FETE DE LA CHANDELEUR - FEBRUARY 2

Today is Saturday, February 2.  In the United States,  we would watching for the groundhog to see how much longer winter would last.  The French have a different (and tastier!!) way to determine the season.  It's called La Chandeleur, and it translates as Candlemass in English referring to the blessing of candles which traditionally took place on this day.

I've noticed here that many (if not most) holidays point to a religious event.  In the case of La Chandeleur, for Roman Catholics, it's the feast of the Presentation of Baby Jesus at the temple that occurred forty days after Christmas.  However, while it became a religious commemoration, it is, in fact, a pagan holiday and today has many traditions and superstitions associated with it.

The one I liked (which we didn't try!) was flipping a crepe into the air with one hand while holding a gold coin in the other.  If you can catch the crepe in the pan, you will have good luck in the coming year!!!  We decided to make our own crepes this morning, but David wouldn't toss....to quote one of our favorite Christmas movies (Christmas in Connecticut) he said "I'm a scooper not a flipper"!!!!!

The Finkelstein kitchen is always open for new recipes-ask my kids!!!!

The recipe we used was a very simple one.  I rolled them rather than folding them into quarters like the street vendors do.  It made them easier to eat.   I sprinkled sugar in the crepe and topped mine with cherry jam and powdered sugar.  David topped his with honey and powdered sugar.  They were easy and tasty. Not a bad tradition!!!

Sharing the Groundhog Day weather forecast idea, there's a little French rhyme I enjoyed:

      "Quand la Chandeleur est claire,                        "When February 2 is clear,
        L'hiver par derriere;                                           No more winter to fear;
        Chandeleur couverte,                                         If the Chandeleur is overcast,
        Quarante jours de perte!!"                                  forty days of winter to last"


As you know, I do love a Nutella/banana crepe from a street vendor, and that may be my next crepe breakfast!

Who could refuse this!!!!?????

Oh, by the way, if you look at my plate closely, you'll notice the bacon.  Yes, BACON!!!!  Not turkey bacon, but real, American bacon.  We have looked in various places in the almost year we've been here and been unsuccessful at finding American bacon.  One day while David was at our favorite English store, Marks and Spencer, he found this and picked it up.  Voila!  American bacon!!!!  We were so excited!!!  For my health-conscious friends, don't worry.  We don't eat it every day and the slices are small, but it tastes great and is crispy (important to me!).  I love you,  Marks and Spencer.

Bonne fete et bon appétit!!!