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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Feliz Cumpleaños, Gus, from Peabody, MA.
Happy Birthday to you cher Gus! Heureux Anniversaire, Nos voeux les plus sinceres, de Bonheur et surtout Bonne Santee!May God Bless you and your family!
Bonjour a Paulette!
We live not to far from you in The Villages, Fl. 1 hour north of Orlando….
Have a great Day! Lots of hugs from this french girl…….
Happy Birthday, Gus! Such touching words from your daughter. I hope you all have a wonderful celebration today!
Happy, happy birthday today, Gus from sunny and cold St Louis!
Happy Birthday, Gus, from Portland, Oregon. (I just happen to be visiting my daughters … otherwise the greeting would come from chilly Cut Bank, Montana.) May you enjoy your special day surrounded by family and friends, the best gift of all.
♫ ♫ Bonne anniversaire Gus!!! ♫ ♫
Happy Birthday,Gus from Minneapolis,Minnesota.
Have a wonderful day and a joyous and peaceful 2013.
Happy birthday Gus from chilly Mission Hills Kansas
Bonne Anniversaire,Gus, from Toronto, Canada! You look like such a nice guy…I wish I knew you. At least I’m part of your French-word-a-day family, thanks to Kristi!
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GUS!!!
My husband Frank and I had the privilege to attend the wonderful April 2012 wine tasting at Kristin and Jean-Marc’s. There we were able to meet you, Paulette and Jeanne. Oh, what a wonderful time we had. I wish I could tell you how many times Frank has told the story of how you won the key. He especially loves to tell how you said, “my heart went flip-flop”, when Paulette took your hand at mass. We send our best wishes to you and your beautiful wife Paulette.
Gus :……..joyeux anniversaire et une bonne santé !!
Poem for Gus
In the autumn of their fruitful life
After many years of struggle and strife
A charming couple stands holding a key
A picture-perfect scene of mutual harmony
The key’s so special, they hold in their hand
For it came as a gift from a far away land
It could be the key to their true love and trust
As life together, which they agree, is a must
More than just a piece of old hardware
It has future memories for them to share
They’ll always remember the package in the mail
And cherish this key, IT’S NOT FOR SALE!
My 2013 resolution. As I recover from recent heart surgery, I’ll plan follow the words of the Libby L. Allen song. Green side of Grass
Sorry….this links don’t seem to work
Happy Birthday, Gus, from upstate New York. It’s snowy and cold here, but our hearts are warm! I agree with you that Kristin’s posts are things to look forward to. I race through all my other emails, but save the Word-A-Day until I have time to savor it. Often it turns my desk lunch at work into a little “stay-cation”! Happy 88th!
Happy Birthday, Gus! And many more! How many things have you found “the key” will open?
Rick Spring
Okmulgee, Oklahoma
An infinity of blessings to you on this, your special day! May you have many, many more special days.
From a Maryland Francophile
Happy Birthday, Gus from San Francisco, California And many many more birthdays to come.
Jennie
Dear Gus,
May you continue to thrive in love and happiness.
Greetings from Punta de Mita, Nayarit, Mexico where we are on Holiday with family.
Happy Birthday Gus from Los Altos Hills, CA. And what a gift you received! We all should be so lucky and blessed to have family members that love us so deeply as to go to the trouble of doing what your daughter did for you. You have much to celebrate today and all through the year. Thank you for inspiring all of us to better people….. Warm regards, Robin
bon anniv Gus! have a wonderful day and all the best to you and yours in 2013!
Happy Birthday, and new year to you, Gus. Enjoy your special day. Someone asked last year how you met your lovely wife, Paulette, and I missed the answer…have you told us?
Best greetings from Cambridge, Ma, where it is very cold and snowy today.
Bon anniversaire and Happy Birthday from Georgia, USA!
Dear Gus, May your day be filled with many blessings and much love. Happy Birthday to you, Young Man.
Sharon
Bon Anniversaire from New Jersey, Gus! We share a birthday so I know how overlooked it can be–but it is always made special by our loved ones. May you have a perfect, wonderful day, and many more.
Kathyk
Happy birthday, Gus, from Texas! Enjoy your special day.
Hi Gus. My daughter’s
BD is Dec. 31st, and we understand the being ‘left over’. Happy many more years, Gus and take care.
MANY HAPPY RETURNS GUS WE COULD ALL DO WITH A GUS IN OUR LIVES. JOY AND BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. FROM A COLD EDINBURGH SCOTLAND
Tres Bonne Anniversaire Gus……from arizona
Joyeux Anniversaire,Gus Vivian, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Bonne anniversaire, Gus, et Bonne Nouvelle Année from another holiday baby in the heart of French-speaking Louisiana, Cajun Country. I hope your day is filled with love and laughter and the presence of those you love. Best wishes for a coming year of health and happiness.
Joyous birthday wishes to you Gus, and even more wishes for a wonderful 2013 filled with new joys and good health. You sound like a wonderful gentleman who makes the world a better place!
Annette Ledoux Heath, Norfolk, Virginia
Dear Gus, Wishing you a very happy Birthday and a great year! Gayle from San Francisco.
and Kristin, So glad you are drinking your daily jus vert despite an early mishap with the concept. I’ve been drinking an almost daily jus vert of kale, cucumber, celery, and apple, and definitely feel the better for it.
🙂 hugs,
Gayle
Bonne anniversaire, bonne année et bonne santé, Gus-envoye de Lake City, FL, pas loin de vous!
Tres tres bonne anniversaire Gus, feliz cumpleaños Sr. Gus le enviamos felicitaciones desde Tijuana, B.C., Mexico. Our warmest birthdays wishes to you Mr. Gus, sent all the way from Tijuana, Mexico!
¡Feliz Cumpleaños Señor Gus! Con Cariño, Alanna en Tejas
Bon Anniversaire Gus, in Normandy on a break at our cottage in Normandy – living in England. Have a wonderful day and what a kind daughter you have.
Angela
A very Happy Birthday to you, Gus! You and I are Capricorns! Bon Anniversaire!
Alyssa
Bonne anniversaire, bonne année, et bonne santé from bitterly cold St. Louis, MO. What a wonderful family you must have to think that you should have a “worldwide” celebration.
As for resolutions, I’m still working on them. I believe the first week of the new year is still soon enough to form ones.
Happy Birthday, Gus!
Feel better soon, poet Herm!
Thank you for this wonderful playground of geography and happiness, Kristi!
All of Gus’s ancestors–the people who helped bring us all here today–are somewhere smiling!
Happy Birthday, dear Gus, and may that key open a wonderful new year of 2013! From the icebox of Minnesota.
Gus, Bon Anniversaire from Syracuse NY! Yes, it is snowing here- again…
Gus, Bon anniversaire de Cape Cod Massachusetts. Nous avons un peu de la neige, maid il fait du soleil!
Happy, happy birthday Gus, from the other “key winner” in Newburyport, Ma. where it currently is 14 degrees farenheit. Wishing you good health, love, happiness and warm days!
Best, Marjorie
Happy Birthday Gus – have a wonderful day and be sure to eat lots of cake!
Best wishes from London, England.
Natalie
Have an absolutely fantastique birthday, Gus!
Happy Birthday, Gus- you are the same age as my dad, whom I love dearly, as your daughter clearly loves you. May the coming year bring you many moments of joy! From chilly, windy but currently dry Portland, OR.
Bon anniversaire, Gus, and congratulations on being 88 years young!
Susan from McLean, VA
Bonne anniversaire Gus! Mary Qualls, San Luis Obispo en Californie
A very Happy birthday, Gus, and may you have many more wine tastings in France. I enjoyed meeting you and Pauline at Kristi’s for wine tasting last spring. (I wish we could make it an annual event)
Besr wishes from Prince Edward County, Ontario
Peggy
Happy Birthday Gus!! Many wishes for a continued good life full of health, love and happiness! From Cottonwood, Arizona
Happy 88th Birthday Gus from Hacienda Heights, CA. What wonderful stories you must have about your travels especially your visit to France and our friends at French Word A Day. Hope you write your own blog one day soon.
Paula
Happy Birthday Gus from Charlotte, North Carolina