Pen Pals: Writing Letters That Capture Innocent Whispers

Did you ever have a pen pal when you were younger? I had several and I’m sad to say that I’ve lost touch with most of them. I remember skipping back to the house after checking the mailbox when I was younger and I couldn’t wait to open my letter from my pen pal Susanna from Finland, Eritnatish from Iceland! Robin from Georgia, Melissa from Paris (Texas)! Holding the letter as if it were an acceptance to my favorite college; I would take in the stationary, the stamp, and especially the handwriting.

Do you ever notice how our true thoughts come out when writing a letter to a friend? It's easy to get a feel of someone’s personality by seeing their handwriting that you can’t see from the computer. I adore technology! There is instant gratification and it’s always getting better but technology is cold. Letters are warm.  Emails, tweets and texts are like short stories but a letter is more like a novel…it’s a bigger piece of the puzzle and a small clue to discovery of a mosaic of a person.

Since I was a child, I’ve loved going to the post office. I love the smell of it…musty, old, mildew, and magical! I have always loved the giddy feeling I get of dropping a letter down the blue shoot to go on an adventure. Then after impatiently waiting for the day I receive a letter back, opening up my mailbox to see if I recognize my friend’s handwriting.

I have shoeboxes full of old letters from my pen pals. I was an excellent pen pal up until college. I tried to keep up but that’s about the time “real” life starts happening and I’m sad to say, writing letters became less of a priority. Of course I still send Christmas cards and thank you notes, but those don’t tell about the random parts of your day that really let you inside to someone’s heart and help widen the world.

Last year when I read As Always, Julia I was inspired to write more letters again. I find that my thoughts flow more freely when I’m not trying to puzzle my words together on the computer…they just flow naturally like a list. There are windows throughout my day that I can find to jot down a note to a friend…whatever is happening in that moment, it’s a piece of the day that I want to share. Unlike a text or an email, a letter shows the spice of life.

Whenever I have sent a letter, I crossed my fingers that the recipient will write me back. At thirty-five, I still skip back from the mailbox, I even squeal with delight when I hold a little treasure we call a letter.

Last week I did my skip and squeal as I held a handful of precious treasures! Twenty-six beautiful letters (written in French) from seven and eight year olds and personally addressed to each of my second grade students. Oui, we have pen pals!!

Another reason I love technology is that you can meet and learn about interesting people all around the world. Aidan is a fellow Texan, she is my friend, but we have never met. I feel as though I know her from her writing on her blog conjucatingirregularverbs and I hope that one day our families really will meet. Aidan’s oldest son is a second grader in France and it is with her son’s classroom that we have found our pen pals.

My class was really happy and fascinated to learn more about a child their age that speaks a different language and lives a whole big blue ocean away. In my thirteen years teaching, this was one of my most happy teaching moments EVER!

I was hearing my class gasp with excitement and question everything. “Oh, Mrs. Cooley, my pen pal writes in cursive so well! Can you teach us how to write like this? Mrs. Cooley, my pen pal wants me to teach him American football but I’m not going to France anytime soon! What do I say? Mrs. Cooley, my pen pal does flamenco dancing…what is that?”  This is a perfect example of how children can teach each other. It was a lesson in handwriting, language, social studies, and reading all in one setting!

When I compare my class’ letters to the letters of their French pen pals, I see all kinds of possibilities…They will improve their writing skills and be motivated to improve their handwriting. They could continue to write to each other and one day possibly meet. But most importantly, it opens the door for culture. Pen pals can enjoy seeing postcards, stamps, practice learning a foreign language, and have a friend in a different part of the world.  

I saw firsthand the light turn on in my second graders eyes, they want to know more about life in France from a personal view of children their age. My thrill is in the pride I see in their eyes as they realize they are breathing life into an envelope and likewise as they anticipate inhaling the mysteries of replies.

The letters they wrote back to their French pen pals were sweet and charming. “Have you seen the Eiffel Tower? One day could you teach me how to play rugby? Do you have pizza in France? Do you have any pets? When I explained to one of my students what flamenco dancing was, she said, “Ooh…we have a lot in common, I cheer!”

Mark Twain said, “Biographies are but the clothes and buttons of the man- the biography of the man himself cannot be written.” I think it can be written through a letter; the clothes and buttons are but the paper and pencil.

A French Country Sunday

Sundays are a time to enjoy good food, family, and friends. When everyone is seated around the table it can feel as cozy as Thanksgiving. A Sunday meal that lingers on for hours can be a true pleasure. Imagine a table with plenty to eat and the hum of good conversation and laughter, it can feel festive (even if it’s not a holiday). 

If you've ever seen the French movie, "A Sunday in the Country" you know the kind of Sunday I mean, a relaxing summery Sunday with a French country kind of feel. A meal surrounded by beautiful gardens, and exquisite yet simple foods. Maybe after the meal you will take a nap, read a book, sip some tea, take a swim...these little pleasantries are simple yet heavenly, especially on a Sunday.

People eat a bit more slowly on Sundays, drink a little more wine and purposely lose track of time.

I imagine Claude Monet had many Sundays spent like this in Giverny.

When The Julia Child Book Club met last Sunday to discuss the book Claude and Camille it was as if we'd stepped back in time to the French country side and became oblivious to the time. After all, it was TIME that we took a little more of, and eventually lost track of.

I read that Monet believed beautiful dinner service was one of the keys to a successful meal. This seems so French to me. It’s all about the details in the preparation that make a meal special and memorable.

I hope this brings you inspiration to have your own French country Sunday. And please, remember to take your time. Salut et bon appétit! 

Recipes from the Julia Child Book Club:

Mia’s Gougères

6 T unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 C water

Pinch of salt

Pinch of white pepper

1 ½ C flour

6 large eggs

2 C coarsely shredded gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 400. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; then remove from the heat and stir in the pepper and the flour with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium. Return to the heat and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes very thick and begins to film the bottom of the saucepan, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time. The dough should have the consistency of a thick mayonnaise. Stir in 1 ½ C of cheese. On a buttered and floured baking sheet drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough, spacing them 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with remaining ½ C cheese. Bake about 25 minutes, until the puffs swell to almost triple in size and become golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Ashley’s Soupe Au Pistou

2 medium leeks

3 stalks celery

2 medium carrots

6  slices pancetta

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound small red potatoes

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

2 zucchini

1 Tablespoon Herbes de Provence

Salt to taste

Clean and dice the leeks, celery, carrots and potatoes into approximately 1/2 inch pieces or slices, as the case may be.

Slice the bacon into 1 inch slices, and in a large pot, cook the bacon until mostly crisp.

Add the olive oil and the vegetables, and sauté over medium heat until the leeks and carrots start to get a little tender, then add the chicken broth and water, add a pinch or two of salt, cover, and simmer over medium low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes can be pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, cut the zucchini into 1/2-1 inch pieces, and when the potatoes are starting to get tender, the zucchini. Salt to taste.

For the pistou:

4 oz basil, leaves only

¼ cup pine nuts

2 ounces parmesan

¼ cup olive oil

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and process until it forms a smooth paste.

To serve, ladle the soup into large bowls, and top with a large spoonful of pistou.

Linda’s Lemon Basil Sorbet

3 C water

2 C sugar

2 T lemon zest, divided

1 ½ C fresh packed basil

3 C fresh lemon juice

Prepare a lemon simple syrup with the water, sugar and 1 ½ T of the lemon zest by combining all three in a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Cook mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat. Once the simple syrup is ready, add the basil and salt. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours, or overnight. Strain the chilled mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Turn on the ice cream maker; pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and mix until thick.

Leslee’s Soubise

1/2 cup rice

4 quarts rapidly boiling water

1 1/2 tablespoons salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (one-half stick) butter, plus 2 tablespoons softened butter

2 pounds yellow onions, thinly sliced

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

1 tablespoon minced parsley.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Drop the rice into the boiling water to which has been added the salt. Boil five minutes exactly and drain immediately.

Heat the 1/4 cup of butter in a three-quart flameproof casserole and when it is foaming, stir in the onions. When they are well-coated with butter, stir in the rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cover and cook very slowly in the oven for one hour, stirring occasionally. The rice and onions should become very tender and will usually turn a light golden yellow. Taste and re-season. (The recipe may be prepared to this point several hours in advance. Reheat before proceeding.)

Just before serving, stir in the cream and cheese and then the softening butter.

Olga’s Potato Galettes

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 lb potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled

1/4 tsp crumbled dried rosemary

1/4 tsp crumbled dried thyme

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Grate the potatoes roughly. Using a large bowl, mix the potatoes with the rosemary, thyme, green onion, garlic, salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, stir together the butter and the oil. Brush the bottom of a small cast-iron skillet with some of the butter mixture. Heat the mixture over moderately high heat until it begins to sizzle. Ladle a layer of the potato mixture approximately 1/4 inch thick and fry over medium heat for several minutes, until the base is golden brown. Flip and brown the other side.

Margot’s pork tenderloin Wellington and gravy

Seasoned the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Sear in a bit of olive oil to brown on all sides. About 1 1/2 minutes each side. Transfer to a cutting board to drain and let cool off completely.

Use the frying pan with the drippings and melt 1/2 stick of butter. Add 1/2 onion (thinly sliced) and sauté till golden. Add 8 oz of white mushrooms and sauté until they are starting to brown. Add white wine (1/2 cup) and reduce. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and reduce. Taste and add salt, pepper and finish with heavy cream to get consistency you like. It will thicken as you finish.

In another pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 1 small onion (thinly sliced) and sauté for about 4 min. Add 16 oz of white mushrooms, season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and liquid is evaporated. Add 1/4 cup of Sherry and cook until mixture is dry, about 4 min. Add some freshly chopped parsley and cool to room temperature.

On a floured surface roll out puffed pastry into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. If using store bought you may have to overlap two pieces. Put some of the mushroom mixture in the center of the pastry. Place tenderloin on top of the mixture. Top the tenderloin with more of the mixture as well as the sides. Fold the long sides of the pastry and seal the seam with egg-wash. Trim the ends if necessary and fold up and seal. Place the tenderloin onto a baking sheet seam down. Chill for at least 2 hrs or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400. Place a baking sheet on the center rack until hot about 15 min. Brush the top of the tenderloin with egg-wash and cut 2 - 3 slits to let the steam vent. Carefully transfer the tenderloin onto the preheated baking sheet and bake until the pastry is golden brown. About 60 minutes. Cover with foil if it gets too brown during cooking. Let rest on the cutting board for 10 min before slicing.

Terri’s Chocolate Tarte

A word about the chocolate for this recipe before you begin. Good quality chocolate is essential for this recipe. I use chocolate that has an absolute minimum of 50 % cocoa. I think darker is better but tastes vary.

For the pastry:

½ cup butter, cut in small pieces

1 ¼ cups flour

¼ tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift together flour sugar and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives, leaving small peas sized pieces of butter throughout the mixture. Add egg and vanilla and mix together only enough to make a dough form. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for a half hour before rolling out.

You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.

Roll the dough into a 12 inch round and place in the bottom of a 10 inch tarte pan or pie plate. You will need to blind bake this crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F before adding the filling. Blind baking is essential so that the bottom crust will not get soggy.

To blind bake a crust, simply place a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil over the dough and cover the bottom of the pie plate with baking weights. (Marbles, dry beans, peas, rice or barley work just as well as anything else.)

For the chocolate filling:

7 ounces (by weight) dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

7 ounces whipping cream

3 ounces milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 large beaten egg

Bring the cream and milk just to boiling and pour the hot liquid over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes and whisk together until smooth. Cool for about 10 minutes before whisking in the beaten egg and vanilla.

Pour into the blind baked shell and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. The center can still be a little wobbly at this point. The surface should still be shiny. Cool thoroughly before cutting and serving. Garnish with crème anglaise.

½ C milk

½ C heavy cream

½ vanilla bean

4 egg yolks

¼ C sugar

Mix the milk and cream in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the pan, then add the pod. Bring just to a simmer, then remove from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes or so to infuse the dairy with vanilla flavor. Partially fill the largest bowl with equal parts ice and water, and set the larger of the remaining bowls on the ice. Set a strainer in place over that bowl. After the vanilla has infused the dairy to your satisfaction, remove the vanilla pod, then return the pan to gentle heat and stir frequently. In the third bowl, quickly whisk the yolks and sugar together. Once the dairy reaches a simmer, remove it from the heat and whisk about a tablespoon of it into the yolk and sugar mixture, Continue adding the dairy to the yolk and sugar mixture slowly to avoid curdling. Once the dairy, yolks, and sugar are fully incorporated, return the custard to the pan and return the pan to the heat. Stir constantly for 1-4 minutes until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Pour through the strainer into the bowl over the ice. Stir until cool, cover, and refrigerate. If it sits overnight the vanilla flavor will be more pronounced. Serve cold, room temperature, or even warm over your dessert.

Enjoy with our club’s sommelier pick, Brandi’s French white wine: Les Jamelles Viognier

Salut!



Terri’s Crème Anglaise

Midnight in Paris: Let's do it, let's fall in love...



This summer if you can’t go to Paris, I have a movie recommendation that will transport you there. Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris (which opened the Cannes Film Festival) takes you into the nostalgic era of music, art, and writing of the 1920’s. A romantic time of pleasure, joie de vivre, art, whimsy, and enchantment.

It’s about a young engaged couple who realize they’re not meant for each other once they’re in Paris; and then there is the illusion that life in a different place and time would be better. When life is unsatisfying, it’s easy to wish you could escape into a different period by time travel, that’s why most people love fantasy.  

The beauty of going to the movies is we can be transported back in time.  We turn to movies and books to escape, Midnight in Paris is the whole package that is a pleasure to behold and then again and again.

Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard

Rachel McAdams and Owen Wilson

Paris is zee world’s GREATEST city, bien sûr!  Midnight in Paris is a beautiful love letter to the divine 1920’s Paris.  Gil (Owen Wilson) thinks Paris looks best in the rain, but no matter the weather or the time, Midnight in Paris will take your breath away and leave you wanting to stay in the theatre and experience it again and again.

In a world full of wishes that are easily granted, Gil (a discouraged TV writer) dreams of becoming an expatriate writer. His fiancée, Inez (Rachel McAdams) wants Gil to keep doing what he does best so she can keep enjoying his credit cards. Gil and Inez meet up with Inez’s old flame Paul (Michael Sheen) who is an arrogant intellectual arguing with the museum guide of Musée Rodin who happens to be Carla Bruni (model, singer, first lady of France, now actress).

We later learn from Gertrude Stein that Gil’s novel may not be half bad. This gives Gil hope.

It is a fantasy of mine to become an expat writer and live in Tuscany like Frances Mayes. I totally get Gil!

Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald

The fun begins when Gil (who is a little drunk) goes for a late-night stroll and gets lost. At midnight a gorgeous antique Peugeot pulls up with happy socialites drinking champagne. He does the right thing and gets in to join the party. He finds himself at a club where Cole Porter is playing the piano and he’s introduced to F. Scott Fitzgerald and his beautiful southern belle wife, Zelda (my favorite character).



Hemingway



 I remember the summer I took a Hemingway to Fitzgerald English class at the University of Alabama. It was the perfect place to learn about Zelda because she was from Montgomery, Alabama. Alison Pill, who plays Zelda, lights up the screen and has a spot on southern accent that is fun to hear in Paris (especially when she says s'il vous plait)!

Gil befriends the ultra masculine Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll), Gertrude Stein (the fabulous Kathy Bates), fashion designer ingénue Adriana (Marion Cotillard), Picasso, Matisse… Each time Gil meets one of his golden era heroes his mouth falls to the floor.

Adriana (Marion Cotillard) has to be the world’s most beautiful woman past and present. She’s been Picasso’s, Braque’s, and Modigliani’s lover. I guess you could call her an art groupie.  

Woody Allen’s always witty dialogue is sharp and hilarious. Some of my favorite Woody Allen movies I love because they satisfy my “I want to travel to Europe now” bug. Hop aboard the Woody Allen European tour: Match Point (England), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Spain), Mighty Aphrodite (Greece), Midnight in Paris (France)… As much as I adore a European backdrop, I think Woody Allen could turn a place that is not known for being romantic like Tuscaloosa, Alabama into a city of magic. Woody has that je ne sais quoi that works well in any place.

Do you ever feel like you should have been born in another time? I think this often because I like to read and escape into a fantasy. I also crave culture like water and Midnight in Paris satisfies my craving and puts me in a happy place.

Midnight in Paris reminds me of a Merchant and Ivory film because it has that international flair, beauty, and intelligence that those films produce but also the romance of the movies like Before Sunrise and After Sunset which put you in a love bubble.

In the end, Gil realizes that no time is idyllic and he can find happiness in the present. He decides to make the best of life in our own time and the ending is the REAL fairy tale, walking off in Paris in the rain with a beautiful Parisian. As they walk away I imagine they’re both singing Cole Porter’s Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall In Love.  Merci Woody!

To get you in the “American in Paris” mood, enjoy these quotes then watch the trailer to the best movie you will have seen in a long, long time.

If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast. Hemingway

America is my country and Paris is my hometown. Gertrude Stein

History takes time. History makes memory. It is the soothing thing about history that it does repeat itself. Gertrude Stein

First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you. F. Scott Fitzgerald

You don't write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say. F. Scott Fitzgerald

Catherine de Medici: Italian Duchess, French Queen, Renaissance Legend

Caterina de Medici was a survivor! She was born in Florence, Italy in 1562 and was raised without parents, orphaned as an infant then taken hostage during the Italian Wars. The young Duchessina (little Duchess) was wanted dead at thirteen and locked up in a convent. She cut her hair all off and wore a nun’s habit hoping it would keep people from hurting her. Thanks to her Uncle Clement, the Pope who came to her rescue, at fourteen she was betrothed to King Henry II of France. This united two of the most powerful families in Europe.  

Catherine de Medici was short and had the distinct Medici look (long nose and dark round fiery eyes). She was not beautiful but she was (and still is) unforgettable. Catherine brought many things to the French table. She was a true Renaissance Queen acquainting France to: the first high heeled shoe, the fork, underwear, the side-saddle, fortune tellers, folding fan, ice cream, artichokes and more.

My favorite thing that she introduced (and the reason I grew up knowing her name) is ballet! She was a huge patron of the arts and brought ballet over from Italy. Yes, ballet was originally Italian!! The Ballet Comique de la Reine was the first ballet performance and Catherine was the instigator bringing over Italian masters to choreograph the dance. The court was so impressed with the ballet that they tried to copy similar dances then eventually replaced Italian ballet masters with French, and that’s why the language of ballet became French.

Catherine had a love of architecture as well, and this can be viewed today as we appreciate the building of the Louvre and also the construction of the Tuieleries gardens.

Photos: Catherine de Medici to the left, Comique de la Reine ballet above right, and a Court ball at the Louvre below.

In addition to all of the above she had a love for astrology and was friends with Nostradamus who advised Catherine until his death. She also had a fellow Florentine, Cosimo who was her herbalist. She had a collection of potions, perfumes, and readings that she believed strongly in and sought comfort in when something seemed amiss. Catherine herself was known for having “visions” and was open to knowing the future.

King Francis I was happy to gain fourteen-year-old Catherine from Florence with her large dowry and his grand scheme of taking a chunk of Italy. The two of them got along famously because they shared a love of dance, art, and beauty. Francis actually bought the Mona Lisa from Leonardo da Vinci himself. Catherine’s father-in-law was a big influence on her artistically and politically.

Unfortunately for Catherine there was great difficulty in getting her husband Henry to come to bed with her. He had a relationship with his former older nanny, Diane de Poitiers, who held his love and heart for the rest of his life. I read that both the father-in-law and Henry’s mistress, Diane, would watch them in bed to assist in the making of an heir. Poor Catherine, can you imagine?

Ten years after Catherine and Henry were married they finally got busy and produced ten children and several heirs to the throne. Francis II (married Mary, Queen of Scots), Elizabeth (married Philip II, King of Spain), Claude (married Charles III, Duke of Lorraine), Charles IX (married Elizabeth of Austria), Henry III (married Louise of Lorraine), Margot (married and divorced Henry of Navarre, later Henry IV, King of France) and Hercules (Duke of Alencon) . 

 Catherine’s three last children did not survive infancy. Catherine’s three sons who reigned were in constant religious war between the Catholics and the Huguenots (French Protestants). Catherine (a Roman Catholic) constantly tried to reconcile the religious groups and was trusted by neither group. She favored the Catholics but was open to making peace. That’s why she felt it important to marry Margot to Huguenot Henry, who converted twice during this war.

Once things seem to be going well for Catherine, tragedy struck again and she lost her husband in a horrible jousting accident at the wedding celebrations for their daughter Elizabeth. He lost an eye and died ten days later.

The only surviving member of the Royal Valois dynasty was Margot (Catherine’s youngest daughter) who I find to be the most fascinating of all Catherine’s children. Famous for her sense of style and beauty she was the muse of the court. She deeply loved Henry of Guise, but her mother wouldn’t allow her to marry him because the Guise family threatened to control the throne. She was forced to marry Henry II of Navarre because Catherine thought it would bring religious peace between the Catholics and Huguenots. Margot saved the lives of several Protestants, keeping them in her rooms and refusing to admit the assassins. She was famous for her scandalous behavior, taking many lovers and was imprisoned by her brother Henry III for eighteen years. She wrote her memoirs while imprisoned and later inspired Shakespeare’s comedy Love’s Labour’s Lost and Dumas’ 1845 novel and 1994 movie La Reine Margot.

Photos: Margot de Valois above right, Jeanne de Navarre to the left, and Catherine de Medici below.

As a mother, Catherine de Medici protected her children to the end, but France always came first. She was a Queen who fought for peace and was wrongly accused for some of the worst crimes: the murder of Jeanne of Navarre (Margot’s mother-in-law), the murder of Gaspard de Coligny (the Huguenot leader), poisoning her brother-in-law, and two sons, and planning the Massacre of St. Bartholomew (which killed thousands of Huguenots).

I think of Marie Antoinette, who like Catherine de Medici was not French. Even thought they were centuries apart, the Austrian princess and Italian duchess had a lot in common (not just their sense of style). Each came to France at the age of fourteen, threatened the French culture and they were scorned for not producing an heir right away. They were also both to blame for crimes they did not commit; Marie’s “Affair of the Necklace” and Catherine’s “Massacre of St. Bartholomew.”  The famous Queens’ put France first, but France failed to appreciate them; they were regarded as the enemy and wrongly misjudged.

Catherine de Medici did the best she could as a Queen and mother during her reign; she desperately wanted peace for France and some appreciation for all she had fought for. Catherine once said to the Queen of Navarre, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.” This says a lot to me about the kind of person she was; a survivor who was doing the best she could in her difficult circumstance. She lived to be sixty-nine and I imagine her heart was tired, sad, and burdened by what she felt had been a “thankless” life.

Je vois la vie en rose: I see life in rosy hues

Gertrude Stein said, "America is my country and Paris is my hometown." Florence, Italy is my hometown but I love so many French things and the French way of life that I can relate to her quote. Oh to be around when Hemingway, Stein, and Picasso were living it up at Café deux Magots in Paris. I invite you to join me and Frenchify your life  through these tips and facts about all things French. I am a xenophile, Francophile, Europhile... How wonderful would it be if like Edith Piaf sang, we could see life in rosy hues? Perhaps through everyday little French details we can try.

There is such mystery rooted in the French culture; they seem to love secrets about beauty, weight loss, affairs... There's a touch of magic to these secrets being personal and unspoken; it makes them seem so seductive. La Fontaine said, Rien ne pèse tant que un secret (nothing weighs more than a secret). As an American I think telling a secret (my personal private thoughts) creates intimacy with those close to me. It doesn't seem to concede or threaten my relationships by being discreet like the French.

French women seem to have well kept secrets for beauty; they are ritualistic about caring for their skin. For the French, beauty is a tradition handed down from their mother's mother and secrets are not discussed outside the family. I like the perception that in France the older you get, the sexier you become. Americans worship the twenty something woman but the French are more attracted to the confidence and assurance of a seasoned man or woman. I think these beautiful French actresses are much more interesting and intelligent to admire: Fanny Ardant, Marion Cotillard , Juliette Binoche, Catherine Deneuve , and Leslie Caron (a few of my favorites).

The French don't seem to care about being liked like we do. I think it's that confidence that gives French women an edge. At the same time, that's why we strongly dislike them! It's that uppity superior attitude!

I can't help but think of Marie Antoinette; the French disliked her from the beginning because she was not French! She was an Austrian princess who threatened the French culture. It makes me very sad to think of how Marie was treated in France. She was très intelligent, loving, and witty! Wit is something the French highly respect. France is a bit like a sorority... It's very difficult to join without being a legacy or having several good recommendations!

Have you ever noticed how honesty and wit are so rarely combined in a person? The French movie Ridicule displays this perfectly. The movie is set during the reign of Louis XVI and a man must survive Versailles relying on his wit and smarts. It really shows you how much the French put on wit and clever conversation. Just as Marie Antoinette fought with her hobbies, gambling and fashion, she also read all the time. I can only imagine that is where she found her wit (that and her wunderbar Hapsburg genes).

Something else the Queen of France popularized was the croissant. It was her favorite treat from her homeland, Austria. The French love to claim things as their own! Another example is ballet; which did not originate in France either (Italy). I'm not fluent in French but I speak ballet! Marie Antoinette was a huge patron of the arts. Ballet spread through the French court courtesy of Catherine de' Medici where it was developed even further. In the 17th century at the time of Louis XIV, ballet was codified. Louis XIV was a noted and respectable dancer; his dances still survive today! My favorite French ballet is Giselle, the first of the great romantic ballets.

You've heard the National Motto of France, non? Well I've altered it slightly: Liberté, égalité, (scratch the fraternité because it's too hard to join) gastronomie!! The French worship their stomachs; their high priests are chefs and sommeliers. The French literally put their money where their mouth is, spending more money on food and wine than any other nation. In Dallas we have many French places to choose from: The French Room, Hotel St Germaine, Lavendou, Rise, The Cultured Cup (to name a few). Elizabeth New also offers her French Affairs including: travel, culture and language in Dallas.

Thank goodness for Julia Child who gave us The French Chef! So much French cooking was inspired in America because of her. American's now look at cheese, white asparagus, shallots, mushrooms, beets, leeks, and herbs (like herbs de Provence) as c'est normal!! One of my favorite simple French treats is the crepe. So much can be done to fill them. When I was little, my mom would make them for my brother and sister and I often. My favorite filling is apples with crème fraiche.

Ashley's Crepes: 1 C milk, 2 T melted butter, 2 eggs, 1 C flour, 1 t baking powder, ½ t salt, 1 t vanilla (omit if making a savory crepe) Put everything in the blender! Works best with a crepe pan.

Have you heard of Poilâne bread? It's a world renowned bread company run by the great granddaughter of Pierre Poilâne. They use the best of old techniques with the best of new techniques. You can get it shipped to the States from France. There's a Michelin saying, ca vant le voyage... It's worth the trip. Well it would be worth the shipping in this case!

Edith Piaf said, "All I've done all my life is disobey." Coming from a teacher who has always been a pretty good rule follower, I envy this statement! How nice to have the confidence and air that you can do as you please and not feel bad about it. Is it an American thing to carry a huge amount of guilt? I know it certainly comes with motherhood. I tell my dogs I'm sorry if I run into them!! I can't imagine having that French mindset, but I'm captivated by it and many times wish I could be that "snooty French girl" with the attitude.

We have so many rules in America, unlike the French who pretty much do as they please. I would like a mix of both our worlds. In America living can feel like responsibility after responsibility where in France they are more laissez-faire about life, c'est la vie! We have so many self-help books at our fingertips. I think the French see rules as a violation on their personal right to live as they like. I think of it as more living with your heart and doing what feels natural, not what others "think" is natural. The French women have a passionate sense of the shortness of time and the immediacy of pleasure. I think this is very healthy.

My husband and I went to Paris with a Parisian years ago and she seemed to have so much trouble expressing pleasantries and courtesies that we thought she was in a constant bad mood. I got fed up and stopped being friendly. Then the funniest thing happened, she started being nice when I was rude to her! Is that reverse psychology I tapped into? Another interesting thing about the French is that you can get different answers depending on how you bring up the subject. If you are ever asked, "What do you think of Pei's pyramid at the Louvre?" I have learned one should say, "I think he was very brave!" This way you don't set yourself up for ridicule. Any time I said I liked something in Paris my Parisian friend would say it's appalling! And if I didn't particularly like it, she would go off on me! I think you win if you stay neutral like Switzerland!!


My husband Derek and I recently celebrated our ten year anniversary at the same place we spent the night after our wedding; Hotel St. Germaine in Dallas. You can get your French fix here sipping on champagne and eating off Limoges! Originally a home built in 1906, it is now a seven room French hotel that is adorned with French antiques, gorgeous tapestries, and canopied beds (a bed you never want to leave). I read this is where Oscar de la Renta, Martha Stewart, and Prince Albert of Monaco stay when they come to Dallas bien sûr!


An avid mountain cyclist, Derek has had the Tour de France on our television for the past three weeks. It is his dream to someday go and travel city to city with the bikers but especially up the Pyrenées Mountains. If the scenery wasn't so gorgeous I wouldn't be interested, but there are so many beautiful little towns all over France, I can't help but watch. Marcel Proust said, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." My eyes are "new" after watching the Tour de France. When the Tour de France is not on I love to watch H & G's House Hunters International; there are many episodes in France.

I've always thought it's the little details in small spaces that make a room special. What could be better than wallpapering your closet? I know it would make me smile every time I walk into my closet because it is one of my favorite rooms in the house. We often start and end our day in our dressing rooms, so why shouldn't it feel warm and intimate? I don't think any room is too small to have it adorned with style.

There's the old French proverb, the white wall is the fool's paper. How could color and patterns not make you happy? I think of Pierre Deux with its cozy and chic look full of color and warmth. The sunflowers, roosters, and layering new textiles with the old just feels right. Henri Matisse has been my favorite artist since I was a child. It's the colors; the Mediterranean sun coming through. I find him to be whimsical, happy, and not too serious. I love Matisse, he makes me happy!

Recently in the news you may have heard about a group of divers exploring a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea found what is thought to be the oldest drinkable champagne in the world, made in the late 18th century. The divers sampled a bottle of the Veuve Clicquot and said, "It was fantastic... it had a very sweet taste, you could taste oak and it had a very strong tobacco smell. And there were very small bubbles." This fascinated me after having read the Widow Clicquot and learning about how the champagne was sold mostly in Russia because during the 18th century France wasn't buying. Being the world's oldest champagne it would be thought to be priced around $68,000 a bottle. Thirsty?

When visiting New York one of my favorite places to go when I want to feel like a real New Yorker is The Paris Theatre. It's a classy old art house that you can't help but love! I have fond memories of seeing Merchant and Ivory films with my sister, especially (my favorite), Jet Lag. The Inwood, Angelica, and Magnolia theaters are all fantastic art houses in their own way, but the Paris being so old, small and quaint is très spécial. It's been around 62 years and exudes Parisian class.

You can't talk about France without mentioning the French women and their scarves. J'adore the movie Le Divorce. Glenn Close's character, Olivia Pace, says this about scarves:

French women are extraordinary.

All their customs and ceremonials.

l mean, their scarves alone...

an entire chapter.

Knotted in front, one end down,

other end thrown over the shoulder.

Or looped around double

and the ends tucked in.

Or around the shoulder,

over their coat like a shawl.

Or tied in the back.

l mean, châle, foulard, ècharpe.

Just think of all the words

they have for scarf.

And in a language which is

very sparse in vocabulary.

 
I take great pleasure in learning languages with my children. My four and two-year-olds love listening to Frere Jacques and Alouette in the car. My husband and I attempt some French bedtime reading including: Madeline, Le Petit Prince, Bonsoir Lune, This is Paris, Nicholas, Martin Pebble, and a few "I can read French" books. It's fun to learn together. After all, everything sounds better in French! Surely you agree! Bien sûr!

Fin