It is hot. Too hot to be over-exerting. Or exerting at all really. This dispatch, therefore, is being written at 7am, windows open, whilst the air outside still has a whisper of freshness to it, so forgive the laziness that may be evident. We are expecting 40 degrees here today and in a city that doesn’t believe in air-con, finding something to do to survive la canicule is no piece of cake.
My one-track brain overheats in the summer and I find it hard to concentrate on much more than cooling down. Like an old laptop chuntering away, my sole line of thought for the letter I was of the iced variety. Ice. Ice cream. Iceberg. Iced coffee. Iced out. Ice cube and Ice Cube. Icebreakers. Icebox. Icehouse. This thread however was futile and fruitless as we seem not to even own an ice cube tray in our flat meaning I’d have to venture outside for any iced relief. To write about ice would be rubbing salt in the wound.
Instead, idioms are the topic of the day. I’ve always had a soft spot for language quirks and queerities and food based idioms are very much my cup of tea. We do well in the English language with corkers like ‘bringing home the bacon’ and ‘being full of beans’, but with geographical bias aside, I think that the French take the cake here.
As you’d expect in a country of 1600 cheeses, 27,000 wineries, and very specific (read: pedantic) categorisation criteria, the French have some wicked prandial phrases, some with very funny explanations.
Funny French Food Phrases
Raconter des salades
Translation: To tell salads
Meaning: To tell lies
English equivalent: To tell porky pies
Être dans les choux
Translation: To be in the cabbage
Meaning: To be in a mess
English equivalent: To be in a pickle
Oh purée!
Translation: Oh mashed potato!
Meaning: Oh my goodness
English equivalent: Oh sugar!
Être une quiche
Translation: To be a quiche
Meaning: To be an idiot
English equivalent: To be a doughnut
En fait tout en fromage
Translation: To make everything in cheese
Meaning: To make a big deal out of something
English equivalent: To make a mountain out of a molehill
Triste comme un repas sans fromage (my favourite)
Translation: To be as sad as a meal without cheese
Meaning: To be really sad
English equivalent: To be down in the dumps
Mettre du beurre dans les épinards
Translation: To put butter in the spinach
Meaning: To improve the situation (financially)
English equivalent: To put bread on the table
Occupe-toi de tes oignons
Translation: Look after your own onions
Meaning: To mind your own business
English equivalent: To mind your beeswax
Shopping list for you
Jess Elliott Dennison’s crème fraîche ice cream
Opulence observations in Newport
A welcome Kate Bush revival
Hot weather reading from Brian Bilston
Today’s energy expenditure is now run out for the day and so I am going to go and buy an ice cube tray and then find somewhere to swim and hopefully not melt in the heat. If you’ve enjoyed today’s newsletter, please consider liking it as it helps other people to find it :)
Stay cool x