Our 21-year-old, Max, came home from Montpellier for the weekend and cooked a cozy meal for the whole family. Read on in today's missive, below.
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TODAY'S WORD: le magret de canard
: fillet of duck, duck breast
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Maxime nous a cuisiné des magrets de canard selon la recette que je lui ai donnée.
Maxime cooked us some duck fillets according to a recipe I gave him.
ECOUTEZ – Download MP3: Maxime nous a cuisiné des magrets de canard selon la recette que je lui ai donnée
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A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
If you keep coming across the word hygge, it's no wonder–you are reading too much news! Hygge is all over the media, even in France. According to Le Monde there is no French translation of the Danish word, a term synonymous with "snug" and "cozy" and involving friends, family and comfort food–all squeezed together, like a warm câlin:
This past weekend was extra hygge thanks to the layer of comfort Max added to the mix: our son cooked his father's specialty, magret de canard, for dinner while we relaxed under the covers (a fluffy blanket, or plaid, is key to cocooning–as are les coussins, or throw pillows.). And when Jackie called "à table!" I noticed our daughter had lit two candles, in the old brass candlesticks–a wedding present from Aunt Ruth and Uncle Bill, in Seattle.
From Denmark to France and back, somehow, to the States, I'm wrapping up this cozy little post, sooner than usual–keeping things short and snug as a hug. As for the recipe: score the fatty side of the duck and fry both sides. Add sliced pears to the melted fat. Cook until fruit is soft. Pour honey over. Bon appétit!
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Stories you may have missed…
Souler, Claquer, Hurler – Our son throws a party and my plan to escape to the hotel backfires. Read the lively trilogy, here.
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FRENCH VOCABULARY
Increase your vocabulary with this list. More tools here.
la pantoufle = slipper
le feu de cheminée = chimney fire
le câlin = hug, cuddle
le plaid = throw blanket
le coussin = pillow
à table! = everyone to the table now!
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To read all about the concept of hygge–cocooning in French–read The Little Book of Hygge, here
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Oooh love your recipe – and what a warm and cozy post!
Your post made me wonder how many American men of Max’s young age can actually cook anything!
This recipe sounds delicious and so easy. Now, if only magrets were more available at a reasonable price here in the States! My favorite recipe is one for magrets with morels. Got it from our French friend who served it to us when we visited at his home in Le Thor.
Hygge! J’adore ce mot et les sentiments qui l’accompagnent! You made us feel just that, right here in your post. 🙂
Wonderful reading this post about what really matters in life. I gave my son a crock pot to take with him to college this past August… it has been a cool way for him to meet and connect with his peers in the suite and dorm. Several of his classmates got together and made a communal Thanksgiving meal…It’s all about relationships after all…
Bravo for Max! He’s a cool guy on so many levels!
A beautiful post which gives a true “example” of hygge. I could almost feel the warmth and love between the four of you across the miles … not forgetting Smokey!
I came across this book while we were back in London, shortly before Christmas, and me being Danish, thought this might just make a nice Christmas present for our daughter, even if she has visited Denmark, in particularly Copenhagen, many times. From what she has told me, it’s opened her eyes to a thing or two about Danish traditions and lots more (which I obviously forgot to tell her about) and not just about our Danish word ‘hygge’, as that is what we Danes do all year round and in particularly in December…visiting wonderful Copenhagen should be on your bucket list for December…it’s just the best…(or in the summer, as these are the best times during the year, to visit)…! 🇩🇰🇬🇧🇫🇷
Love the duck recipe…Dean says it sounds ducky. Yes, you can buy good duck breasts from d’Artagnan. They are the best which you can buy stateside.
Hygge…sounds wonderful..cosy, warm and relaxing. I’d love to have the time to do. I guess that you just have to make the time.
Just a plug for Women”s March..it was great!!!
Kathleen
Loved the warm and fuzzy feeling your story gave me. So very sweet!
Sending hugs.
It’s interesting that the quote said, “En France, point de hygge” rather than “pas de hygge.” You don’t see “point de” very much any more. I’ve read some old French texts and it used to almost always be “point de” but it slowly changed to “pas de.” Funny how languages slowly morph over time.
Greetings from Pennsylvania. I have enjoyed your email for several years. I noticed in the picture of Max he is wearing a Franklin and Marshall sweatshirt. Until two years ago we lived in Geneva, Switzerland (2007-15) and it was not unusual to see folks wearing sweatshirts that said “Franklin and Marshall”. I even asked a student once, he had no clue. Now we live outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, home to Franklin and Marshall College which was founded in 1787. How did Franklin and Marshall become so popular in France and Switzerland. While it is an excellent school (they have a very good Francophone program) it is not as well known as Harvard, Yale, etc. Just curious. Does Max know? Mark.
A loving, creative, talented famille Espinasse — FELICITATIONS! How is Hygge pronounced?
Comme toujours
Hi, Mark. I just texted Max and got this reply:
“Hi mom, I bought it 4years ago in a shop on the sea at saint cyr ! It’s now closed.. and Franklin and Marshall is a brand.”
A Danish friend to ld me that it is considered more desirable to have a husband who was hygge than smart!
Our dear Kristi,
Your post once again has wrapped us in hugs–and smiles!
What greater gift is there than a loving family,especially when they are all together in a wonderful hygge???!!
(Remember that Dusty Springfield song?”What the world needs now is love sweet love;it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of…”)
Giving thanks for our blessings!
AND! Thanks to Max(and Mom!) for that delicious magret de canard!
(PS Another yummy idea: I used to make ours with a cherry sauce(SO easy!Canned cherries in syrup thicked with a roux.)
Love
Natalia XO
Chimney fire is a reason to call the fire department, a fire in the chimney instead of the fireplace or wood stove. That is a dramatic memory for me, when my neighbor had one and the fire department made us come out of our house in case the fire ignited my roof. It did not, what a relief. My neighbors had not cleaned their chimney in a long time, causing that fire. So I think a better American phrase for le feu de cheminée might be fire in the fireplace, or something on that order. Lovely story and the dinner sounds delicious. I love duck but rarely get to eat it, and have never cooked it myself.
The shirt with a definition of hygge shows the pronunciation, hue gah, I think. The photo of the shirt is a link to an ad to buy the shirt from Amazon. Not part of the article, but in the ads following.
Dear Kristi,
The best kind of weekend with adult children …especially when they do the cooking! And our beloved pets make it even better. Definitely a time to cherish…
Kristin, 1st…I love your blog. Your open heart to share these days of your life (come sa “Days of Our Lives” Soap Opera?) are wonderful. Today’s post about Max’s cologne made me laugh out loud. Many years ago I was in France and bought a bottle Kouros as it was NOT yet available in the states. Well I thought I was done hip!!! I brought home a bottle to tuer les américains! Ooh la la…..one minor problem, I was allergic to the scent!! I couldn’t be within 5 miles and still breathe!!!! Oh well. I now wear Gendarme maybe Max might try that?
Timothy
Hi Kristi,
Cozy post! It’s so nice to cocoon with family! Enjoy your time together!
That recipe sounds delicious! I will have to look for a butcher near me that sells duck. Thank you for today’s cosy post! I can hear that crackling fireplace and feel its warmth.
Sounds like it might be similar to the Dutch word ‘gezellig’ – a word that is deliciously useful once you understand its meaning and yet surprisingly untranslatable in English and French.
I received that book you share for Christmas and am looking forward to reading it!