The Religion of French is Food! by cookorgasmic.com
Where else but in France could there be a mass for truffle? I been reading Peter Mayle’s French Lessons, and I am delighted. Mayle has an incredible way of seducing the reader with his love for food and for France. Only the French could think of having an annual messe des truffes under the patronage of Saint Antoine, at which thanks are given every year for the aromatic, mysterious, and breathtakingly expensive black truffle. During the mass the devout are encourage in their giving, when the choir performs a chant to Saint Antoine:
Bon Saint Antoine, donne-nous
Des truffes, en abondance
Que Leur odeur et leur bon gout
Fassent aimer la Provence
In other words, give us truffles. Lots of truffles says Mayle.
Candy help Mexicans Celebrate Birth and Death by cookorgasmic.com
Candy help Mexicans celebrate birth as well as death. On the day of the death Mexicans put candies and food on a table at their homes, to honor friends and family members who have died.
On the Posadas, which take place on the nine days before Christmas, people gather on churches and form a procession, symbolizing the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. After visiting several houses, singing a plea for shelter or posada, the procession finally stops at a house that gives them shelter, that is when the feasting, rejoicing and celebration begins, and breaking the piñata filled with candy is a very important part of the celebration.
The list of Mexican candies is endless, but here I will only name the ones that I eat while writing this post, which are also the ones that appear in the attached picture:
-Pepitorias are prepared by forming nugget paste with pumpkin seeds
-Prickly Pear Cactus and Figs Candy are made by cooking the fresh fruit with sugar
-Cocadas are prepared with grated coconut, sugar and egg yolks, which then is baked
-Marzipan are often hand made as an artisan treat with peanuts
-Obleas de Cajeta are made by spreading goat milk caramel on a waffer
