French Christmas traditions

Foie gras

Considered a great delicacy of French gastronomy, foie gras is part of traditional Christmas and New Year celebrations in France. Foie gras is either served in slices as an entrée or as a canapé spread on toasted bread. Cooked foie gras has a long shelf life and can be enjoyed all year round if conserved unopened in glass or cans. France Direct offers a selection of foie gras on our products page.

For a delicious accompaniment to our foies gras, try the French boutique champagnes and Sauternes delivered directly to you by Champagne Connection. Find out on www.champagneconnection.com.au

Bûche de Noël

A traditional bûche de Noël is a log-shaped sponge cake, decorated and iced with butter cream that is sometimes now replaced with ice-cream. The log represents the fireside that warms family Christmas celebrations in chilly France. You can find bûche sold at traditional French pâtisseries in Australia.
Try the ones at Ganache Pâtisserie Française at 85 Edinburgh Rd, Castlecrag, Sydney, tel. 02 9967 2882.

Christmas crèche

Not a child-minding facility, a crèche in France is a traditional nativity scene that many people use to decorate their homes at Christmas. The figurines representing the virgin, baby Jesus, shepherds, kings, etc are called santons which are traditionally made by Provençal artisans. Each Christmas season, Paris hosts a spectacular crèche in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville (town hall square).

Galette des rois (Kings Cake)

Originally to celebrate the pagan festival of the winter solstice, this simple cake featuring a sun design now celebrates the Epiphany on 6 January - the arrival of the three kings at Bethlehem after Christmas. Throughout the month, French families and friends buy and share galettes, which are made of buttery puff pastry and filled with fragrant almond meal or crème pâtissière (French vanilla custard). Traditions abound, but whoever finds a hidden fêve (originally a broad bean and now an ornament) inside their slice becomes king or queen for the day and is 'crowned' with the decorated crown sold with the cake.
Ask your favourite French pâtisserie to make you a galette des rois, it is great fun to share this tradition with family or friends!

Do you know of a French tradition you would like to share?
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