top bottle, and poured a bit into the wine glass. Dillard stuck his nose in a bit too far, but recovered by sipping carefully.
Dillard again nodded abruptly as Mr. Wilder (who was half-French) poured the wine, then departed to the kitchen.
Mr. Wilder returned with a gleaming cloche (aluminum dome cover used to keep food warm) and removed it with a flourish, setting the steaming entree in one elegant move before Dillard.
Dillard exclaimed approvingly. Not one to dither about, he savored the first bite.
Chipped beef on toasted white bread in white gravy** was an unexpected pleasure, Just like Ma made…
He swilled the red wine, a fine choice and noted that it was his favorite, Boone’s Farm, not a high stuck-up wine.
***translation: Bargain wine from a farm
***** Rear End of a Bull
Jim, you sure missed a treat tonight! And Dillard dug in, while Mr. Wilder (who was half-French) observed appreciatively.
Apologies for: 1. Slaughtering the French language---using an on-line dictionary may not have helped; 2. Making fun of anyone unintentionally; 3. Suggesting that Boone's Farm is sub-standard, having enjoyed it many times myself during college years; 4. "Dillard" is the name of department store, not the name of a person, maybe; and, 5. Abusing the name "Mr. Wilder", since I do not know of any Wilder except Gene.
The underlined words come from a Wednesday Words challenge started by Delores, now at Delores as a way to challenge writers.