“Are you ready Susan. I thought we could
try that new ice cream parlour that has opened on the high street. Its part of
the “Glace Pure” chain, they are not cheap, but have a good reputation making
their own ice cream with the best products and they have 32 flavours.”
Susan was an ice cream fan. It was
midsummer and temperatures were shooting up, each day warmer than the last. On
Sunday afternoon James and Susan enjoyed a special treat. In the Winter months
Susan might bake a cake, but in Summer they would make a excursion to somewhere
special.
“32 flavours, that is fantastic, so let’s
go” and Susan and James were on their way to the ice cream of the year. The
parlour looked quite inviting: a red sun blind over the door with gold
lettering showing that they were entering the Glace Pure establishment. The
restaurant was half full, so there was plenty of room. Susan cast a glance over
the occupied tables and found the ice cream sundaes looked very presentable,
almost a poem in ice.
“Oh look James, those ice creams are really
inviting.”
A waiter approached them, wearing a red
apron with the golden words Glace Pure woven into the fabric.
“May I help you Sir and Madam. You would
like to try some of our wonderful mouth watering ice cream? Please follow me,
here is a free table.”
Again they were confronted with the red and
gold designs of the table linen showing that they were now customers of the
Glace Pure. The waiter brought them a menu booklet. There were too many
flavours to be included on a card.
“I will return in a few minutes to take
your order.”
“Oh James, even the waiter speaks with a
French accent.”
James said nothing, but he did recognise
the waiter as being a former employee of the Italian pizzeria, the restaurant
that was the predecessor of Glace Pure in the same place. Then he remembered
that the same waiter then spoke with an Italian accent, but he did not want to
spoil Susan’s ice cream afternoon.
Both Susan and James were a little confused
with the menu booklet. It was wonderful to have 32 flavours to choose from, but
which one?
The waiter approached the table.
“What would you like to order?”
Susan decided to stay basic. She had never
been disapppointed with a chocolate ice cream.
“You would like chocolate flavour? Dark
chocolate, bitter chocolate, double cream, single cream, semi-frozen? We also,
of course, have white chocolate with a hint of peppermint.”
Susan somehow lost the thread. “Just a
normal chocolate ice cream please.”
“I am sorry madam, but Glace Pure has no
normal chocolate ice cream, we are proud to possess the golden icicle for our
ice cream varieties. I would perhaps recommend a mixture of dark and white
chocolate.”
Susan was a little overwhelmed but decided
to accept the waiter’s suggestion.
“You would like some fruit with the ice
cream. We would recommend wild strawberries as today’s special attraction, or
perhaps our special kiwi purée.”
“No, it is OK, just the ice cream will do
nicely.”
“But our strawberries are hand picked.”
Susan did have a allergic reaction to
strawberries, but decided she wanted to keep that to herself. She also disliked
kiwi fruit.
“No just the ice cream will be fine.”
The waiter looked very disappointed, but
then he had another suggestion.
“You would like some cream with your ice
cream.”
“Oh yes, that would be lovely.”
“Whipped cream, single cream, double
creamed cream, Gruyere cream, chantilly cream?”
“Whipped cream please.”
“Would you like it to be garnished with
pistache, chopped walnuts, ground hazelnuts or crushed orange and lemon zest or
perhaps a dash of vanilla pod?”
“No just a mixed chocolate ice cream with
whipped cream would be fine.”
“I could perhaps also recommend a dash of
cognac with the ice cream, which I could flame for you.”
“No thankyou.” Susan had never had a flamed
ice cream and did not want to admit that she did not know what it was.
The waiter looked rather disappointed as
his dream of showing all his ice cream choices had dwindled to a bowl of
chocolate ice cream. James had been listening to the conversation and studying
the menu booklet in the meanwhile.
“And what can I offer you, Sir? Something
perhaps a little stronger to tease the taste buds.”
James had been waiting an hour to order,
being patient with the third degree that Susan had been subject to.
“I think I will just have a coffee.”
“You do not want to try our wonderful ice
cream flavours. I am sure you would find something to your taste. Perhaps an
expresso ice cream, an ice coffee, glace à ristretto, we have a wide choice of
coffee ice cream.”
“No thankyou, I would just like to drink a
cup of coffee.”
Did James see a small tear in the waiter’s
eye? A glance of reproach and disappointment.
“Then I will just bring madam her choice.”
The waiter disappeared to the serving
counter.
“Complicated customers Fred?”
“Looks like it. Any chocolate ice cream
left?”
“No problem, the supermarket had a special
offer for chocolate so we bought enough to last for some time.”
I rather enjoyed this tale, it did remind me of a sketch by The Two Ronnies from years ago. I managed to track it down on YouTube. CLICK HERE to watch it.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing what your theme will be for this week's PT challenge :-))
So am I Mitch, I am about 50% certain. I will probably post on Friday evening as Saturday is a bit stressy sometimes. By the way I now have a gmail address as well as my other (which you can also use)which is patgerberrelf@gmail.com
ReplyDeletecan you perhaps let me have your email address (by mail) as it might be handy if I have a couple of questions about posting. thanks
Just had a look at the two Ronnies. I don't really know them that well, as that TV series came after I left England, but they are very funny.
ReplyDeleteI've sent you my e-mail addresses to your gmail address.
ReplyDeleteWell done Pat.
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show how easy it is to be ripped off I must say.
Food for thought! LOL