Fellow Francophones gathered to celebrate winter with a glass of cidre and a freshly prepared crepe made by our expert chef, Rich Stoops.

There are many different traditions that surround the holiday of the Chandeleur. Though La Chandeleur is often associated with the Catholic holiday Candlemas, the lighting of candles, it actually comes from pagan traditions. Some say Chandeleur celebrates the return of sunny days in the winter, compared to our celebration of Ground Hog Day, the crepes symbolizing the sun, others believe that using flour left over from the harvest ensures prosperity in the coming year.

There is also the traditional coin ritual: if you flip a crepe while holding a coin in the other hand, you and your family will not have to worry about financial difficulties.

Special thanks to Micheline for hosting this delightful winter’s day.

Click here for a look back at our event.

On January 7th, we celebrated the peak of the holiday season in the Christian tradition, the commemoration of the arrival of the three kings with gifts for the newborn Jesus. The traditional Epiphany galette, or king’s cake, which dates back to Roman times, will be served. Secretly hidden in this cake will be a treasure that will raise its finders to the level of royalty.

Here are some photos from this event that took place at our Alliance Française Center in Southbury

                

       

At our Holiday Brunch this year, delicious French-inspired food was brought by all the participants.

This was followed by the traditional “Gallette des Rois” in celebration typically of Epiphany, the day the Three Kings (les rois) visited the infant Jesus. These cakes are baked throughout the month of January in France. Composed of two circles of puff pastry sandwiching a frangipani filling, each comes with a crown and always has a trinket, called a fève, or bean, baked into it. It’s an invitation to gather, as much party game as pastry – if your slice has the fève, you get the crown and the right to be king or queen for the day.

Click below for photos from the event.

 

 

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is showcasing their extensive holdings of Auguste Rodin’s works to mark the centenary of his death.  It includes pieces that have not been exhibited in many years. It includes drawings, marbles, bronzes, plasters and terracottas by the master. This exhibit runs through January 15th, 2018 at the Met Fifth Avenue or visit here for more information: Rodin at The Met

The Alliance Française invites you on October 25th to join them on their

Fall museum tour. We are traveling to the Bruce Museum

in Greenwich to see the “In the Limelight” exhibit of the works of artist

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and view a film featuring the works of Post

Impressionist Paul Cezanne.  Click here for the press release from the Bruce Museum: In The Limelight_Toulouse-Lautrec_Bruce Museum Read more

Merci Beaucoup to Fran and Jodie Hellman for hosting our Quartorze Juillet celebration. We had lots of fun playing pétanque and ate delicious food brought by all, especially the BBQ chicken and pulled pork, prepared by Chef Fran. Even though it was still daylight when we sang “La Marseillaise”, we still lit sparklers to mark the occasion.

Delicious food and interesting conversations made our December 10 Holiday Cocktail Party a huge success.  Special thanks to our Hosts: John and Lawrence. John’s bartending was, as usual, spectacular! MERCI!

Scrumptious hors d’oeuvres and desserts were prepared by Marilyn, Marcel & Gail, Nancy, Renée, Carol and Marda.

It was great to see our long-time members and many new members coming together to celebrate this special time of the year!

Click Below to see a photo gallery from the evening.

Thirty-four people attended our Cheese Making Presentation on March 6. Daniel George, cheesemaker and cheese monger, from Cato Corner Farms in Colchester, selected six cheeses to complement four paired wines. Over wine and cheese, he explained everything from the cows, to the cheesemaking process, affinage, and piecing together the perfect cheese plate!  What an interesting presentation!

Merci beaucoup Daniel. C’était fantastique!

To see photos of this event: Click HERE

Bonne Fête – et Amusez-vous bien!

Les origines de Mardi Gras: Tout au long de l’année, se succèdent des fêtes qui rythment la vie des chrétiens. La fête de Mardi Gras a tous les ans une date différente, fixée par rapport à la date de Pâques, qui elle même varie en fonction du cycle de la Lune.

Mardi gras est le jour qui précède le Mercredi des Cendres.  Il y a 40 jours de Carême, entre le mercredi des cendres et le jour de Pâques.

Pour marquer le coup avant que ces privations ne commencent, la veille, le mardi, on faisait gras. On finissait les aliments gras avant de se mettre au carême. On en profite pour faire des beignets, des bugnes et des fritures. De plus, la tradition du carême veut qu’on arrête également de manger des œufs, donc on en profite pour faire des crêpes.

Par opposition au carême, le carnaval est une période de joie et de liberté où les règles de vie normales sont suspendues et où chacun fait un peu comme il lui plaît : on se déguise, on mange tout ce qu’on veut, on sort chanter dans les rues.

Lors de ces fêtes de Carnaval on retrouve toujours le principe d’inversion au travers des costumes et des jeux (maître/esclave, homme/femme), on se déguise, on fait ripailles, on offre des cadeaux, chants et danses sont de la fête.

Chars géants, parades, bals masqués, confettis et serpentins, fanfares, c’est la période des excès démonstratifs !
Chaque pays à sa propre interprétation des réjouissances avec toujours un même objectif : faire la fête !

Cet article vient de ce site: http://www.joyeuse-fete.com/mardigras.html

Members, old and new, came together for our end-of-year Holiday Party held at the Heritage Hotel in Southbury.  We were treated with delicious food and sweets from the buffet while an 8 year-old student from our Parent/Child French class played a beautiful flute solo (with no music) and then she played 5 Christmas carols while we sang. Our 6-year old student recited the poem by Maurice Careme entitled “Le Chat et Le Soleil” and a mother-daughter duo from our French for Travelers class sang a beautiful duet in French!

We are excited to have so many new families who have joined AFNWCT and we were delighted to meet them at our “Fête.”

Click Here to see photos from this event.