How to say “luck” in French + recipe for Lucky New Year Pie with Grand Marnier

Still Life Avant Pie (c) Lynn McBride

Quelle chance! We have a story and a recipe and photos–including the still life, above–for you today by guest blogger Lynn McBride

chance (shons) noun, feminine

    : luck

une chance = a stroke of luck
avoir de la chance = to be lucky
Bonne chance! = Good luck!


French Tartes or Southern Pies?  Oh, the dilemma…


by Lynne McBride

Here’s a favorite quote from Michelle Obama.  When asked what it was like to suddenly live in the White House with an army of staff, she admitted it was great, then said, with wonder:  “If you want pie, there’s pie!”  Hey Michelle, that’s my idea of paradise too.

OK, so what about French pies?  Well, the French  do things a little differently, no surprise there.   Bye-bye American pie.  The difference?  In addition to the sloping shape of the edge of the dish, an American pie is plump and indulgent, and can be piled exuberantly high with whipped cream or meringue, or topped with a decadent crust or crumbs.  Is that American or what?  A French tarte, alternativement, is in a dish that’s shallow with straight, fluted sides.  It’s thin and refined, understated and elegant, most often just a divine crust topped with beautiful fruits.  Oh so French.

French tarts (c) Lynn McBride

Must we choose between the two?  Oh let’s not.  I’m proposing two recipes this week, the best of both worlds.

As you may know…

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s’occuper

Read about "Josey" (from our former stomping grounds of St. Maximin) in today's story… and don't miss a photo of Smokey's Ma and Pa at the end of this edition. s'occuper (so-kew-pay) verbto keep oneself busy   Italian Josephine made homemade pizza the size of a hamburger patty, only there wasn't any viande, just a bony anchovy and a meaty olive or two. When she had … Continue reading s’occuper

How to say “life vest” in French: bouée de sauvetage

Decking the French halls in the town of Barcelonnette. bouée de sauvetage (booay deuh sove tazh) : lifebelt, lifeline, lifebuoy A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse I sit and I listen. I try to ignore the temptation to go upstairs and work on the computer. Email can wait. So can senseless surfing. This is where I need to be: facing my belle-mère, listening. … Continue reading How to say “life vest” in French: bouée de sauvetage

poix (pitch) + Night blindness while driving

Braise, Smokey, and family wish you bonne fêtes… "many happy returns"! If Smokey looks a little pained in this picture, it is the photographer that is troubling him: why, he wonders, is her cross-eyed face contorting like that? Wouldn't "Cheese!" or "Ouistiti!" be just as effective in getting us to smile? How she troubles herself!  poix (pwah) noun, feminine     : pitch noir comme poix … Continue reading poix (pitch) + Night blindness while driving

aimer

A favorite saying… painted on a modest fence; it reads… "Pour bien vivre, bien aimer et laisser dire."To live well, love well and let others say what they will. aimer (ay-may) verb     : to love  j'aime, tu aimes, il aime… nous aimons, vous aimez, ils aiment…   A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse Examples of Amour It began in the black … Continue reading aimer

rapporteuse

Photo taken in 2004. That's the tattletale, on the left, and my sister, Heidi (The "RuleBreaker"), right. Our mom, Jules, painted the quail and my mother-in-law, Michèle-France, gave me the owl (next to the rosary and the purse). Voilà… just another family photo. Do you sniff homesickness?  rapporteuse (rah por tuhz) feminine singular of "rapporteur"     : tattletale, tell-tale, blabbermouth.synonym: informer   A Day in a … Continue reading rapporteuse

malentendu

Photo of Embarrassing Parents…. or "Embracing Parents" depending on your point de vue. (Pictured: Jean-Marc, Kristin, and Jackie) malentendu (ma-lahn-tahn-dew) noun, masculine1. misunderstanding Expression: faire cesser un malentendu = to clear up a misunderstanding L'oreille distraite est l'organe du malentendu.The distracted ear is the organ of misunderstanding. –Albert Brie A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse Recently, the kids and I were invited to my husband's office for a … Continue reading malentendu

donner

How much is that kitty in the window? Photo taken in Vaison La Romaine. Never miss a Provençal picture, sign up for French Word-A-Day. donner (doh-nay) verb     : to give      => donner secours = to give help, aid All the "definitions" for the word "to give" are in today's story. Read on. Listen:Hear the word 'donner' pronounced: Download donner.wav   A Day in a … Continue reading donner

frigo

Smokey The Bandit & The Frigo Caper, in today's *bi-lingual* story column! For a free subscription to French Word-A-Day, click here. le frigo (freego)     : fridge, icebox synonyme: frigidaire, réfrigérateur, (refrigerator) & la glacière (ice box) Ado, véto, resto… the French seem to love abbreviation. This is not to say that others of us are not guilty of truncating terms: in English, for example, we say fridge… Have any apocopic terms … Continue reading frigo