If you are new to the UK, be prepared to be confused at mealtimes. Lunch, dinner, tea, supper, luncheon, which one is when?
In France, they are petit déjeuner, déjeuner and dîner.
In both Algeria and France, the midday meal is the most substantial one. When I lived in France, we used to have a two-hour midday break, encompassing a two or three course meal at a restaurant, plus coffee once back at work.
The customary Friday couscous in Algeria is infallibly served at midday, just before the Friday prayer.
So what's supper? Apparently, it is another evening meal, a couple of hours later than tea, for posh people (...), or for parents who have put their children to bed and now can enjoy a child-free meal. Note: we do have family meals in our house, at 6pm, but boy do I understand those parents who forego tea with children for a quiet supper!
And if you are wondering what the English call the drink tea time, there isn't a name, because you can enjoy a cuppa any time of the day. Off to have mine in my £10 porcelain mug. Because drinking tea for me has become one of the most frequent and enjoyable activities of the day.
Algeria and France
In Algeria, the main three meals are called qahwa (coffee, whether you drink it or not), ftour (for midday meal, which also designates the evening meal to break Ramadan fast!), 'acha (the evening meal, similar to the word desingating the evening prayer).In France, they are petit déjeuner, déjeuner and dîner.
In both Algeria and France, the midday meal is the most substantial one. When I lived in France, we used to have a two-hour midday break, encompassing a two or three course meal at a restaurant, plus coffee once back at work.
The customary Friday couscous in Algeria is infallibly served at midday, just before the Friday prayer.
Germany
When I first visited BabelDad's family in Germany, I literally starved during the day. I had to sneak out for a pretend walk in the fresh air at 2pm, only to ravenously gulp down a Döner Kebab. The main meal of the day in Germany, you guessed it, is the evening one. I made up for the lack of sustenance during the day by eating huge amounts of bread and cheese at frühstück, and loads of cake in the afternoon.Northern England
In the UK, mealtimes can get a bit confusing. Be careful when you make an appointment with a plumber at dinner time, or tea time. If you are from a southern background like mine, you would naturally think dinner time is about 8pm and tea time about 4pm. Well, you would be surprised by the plumber turning up unexpectedly at noon or 6pm instead. Dinner in these necks of the wood is the midday meal. Tea is the evening meal, which in the UK is quite early at 5.30pm to 6pm.So what's supper? Apparently, it is another evening meal, a couple of hours later than tea, for posh people (...), or for parents who have put their children to bed and now can enjoy a child-free meal. Note: we do have family meals in our house, at 6pm, but boy do I understand those parents who forego tea with children for a quiet supper!
And if you are wondering what the English call the drink tea time, there isn't a name, because you can enjoy a cuppa any time of the day. Off to have mine in my £10 porcelain mug. Because drinking tea for me has become one of the most frequent and enjoyable activities of the day.
Posts
Since my kids have been at French school I kept getting caught out by the 'goûter' or snack/tea. When I did playdates I'd always give kids their evening meal before they were collected around 6pm, which the French mums found very strange! On the other hand, when my kids went to their houses, they would not only not be given dinner, they would be offered a ton of cake instead, so they didn't want to eat any dinner when I got them home! Then I worked out that most of the French families have a big after school snack around 4pm, while dinner is not until much later...
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Tallulah. When in Algeria or France, beware of missing the institutional goûter! Cue angry (and hungry) adults and children alike!
DeleteThis made me smile, I love your new mugs and I think your tea making skills are improving! ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeanette, whata compliment to start the day with! x
DeleteInteresting! In the US, we also use the word "supper" but it's a regional thing. My mother who's from outside Boston, always said supper but in NJ where I grew up, we said dinner.
ReplyDeleteAnd that goûter in France! It's like their internal clocks are set for 4:00 but it starts buzzing around 3:00.
Spot on Reb! :)
DeleteHow interesting that this distinction between supper and dinner exists in the US too...
This is so interesting! I will add: in Mexico, there is breakfast in the morning, a mid-morning snack, and then a huge meal around 3, and then tea, milk, or coffee and sweet bread before going to bed... but it definitely differs among families;).
ReplyDeleteWow, interesting! Wonder how long thew huge meal lasts...
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