Au Revoir by Mary Moody

Author:Mary Moody
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781741975499
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

18

APART FROM THE ANTIQUES and book fairs there are regular village fêtes which are also a major feature of the summer months. Each town and village has a set weekend for their festivities, so as not to clash with each other, and the event usually involves two days of celebrations with colourful circus-style children’s rides trucked in and set up in the town square. The Saturday evening event, called a ‘repas’, is a feast of traditional foods prepared by the women and served on long wooden trestle tables under the moonlight. There are lively bands, light shows, dancing and fireworks, and all the village people and farming families come together in a celebration of the season. Visitors and holidaymakers are always welcome, and in St Caprais Jock is always greatly admired for his ability to fill a table with friends, and therefore boost the success of the event. This year’s St Caprais fête is held over the first weekend in July, and the weather is perfect—if it rains the villagers have to put up a marquee, which spoils the ambience of dining outdoors in the ancient square.

The St Caprais fête has the reputation of being one of the liveliest in the region. During this period I am visited by two Australian backpackers—Jenny, the daughter of a dear friend from the Blue Mountains who died several years ago, and her friend Anthea from university days. They are two-thirds of the way through a six-month, ten-country tour of Europe and are badly in need of a break from youth hostels and railway journeys. Jock, generous as ever, offers them a room and two comfortable beds, and they love the region so much they decide to explore Toulouse then return to St Caprais for the fête.

More than thirty friends gather at Jock’s for a drink beforehand, and the mood is relaxed and happy. There are dozens of children, both French and English-speaking, playing in the square, where a bar tent provides draught beer, aperitifs and wine to augment the jugs of quaffing red that are served as part of the 100 ff menu. It is nine o’clock by the time we are seated at the long tables, with the setting sun glowing on the creamy stone facades of the tall buildings that surround the square. There is a disco playing in the background—fortunately not loud enough to swamp the convivial conversation—and a woman singer who can certainly belt out a tune. We start with traditional tourin blanchi (white soup) with plenty of garlic and bread in the broth, followed by a rough pâté du porc that has the most intense flavour. The meat is being barbecued over an open fire and the fragrance is mouthwatering; the lamb cutlets will be served with huge bowls of steaming white beans in rich sauce. During all this the wine is flowing and the village children are throwing more and more lengths of crusty bread onto the table to mop up all the wonderful sauces and juices.

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