• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Patricia Sands

Author

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Can I visit your Book Club on Zoom?
  • Books
    • The Bridge Club
    • Love in Provence Series
      • The Promise of Provence
      • About Promises to Keep
      • I Promise You This
    • Drawing Lessons
    • Les Villa des Viollettes series
      • The First Noël at the Villa des Violettes
      • A Season of Surprises at the Villa des Violettes
      • Lavender, Loss & Love at the Villa des Violettes
    • The Secrets We Hide
  • Travel
    • Photography, France & d’Ailleurs
  • Instagram
  • If it’s Friday, it must be France…
  • Contact me

chocolate

April 1st and Chocolate Fish in France ~ no joke!

March 31, 2017 by Patricia Sands 8 Comments

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

imagesApril Fool’s day is tomorrow. Imagine my surprise the first time I was in France on April 1st and found children sticking paper fish on my back, whispering and giggling and then hollering “poisson d’avril”!

Excusez-moi? Fish?

As Wikipedia explains: “In Italy, France and Belgium, children and adults traditionally tack paper fishes on each other’s back as a trick and shout “April fish!” in their local languages (pesce d’aprile!, poisson d’avril! and aprilvis! in Italian, French and Flemish, respectively). Such fish feature prominently on many late 19th- to early 20th-century French April Fools’ Day postcards.

April-Fools-vintage-Image-TheGraphicsFairy.com

April-Fools-vintage-Image-TheGraphicsFairy.com

I had no idea where the tradition began and, after a bit of searching, found this explanation on France Travel Guide.

“Although the origin of April Fools is obscure and debated, the most widely accepted explanation actually credits the “holiday” as starting in France. The most popular theory about the origin of April Fool’s Day involves the French calendar reform of the sixteenth century.

The theory goes like this: In 1564 King Charles IX of France reformed the calendar, moving the start of the year from the end of March to January 1. However, in a time without trains, a reliable post system or the internet, news often traveled slow and the uneducated, lower class people in rural France were the last to hear of and accept the new calendar. Those who failed to keep up with the change or who stubbornly clung to the old calendar system and continued to celebrate the New Year during the week that fell between March 25th and April 1st, had jokes played on them. Pranksters would surreptitiously stick paper fish to their backs. The victims of this prank were thus called Poisson d’avril, or April Fish—which, to this day, remains the French term for April Fools—and so the tradition was born.”

poisson d'avril

poisson d’avril

Boulangeries and patisseries deliciously get into the spirit with fish-shaped goodies. Oh … and did I mention the chocolatiers? Schools of fish of all sizes fill shop windows, the larger ones often filled with smaller treats. To a chocoholic, fish never tasted so good!

Since Easter usually falls around the same time, fish feature predominantly in shop windows through that holiday as well.

Maybe we should adopt a symbol for April Fool’s Day in North America, so there would be a good excuse to buy special chocolates on that day over here. Not that we ever really need an excuse for chocolate …

Wherever you are, have fun on April 1st and enjoy some chocolate.

My friend, author Margo Lestz, has this tidbit to share on her blog about April 1:

“The annual “April Fish” in Nice, France ~
The city of Nice has its own special April Fool’s joke. Normally there is a cannon shot every day at noon from a hill overlooking the town. (It’s really a firecracker, but it used to be a cannon so they still call it one. You can read more about it here.) This noonday boom alerts the people of Nice that it’s lunchtime and it goes off every day at exactly noon. That is, every day except on April 1st when the “cannon” goes off one hour early and everyone is thrown off schedule. If you are in Nice on April 1st listen carefully after the boom and you might be able to hear a shout from the hilltop – “April Fish!”

Take some time and visit her website, The Curious Rambler, for entertaining posts about traditions and history based on her extensive travels in France, Italy and England.

Are you a prankster on April 1st or do you just grit your teeth and hope the day will pass quickly? Is there one April Fool’s Day joke in particular that you will never forget?

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Filed Under: Blog, France, If it is France..., Uncategorized Tagged With: April Fool's Day, chocolate, France, jokes, Poisson D'Avril

Did someone say “Chocolat”?

January 29, 2016 by Patricia Sands 22 Comments

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Val de Loire

This week I wrote a post  about chocolate in France for my friend Janine Marsh’s wonderful website The Good Life France.

debauve-and-galliais-chocolatier-in-paris

Click right here to see the post. Chocolate + France … two of my favourite topics. It was fun to write, as you can imagine. If you do go in and read it, please click on some of the links at the bottom of the article. It all helps!

If you follow me regularly, you’re probably already a subscriber to Janine’s amazing newsletter and ezine. There’s a link to the virtual magazine in the column here on my blog. ====================>

Or just click right here to see back issues of the magazine, too.

While I was doing research for that post, I spent some time revisiting the wonderful film Chocolat. Remember that?  I loved it so much, I own a copy. So we watched it again this week.

You also might want to read the novel by Joanne Harris and check out her other work including, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé.

This photo is one of my “shoot through the open window of the car as my husband zooms by shots” … otherwise I would be asking him to stop every two minutes … and he really is great about pulling over. But sometimes it is simply not possible. French roads often have no shoulders or there’s someone right on our tail. In spite of that it’s surprising how often the photo turns out!

IMG_8108

So, back to the movie. If, for some bizarre reason, you haven’t seen Chocolat, get on over to Netflix immediately. It’s a great story … and of course, there is Johnny Depp … but the setting ,,, ah oui … the setting … that’s what’s really delicious!

IMG_8172

It was filmed in the medieval village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain in Burgundy and on the Rue De l’Ancienne Poste in the charming commune of Beynac-et-Cazenac, in the heart of Périgord Noir. These photos of mine are from that latter general area.

IMG_8166

Beynac is found on the banks of the Dordogne River with a well-preserved 12thC castle, clinging to a steep cliff, once besieged by Richard the Lion Heart. Just ten kilometres from Sarlat, this village is distinctive with “lauze” stone slab-roofed houses and well worth a visit.

IMG_8163

Are you a chocophile? Dark, milk, white? All of them? What’s your pleasure? Be sure to have a supply nearby while you watch the movie.  Bon weekend!

IMG_1707

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Filed Under: Blog, France, If it is France..., Photo blogs, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged With: Chocolat, chocolate, chocophile, France, Janine Marsh, Joanne Harris, Johnny Depp, Patricia Sands, Perigord Nord, photography, The Good Life France

April Fool’s/Poisson d’Avril! (And the winner of My Wish List!)

March 28, 2014 by Patricia Sands 25 Comments

If it’s Friday, it must be France … 

imagesApril Fool’s day is almost here. Imagine my surprise the first time I was in France on April 1st and found children sticking paper fish on my back, whispering and giggling and then hollering “Poisson d’Avril”!

Excusez-moi? Fish?

As Wikipedia explains: “In Italy, France and Belgium, children and adults traditionally tack paper fishes on each other’s back as a trick and shout “April fish!” in their local languages (pesce d’aprile!, poisson d’avril! and aprilvis! in Italian, French and Flemish, respectively). Such fish feature prominently on many late 19th- to early 20th-century French April Fools’ Day postcards.

April-Fools-vintage-Image-TheGraphicsFairy.com
April-Fools-vintage-Image-TheGraphicsFairy.com

I had no idea where the tradition began and, after a bit of searching, found this explanation on France Travel Guide.

“Although the origin of April Fools is obscure and debated, the most widely accepted explanation actually credits the “holiday” as starting in France. The most popular theory about the origin of April Fool’s Day involves the French calendar reform of the sixteenth century.

The theory goes like this: In 1564 King Charles XIV of France reformed the calendar, moving the start of the year from the end of March to January 1. However, in a time without trains, a reliable post system or the internet, news often traveled slow and the uneducated, lower class people in rural France were the last to hear of and accept the new calendar. Those who failed to keep up with the change or who stubbornly clung to the old calendar system and continued to celebrate the New Year during the week that fell between March 25th and April 1st, had jokes played on them. Pranksters would surreptitiously stick paper fish to their backs. The victims of this prank were thus called Poisson d’Avril, or April Fish—which, to this day, remains the French term for April Fools—and so the tradition was born.”

poisson d'avril
poisson d’avril

Boulangeries and patisseries deliciously get into the spirit with fish-shaped goodies. Oh … and did I mention the chocolatiers? Schools of fish of all sizes fill shop windows, the larger ones often filled with smaller treats. To a chocoholic, fish never tasted so good!

Since Easter usually falls around the same time, fish feature predominantly in shop windows through that holiday as well.

Maybe we should adopt a symbol for April Fool’s Day in North America, so there would be a good excuse to buy special chocolates on that day over here. Not that we ever really need an excuse for chocolate …

Wherever you are, have fun on April 1st and enjoy some chocolate.

Are you a prankster on April 1st or do you just grit your teeth and hope the day will pass quickly? Is there one April Fool’s Day joke in particular that you will never forget?

A Saturday morning P.S. ~ I just found time to check into The Good Life France fabulous website  (amazing photography and articles ~ I’m a huge fan!)and there was an article by Margo Lestz on this same topic. ‘Tis the season! Margo writes great articles and always has something new to teach me about life in France. Click here and enjoy!

And now for some news that has nothing to do with April 1st and is most definitely not a prank! According to random.org, the winner of the giveaway copy of  MY WISH LIST, as reviewed in last Friday’s post, is LIN POWELL. Congratulations! I will be in touch with details, Lin, and am sure you will enjoy the story!

A big thank you to all of the readers who drop by here and are signing up for my newsletter! We are busy organizing a thank-you note for everyone because I can’t keep up with sending them individually! I’ve been trying, but it’s either that or write my novel! I know you understand!  See the newsletter widget in the right-hand column? Just click there! I send it once a month and there are always updates about my work,  details about what is fun and fabulous in the south of France and great giveaways. Join us!

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Filed Under: Blog, Contests, France, If it is France... Tagged With: April Fool's, chocolate, fish, France, My Wish List, Patricia Sands, Poisson D'Avril, prizewinner

Chocolate anyone?

July 27, 2011 by Patricia Sands 8 Comments

A few weeks ago I posted a recipe here for a super-scrumptious chocolate cake.( It was a lovely surprise for my launch party last November from cake-artiste-extraordinaire Nicole Lachapelle.)   I’ve had some great e-mails from several of you who took the time to make the cake. It was so much fun to hear you enjoyed it as much as we did … and yes, I agree, the icing bowl hardly needs to be washed when you are through with it!

I may have confessed before, but I’ll repeat it again: I am a lover of all things chocolate and rarely a day goes by that I don’t have a taste of it one way or the other.

My friend Barbara Conelli is the author of  Chique Secrets Of La Dolce Vita. It’s a great read at any time but if you are planning a trip to Italy it is a MUST READ. No question about it. A few weeks ago she had a most delicious post on her blog. I could almost taste the chocolate! I’m sharing it with you today so you can at least indulge yourself in a virtual way. Buon appetito!

A Chocolate Kiss From Tuscany
 I bought my very first box of Amadei chocolates a couple of years ago at Rinascente, the most famous department store in Milan. Rinascente means “newborn”, and on that day, I was truly newborn, in a very chocolate way.

Amadei Chocolate

The motto of Amadei is: “Amadei is a dream which takes the shape of chocolate,” and these words reflect the nature of this heavenly creation perfectly. Cecilia and Alessio Tessieri founded the company in 1990 in Tuscany, turning their love for chocolate into a magical masterpiece. These master chocolatiers know their chocolate, and they know how to ingeniously play with subtle flavors.

Cecilia says: “When a maitre chocolatier succeeds in making people smile by eating chocolate, he or she has reached the goal. Tasting means being carried away by sensations“.

Amadei Chocolate

Each Amadei chocolate is the result of a fascinating and skilled game which combines creativity and fantasy, tastes and flavors, to give you the real pleasure of chocolate. When you taste this Tuscan delight, you know for sure that Amadei chocolate is created with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a great passion and love for chocolate.

This is what the Tessieri’s say about indulging in the taste of chocolate, and let me borrow their words here, because no one could say it better than them: “Tasting chocolate is a global experience, a pleasure that involves all senses. Sweet like a caress, as soft as a hug in which the embraced one remains. A shiver that is born, then little by little becomes a waterfall, then carries you away without any possibilities of escape. The chocolate slowly melts between the lips, exhaling the aromas that stimulate memories…”

Amadei Chocolate

 I’m a passionate chocoholic and although I love all Amadei creations, these are my favorites:Desiderio (Desire) with pistachios and marzipan, Delizioso (Delicious) with hazelnut cream, Passione(Passion) with rum, and Solare (Solar) that tastes like zabaione, a famous Italian dessert. Yes, every piece of Amadei chocolate has a name that evokes its unique taste and flavor.

A friend of mine says that chocolate is a food group, and I agree with all my Chique heart. Let a piece of chocolate melt in your mouth right now, even if it’s not Amadei. Enjoy its smell, its texture and its flavor. Allow yourself to indulge in this heavenly treat with all your senses. And when you go to Tuscany, don’t forget to stop in Pontedera to discover the sweet secrets of Amadei.

Have a very dolce weekend 🙂

Take some time to enjoy the rest of Barbara’s always entertaining website. When it comes to the joys of Italy and la dolce vita, Barbara is definitely your go-to Bella Italiana! Click here to go to her website.

Are you a lover of chocolate or does a different sweet or savoury indulgence call to you? Leave a comment below and share it with us. Thanks!

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Filed Under: Author Promotion, Blog Tagged With: 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist, Barbara Conelli, Chique Secrets Of La Dolce Vita, chocolate, ForeWord 2010 Book Of The Year Finalist, Patricia Sands, The Bridge Club, the power of friendship

Primary Sidebar

Join Me Here!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Tweet
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share
Instagram

Follow Me on BookBub

Follow Me on BookBub

Follow me on Amazon

Follow me on Amazon

Available from Amazon!

Available from Amazon!

Available Now!

Available Now!

Available from Amazon

Available from Amazon

Join me and 9 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

Join me and 9 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

The Good Life France Magazine

The Good Life France Magazine

Categories

Archives

Footer

Copyright Disclaimer

© 2020 by Patricia Sands. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided a link back to this page and proper attribution is given to me as the original author. All photographs on this site are copyright of Patricia Sands

Follow Me!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Tweet
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share
Instagram
  • Privacy Policy

FTC DISCLOSURE

The Federal Trade Commission requires that I disclose any relationship I have between a product manufacturer or service provider when I write about a product or service. I may receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links on this site such as Amazon. The above does not affect my opinion of those products and services. I am committed to sharing the work of other authors with my friends and readers.

Copyright © 2023 By Patricia Sands · Theme created and maintained by Bakerview Consulting