éplucher (ay-ploo-shay)
1. to peel, to pare (fruits, vegetable); to shuck (remove corn husk)
2. to comb through (documents, files)
Listen: hear the French word éplucher:
Audio File from Wikipedia:
For more pronunciation help, check out the guide Exercises in French Phonetics!
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
Today's cozy word is éplucher – therefore I thought we could sit down together, at the kitchen table, and peel some potatoes while I tell you a little story.
First, here's a picture of the kitchen table, so as to set the scene:
The table, a gift from Maggie and Michael, who sold us their home, is not really in the kitchen–it's beside the kitchen–but it so close that you can do kitchen prep work there.
Bon, bref–on with today's story! (And have you picked out a paring knife yet? What? You thought *I* was going to peel this mountain of patates all by myself? Didn't your social sciences professor teach you the word "reciprocity"–or do you need to reread Chapter 12: Yanomamo Culture)? Reciprocity = I do this for you. You do this for me, i.e. I tell the story. YOU peel the potatoes!)
Now for the story… it began night before last when I noticed the front door was ajar. Next, I saw the empty dog bed!!!
"Max! You left the door open and now the dogs have run off!"
(Hang on a moment, to tell the story from this point in time would take two pages. Let's get right to the action! By the way, dear reader, who taught you to peel potatoes? Pick up the pace will you. The oven is pre-heating and we don't want to run up the electric bill!)
As I was saying, it all began this morning with a knock at the front door. There, on our doorstep, my neighbor Annie looked exhausted.
"Come on in!" I said, ushering Annie to the kitchen table.
As she passed by our two golden retrievers (who were passed out on their bed, having returned from an all-nighter), Annie wagged her finger. "Les vilains! You are bad dogs!"
Yikes. Something was up. I took precautions offering Annie the best seat at the table and proposing coffee or tea.
"Rien. I'm just in a bad mood," she explained. "Contrariée!"
Annie went on to tell about how a couple of golden-haired dogs had wandered up to her place after midnight and torn down her chicken wire fence and almost feasted on her hens!
"Sensing the trespassers, my own dogs went berserk inside the house," Annie said, "doing almost as much damage to my own nest!"
"Oh no!" I'm so sorry, I said, wagging my own finger at the dogs to prove with whom my sympathies now rested (I didn't dare tell Annie how I'd rejoiced, earlier, when the dogs returned home from I didn't know where. No, I wouldn't tell her how I'd lain down on the gravel driveway, hugging my dogs close while singing 10 choruses of Hallelujah. Or how I remained on the ground, in a tight human-dogs grip, grateful for the way the near-tragedy had dragged me outdoors to experience a beautiful winter's day. How the countryside seemed to fill with color, right before my eyes! And the yellow of the daisies and the purple of the irises! The world was so alive and bright outside of the internet, the new Smartphone, and my cozy bed! It took a near-catastrophe to wake up and hear the birdsong that only a day before was but a muffling in my ears.
I might have shared this back-to-life thunderstrike with Annie, but this was not the right time to preach the gospel! It was time to assure my neighbor we would do our best to contain our dogs.
"I'm determined to do whatever I can to keep Braise and Smokey from wandering off. We built a large dog pen for them to run around in during the day–and we keep them locked up in the house at night–but sometimes they manage to slip through the loops! I'm so sorry ! Thank God they didn't eat your goose!" I knew Annie was particularly fond of her female oie–having lost the male goose last summer.
As I sat there, apologizing profusely, I noticed Annie eyeing a box of clementines. "Take these," I said, pushing the oranges towards my tired neighbor.
"I'll just have one…" Annie said. The look of delight in her eyes reminded me of my mother-in-law's post-war childhood. To get so much as an orange for Christmas was like receiving a bar of gold! Michele-France often tells me the orange story during holiday season, and I could imagine Annie knew the same hardships, being of the same generation as my belle-mère.
"No harm done," Annie said, and it was as though her own memories–released along with the citrusy scent of that orange–called her back to grittier times, which in turn brightened her current perspective.
As Annie got up to leave, I kissed her on both cheeks. And I took the opportunity to slip several more bright orange clementines in her coat pocket, wondering how else to improve the situation.
It occurs to me now, dear reader, that if we had any courage at all, we'd hurry up with this potato prepping and get these patates into the oven–in time to cook this gratin dauphinois–and offer the comfort food to the dear soul who suffered a sleepless night!
…Yes, but for the courage it takes!
* * *
Video
Pancho, Braise, and I made you a one-minute motion picture (if "motion picture" is a stretch, at the very least the footage will give you a sense of atmosphere).
Introducing "Slow Food: A Quiet Moment Peeling Potatoes." To watch the following picture, you may need to click over to the blog. Sorry about the vertical video frame. To see more scenery, click "full screen" (see the icon in the lower right corner of the video)
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Kristin,
It would seem appropriate to send Max over to repair the neighbor’s chicken fence to me. Actions have consequences.
Kristin,
It would seem appropriate to send Max over to repair the neighbor’s chicken fence to me. Actions have consequences.
Il faudrait faire installer une barrière invisible (électrique). C’est un produit miraculeux.
Il faudrait faire installer une barrière invisible (électrique). C’est un produit miraculeux.
MY DARLING KRISTI,
You are so precious – loved every word. Soon the problem with the dogs will be behind you, don’t feel bad when people make all these suggestions, I know you are doing the best you can. Thank you for your courage in relating what a real life is all about.
XOXO
MOM
MY DARLING KRISTI,
You are so precious – loved every word. Soon the problem with the dogs will be behind you, don’t feel bad when people make all these suggestions, I know you are doing the best you can. Thank you for your courage in relating what a real life is all about.
XOXO
MOM
Kristi…
Thanks for sharing this delightful story and I enjoyed the video…the background music was very appropriate!
-Diane
Kristi…
Thanks for sharing this delightful story and I enjoyed the video…the background music was very appropriate!
-Diane
I agree about the electronic fence. Best for the safety of the neighbors’ possessions and peace of mind for the dog owners. As long as you have young adults in your house, you will have these mishaps. It’s just not in their nature to be so particular about such things as making sure the door is closed.
Being a good neighbor is paramount. an electronic fence gives the dogs room to roam without doing any damage to neighbors. We had one for our golden, and once trained he wouldn’t even break through the fence to chase a wild turkey in our woods.
I agree about the electronic fence. Best for the safety of the neighbors’ possessions and peace of mind for the dog owners. As long as you have young adults in your house, you will have these mishaps. It’s just not in their nature to be so particular about such things as making sure the door is closed.
Being a good neighbor is paramount. an electronic fence gives the dogs room to roam without doing any damage to neighbors. We had one for our golden, and once trained he wouldn’t even break through the fence to chase a wild turkey in our woods.
A great reminder on what is important!
Um, how did our Potatoes turn out? Delish?
Happy New Year – belatedly,
Patty in Bethesda MD today (at almost 20 degrees brrrrrrr!)
A great reminder on what is important!
Um, how did our Potatoes turn out? Delish?
Happy New Year – belatedly,
Patty in Bethesda MD today (at almost 20 degrees brrrrrrr!)
I loved the story, I loved the video, I loved the music and… of course I cut my fingers peeling those patates !!
New Year’s dogs resolution : we will stay home, we promise ! Tell Annie we won’t do it again !
I loved the story, I loved the video, I loved the music and… of course I cut my fingers peeling those patates !!
New Year’s dogs resolution : we will stay home, we promise ! Tell Annie we won’t do it again !
Kristin,
I would peel potatoes for you all day if I could sit at that table, looking out that window at that view!
Smokey is sooo cute, in spite of his shenanigans with mama Braise. (Country life for a dog is a bit different than that of a city dog, n’est-ce pas?) The kittens are adorable….Life at Mas Brun seems so enticing from here!
Kristin,
I would peel potatoes for you all day if I could sit at that table, looking out that window at that view!
Smokey is sooo cute, in spite of his shenanigans with mama Braise. (Country life for a dog is a bit different than that of a city dog, n’est-ce pas?) The kittens are adorable….Life at Mas Brun seems so enticing from here!
Forgot to say I loved the pictures too ! Cats and dogs are getting along quite well aren’they?
Irises blooming in January… spring time is there !
Forgot to say I loved the pictures too ! Cats and dogs are getting along quite well aren’they?
Irises blooming in January… spring time is there !
I love your videos!! I’d love to see more of your family and daily life for you.
I love your videos!! I’d love to see more of your family and daily life for you.
Why not use a peeler instead of a knife??Much safer and faster!
Why not use a peeler instead of a knife??Much safer and faster!
We had a siberian husky that liked to run off and had a taste for the neighbor’s chickens. My grandfather taught me to peel potatoes. He would sit patiently at the kitchen table (1950’s – 1960’s) peeling paper thin skins and trying to teach me to peel them just as thin. I’ve never seen anyone able to do this since. My mother-in-law liked to say she peeled them thin, but you could mash potatoes with those thick peels! lol Me, I use a peeler 😉
We had a siberian husky that liked to run off and had a taste for the neighbor’s chickens. My grandfather taught me to peel potatoes. He would sit patiently at the kitchen table (1950’s – 1960’s) peeling paper thin skins and trying to teach me to peel them just as thin. I’ve never seen anyone able to do this since. My mother-in-law liked to say she peeled them thin, but you could mash potatoes with those thick peels! lol Me, I use a peeler 😉
You have yellow flowers and blue flowers in bloom and visible on January 8!
Here we are under snow cover, checking just what sort of record the low temperatures set, and finally sending children back to school now it is safe for them to be outdoors without getting frostbite. What a difference.
That photo of the dog out in the flower really stopped me in my mental tracks. I will be happy when the temperature goes up to freezing, then over it, to melt some snow.
Enjoy those lovely days !
You have yellow flowers and blue flowers in bloom and visible on January 8!
Here we are under snow cover, checking just what sort of record the low temperatures set, and finally sending children back to school now it is safe for them to be outdoors without getting frostbite. What a difference.
That photo of the dog out in the flower really stopped me in my mental tracks. I will be happy when the temperature goes up to freezing, then over it, to melt some snow.
Enjoy those lovely days !
Enjoyed your story and agree with the electric fence suggestions. My niece got one for her dog and it has worked great. Trixie knows her limits and she stops at the very edge. And you will not have anymore sleepless nights thinking they are hurt (or worse) someplace.
Thanks for the picture of the window – it looks wonderful. Wish i had one like that in my house.
Enjoyed your story and agree with the electric fence suggestions. My niece got one for her dog and it has worked great. Trixie knows her limits and she stops at the very edge. And you will not have anymore sleepless nights thinking they are hurt (or worse) someplace.
Thanks for the picture of the window – it looks wonderful. Wish i had one like that in my house.
Sorry , I am the worst writter in French , but I could not help notice , the “contrairie ‘ which should be contrariee .( with an accent !).
And oh please no inivisible fence , dogs when taken somewhere else can run into terrible and lenghty escapes . Better train them . I found electric fences awful!.
Sorry , I am the worst writter in French , but I could not help notice , the “contrairie ‘ which should be contrariee .( with an accent !).
And oh please no inivisible fence , dogs when taken somewhere else can run into terrible and lenghty escapes . Better train them . I found electric fences awful!.
Kristin, as your mother commented, you are doing a wonderful job with your busy household. There is no single ‘right’ solution. Thank goodness your adorable puppies returned home unharmed after having been out all night! I can just imagine your relief. As always, your photos are inspiring, beautiful, and those furry babies are adorable. The video adds a perfect touch, and I hope the potates were delicious.
Kristin, as your mother commented, you are doing a wonderful job with your busy household. There is no single ‘right’ solution. Thank goodness your adorable puppies returned home unharmed after having been out all night! I can just imagine your relief. As always, your photos are inspiring, beautiful, and those furry babies are adorable. The video adds a perfect touch, and I hope the potates were delicious.
I loved pretending to peel potatoes with you! That scenario made me laugh with joy, because to do that would mean I would have to be in France with you, looking out a window with a beautiful view! XO
I loved pretending to peel potatoes with you! That scenario made me laugh with joy, because to do that would mean I would have to be in France with you, looking out a window with a beautiful view! XO
Too funny Kristine, your description of how you feel when you see Braise and Smokey…and so true. Love the kitties, now your household is complete. xx
Too funny Kristine, your description of how you feel when you see Braise and Smokey…and so true. Love the kitties, now your household is complete. xx
Loved the story — I know you will come up with a great solution for both the puppies & the neighbor.
Thanks again for a peak into your life. The video was too cute – esp the end with the beautiful smiling pup!
Be well!
Loved the story — I know you will come up with a great solution for both the puppies & the neighbor.
Thanks again for a peak into your life. The video was too cute – esp the end with the beautiful smiling pup!
Be well!
I loved the pictures, they give me a lovely impression of your place.
I loved the pictures, they give me a lovely impression of your place.
Loved the video – would love to know the music you had playing during it – I liked it a lot.
Frances in Napa, California
Loved the video – would love to know the music you had playing during it – I liked it a lot.
Frances in Napa, California
Loved this story, too — ah, les chiens! How we love them, are exasperated by them, can’t live without them.
I’ve always thought that /patate/ was the French-Canadian word for “pomme de terre.” Can you set me straight, please? Is “pomme de terre” frightfully out-dated?
Loved this story, too — ah, les chiens! How we love them, are exasperated by them, can’t live without them.
I’ve always thought that /patate/ was the French-Canadian word for “pomme de terre.” Can you set me straight, please? Is “pomme de terre” frightfully out-dated?
Your stories always go straight to the heart of things Kristin. Thanks!
Your stories always go straight to the heart of things Kristin. Thanks!
Our dear Kristi,
What a(nother!)wonderful post today,only outdone by such pictures to steal my heart!
It is hard for me to imagine your dogs having the ability to wander off;we live in an eucalyptus forest,one filled with coyotes and predators!
You always bring us smiles and inspiration.
THANK YOU!!
Love
Natalia. xo
Our dear Kristi,
What a(nother!)wonderful post today,only outdone by such pictures to steal my heart!
It is hard for me to imagine your dogs having the ability to wander off;we live in an eucalyptus forest,one filled with coyotes and predators!
You always bring us smiles and inspiration.
THANK YOU!!
Love
Natalia. xo
The pictures are beautiful. I would be sitting at that kitchen table most days just staring out the window.
Love how Smokey and Lily are looking up at each other, so very cute.
Pets add so much to our lives, still missing my Sox.
xoxo
The pictures are beautiful. I would be sitting at that kitchen table most days just staring out the window.
Love how Smokey and Lily are looking up at each other, so very cute.
Pets add so much to our lives, still missing my Sox.
xoxo