Marmite? Chocolate? Chocolate Marmite?
May. 18th, 2009 09:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spudtater posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
cult_of_nickysI was intruiged to learn yesterday that the Goddess was unfamiliar with the Genevois festival of L'Escalade — which commemorates the successful defence of the city-state of Geneva against a suprise attack by the forces of the Duke of Savoy — as it is of interest to her for two reasons. Firstly, it commemorates the bravery (and quick-thinking) of a woman:
According to Genevois legend, Catherine Cheynel, originally from Lyons and the wife of Pierre Royaume, ("Mère Royaume"), a mother of 14 children, seized a large cauldron of hot soup and poured it on the attackers. The Royaume family lived just above the La Monnaie town gate. The heavy cauldron of boiling soup landed on the head of a Savoyard attacker, killing him. The commotion that this caused also helped to rouse the townsfolk to defend the city.
Secondly... well...
Celebrations include a large marmite (cauldron) made of chocolate filled with marzipan vegetables and candies wrapped in the Geneva colours of red and gold. It's customary for the eldest and youngest in the room to smash the marmite, while reciting, "Ainsi périssent les ennemis de la République! " (Thus perish the enemies of the Republic).
Mmmmm! Vanquishing the enemies of the Republic is TASTY!
Gotta love those Swiss. 8^)
