Thursday, November 19, 2009

Day Three. Pain au Chocolat

Crisp and flakey. Tastes like butter. Until you get to the centre. That delicious liquidy chocolate, warmed to perfection. And you think to yourself...wow the French sure do have something going right.

So many memories and pain au chocolat go hand and hand for me, but I would have to say the first person that comes to mind as I take that first bite (more like devour that first bite) is not a Frenchie but a Canadian and a very special Canadian at that. I spent just short of a year and a half living and working as an au pair in Thoiry, France and it was in its small "centre ville" that I was first introduced to the pain au chocolat. However; it was in a French classroom in Ferney Voltaire that our relationship really "thickened." We would have French class every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9:30 until 11:30am and as it started in would walk Katie, brown paper bag in hand and smug look on her face. Eyes watched (probably rather enviously, when I think back now) as we slowly unwrapped each pain au chocolat. Mouths watering as we only paid slight attention to what was happening on the board in front of us. Sometimes we would wait to get coffee at the coffee machine during the break, but often that inviting smell and apprehension was too deliciously large to ignore.

Katie would buy us each not one, but two of these French pastries at her local bakery on the way to class. Nothing would stop her, come snow or shine. She would rather be late for class than appear sans pain au chocolat and I accepted this as the norm. I mean it made complete sense. Thinking back, I realise that not once was it me in this role. Did Katie not trust me with the important task? or was she really sneaking in one before she got to class? Nope. None of those. Katie is just one of those people. Acts of kindness and selflessness come to her so naturally that she doesn't even realise. Yes, this is an ode to you, Katie. Just because you are such an amazing person and friend and because you are the person that comes to my mind; right in between that feeling of devine anticipation and the first bite.

So, why do I go on today about the pain au chocolat? Well, this morning myself and two dear friends met at the Green Boulangerie in Lennoxville for a wee bit of breakfast. It was so wonderful starting off the day sitting at the small shop window; sun streaming in; familiar faces walking passed and scrumptious pain aux chocolat sitting before us. Great to catch up over coffee, while French music played in the background and the kind baker worked away in the kitchen. All days should start like this. What a treat to be experiencing a Thursday morning on Queen Street in Lennoxville, Quebec. Could we compare it to the first bite of that pain au chocolat?

I got to spend a month this year with Katie and my special friends from our years in Pays de Gex. What a reunion it was! July, I spent with Julie and Carla in Vancouver. Then it was time for a roadtip to Calgary and Edmonton to spend the rest of my summer in Alberta. So many cherished memories!













A toast to the future with our favourite "Macon Villages," which made it across Europe, Africa and Canada. (Julie, Katie, Steph, Nicole and I)

Nicole revealed her hidden side at Fort Edmonton Park

Time to say goodbyes again at Calgary Airport - hiding ourselves behind silliness and large glasses of wine.




























A flashback to 2007 and our obsession with Star Academy (the concert in Switzerland)

No comments:

Post a Comment