Entertaining
Inviting guests isn’t always simple, especially when they’re English…
Conversation at a dinner party
Paul: It’s lovely to have you both round for dinner. You really didn’t have to bring a bottle, you know!
Rupert: It’s organic, too.
Hayley: Can I help in the kitchen?
Paul: No, everything’s under control. Help yourselves to dips and nibbles and I’ll open a bottle of white.
Hayley: We hope you haven’t gone to too much trouble, entertaining is always such hard work!
Paul: I enjoy it! If you want to sit down, the starter’s ready. It’s my own recipe for chicken liver pâté and I’ve baked some walnut bread to go with it. Oh, and here’s the dressing for the side salad.
Hayley: I’m really sorry, Paul, I should have told you I’m vegetarian, and...
Rupert: And I can’t eat anything with nuts in it.
Paul: Oh. Er, well, don’t worry, we’ll just go straight to the main course... It’s fish pie.
Rupert: Sorry to ask, but is it white fish?
Paul: No, it has scallops and prawns in it.
Rupert: Oh, dear! I’m allergic to shellfish.
Paul: Oh, no! Well, it’s my fault I should have checked. Look, why don’t we order an Indian takeaway and we can round it off with home-made dessert I’ve made apple crumble with custard and no meat, shellfish or nuts in sight!
Hayley: Sounds delicious. Er, I hope you didn’t use butter, though. I’m on a diet.
Conversation
Vocabulary and idioms
have someone round for dinner = inviter quelqu’un à dîner
bring a bottle = apporter une bouteille
organic = biologique
help yourselves = servez-vous
dips = sauces froides (dans lesquelles on trempe des crudités, des chips, etc.)
nibbles = amuse-gueules
to open a bottle of white = déboucher une bouteille de vin blanc
entertain ici = recevoir des invités
if you want to sit down = asseyez-vous, s’il vous plait
starter = hors-d’œuvre
its my own recipe = c’est ma recette à moi
chicken liver pâté = pâté de foie de volaille
baked = au four
walnut bread = pain aux noix
(salad) dressing = vinaigrette
side salad = salade pour accompagner un plat
main course = plat principal
fish pie = tourte au poisson
white fish = poisson blanc
scallop = coquille Saint-Jacques
prawn = crevette (rose)
shellfish = coquillage
Indian takeaway = repas indien à emporter
home-made dessert = dessert fait maison
More cooking idioms
baked potato = pomme de terre cuite au four
casserole = ragoût en cocotte
comish pasty = chausson à la viande avec des pommes de terre et des carottes
entrée (US) = plat principal
to give/host a dinner party = avoir du monde à dîner
flan = (sucré) tarte ; (salé) quichetarte ; quiche
fry-up = plat composé de saucisses, œufs, bacon, etc, cuits à la poêle
gravy = sauce au jus de viande
grilled = grillé
home baking = pâtisseries/gâteaux/pains maison
host/hostess = hôte/hôtesse
hot = très chaud ; très épicé
hotpot = ragoût de viande aux pommes de terre
mashed patato = purée
meatballs = boulettes de viande
pan-fried = sauté
pancake = crêpe
pickled = conserve au vinaigre
pie = tourte
poached = poché
pudding (GB) = dessert
sausage roll = friand à la saucisse
savoury = salé
seasoning = assaisonnement
Shall we have a coffee? = Est-ce qu'on prend un café ?
Shepherd’s pie = hachis Parmentier (lit : tourte au berger)
spare ribs = travers de porc
spicy = épicé
stew = ragoût
Sunday roast = rôti de rosbif/d'agneau
sweet = sucré
Swiss roll = gâteau roulé, farci de confiture
trifle = diplomate
Yorkshire pudding = pâte à crêpe cuite qui accompagne un rôti de bœuf