Lunch. My favourite meal. To up the competition from just breakfast and dinner, we can add in brunch, afternoon tea, and a late night snack. Lunch trumps them all.
Right now you may be shaking your head at me. Especially if you are reading this at your desk while eating lunch, or on the go somewhere. The problem is that we North Americans have gotten lunch all wrong. It isn’t a necessity, something we fit between meetings, classes, or projects; it should be a luxury, something shared with friends and family or for quiet solitude with a book that takes you away from your day. Lunch shouldn’t revolve around a microwave or a meal replacement shake/bar. It should be a break in our day that leaves us refreshed for the afternoon ahead.
This utopia I describe (or dream of) does and can exist. Yes primarily for most of us it exists on vacations, but this doesn’t have to be the case. That was the point I was reminded of on my weekend getaway to Montreal.
Passing various restaurants and cafes on our way to lunch, all were full of people sitting and laughing enjoying lunch, most with a glass of wine. Yes shock and horror alcohol with lunch!! And these appeared to be people returning to work, not on vacation, it was a Friday and we weren’t in a particularly touristy area. This is where we generally get it wrong. Or the lost art of lunch.
Of all the things I miss about living in Scotland, the pub lunch and the normality of a wee drink with said lunch is very high on that list. Perhaps I’m remembering with rose-coloured glasses, nostalgic for a life and an experience that ended too soon.. But I still treasure the memories of lunch time catch ups with friends, and gossip shared over a small red.
Obviously it was a very special lunch that Friday afternoon in Montreal to inspire this love letter of sorts. But I suppose a three course lunch, with wine, and ending with a fine cup (or two) of espresso will do that to a girl.
Thank you Montrealers and Cavalli for reminding me what lunch can should be…
The prawns were too good to only share one photo.. For their close up 😉
As for the third course, maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the conversation, or maybe how good the gelato and fresh fruit looked but I got lost in the experience and forgot all about my camera.
If you ever find yourself in Montreal I can not recommend Cavalli enough. Yes it may have an interesting reputation (I will leave that up to you to research), but the atmosphere, food, and service were all amazing.
Cheers to Lunch!