The men stop for lunch. Baudelaire is disgusted by the sight of water on the table; he orders Pommard wine. French fries are to be eaten with one's fingers. “It is heresy to stab them with a fork.”
Another wonderful installment! I especially loved 're-offend', a makeshift word to cover an inadequacy of English. When I compared it to the French verb 'récidiver', I realized that English has no verb stemming from the noun 'recidivism'. Hence 're-offend' or 'reoffend' will have to do. But there was something delightful about eating seconds as a version of committing a new offence!
I really love this whole project, and as a sometime translator of Baudelaire as well as an historian of cuisine this lunch appealed greatly. Do you think the eggs were fried or boiled? Either would work. The salt-shaker sounds like a novel invention at the time. Thanks! I’m sending you a contribution to a lunch of your own preference.
Another wonderful installment! I especially loved 're-offend', a makeshift word to cover an inadequacy of English. When I compared it to the French verb 'récidiver', I realized that English has no verb stemming from the noun 'recidivism'. Hence 're-offend' or 'reoffend' will have to do. But there was something delightful about eating seconds as a version of committing a new offence!
Mesmerizing!
I really love this whole project, and as a sometime translator of Baudelaire as well as an historian of cuisine this lunch appealed greatly. Do you think the eggs were fried or boiled? Either would work. The salt-shaker sounds like a novel invention at the time. Thanks! I’m sending you a contribution to a lunch of your own preference.
That’s very kind of you, Annette. Thank you! My guess is that the eggs were fried, but the text is ambiguous…
Eggs, fried potatoes, cheese, bread -- some would call that breakfast!
This was a lot of fun. And it sounds like a great meal!