Just when you think the holiday season is over, the French have one more reason to celebrate in January — and this one really takes the cake.
On Thursday, France’s new ambassador to Canada, Michel Miraillet, welcomed dozens of guests to the gorgeous embassy on Sussex Drive for a reception that featured a special dessert: galette des rois, or kings’ cake. It’s made with flaky, buttery layers of puff pastry and an almond cream filling known as frangipane.
Each cake is baked with a small charm, or fève, hidden inside. Whomever is lucky enough to find a fève in their slice of cake gets to wear the gold paper crown as king or queen for the day.
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The tradition of eating galettes dates back to the 14th century in France. Originally, it was served on January 6 to celebrate the Epiphany, a religious feast day. These days, it transcends religious boundaries and has become more about meeting up with friends and family. The cake is now enjoyed throughout January, with bakers in France apparently making more than 30 million of them each year.
The reception included a mix of guests from government, diplomacy, culture, and business. James Richardson, sponsorship manager with the Ottawa Jazz Festival was there. So was Serge Belet, senior manager of public affairs and partnership at the National Gallery of Canada. Also seen was Dominique Jacobson, owner of Jacobsons gourmet food shop in New Edinburgh (the store imports the best in fine French cheeses).
Inês Gomes and Kirsten Sardelis, who work in global expansion at Invest Ottawa, the lead economic development agency for the City of Ottawa, were invited. So was Marie Beaux, executive director of the EU Chamber of Commerce in Canada.
Working hard to keep the French language flourishing in Canada are Nicole Thibault, network CEO of Canadian Parents for French, and fellow guest Emeline Leurent, executive director of French for the Future, a non-profit organization that supports and motivates high school students toward bilingualism.
The embassy is looking forward to welcoming an even larger crowd to its Bastille Day celebration in July. The French national holiday commemorates the start of the French Revolution and eventual end of monarch rule. Preparations for the big event are already underway, the embassy told OBJ.social.
caroline@obj.ca
