Saturday, April 30, 2011

My 1st article in CABLE PLUS

 
I know, I know, we are already April 30 and I should have posted this story a long time ago! Anyway, I would like to share the following with you: 
I have been asked to write in the magazine of i-cable, a Hong Kong Pay TV.  My 1st article has been published in their newly launched e-magazine called Cable PLUS / 有线快讯 on April 15, 2011. The 1st issue was originally planned to be out on April 1, 2011 and I wrote about April Fool (this is why you might think that it is outdated).
In my future articles I will give simple recipes, tell short stories about French people and their traditions, and I might also explain how to make simple and personalized accessories. Hope many people will find my articles interesting. Here is my 1st story related to April Fool:

April Fool! 跟你开个玩笑! Poisson d’avril!

In France people who are fooled on April 1 are called Poisson d’avril. The tradition is said to have started in France in 1564. 

When we were kids my siblings and I used to stick fish-shaped cutouts on the back of our classmates on April’s Fool Day.  If we succeeded to attach the paper fish without being noticed this person would carry it on her/his back until someone will shout out: “Poisson d’avril!”   Now when I think of it I find this rather amusing / amusant though very childish / enfantin
The adults also have their way of playing tricks on people and make others look foolish. They make you believe into something and wait until they cannot hide the truth anymore to tell you that this is a joke.  Today the tradition goes on not only in France but although in many countries. 

We also have another custom associated with April 1. Starting mid-March cake shops/ patisseries and chocolatiers are busy making and selling fish-shaped pastries and chocolate.  You can buy very small chocolate fish in pre-packed translucent paper bags, as well as large hollow chocolate fish filled with mini sugar Easter eggs / des mini oeufs de Pâques en sucre and/or small chocolate fish / petits poissons en chocolat
I remember that my grand-father / mon grand-père used to offer a chocolate fish on the 1st of April to my brother / mon frère as his birthday falls on this interesting day. My Mum / ma Maman) told us that the day he was born nobody would believe my father that he had a son (after 2 daughters)!  

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