Southern Fried French

Drinking with the French (a sing-along)

Ron sings along at a fête at the Clos de Vougeot

Happy New Year! It’s New Year’s Eve, so time to talk about one of my favorite French traditions: drinking songs!

The French are known for their reserve, and for drinking responsibly (mostly). But they do love their drinking songs! And I love them for it. Anytime there is a French fête, it’s an excuse for some melodic revelry.

At a major fête, one might start off with Joyeux Enfants de la Bourgogne, and run the gambit, finishing off with the crowd swaying to an emotional rendition of La Vie en Rose.

I wish I knew the words to all of them—I do know a few. But the French will know every verse and chorus.

One memorable evening a while back we went to a small, country restaurant with our friends Jean-Marie (French) and Marion (Dutch). There were only two tables, quite close together: the four of us, and a party of 12, celebrating a birthday. Darn, there went our quiet evening, we thought. The raucousness started with the Ban Bourguignon (a clapping/chanting number that is a Burgundy classic) and escalated from there. One of the revelers jumped up and led us all in song, and pretty soon, after perhaps just a bit of wine, our group was singing and clapping right along with them. Eventually Jean-Marie abandoned us entirely and joined the French table!

At a party at the château, friends do the "Ban Bourguignon"

So in spite of the fact that it is New Year’s Eve and it is yet again only the two of you (or just you and the dog), just like last night, sitting alone by the fire: pop open a bottle, crank up a youtube video, and sing along to a  rousing French drinking song!

And if you want the real French experience when you visit, learn a chorus or two of the favorite songs, so you can join in when the occasion arises. Below is one of my favorites. It tells a story, and has an easy chorus and amusing lyrics. Salut!

The poster says, "Wine makes you strong, let's drink some wine"!

The French version is below, followed by the English translation (You can sing along on Youtube here): 

 

Chevaliers de la Table Ronde (Knights of the Round Table)

 

Chevaliers de la Table Ronde,

Goûtons voir si le vin est bon.

Chevaliers de la Table Ronde,

Goûtons voir si le vin est bon.

 

Goûtons voir, oui, oui, oui,

Goûtons voir, non, non, non,

Goûtons voir si le vin est bon.

Goûtons voir, oui, oui, oui,

Goûtons voir, non, non, non,

Goûtons voir si le vin est bon.

 

S’il est bon, s’il est agréable,

J’en boirai jusqu’à mon plaisir.

S’il est bon, s’il est agréable,

J’en boirai jusqu’à mon plaisir.

 

J’en boirai, oui, oui, oui,

J’en boirai, non, non, non,

J’en boirai jusqu’à mon plaisir.

J’en boirai, oui, oui, oui,

J’en boirai, non, non, non,

J’en boirai jusqu’à mon plaisir.

 

J’en boirai cinq ou six bouteilles,

Une femme sur les genoux.

J’en boirai cinq ou six bouteilles,

Une femme sur les genoux.

 

Une femme, oui, oui, oui,

Une femme, non, non, non,

Une femme sur les genoux.

Une femme, oui, oui, oui,

Une femme, non, non, non,

Une femme sur les genoux.

 

Toc, toc, toc, qui frappe à la porte?

Je crois bien que c’est le mari!

Toc, toc, toc, qui frappe à la porte?

Je crois bien que c’est le mari!

Je crois bien, oui, oui, oui,

Je crois bien, non, non, non,

Je crois bien que c’est le mari!

 

Je crois bien, oui, oui, oui,

Je crois bien, non, non, non,

Je crois bien que c’est le mari!

 

Si c’est lui, que le Diable l’emporte,

Car il vient troubler mon plaisir.

Si c’est lui, que le Diable l’emporte,

Car il vient troubler mon plaisir.

 

Car il vient, oui, oui, oui,

Car il vient, non, non, non,

Car il vient troubler mon plaisir.

Car il vient, oui, oui, oui,

Car il vient, non, non, non,

Car il vient troubler mon plaisir.

 

Quand je meurs, je veux qu’on m’enterre

Dans une cave où il y a du bon vin.

Quand je meurs, je veux qu’on m’enterre

Dans une cave où il y a du bon vin.

 

Dans une cave, oui, oui, oui,

Dans une cave, non, non, non,

Dans une cave où il y a du bon vin.

Dans une cave, oui, oui, oui,

Dans une cave, non, non, non,

Dans une cave où il y a du bon vin.

 

Les deux pieds contre la muraille

Et la tête sous le robinet.

Les deux pieds contre la muraille

Et la tête sous le robinet.

 

Et la tête, oui, oui, oui,

Et la tête, non, non, non,

Et la tête sous le robinet.

Et la tête, oui, oui, oui,

Et la tête, non, non, non,

Et la tête sous le robinet.

 

Et si le tonneau se débouche,

J’en boirai jusqu’à mon loisir.

Et si le tonneau se débouche,

J’en boirai jusqu’à mon loisir.

 

J’en boirai, oui, oui, oui,

J’en boirai, non, non, non,

J’en boirai jusqu’à mon loisir.

J’en boirai, oui, oui, oui,

J’en boirai, non, non, non,

J’en boirai jusqu’à mon loisir.

 

Et les quatre plus grands ivrognes

Porteront les quatre coins du drap.

Et les quatre plus grands ivrognes

Porteront les quatre coins du drap.

 

Porteront, oui, oui, oui,

Porteront, non, non, non,

Porteront les quatre coins du drap.

Porteront, oui, oui, oui,

Porteront, non, non, non,

Porteront les quatre coins du drap.

 

Sur ma tombe, je veux qu’on inscrive,

«Ici gît le roi des buveurs».

Sur ma tombe, je veux qu’on inscrive,

«Ici gît le roi des buveurs».

 

«Ici gît», oui, oui, oui,

«Ici gît», non, non, non,

«Ici gît le roi des buveurs».

«Ici gît», oui, oui, oui,

«Ici gît», non, non, non,

«Ici gît le roi des buveurs».

 

La morale de cette histoire,

C’est à boire avant de mourir.

La morale de cette histoire,

C’est à boire avant de mourir.

 

C’est à boire, oui, oui, oui,

C’est à boire, non, non, non,

C’est à boire avant de mourir.

C’est à boire, oui, oui, oui,

C’est à boire, non, non, non,

C’est à boire avant de mourir.

https://lyricstranslate.com

 

 

Knights of the Round Table

 

Knights of the round table,

Let’s taste to see if the wine is good.

Knights of the Round Table,

Let’s taste to see if the wine is good.

 

Let’s taste, yes, yes, yes,

Let’s taste, no, no, no,

Let’s taste to see if the wine is good.

Let’s taste, yes, yes, yes,

Let’s taste, no, no, no,

Let’s taste to see if the wine is good.

 

If it’s good, if it’s enjoyable,

I’ll drink to my pleasure.

If it’s good, if it’s enjoyable,

I’ll drink to my pleasure.

 

I’ll drink, yes, yes, yes,

I’ll drink, no, no, no,

I’ll drink to my pleasure.

I’ll drink, yes, yes, yes,

I’ll drink, no, no, no,

I’ll drink to my pleasure.

 

I’ll drink five or six bottles,

With a woman in my lap (lit: on my knees).

I’ll drink five or six bottles,

With a woman in my lap.

 

With a woman, yes, yes, yes,

With a woman, no, no, no,

With a woman in my lap.

With a woman, yes, yes, yes,

With a woman, no, no, no,

With a woman in my lap.

 

Tap, tap, tap who’s knocking at the door?

I do believe it’s the husband!

Tap, tap, tap who’s knocking at the door?

I do believe it’s the husband!

 

I do believe, yes, yes, yes,

I do believe, no, no, no,

I do believe it’s the husband!

I do believe, yes, yes, yes,

I do believe, no, no, no,

I do believe it’s the husband!

 

If it’s him, let the Devil take him,

For he’s coming to disturb my pleasure.

If it’s him, let the Devil take him,

For he’s coming to disturb my pleasure.

 

For he’s coming, yes, yes, yes,

For he’s coming, no, no, no,

For he’s coming to disturb my pleasure.

For he’s coming, yes, yes, yes,

For he’s coming, no, no, no,

For he’s coming to disturb my pleasure.

 

When I die, I want to be buried

In a cellar where there’s good wine.

When I die, I want to be buried,

In a cellar where there’s good wine.

 

In a cellar, yes, yes, yes,

In a cellar, no, no, no,

In a cellar where there’s good wine.

In a cellar, yes, yes, yes,

In a cellar, no, no, no,

In a cellar where there’s good wine.

 

My two feet against the wall

And my head under the spigot.

My two feet against the wall

And my head under the spigot.

 

And my head, yes, yes, yes,

And my head, no, no, no,

And my head under the spigot.

And my head, yes, yes, yes,

And my head, no, no, no,

And my head under the spigot.

 

And if the barrel uncorks,

I’ll drink to my leisure.

And if the barrel uncorks,

I’ll drink to my leisure.

 

I’ll drink, yes, yes, yes,

I’ll drink, no, no, no,

I’ll drink to my leisure.

I’ll drink, yes, yes, yes,

I’ll drink, no, no, no,

I’ll drink to my leisure.

 

And the four biggest drunkards

Will carry the four corners of the shroud.

And the four biggest drunkards,

Will carry the four corners of the shroud.

 

Will carry, yes, yes, yes,

Will carry, no, no, no,

Will carry the four corners of the shroud.

Will carry, yes, yes, yes,

Will carry, no, no, no,

Will carry the four corners of the shroud.

 

On my tomb, I want it inscribed,

“Here rests the king of drinkers.”

On my tomb, I want it inscribed,

“Here rests the king of drinkers.”

 

“Here rests,” yes, yes, yes,

“Here rests,” no, no, no,

“Here rests the king of drinkers.”

“Here rests,” yes, yes, yes,

“Here rests,” no, no, no,

“Here rests the king of drinkers.”

 

The moral of this story

Is to drink before you die.

The moral of this story

Is to drink before you die.

 

Is to drink, yes, yes, yes,

Is to drink, no, no, no,

Is to drink before you die.

Is to drink, yes, yes, yes,

Is to drink, no, no, no,

Is to drink before you die.

  * * * * * 

I talk to my cat , Vino Bambino, sometimes (you know you do it too).  This week I assured him: the new year is going to be great. Everyone is going to get vaccinated quickly, Trump is going to give up his zany conspiracy theories and go away quietly, our new leaders are going to quickly bring us peace, prosperity, equality and restore unity to our country in nothing flat. Here was his reaction:

Oh well, BONNE ANNEE anyway, hope you have the happiest of new years, or at least one that is way better than this pesky one!

 

Now, what to serve after dinner for your NY dessert? Bourbon balls, of course! These can be made in about 10 minutes ( the recipe says to let the dough sit overnight, I'm not sure why, because really you can just eat the dough out of the bowl with a spoon on the spot, in case of a chocolate emergency).

 

RECIPE: Double Chocolate Bourbon Balls

I've never understood why chocolate bourbon balls are traditionally made with vanilla wafers. So I was happy to find this recipe, which calls for Nabisco famous chocolate wafer cookies. Here in France I used Belvita, a dry, not too sweet, chocolate whole grain breakfast cookie, which worked fine. But I think any crunchy chocolate cookie will do.

The recipe is here. If you want to French it up, use cognac instead of bourbon! 

 

In the COMMENTS: In response to the chocolate quotes, our readers shared some of their own. From Martin: “Je me presse de rire de tout, de peur d’être obligé d’en pleurer.” —Beaumarchais (I hurry to laugh at everything, for fear of having to cry). From Herm: "There are good ships. There are wood ships. The ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships and they will always be!" —anonomous.  Tom, a very happy birthday to you!

 

And finally, to wrap up our feature on gifts: If you are looking for a small gift for a friend who loves the South, let me tell you about a present my friend Sandi gave me. She has created an easel calendar of Charleston piazzas she photographed. I think it captures the very essesnce of historic Charleston. It's available on Etsy for $13. Next I think we must get Sandi to France to shoot the French doorways!

Natalia has a beautiful gift idea too: who knew that the famous Paris bookstore,  Shakespeare and Co.,had an outline bookshop? Natalia scored a copy of Little Bookshop on the Seine with its stamp inside and a beautiful Emily Dickinson poem.

 

Your Homework for the New Year

We await them each year with aniticipation: the French chocolate bonbons called Révillon, that start to appear in the stores near Christmastime. We like that they come in bags of mixed chocolat noir flavors: Parline Pur Amandes Feuilleté, Ganache Noir, and so on. But what we like best is this: tucked inside little each glittery wrapped papilllote is an inspirational quote, in French. We have spent many a winter evening with a post-dinner espresso and maybe even a cognac, nibbling on chocolates and working on our translations.

We have tested you in the past on your Révillon quotes, but this is a new year and a new crop. By the way, I used to think the name came from réviellon, which means Christams eve or New Year's Eve festivities, and which seems appropriate. But no, I noticed the name is spelled slightly differently: Révillon, which is just a brand name. In any case, here we go. I hope these inspire you to great things in La Nouvelle Année. Translations at the bottom--no cheating til you've tried!

The many varieties of this Christmas treat.

 

P.S. I regret to tell you that the impressive stack of quotes pictured at the top  took us only a couple of days to produce. Ok maybe one.

 

Tout ce que tu feras sera dérisoire, mais il est essentiel que tu le fasses.

Gandi

Le plaisir de l'habitude est souvent plus doux encore que celui de la nouveauté.

Marcel Proust

Dis-toi d'abord ce que tu veux être, puis fais ce qu'il faut pour le devenir. 

Epicèt ...

Tous les trésors de la terre ne valent pas le bonheur d'être aimé.

Calderon

Le chocolat plonge des êtres par ailleurs normaux dans d'étranges états extatiques.

John West

On n'est jamais puni pour avoir fait mourir de rire.

Proverbe chinois

L'espérance d'une joie est presque égale à la joie.

William Shakespeare

Ecrire, c'est une façon de parler sans étre interrompu.

Jules Renard

Les paroles sages tombent quelquefois dans l'oreille d'un sourd; mais un mot gentil n'est jamais perdu.

Arthur Helps

Les rires éclatent mieux lorsque la nourriture est bonne.

Proverb irlandais

Un compliment vaut un baiser.

Alfred de Musset

Dans la vie tu as deux choix le matin: soit tu te recouches pour poursuivre ton rêve, soit tu te lèves pour le réaliser. 

Anonymous

 

Here's your cheat sheet. Feel free to take issue with my translations:

 

Whatever you do may seem insignificant to you, but it is essential that you do it.

The pleasure of habit is often sweeter than that of novelty.

Tell yourself first of all what you want to be, then do what's necessary to become it.

All the treasures of the earth are not worth the happiness of being loved.

Chocolate plunges otherwise normal beings into strange ecstatic states.

One is never punished for making people die of laughter.

The hope of joy is almost equal to the joy itself.

Writing, it's a way of talking without interruption.

Words of wisdom sometimes fall on deaf ears; but a kind word is never lost.

The bursts of laughter are better when the food is good.

A compliment deserves a kiss.

In life, there are two choices every morning: either you go back to sleep to follow your dreams, or you rise to make them happen.

 

And in spite of this year which we'd mostly rather throw in la poubelle, we hope you have a very Merry (and safe!) Christmas celebration and especially a Happy New Year!

 

In the COMMENTS: Lynne, you were so clever to repurpose a garde corps as a headboard. Jane, my goodness, you are a true French cook. Thea, enjoy the island, it makes me sad to think of it. Back someday. Francine, felicitations on your arrival in Arizona. Frankl I hope you make it to France next year, we have so many friends who want to get here. Sandi, happy to help with CharlestonInkandArt on Etsy.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS: Betina recommends the Etsy shop, the Vagabond Thimbler, for unique and fancy homemade ornaments, and teddy bears in your choice of prints!  And from our authors: Joanne Marquardt has published several memoirs of France, like My Trip Around the Hexagon: Meandering in France. Debbie Woods has a French memoir too, Girl Lost, Found in France.

 

 

Lockdown, Through a French Window

Your French mot du jour: Le confinement. That's what we've been doing here for the last 5 weeks. It's lightened up a tad this week.

What's lockdown like in France? First of all, it's national. Everyone in the country has had the same rules--and they actually obey them!--, which are:

--All stores, including restaurants and bars were closed, except the "essentials": grocery and hardware stores, pharmacy, the boulangeries, and of course the wine shops. It's France, after all. 

--You could  leave your house to shop for essentials (just this week, stores opened to Christmas shoppers. Still can't stop for a coffee, though!). You could leave to exercise outside, only for 1 hour a day and only 1km(1/2 mile) from your house. You may walk only with family members who live with you. No one can come to your house, even to visit in your garden. 

--Universities are closed, all other schools are open. Even young children wear masks. Everyone who can work at home, does.

--You must wear a mask always and everywhere, anytime you are outside your house. 

--You must have a dated and time stamped attestation with you at all times (there's an app for that). The fine for breaking the rules: 135 euros first offense; repeat offenders are off to jail. 

Even with these restrictions, the virus, which got bad very suddenly, is taking a while to recede. Makes you think that the States might be in for a tough time. Still, it's effective; in 4 weeks France went from 50,000 new cases a day to 10,000. That's  a huge drop.

So, we've been doing a lot of walking around Beaune, and one of my favorite pastimes is to take a closer look at all the architectural details of this charming historic city. And what has caught my eye this week is another sort of confinement tool: the garde corps.

French windows often go to or nearly to, the floor, but don't always have a proper balcony or terrace. When windows are low, you are required to install a garde corps, or "guard for the body", to keep from falling out. And because the windows open out and have no screens, and because most folks lean out of them daily to open and close their shutters, they serve a very important function. Though I doubt the above garde corps is going to contain that chat, should he take a notion to leap from his second floor window.

I often see these old iron railings for sale at flea markets, they are  ornamental and ornate, and often quite beautiful. The modern era garde corps can be interesting too. Below, my photos of garde corps for fenêtres and their French door equivalents, les balconettes, or Juliette balconies, that I took on my 1hr/1km walks this  past month.

 

Here and below, more confined kitties

 

A very modern version of a garde corps

 

Here and below: These door grills , from different centuries, are designed not to keep bodies in, but to stylishly keep them out!

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA TIME!! And please share yours! We have  a new section this week, since we are full of Christmas shopping ideas that we can do on-line. (We do not do ads or affiliate marketing. These are personal recommendations).

First up, you just have to go to the absolute best little Esty shop, called Charleston Ink and Art, by Charleston designer Sandra LaPyrne. It's all vintage Southern, especially from Charleston, but also from Savannah and New Orleans: prints, paintings and needlepoints of local scenes; vintage books, posters, calendars, maps and cookbooks from these historic southern cities. There are Charleston garden books and postcards from the past. Lots of southern nostalgia! You'll find the prices reasonable and the pieces unique. Here are some sample items:

A vintage Charleston print, "The Holy City", $22, framed.

 

A beautiful vintage book for $15.

Charleston Doorways poster, $12.80

 

And if you're looking for French ideas: Around the corner from us is the most sophisticated and charming  kitchen shop you've ever seen, called The Cook's Atelier. It's owned by an American, her daughter, and her daughter's French husband. They also give market tours and special dinners and have a cooking school. And they have a divine cookbook (ebook or hardbound) which I've really enjoyed, and a website full of their vintage kitchen finds. Check it all out here.

Moving along to all of Europe, check out the European Market. The owners travel Europe and offer up their best finds, from bags and baskets to children's toy and beyond.

And to all of our readers who have published books: please note them in the COMMENTS section this week, so our readers can add those to their Christmas list!

 

In the COMMENTS: Suzanne, joyeux anniversaire, and "y'all be safe now" is right. Colleen, so happy your beautiful artwork is such a success, it's so well deserved. Jacki, I don't remember, which is amazing because it sounds pretty memorable! I will try the salmon and let you know. Alix in Provence, it sounds heavenly, you are making lemonade from lockdown--you too, Natalia. Tammy, all the photos were taken in the last month. November 15-ish is the fall peak. Francine, Le Rochepot est à vendre, je pense! Michen, thanks for staying in touch.