Saturday 9 January 2010

Sunday Favourites Rerun.





We are very lucky that twice a week a very nice man in a white van delivers fresh bread to our door.
Whether or not he'll be able to get through the snow to us today I don't know, but I really hope he does.
The reason being, is that, we have ordered from him a very special cake a "Galette des Rois" and since we don't like marzipan our galette will have a filling of apple compote.
The custom of sharing a cake on January 6th, associated in Catholic countries with the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus, dates to pre- Christian times.


Post Script.
He made it!! He had to park in the lane and come up the drive on foot but he did it!!

And, here's the proof.

A special treat for afternoon tea.

For Chari's Sunday Favourites meme @ Happy to Design, here is a post that I wrote a little while back about fèves, the small epiphany trinkets which have been the QCI Meeting Farewell Dinner party favours in years past.
There is also a Sunday Favourites Rerun on the QCI blog today,please be sure to visit Chari and all today's participants.

It's Three or more Tuesday over at Tam's The Gypsy's Corner, a great show & tell party that's a treat for the eyes.

So, today I'm showing off my collection of fèves.
Followers of my blog may have gathered by now that I collect the French pottery known as Quimper faience. Yes, really!
You probably also know that the 10th Annual meeting of the QCI will be taking place next month in Dallas.

Click here to go to the QCI Blog to read all about the fun in store.
I have attended the past 9 meetings, starting with Washington in 2000, up until Philadelphia last year. I even co hosted the 2007 meeting here in France and will be co hosting again next year in Savannah, Georgia.
The meetings are always great fun and a wonderful way of connecting with fellow collectors and meeting up with friends discovered through our shared love of Quimper.


The Grand Finale of these events is always the Farewell Dinner and in recent years each guest has received a small party favour of fèves (epiphany trinkets) as they take their places at table.
In France “La galette des Rois” ("the king's cake") celebrates the Epiphany and is traditionally sold and consumed a few days before and after January 6 (although today in France, it is available in bakeries for the entire month of January). The cake consists of flaky puff pastry layers with a dense center of frangipane, raspberry, apple, and other flavors, as the baker is inspired.

In times gone by, a dried bean was hidden in the cake, and the person who found it was king for the day. The French word for bean is "fève"; however, although beans were replaced in 1870 by small figures in porcelain and, more recently, plastic, these trinkets are still called “fèves.”
The "fèves" are generally produced in theme series, with every possible theme imaginable, including Disney figures, regional motifs, ceramics, antiques, every aspect of modern life, etc. They have become very popular collectibles and can often be bought separately. Any series is generally produced for one year only.
For several years the fèves presented at the Q Club dinner were tiny figurines of Breton people.
In 2008 our gift was a tiny plate decorated with a traditional Quimper motif.
Over the years I have accumulated quite a collection of figurines and I was so enchanted by the little plate last year that I purchased the complete set.

The series of Quimper plates was produced for Epiphany 2008. It consists of ten pieces, each a miniature reproduction of a real Quimper plate, either Henriot or HB. Many "fèves" are titled, and these are marked "Les Assiettes de Quimper" (The Plates of Quimper) on the reverse side.

I believe that stocks are limited but if you would also like to add a set of plates or figurines to your Q collection click here

à bien tôt
Maggie

17 comments:

  1. Morning Maggie,just think of the calories you will save if he doesn't deliver your Galette des Rois!!

    I love all your quimper and to have a get together every year of the collectors sounds an excellent idea, especially as it takes you to different places, also with the little take away gifts.

    I am afraid I am not a collector of anything since we moved into the bungalow, we don't have much storage space or display areas.

    The snow is melting VERY slowly here and there is a possibility of more snow today, we have had a little flutter already this morning.

    Have a good day today whether you get your Galette des Rois or not, Jackie

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  2. HOw great to have a bakery man who is delivering your bread and galettes at your home. More snow expected everywhere in Europe and cold. brr. As a matter of fact in my part of Holland it id not so bad, we didn't get so much snow and I am very happy with that. Have a nice Sunday

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  3. I love your collection. Have a great day.

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  4. Oh the bread Maggie, how nice to have it delivered to your door.

    The feves are nice too.

    Have a great day!

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  5. The bread looks wonderful! And your Quimoer collection is exquisite. and to die for..Christine

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  6. This is one of my favorite of your posts -- so I'm glad it's a Sunday Favorite!

    As to Seeds, I've found a better silver polish -- Maas. I am amazed at what it will do!

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  7. Oh to have breads delivered to my door - I wouldn't be able to move after a couple of months. ;-) Your collection is stunning!

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  8. Someone who delivers from the bakery sounds like a dream come true. The cake looks delicious! Have an extra slice just for me, Maggie. Love the little féves. Glad you shared this one again. ~ Sarah

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  9. I'm so glad the galette made it to your door. It must be so lovely to live in an area where the baker delivers his goods. Stay warm by the fire.

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  10. I had not heard of "King Cakes" until LAST year at this time when Leigh talked about them over on her blog. I think they are an AWESOME idea, they just aren't a "thing" in this area - - - I've never even seen on in real life.

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  11. Fresh bread...delivered right to your door...I don't know if it gets much better than that!
    I hope your staying warm so far this winter.
    Jane

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  12. Hi Maggie...

    Ohhh...I remember this post, my friend! I'm thinking that this was the post running when I first met you! I'm so glad that you decided to share it once again for Sunday Favorites...I loved looking at all of your little feves!!! Oh my goodness, it would simply be divine to have fresh bread delivered right to your front door! Enjoy your "King's cake", my friend!!!

    I hope that your weekend was lovely! Thank you so much for participating in Sunday Favorites again this week, Darlin'!

    Warmest wishes,
    Chari @Happy To Design

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  13. Maggie, I'm so glad you repeated the post about the feves, since I had missed it the first time. They are so neat, and I love that little plate collection! This was such fun to see. And how wonerful to get fresh bread delivered to our door. Your king's cake looks and sounds delicious. Thank you so much for postin gmy prty button. laurie

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  14. How lucky you are that the bread man delivers. I can't imagine how wonderful that would be.

    Your collection of Quimper is gorgeous. Happy new year.
    Sam

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  15. I love traditions that go with food and china - so this post made me very happy.
    I remember when I saw Quimper ware for the first time - about 35 years ago. I fell in love with it, but it's a love that I've left unfullfilled. I've never purchased a piece but very much enjoy looking at it wherever I find it.

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  16. Oh, Maggie, I love your collection of feves. Dan and I went to the faiencerie a few years ago, and we still use the plates and bowls we bought. Thanks for the photos!

    Here in Belgium the Gallette de Roi is normally only available on the 6th. I love it that you have to buy it THAT DAY or wait a year.

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  17. What a great collection! I'm from Louisiana (although I live in Washington State) and there we also have King Cake available between Epiphany and Mardi Gras. However, we don't have these beautiful little trinkets. The bean was replaced by a plastic baby! I'd much rather find one of your tiny treasures than a plastic baby lol.

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