We are officially one week into the new year, into 2013.
I spent the first few days of the new year in France with my mother and my grandparents and it’s the perfect place for reflection. It’s always strange going there because they have no internet and as they live abroad I can’t use my phone so I spend several days disconnected from the world. I did feel the urge to check my emails and twitter several times but the bliss of it is I just can’t, so I spent time away from technology and got to focus on other things.
The house in which my grandparents is, for me, central to my childhood memories. When I was little we used to spend two weeks there for our summer holiday, I used to go stay with them on my own for a week at Easter each year and I’d go to the local school, we’ve visited them about 3 or 4 times a year since I was born. Although in recent years things have been a bit tough for them health-wise, I know they are still the wonderful grandparents I have had supporting me my whole life.
It was a nice, calm way to spend the first few days of 2013 just spending time with family, taking it easy, reading, eating… Personally I love traditions and in France, on the 6th of January, it is traditional to eat what is called a Galette des Rois (King Cake). It is basically a puff pastry pie filled with either apple sauce or frangipane. I bought an apple one to share with Tom on Saturday in London, and then we bought a frangipane one for the family yesterday.
Now the most important element of the galette (apart from the tastiness!) is that somewhere inside each one there is a little porcelain figurine, called une fève. Whoever has the figurine in their slice is crowned the King or Queen and gets to wear the crown. It was one of my favourite traditions as a child, I always hoped that I’d find the figurine. This year I found it in the little galette I had with Tom and my mother found the figurine in the family galette.
So this year starts with a very old tradition which in my mind is a nice way to start a new time. I have three weeks of time to myself now, I don’t start lectures till the 28th of January as it is currently exam period at uni (but I don’t have any!). I have lots of organisational things planned, tons of reading, baking, and writing to do. Hopefully it will be a good month to start the year!
What are your plans for January?
Do you have special traditions like this one?
Ahh, disconnecting feels so good–As much as I love blogging, e-mail, etc., it is so nice to take a break! And I can’t wait to see what January holds for you, I’ll be looking for some amazing baked goods from you
Yes it is, definitely agree! I made some snickerdoodle cookies the other day, they were so tasty I didn’t get to take a photo before they were all gone
That sounds like such a lovely tradition! I would love to unplug like that some time. Happy New Year!
It’s definitely a good break for the brain! Happy New Year to you too Laura
Any tradition that involves cake is great! Is that the same tradition where whoever gets the figurine is supposed to make a meal at the end of January. or am I just getting confused?!
Haha agreed! That might be part of the tradition, loads of countries have their own version of this so it might be a tradition elsewhere
My plans for January include getting through my mock exams with some grace and dignity left intact by the end of it!
I have never heard of the ‘Galette des Rois’ – but it sounds like a great tradition (especially as it involves a yummy-sounding cake!)
I would love to ‘unplug’ for a while – when I do manage to do it, even for a couple of days. I find that I feel refreshed and spend more time doing the things I truly love doing as opposed to wasting time surfing the internet…..
Enjoy your week! Peg x
Good luck with your exams, I’m sure you’ll do great! Unplugging is definitely very refreshing and lets you unwind for a bit. Thanks, hope you have a lovely weekend
I just heard about something similar to the galette (I think it was called something different but basically same thing) from my hubby and in-laws over New Year. I guess it’s also a Cajun thing haha. Sounds like so much fun!
It probably is, I think there are several versions of this tradition in different countries! It’s lots of fun and pretty tasty too
Sounds like the perfect way to start off a new year – unplugged & in france! And omg, that gallette. Looks and sounds absolutely delicious. And what a fun tradition!
I hope you enjoy the rest of your break before school starts up again