Why the Wine?

In a very cultural context, I have posted this month's theme as a typical first course of a summer meal in the region of France we live in. There is a glass of wine. I realize that, for some, this is totally unacceptable in a family blog, and for others, it really should be either red or white. Here is my explanation.

Here in the southwest of France, in les Landes, there is usually, even in the dog days of summer, a part of the night when a breeze comes up and the air cools down. Thus, no air-conditioning, hardly any fans, and you get through the few nights when it is too hot too sleep by eating late, maybe going downtown to a festival and drinking lots of fruit juice and water. You eat melon, and what goes better with melon than a nice rosé? Chilled and waiting in the refrigerator, the only place a sane-minded person would care to be on a day like this. It was 104 degrees today and sunny. The promised thunder-storm for tonight has not yet made itself manifest and it is 11: 39 pm. The children have the fan in their room and even they cannot get to sleep.

The munchkins are delighted, four of them and daddy were at the beach today, finally. The little guy was with his cousin and I, splashing around in her pool all afternoon. They are indulged with extra amounts of "menthe a l'eau" (that green, minty syrup and water), popsicles and about anything else that is cold and full of liquid. Time to try and sleep...in any case, it's too late for another glass of rosé!