La Chandeleur ~ Candlemas - newpaltz.k12.ny.us



La Chandeleur - Crêpe Day

Compiled from Laura K. Lawless, & Debra Fioritto Weber,

Celebrated on February 2nd in France, this holiday is called Candlemas,

la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or crêpe day.

The tradition of eating crêpes on Chandeleur

Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.

The name Chandeleur comes from the Latin, candelorum festum' which means festival of candles. Since the 7th century the day has been celebrated by a procession of the faithful holding lit tapers. The candles are blessed and lit at the church and the participants carry the candle home without the flame dying. This will assure a good harvest and prosperity for the rest of the year.

It is the custom to prepare and eat crêpes on February 2nd and all through the Mardi Gras season. Why this particular day? It's a bit shrouded in mystery but many sources mention Pope Gélase I, who helped establish Chandeleur and whose custom it was to feed crêpes to the pilgrims who visited his church. The form and color of the crêpe also calls to mind the sun, which is returning after its winter sleep.

To insure your health, wealth and happiness for the coming year, hold a coin in one hand and with the other, flip the crêpe . . . and catch it while making your wish for the new year. If you catch it your wish will be answered, if not, dommage!

Fillings / toppings: (jams / jellies / preserves (powdered sugar (chocolate syrup

(nutella (hazelnut & chocolate) (whipped cream (sliced bananas, strawberries, blueberries, etc.

Other supplies – (napkins, (paper plates, ( butter

Bring your own water or juice bottle.

I will bring: (_______________________________________________

La Chandeleur ~ Candlemas

From Debra Fioritto Weber,

La Chandeleur (shahnduhluhr) ,a Holy Day in the Catholic Church, is celebrated each February 2nd. On this day, the Baby Jesus was presented in the temple 40 days after his birth as was custom. It also celebrates the purification of his mother, Mary. When Joseph and Mary arrived at the temple, Saint Simeon welcomed them and proclaimed that the baby was a "Light of the World". The name, Chandeleur, comes from the Latin, candelorum festum' which means festival of candles. Since the 7th century the day has been celebrated by a procession of the faithful holding lit tapers. The candles are blessed and lit at the church and the participants carry the candle home without the flame dying. This will assure a good harvest and prosperity for the rest of the year.

The tradtition of eating crêpes on Chandeleur

It is the custom to prepare and eat crêpes on February 2nd and all through the Mardi Gras season. Why this particular day? It's a bit shrouded in mystery but many sources mention Pope Gélase I, who helped establish Chandeleur and whose custom it was to feed crêpes to the pilgrims who visited his church. The form and color of the crêpe also calls to mind the sun, which is returning after its winter sleep.

But it's not enough to just eat crêpes, there are a few things you must do while cooking the crêpes to insure your health, wealth and happiness for the coming year.

While cooking the crêpes, hold a coin in one hand, with the other, flip the crêpe . . . and catch it while making your wish for the new year. If you catch it your wish will be answered, if not, dommage!

Another way to insure good luck is to toss the first crêpe on an armoire and hope that it sticks. If it does stick, you have to keep it there all year and your harvest will be successful.

Je vous souhaite bonne chance!

French Candlemas - La Chandeleur - Crêpe Day

From Laura K. Lawless,

Learn about the French celebration of Chandeleur

The Catholic holiday of Candlemas, on 2 February, is a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. In France, this holiday is called la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or crêpe day.

Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.

There are all kinds of French proverbs and sayings for Chandeleur; here are just a few. Note the similarities to the Groundhog Day predictions made in the US:

À la Chandeleur, l'hiver cesse ou reprend vigueur

On Candlemas, winter ends or strengthens

À la Chandeleur, le jour croît de deux heures

On Candlemas, the day grows by two hours

Chandeleur couverte, quarante jours de perte

Candlemas covered (in snow), forty days lost

Rosée à la Chandeleur, hiver à sa dernière heure

Dew on Candlemas, winter at its final hour

Crêpe-throwing game

Here is a fun way to celebrate la Chandeleur in French classes - all you need are a crêpe recipe, ingredients, paper plates, and a small prize.

1. The day before, ask a couple of students to make a pile of crêpes and bring them in to class (or make them yourself). For fairness, the crêpes need to be the same size, about 5 inches in diameter.

 

2. Give each student a paper plate and write his/her name on the bottom. The object of the game is to catch a crêpe in the very center of the plate.

 

3. Stand on a chair about 10 feet away from the students and throw a crêpe, frisbie-style, for students to catch. Once they catch the crêpe they can't jiggle or flip it to try to reposition it on the plate.

 

4. After each student has caught a crêpe, ask two adults (such as fellow teachers) to come into the room and judge which crêpe was most perfectly caught in the very center of the plate. The winner gets a prize (such as a book or $5).

 

5. Then you can all celebrate by eating crêpes with an assortment of toppings (fruit, whipped cream, chocolate, butter, sugar, jam, etc).

The crêpe-throwing game was kindly shared by its inventor, Ed Cepress, a French teacher at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, Minnesota. Merci bien!

Pâte à Crêpes à la Vanille - Vanilla Flavored Crêpes ~

Blender Method Pronounced: paht / ah / krehp / ah / lah / vah nee yuh

From Debra Fioritto Weber

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 cups whole milk

• 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

• 1 Tablespoon rum, brandy or other liqueur

• 3 large egg yolks

• 2 Tablespoons sugar

• 1-1/2 cups sifted, unbleached, all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 5 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter

• vegetable oil for brushing on the pan

PREPARATION:

1. Place the milk, vanilla extract and rum in the blender. Add the yolks, sugar, salt, then the flour. Finally, add the butter and blend on high speed 30 seconds.

2. Scrape down the sides of the blender and blend on high speed 30 seconds more.

Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

At this point, it can also be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring it to room temperature before continuing with recipe.

3. Heat an 8" crêpe pan or skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan; if they sizzle, the pan is ready to use. Brush with a little vegetable oil.

4. Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill it with batter and pour it into the skillet. Immediately pick up the pan and tilt and swirl it so that the batter covers the entire bottom of the pan. Pour any excess batter back into the bowl.

5. Loosen the edges of the crêpe with a metal spatula. You can use a spatula to turn the crêpe, but I usually, turn it with my fingers. Using both hands, I pick up the loosened edges with my thumb and index finger and quickly flip it over.

6. Cook on the other side until lightly golden (usually less than a minute) and slide it out onto a plate. Cover with waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining batter.

To serve:

These crêpes may be filled with many different fillings, such as jam, sprinkled with a little sugar or perhaps various fruits. A favorite filling in France is Nutella. Use your imagination and a few of your favorite ingredients to develop your own favorites.

To store:

Crêpes may be kept tightly wrapped for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. They may also be frozen. Be sure to bring them to room temperature before using.

To reheat:

Cover the crepes with foil and reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through.

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