About Me

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

A slice of Christmas

 


 

 This is our bûche de Noel, our lovely Christmas Eve dessert. No, not fait maison, I hasten to add but lovingly prepared our neighbor’s son who just happens to be a pâtisserier.

Bûche de Noel translates literally as ‘Christmas log’ the traditional Christmas cake rolled up to look like a log. For many it’s the must – have, that which lights up the Christmas table. Preparing these cakes is serious business everywhere in France with pâtisseries outdoing each other with variations.

I personally find them a little too rich and can only manage a tiny, really tiny slice.

The origin? The history, just as rich as the cake is based on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.  Long long ago the Celts would locate and haul back to the house an enormous tree trunk and burn it in the fireplace. The log which was supposed to last the whole evening celebrated the end of winter – the days would be longer now, more sun, and more light a time to give praise.

Then Christianity came along but the practice still continued using smaller logs dressed up with ribbons and greenery.

Bûches de Noel represents this Yule log once burnt in the fireplaces.
 
Special Christmas Greetings to all.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

National Bouillabaisse Day


December 14 will be National Bouillabaisse day- a day dedicated to that delicious slow cooked Provençal dish. And why not celebrate the third week in December? The perfect time for a hearty meal – right in the middle of winter.

Bouillabaisse had a humble beginning. It was once a one- pot meal created by fishermen who could not sell their fish to the restaurants around the port. They would cook the  leftover fish, adding herbs, spices and vegetables all in a cauldron on an open fire. The recipe has been refined and revamped by clever chefs over the years and now the Provencal dish is one of the most complex expensive meals enjoyed by gourmets all over the world.

Chefs serve bouillabaisse in two parts. First, there is the thick spicy warming soup broth which you eat with croutons dipped in rouille, a garlicky mayonnaise. Then they present a variety of fish to their customers – usually five or six which they cup up before you.

Here are some interesting facts about bouillabaisse:

-- They say the name is derived from the method of preparation; the soup is first boiled (bolhir in Provençal) then simmered (abaisser) when the fish is added.

-- In 1980, a couple of restaurant owners around the port of Marseille created the 'Bouillabaisse Charter' so as to protect the traditional recipe. They felt that tourists weren’t getting the genuine dish and that tradition was being lost.

-- To make a real Bouillabaisse, you need at least 5 different fish.

-- Boillabaisse is quite different to a fish soup. You can use any fish for a fish soup whereas you need specific fish for this Provençal delight.

You don’t just decide to make a bouillabaisse; it takes planning and a reasonable amount of time but there are some good recipes these days.  And above all don’t be in a hurry to eat—enjoy every moment.

Happy Bouillabaisse Day to food lovers everywhere.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Malpasset Dam Disaster


On December 2 1959, fifty three years ago, the people of Fréjus experienced one of the saddest manmade disasters recorded in the history of Provence.

In the evening round about 9 p.m the concrete wall of the Malpasset dam built 12 kms away from the city collapsed and broke killing over 420 people including 135 children. The waters roared down the valleys at about 70kms per hour destroying two villages hitting Fréjus 20 minutes later before finally emptying into the sea.

It was a relatively new dam, constructed only 5 years previously to supply water and irrigation to the region.

Why did this happen?

There was no earthquake; it seems the location of the dam was not suitable, and for this types of structure the rock must be solid – this was not the case.

At the same time construction work started on the new A8 motorway nearby. The guardian of the dam noticed cracks on the dam at the time of blasting but his warnings were ignored. He was convinced all was not right and even moved his family to higher ground.

It was sunny and breezy this Sunday in Fréjus, unlike this ill fated day when it poured and poured with rain. Families were out walking in the area of the dam, others took time to pay tribute to the families at various ceremonies. A new monument was erected December 2 1959 in the Roman arena for the 50th anniversary.

The children of December 2 1959 now have families of their own but they will always remember the tragic night when the damned dam swung open and released the reservoir water – all 52 million tons of it.