My new year’s wish for you
On my way to a Ph.D., I spent two years at the École normale supérieure. It was rather difficult at first, because while the other half-dozen visiting students were graduate students in French, I had never been to the country fondly known as “the hexagon.” I had come to study literary theory. What I knew about France was hardly enough to get me through the day.
The first winter break was a trial. Everyone went home. The days were dark, the dormitory was cold and the cafeteria was closed. In the first days of the new year, I was very glad to see my fellow students trickle back and brighten up for a party to celebrate Epiphany. This church feast commemorates the visit of the three wise men, who came from the East to worship the baby Jesus, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Apparently, the wise men also brought a flaky pastry filled with frangipane, into which they baked the gold coin to get it through customs.
This year, I enjoyed the delectable version of “Kings’ Cake” served at the Café Bilboquet on 60th Street in New York, next to L’Alliance New York, a welcoming group that fills an entire building enlivened by wine tastings, a preschool, animation and film festivals, theater, language classes and everything imaginable to promote the language and culture of France.
Join us! Learn more at lallianceny.org.
