Giving thanks in France--an ongoing celebration

Being as the celebration of Thanksgiving does not exist outside of Canada and the United States, it would only make sense that the holiday's name would not translate. On the contrary, being as it is, above all, a holiday based around food, the celebration itself transcends this language barrier. This year, we english assistants stationed in Toulon and across the South of France pulled out the stops to spread the joy and weight-gain that epitomizes our national traditions of Giving Thanks.

Clockwise from left: Dirty rice, garlic mashed potatoes, turkey farcie, cranberry relish,
sweet potato pie (complete with pecans and marshmallows)
Sur la table: un bout de pain de maïs (fitting on the table and not on the plate: a piece of homemade cornbread)

The infinite mutterings of the word "dégueulasse" ("disgusting") at the shear mentioning of a pie made from a fall squash, or a potato dish topped with sugary-goodness, was all put to rest with the tasting of these Thanksgiving staples.   I am personally proud to report that nine native citizens of the Wine and Cheese Capital of the World (and the numbers are mounting) have now been converted to Southern Style mashed sweet potatoes (ie. that delicious concoction of the orange potato and its unlikely mate, the marshmallow).  Of course, no Thanksgiving would be the same without the pumpkin pie. My dinosaur of a 1960s Moulinex mini-oven has now seen its share of potimarrons roasted to perfection and transformed into a type of mysterious tarte aux citrouilles which has, until now, never scented its antique metalic walls. I am certain that if it could talk, it would confront me with the most french of queries: "Mais, qu'est-ce que c'est que ça?!" ("What on earth is that?!").

The ultimate potluck-style Thanksgiving;
a gathering of language assistants and
"Turkey Day" flavors  

A Brit finished off the pumpkin pie

Patricia with her magnificent
"dinde" (turkey); the only one
I have ever seen in France
at this time of the year.

 Thanksgiving Southern Style: including
"dirty rice" and sweet potato pie;
also featuring real cranberry relish...
as real as you can get with jazzed-up
imported canned cranberries. 

In any case, America can now add Thanksgiving to its list of exports... though maybe not as high up on the list as popular culture and religion. In Toulon and across the South of France, certain french citizens will, from this moment on, have more than McDonald's to think of in relation to American cuisine, and I know a particular Englishman who now has an affinity for certain Thanksgiving favorites.

And so I raise my glass to a growing international community, a mélange of cultures and cuisines, and to the two best orange-tinted Thanksgiving classics conquering taste-buds across the globe: sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.

  

This year, I am thankful for the opportunity to share my love of country with those who have so deeply influenced the meaning of that very phrase in my life and worldview. Thank you to Patricia and Roland Pavia-Orengo for their unwavering support, patience, and concern for my physical health (ehem Roland).  Thank you to my colleagues at Lycee Rouviere for never hesitating to include me in the family of faculty and staff, and for making it your goal that I do not "m'ennuie" (get bored) in this beautiful region. Thank you to my students who consistently show interest and excitement for such topics as the "America on the 4rd Thursday of November" and who keep open minds and open mouths for a piece of "sucré salé patates douces" (sweet potato pie).  Thank you to this year's group of Language Assistants in Toulon for forming a true home away from home, because, let's face it, sometimes you just really need to play an intense game of Apples to Apples or watch english movies that are not dubbed in French.

Notre famille française à table à Sospel (4 hours at the table this time?)

And finally, thank you to my family for continuing to support my adventurous spirit and desire to discover all that the world has to offer. Next year, save me a plate, "Ill be home for Christmas..." and most definitely Thanksgiving.