Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 24
July 3, 2020
La Poubelle: How God handles the competition: A funny message from The Almighty
"I don't care if I am an artist or not, what worries me is writing good stories. Besides, when I start taking myself for an artist - which can happen to me in a moment of madness - I start to write any which way and I have to throw everything in the trash the next day. I am a craftsman, not an artist." -Harlan Coben. French translation and sound file below.
Today's Word: la poubelle
: trash can, garbage can, bin
Sound file: hear Jean-Marc read the following French:
Je me fiche d'être ou n...
June 25, 2020
Words on Love and an "au pif" recipe
Our golden retriever, Smokey, enjoying shade under the peppercorn tree. Today's entry begins with the French version of Love Is Patient, Love is Kind and ends with a recipe (the two sections have nothing to do with each other but are, like today's recipe, au pif (spontaneous).
L'amour est patient, il est plein de bonté;
l'amour n'est pas envieux; l'amour ne se vante pas,
il ne s'enfle pas d'orgueil, il ne fait rien de malhonnête,
il ne cherche pas son intérêt, il ne s'irrite pas, il ne sou...
June 19, 2020
Papillonner: Mom's butterfly chair + a fluttery French verb for you today
Smokey in the butterfly chair, or la chaise papillon. Papillon--it is a favorite French word but did you know there is a fluttery verb to go with it? Perfect for today's story, about Mom's favorite fauteuil....
Today's Word: Papillonner
: to flit around, flutter about
Click here to listen to Jean-Marc read the following sentence:
Ne te laisse pas distraire par les événements extérieurs ! Prend le temps d'apprendre quelque chose de bon et cesse de papillonner! Don't be distracted by outside...
June 10, 2020
L'Oubli: Two accidental versions of the same story (on forgetfulness)
Ah...L'oubli! When is forgetfulness a good thing? In today's unusual edition all vocabulary is at the end. We'll restructure things next week!
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
While in the kitchen I noticed steam rising from the countertop. Approaching the messy comptoir for a closer look, I recognized the Starbucks souvenir mug (Vail edition) I'd purchased while visiting our daughter, Jackie, last year. I never did use la grande tasse for its intended purpose (it's too heavy; I pref...
June 4, 2020
Two brothers at Aldi and riots in France
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L'Ile Verte. The green island, here in La Ciotat, for a peaceful image to begin today's post.
Today's Word: chercher ses mots*
: to be at a loss for words
*I settled on this "word of the day" following the struggle in writing a story in these sad, scary, and emotionally-charged times. Thank you for reading with open hearts.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
In the parking lot at Aldi I was loading our groceries, Mom's, then mine, into our car, when I saw two familiar faces. It ...
May 27, 2020
A funny French expression to help you respond "sur-le-champ"
The sign near the beach reads "SOS Lost Jewelry in the water." Here in La Ciotat, there's another place where people lose things... and it also has to do with water! Learn a handy expression in today's vocabulary-packed story!
Today's word: sur-le-champ
: at once, immediately, right away
Audio: listen to Jean-Marc read the following definition:
Une riposte c'est une réponse vive, instantanée, faite à un interlocuteur
action qui répond sur le champ. A riposte is a lively, instant rep...
May 20, 2020
Two celebrations + Langue de belle-mère (a funny word for a certain party favor)
Given Mothers Day is celebrated on different dates across the globe, I will take this moment to wish all caregivers a Joyeuse Fête! Photo: the tidy side of our garden. We'll talk about the weeds--and a mother's needs--in the following story.
Today's Word: Langue de belle-mère (f)
: party blower
literal translation: "mother-in-law's tongue" (photo below)
Une langue de belle-mère, aussi a...
May 14, 2020
Cheese needs to breathe and so do we
Photo of our dear golden, Smokey
Today's Word: respirer
: to breathe, inhale
Click here to listen to the French quote below:
Respirer Paris, cela conserve l'âme. Breathe in, Paris, it conserves the soul. --Victor Hugo
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
While preparing a plateau de fromages for today's lunch, I was surprised to see the refrigerated cheese now wore a fuzzy white coat: the Comté, the Saint-Félicien--even the bûche de chèvre--all were covered in velours blanc!
...May 7, 2020
Pâte Brisée : Jêrôme's 4-ingredient wine-based shortcrust pastry is easy, versatile, delicious for savory quiche or sweet, delectable pie!
I can tell you--after seeing them in the bathroom mirror this morning--this shortcrust pastry recipe will give you les poignées d'amour. That's French for "love handles." Même pas peur? Not even scared? Good! Read on and discover a truly delicious and versatile pâte brisée. I should know...I've tested 10 of them in the past week--ever since you asked for the recipe!
Today's Word: la pâte brisée
: shortcrust pastry
Audio: Listen to the words pâte brisée in this soundfile
En cuisine,...
April 30, 2020
Our mystery guest + le cafoutche = The "everything room" in France
Up till now, the best part of our cafoutche was the view. More about a few sweet and savory projects in today's missive. Thank you for reading and sharing this post with a friend!
Today's Word: cafoutche
: storage room, cupboard
AUDIO FILE: click here to listen to the following quote in French
Cafoutche: De loccitan cafoucho synonyme de cahute. A Marseille il désigne un petit placard où lon met de tout et de rien. Peut désigner la cave, aussi bien quune petite pièce fermée ou un...
