A Francophile might like this book cover, and a foodie or kid-at-heart might enjoy the content. Read the reviews for Fanny at Chez Panisse here. Meantime, learn about another panisse in today's column, a tribute to Gus Elison!
Bonnes résolutions du Nouvel An
: new year's resolutions
Audio File: our son, Max, just woke up and I talked him into helping me record today's sound file (after my own attempt to pronounce the French words might have misled a language learner! Listen to 17-year-old Max: Download MP3 or Wave file
(Did you want to hear my version? You did didn't you?: Download MP3 or Download Wav)
Quelles sont vos bonnes résolutions du Nouvel An?
What are your new year's resolutions?
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse
I did not plan on making a list of new year's resolutions until, tout naturellement, a list began to form….
More Deep Belly Laughter
It was while stumbling onto a video that made my sides split with laughter that I realized DAILY LAUGHTER was a perfect goal. To fully appreciate the video, you'd have to be someone who, like me, got a little freaked out about GMOs last year, had a health scare/surgical snafu and decided to learn more about raw foods, followed a few too many juice guru videos… and ended up able to laugh about it all (…and still make le jus vert for Jean-Marc and myself each morning!)
Goal Number 2 Trust Your inner cuistot!
Then, yesterday, New Year's Day, I set out to make the chickpea flour-based "winter farinata" (La Cucina di Terresa's) when a change of plans led to an innovative, au pif moment… and I began to accidentally make a southern French savory side dish: les panisses! I'll be frying those up for Max and me at lunchtime (tant pis for Jean-Marc and Jackie, who are away!), and may share the recipe (or a video?). I've got some leftover salmon that I'll spread on top, and some miam miam good confiture d'oignon that a lovely teacher, Youlia, from the Ukraine, offered me on New Year's eve (she had spread her homemade onion jam on top of foie gras, for a sweet/savory combination).
Goal Three: Bring Joy into another's Life
The most recent new year's goal came after receiving this touching letter, from a reader's daughter:
Dear Kristin,
We both admire a special man. His name is Gus Elison, he is my Dad. On January 2, 1925 he became the oldest of three children. Because of the economy and being so close to Christmas, Dad never had a real Birthday Party. That is until 2013. Kristin, you have meant the world to my Dad, will you help me with a request to have Birthday Wishes from around the world?
Dad means the world to me, and he is that rare breed of man that has made this world a better place.
Thank you for bringing joy into his life,
Mary Gotz
***
Thank you, Mary, for letting us know about Gus's 88th birthday today. Bon anniversaire, Gus!
To anyone reading, please join me now in sending greetings and birthday wishes to this venerable member of our French Word-A-Day family: Gus Elison.
Click here to write your birthday wishes to Gus in the comments box.
More about Gus:
=> We first learned about Gus after my mom selected him among nearly 2000 entrants for the antique key giveaway. Do not miss both Mom's and Gus's (original comment) here
=> Next, we met his lovely French wife, Paulette, and saw these photos.
=> What a surprise when Gus and Paulette came to visit me in France, and introduced us to the beautiful Jeanne.
=> Another member of our French Word-A-Day family, Herm, wrote a special poem for Gus. Herm, if you are reading, could you please post that poem in the comments box?
Thanks again for leaving Gus Elison a birthday wish. Click here to share your message.
FRENCH VOCABULARY
tout naturellement = very naturally
le jus vert = green juice
le cuistot = a cook
au pif = to cook by guesswork (pif = slang for "nose"), to eyeball it (when measuring), to play it by ear
tant pis = too bad, tough luck!
miam miam = yum yum
la confiture d'oignon = onion jam
bon anniversaire, or "bon anniv" for short 🙂 = happy birthday
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Happy 88th Gus! Your smile is like sunshine, warm and bright.
Happy, happy birthday, Gus!!! From Hannah in Waterford, NY.
Happy 88th Birthday to you!! May your memories bring you peace and the future also. We who circle the sun on our planet together share our unique time and place in the chain of human events…a link in the chain that stretches back to the beginning of life on earth and forward into the years to come. Joy to you!! To Everyone!!!
Happy birthday to a fellow French Word a Day devotee! From Saratoga Springs, NY
Happy Birthday Gus from Pasadena CA!
I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Dallas, Texas
I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Dallas, Texas
Happy belated birthday!! And Happy New Year! Wishing you all the best and every happiness in the new year! Hope you had a wonderful birthday and hope you have many more wonderful birthdays to come! Enjoy your world-wide birthday wish celebration!! How cool is that? 🙂
Hugs! Sandra
Hauoli La Hanau; Happy Birthday from Hawaii! Many blessings to you and your family — good health, happiness, and many adventures be yours — and many more years to come.
Dear Gus, Happy Birthday from Dallas, Texas. It is lovely that you are now friends with Kristin and her Mom. I have something in common with you because I also really look forward to the French word of the day email ..it always brightens my day!
Bonne anniversaire, Gus! Congratulations on making it to 88, I hope you celebrate many more birthdays with your family who so obviously love you! All my best, from Royal Oak, MI,
Kathy
Joyeux anniversaire, Gus ! Thanks for the joy you bring to others–all over the globe!
After a busy Holiday Season I am just now reading this… Happy, Happy Birthday, Gus, and many happy returns of this day.
Barbara, Alameda, California
Happy birthday from Missouri!
Bon anniversaire, Gus!
and Happy New Year from Egypt
Belatedly, happy birthday. I too love French Word a Day, but am very shy to say! I hope you had a wonderful day.
Happy Birthday! Bon anniversaire!
Bon anniversaire, dear Gus!
My Mom would be 88 this year, she was a WWII veteran.
I wish you many years of happy life!
Olga from Alabama, originally from Russia.
Hi Gus,
Sending you birthday wishes from the state of Oregon in the US. Enjoy your birthday and may your year be full of good health, happiness, friends and family.
Ellena McClain
Happiest of days to you Gus from the fruitful Central Valley of California!
Happy Birthday – from N Prakash , India
(“tum jiyo hazaron saal ke saal ke din ho pachas hazaar”- We wish that you live for thousand years and those years will have fifty thousand days) Wishing you a long and happy life.
Kristin, after four years of college french how much french did you find out you knew, when you went to live in France.
Happy Belated birthday to you, Gus. From Moscow, Idaho.
Happy Birthday Gus, from way Down Under. Be healthy & Happy every day! Caroline
Happy Birthday Gus from way Down Under – Be Healthy & Happy every day! Caroline
Dear Gus,
Belated best wishes to you! I hope you truly enjoyed your birthday and the coming year brings many more blessings your way. So happy to know you through FWAD. Kristin has created a beautiful “family” through her blog.
All my best,
Carolyn Dahm