Apéritif

We've been sharing cultural lessons with the boys during our travels, like not standing out, speaking softly, using proper greetings, and making eye contact. One lesson that's been a bit of a learning curve is the art of eating slowly and how to enjoy an apéritif.

An apéritif, in essence, is like a pre-meal teaser – a drink and light nibble meant to awaken the appetite and set the mood for a great meal. It's about savoring, not a full-blown feast.

It all started at the Scotch Inn in Malmedy when peanuts were served with our drinks. The boys devoured them before we could even say "STOP." That incident prompted us to explain the lesson explicitly. Then, at Jerome's in Liege, the boys couldn't resist the chips and other snacks on the table. I gave them silent stares, but they were oblivious or just chose to ignore me. It was a reminder that we needed to do a better job of explaining the concept.

We continued to work on this lesson in Ascona, especially at that cool cocktail bar with tequila and the pool table. The boys improved, but we had to send them to play pool to keep them from devouring all the peanuts. Then, one night while eating salad, Charlie made us all laugh by saying, "My salad is the apéritif – 2 bites and I’m done." I think he gets it!