Advertisement
Published: October 11th 2011
Edit Blog Post
Buche de Noel box
I'm assuming by how ubiquitous this box was for buche de noels that this was traditional, however I'm assuming that they are given as gifts like the dreaded fruit cake back in the United States. Note: All events in this entry occured between December 2006-January 2007. For more updated entries and trips, please refer back to this blog at a later date. Up to date entries will NOT include a note like this. Thanks and enjoy!
Dear readers, as you have noticed my last blogs: "Christmas in Nice," "Day Trip to Monaco/Monte Carlo," "My 21st Birthday and New Years in Strasbourg," "Two Days in Disneyland Paris," "Versailles and the Louvre," and "Musee d'Orsay" all took place around Christmas and New Years. I did get into some details behind some of the Christmas traditions mentioned in these entries, however I would like to give a general over view so that all of you can get an idea of what it was like celebrating Christmas and New Years in France in comparison to the United States.
The moment the month of December arrived two major items began to appear in the grocery stores: fois gras, or preserved, fattened duck's liver and champagne. These are very expensive items, even in France, because at the cheapest they could cost 35 euros each, however they are a staple. Another item that begins to show up in grocery stores
Buche de Noel (Yuletide Cake)
This particular one is praline flavored-this is this the standard size for a buche de noel, however you can order them larger or smaller. I got this one from my local boulengerie/pattisserie (baker/pastry maker) who I found quite talented. This was the best buche de noel from my trip to date. and also in boulengeries in the buche de Noel or Yuletide Log cake. It comes in the same flavors as religieuses and/or eclaires: vanilla, chocolate, praline and coffee however it is a cake that has been rolled up like a jelley roll, but with buttercream icing. They are often iced and decorated with meraingue mushrooms, fondant leaves and plastic saws to make it look like a log. The cake is served throughout the month of December. Another Christmas tradition that shows up from December 1 to December 31 is the Marche de Noel or Christmas Market. It is believed that the tradition originated in the Alsace region of France, which has strong anthropologial and historical connections to some of the regions that now make up modern-day Germany. The tradition apparently started in what is now Southern Germany, however I believe it came to France during the high Middle Ages and spread to the rest of the neighboring regions. For more detailed examples of what a Marche de Noel is like, please refer to my entries entitled "A Day Trip to Monaco/Monte Carlo," "My 21st Birthday and New Years in Strasbourg," and "Two Days at Disneyland Paris." There are extemporaneous cases
Kouglehof or "King's Crown"
This is the traditional sweet bread of Alsace for the Christmas season but also for New Years. For more info, please refer to my blog entry entitled "My 21st Birthday and New Years in Strasbour" where I give more info behind its taste and texture. In short, however, it's not very sweet and the raisens and almonds are more of a garnish rather than major ingredient. The texture is like petichoux and/or a good brioche and I would describe its desnity as medium. I bought this one from a local boulengerie (bakery) for 4 euros and it lasted me for four-five days as my breakfast! where a Marche de Noel will last into January, as I discovered when I went to Disneyland Paris.
Another common gastronomic treat that become available is vin chaud or mulled wine. Egg nog is not consumed in France as it is in the US; instead vin chaud is served in every restaruant, cafe and Marche de Noel. Here's a recipe that I have been using for vin chaud for the past five years that you can try at home:
Ingredients:
1 bottle of good red wine (preferably French but any pinot noir or cabernet savignon will do)
1-2 oranges cut into slices
1-2 lemons cut into slices
1 cinamon stick
2-4 whole cloves
Sugar to taste
Instructions:
Pour the contents of your red wine bottle into a sauce pan and turn on the heat to medium. Put your orange and lemon slices in with the wine, as well as the cinamon stick and cloves. Cook until the wine is close to boiling. Taste to see if sugar needs to be added, ladel into coffee mugs with your citrus slives to garnish and then serve.
Chocolat chaud or hot chocolate is sold more often than it is
Marche de Noel (Christmas Market), Strasbourg
Here's a snippet of the very huge yet groundbreaking Marche de Noel. For more information on this tradition and my experience with it in Strasbourg, please refer back to "My 21st Birthday and New Years in Strasbourg" but also "Day Trip to Monaco/Monte Carlo" and even "Two Days in Disneyland Paris" for a more modern, child friendly interpretation of this nation-wide, classic tradition. Note that any Marche de Noel is family friendly, it's just that they don't normally sell toys, normally decorative arts and clothing accessory items. all year round, however it is a common breakfast item in France. Jus d'orange chaud and jus de pommes chaud (Warmed, spiced orange and apple juice respectively) also becomes common at Marche de Noels (Note: Just convert the recipe for vin chaud to your favorite brand and/or home made orange and/or apple juice.) I do not remember seeing many Christmas trees, and Christmas carols were never played at any retailers. Carolers were not found in the streets either. People nor retailers didn't decorate their residencies or buisnesses for the holiday season either. Food, beverages, and Marches des Noels were the only gateways to setting the Christmas mood.
Not every region makes cookies or ginger bread for the season, however Alsace was very unique in regards to its reliance on seasonal cookies for Christmas and New Years. Alsace also has a unique tradition of making biere du noel or "Christmas beer." Kouglehofs or "King's Crowns" and stolens, which are two different types of Chrismas sweet breads are also made. (For more information on Christmas in Alsace, please refer to my entry entitled "My 21st Birthday and New Years in Strasbourg.")
From what I noticed while in Strasbourg, New Years
Nativity Scene, Strasbourg
This was the second of two Nativity scenes that I encountered during my trip. The first was in Nice and that one was obviously also a stage for a Nativity play. This one was decoration, but might also have served a similar purpose. I never saw a nativity play and this tradition did not appear to be ubiquitous, however its one of the many Christsmas traditions that exist throughout France. was celebrated with fireworks, both amature and professional. A nationwide tradition that begins to show up throughout the month of January is a cake known in French as "gauteaux de roi" or "King's cake." This cake is made with almond paste that has been encrusted i puff pastry. When you purchase this cake, it comes with the crown because once you take it home to your family and friends the following scenario is supposed to occur. There is a small figurine themed around the Nativity scene hidden inside therefore the challenge for everyone at the table is to find that prize. Whomever finds it is awarded the crown and declared "king" for the day. Three King's Day is celebrated in France, and it seems like throughout the month of January as manifested by the existance of this cake. However, I know not how else the holiday is celebrated since at the time I was still living on my own.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.126s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 13; qc: 40; dbt: 0.094s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb