Last Friday we watched the 1987 film Babette's Feast. The story is set in Denmark during the 19th century and stars two sisters whose father, the priest of their church, passes away. Years later a French refugee foreigner named Babette shows up at their door and they take her in. She becomes their housekeeper/cook and they teach her how to cook their meals. Babette comes into fortune via lottery ticket sent to her by a friend and she decides that she wants to make a traditional French meal for the memorial dinner to the priest. Cautiously the sisters agree, Babette works her butt off, and it's the most amazing (and memorable) meal anyone's ever had.
The movie got me thinking about how far dining has come. Back then people spent hours cooking and enjoying a meal at home. They all sat around together and talked for hours! Today we hit up the drive thru on our way out or home from somewhere, usually by ourselves, and take a whole 10 minutes tops to devour it. As a college kid, I know. I think we're experts at fast food eating.
It also highlighted the difference between French and Scandinavian eating. The sisters were used to ale-soaked bread and water for their meals. Babette brought in quail, caviar, and wine for them to have. Her wine-filled feast definitely gave the silent, modest church goers something to talk about.
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