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© dem10, CanvaMENDIANTS:The begging brothersof ChristmasFrance loves its Bûche de Noël at Christmas, the decorated Christmas logcake appears on every table. However, France has secretly enjoyedother festive desserts for centuries. In Provence there is an ancient traditionof thirteen – yes, thirteen! – desserts, including chocolatey morselsknown as mendiants says Ally Mitchell.Mendiants are not just a Provencal specialitythough. Every Christmas, these treats area common sight in confectionary shops allover France. These puddles of chocolate arestudded with dried fruits, nuts, and candiedcitrus. Chocolatiers outdo themselves,competing for the title of innovation, whetherit’s caramelising nuts, candying ginger,sprinkling with seeds, or tempering varyingshades of chocolate. But once upon a time,the toppings of each mendiant were specificfor a reason.The French word “mendiant” means beggar.This unusual term for a chocolate originatesfrom the “Mendicant Orders,” monastic ordersfrom the twelfth century that depended entirelyon charity. They lived in poverty to be able todedicate their lives to devotion, begging almsfrom the faithful and often receiving coinsand dried fruit. In the Middle Ages, there werefour monastic orders, therefore the differentmendiant toppings represent those colours:the raisins symbolise the Franciscans who worebrown hooded tunics; the hazelnuts representthe Carmelites, also known as the BrownBrothers, dressed in brown robes; the blanchedalmonds stand in for the Dominicans, the WhiteBrothers, who wore white; and the regal driedfigs are to commemorate the Augustiniansbedecked in purple.Even though chocolate has connotationsof rich indulgence, mendiants are in factthe embodiment of spirituality in Provençaltradition. Mendiants were simply assorted nutsand dried fruit until the sixteenth century, thenchocolate arrived in France, and they took ona luxurious chocolate medallion shape whichbecame the norm.But where do those thirteen desserts come in?These dried fruits and nuts make up four ofthe sacred thirteen, symbolising Jesus andhis twelve apostles. Each family in Provencewould adapt their thirteen according to theirpreferences, however, the bare bones includenougat – both white and black to representgood and evil – fougasse or an olive oil andorange water bread known as pompe d’huile,dates, calissons d’Aix – morsels of almond andcandied melon paste – and seasonal fruit. Youwould be expected to taste each one to bringyourself luck for the coming year.The thirteen desserts are part of “le grossouper,” a ritual loaded with spiritual meaning,served on the 24 th December – le réveillon.First, the table would be covered with threetablecloths to represent the Holy Trinity.A three-branched candlestick celebratesanother triumvirate: those who are deceased,those yet to be born, and those who arepresent. The table would be laid, including anadditional empty place, available for anyoneneeding somewhere to stay. All the courseswould be brought to the table at once toprevent getting up to serve. Therefore, thenight’s repas maigre (“light meal”) of sevenlean dishes, such as fish or vegetables, wouldmingle with the thirteen desserts. To end themeal, the table would not be cleared. Crumbsare left for passing angels to nibble on, so theleftovers would stay out for three days.The tradition of 13 desserts is still popular inProvence. Without the chocolate medallion,the French mediants would have been68 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 69
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