kanewai wrote:more random tidbits ... mostly on food this round.
I only just discovered this latest post of yours in this thread. Great stuff, and I just wanted to comment on a couple of things.
Garçon - don´t use this word in the meaning of waiter, many
serveurs will find it insulting. I really don't know if they still teach this in schools and in courses, but they shouldn't.
Indeed, a
salade can be a main course or just a small side order. If it is a main course the menu will mostly list the different ingredients, or it will come under a name like
Salade niçoise or
Salade César. As a side order it is as you say, just lettuce served with a vinaigrette.
I learnt pretty quicly that, when inviting French people for lunch or dinner, I should always serve some cheese between the main course and the dessert. First time I organised a dinner at my place, I did not have any cheese and one of the French guests was a bit sulky the rest of the evening... As I love cheese myself, I now always include it, and I often prefer just the cheese instead of a dessert.
Regarding the difference between tapas and pintxos, the
Spanish Wikipedia has a good article about tapas which can give you an insight, and I also found
this article quite enlightening.