We always managed to find a group of fellow citizens with whom we could celebrate, but it was never quite the same as being at home. Eating pate or sampling a terrine as appetizers and having chocolate mousse or a mille-feuille for dessert did not seem fitting on this festive day when barbecuing and grilling are de rigueur and American desserts reign supreme. The perception of salads is rather grim. The assortment of greens is regarded as the healthful antidote to the delicious, rich foods one would rather eat. Or, just as bad, a salad is regarded as a test to the cook's ability to create the right balance of oil and vinegar.
Every bite delivers briny and tangy tastes.
The sauce is so seductive you need a hunk of bread to scoop up every last morsel. A Southern cook, she used it to make corn bread, or she would coat slices of okra with the cornmeal before frying them. She also included it in a batter for julienned eggplant she sauteed in hot oil. To say that table manners are in decline is a risible understatement. We are eating with our hands, talking with our mouths full and slurping like swine.