The 12 days of Christmas finished on a delicious and beautiful note, with of course... a cake if one so wishes.

The Galette des Rois is the cake of choice, for most, with a porcelain feve inside,  that will designate the Queen or King of the day and a crown.


It's a light puff pastry pie sort of flat cake, that hides a delicate filling.

What's the story behind this tradition?
Is a galette des Rois like the briochey Kings cake enjoyed in Louisiana?
What does it have to do with Ancient Rome, and fava bean?
Let's find out!


©Florence Vitel 2022
Written, hosted, and produced by Florence Vitel
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Credits : 
Music  : 
*Videvo under license : 
Tchaikovsky Serenade Movement Op 48 Classics 4  
Tchaikovsky  Toyland Christmas Music 

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The Bûche is one of those quintessential Christmas food and traditions enjoyed in many countries, not just in France.

 Its origins take us back to the ancient Rome festivities of Saturnalia, with a detour via the 11th-century Vikings and Paris and the cavemen in Lascaux.

Grab your fave beverage and snack, get comfy by the fire, let's dive in and lets find out what story lies behind this iconic cake.


©Florence Vitel 2022
Written, hosted, mixed and produced by Florence Vitel
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Credits : 
Music  and SFX sounds: 
 *under Creative Commons License
Netherworld Shanty by Kevin Mc Leod
Schola Gregoriana - Antiphona et Magnificat
Offenbach -  Orpheus in Underworld Overture (La vie Parisienne )

 *orange free sounds
Tchaikovsky : Nutcracker Song, by Alexander 

*Videvo under license : 
Tchaikovsky Classics 2  - Troika November Op
Fire 6083
Windstorm 6060
Birch Run
Spinning Magical Trills Fairy Dust
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The Postulate goes like this: French toast is French, because its origin lies in the name, right?

 
The 28th of November is a special day for bread or brioche in the US.

Amateurs and chefs across the territory will mercilessly slice loads of loaves.

Because on this day America celebrates National French Toast day.

Fine, but what is French toast and when was it created?

Let's find out!




Episode written, hosted, mixed, and produced by Florence Vitel
__________________________________________________
Credits :
Music : under Creative commons License
 Aquarium from Carnival of the  Animals, Camille Saint-Saens, by Kevin Mc Leod
Danse Macabre, Camille Saint-Saens, by Kevin Mc Leod



Music : under Vivedo License
Caprice_on_Danish_and_Russian_Airs Op. 79 ( Saint-Saens)  by William McColl . William McColl's Album
Lamb Ragtime  Nightingale

Sound FX : under Vivedo License
Spinning Magical Things Fairy Dust TTX031505

*9 September 2022*
As a tribute to a remarkable sovereign, this episode explores the origins of the British Anthem and its surprising profound ties to European monarchies and baroque musicians.

Yesterday has been a sad day.  An era has come to an end. 

The days ahead are those of grief, mourning, and sorrow. 

A Kingdom, a nation, nations, and a great portion of the world are plunged into bereavement.
Yesterday,  the well-known and recognizable anthem God Save the Queen has been sung and heard for the very last time, to honor a remarkable Monarch who had passed the day before, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2.

This reality makes the feeling that the chapter has been closed all the more tangible.

Interestingly, the carillon of a clock made during the first part of the 18th century and belonging to the collection of the musée de Versailles, plays this famous air. [source  : The Originals by Arnold Rypens]

Episode written, mixed, and produced by Florence Vitel.
__________________________________________________
Credits : under Creative commons License 

Danse Macabre, Camille Saint-Saens, by Kevin Mc Leod
God Save The Queen by Simon Spiro and the St Matthews Choir

Champagne needs no introduction. Or does it?

A beverage fit for kings and queens, the Belle Epoque and its musical artists, with the growing demand for the fizz,  allowed for healthy democratization of the drink.
Champagne is the drink of celebrations, achievements and firsts.  

Churchill pondered that in order to properly celebrate victory, it is necessary and for consolation, it is a much-needed thing.

Common knowledge credits Dom Perignon for its discovery and later mastering the effervescence process, yet archeology tells that fermented and sparkling wines may be much older than we think. 

And also, that bubbly may have been a very sought-after drink in Ancient Rome.
It is incumbent on the fictitious character of James Bond to live up to his reputation and only drink Martini or vintage champagne.

Tinseltown has produced movies simply named "Champagne" ( by Hitchcock) and has profusely served it to many characters, giving a good reason to actors and directors to indulge in the glorious French wine.

But where does Champagne come from? Are all sparkling wines Champagne?

 Lets' find out!



Episode written, hosted, mixed, and produced by Florence Vitel
__________________________________________________
Credits : 
Music :  
Sheet Music Singer : 
* Champagne Charlie (1868)
*  As Time Goes By (1931) 

under Creative commons License 
Music :
Caprice_on_Danish_and_Russian_Airs Op. 79 ( Saint-Saens)  by William McColl . William McColl's Album
Danse Macabre, Camille Saint-Saens, by Kevin Mc Leod

Sound FX :
Videvo under license
*Sound Ideas General HD SFX FInal Version Champagne Pour into glass 
*Liquid pouring glass Premiere Edition 322903

Ah, quiche! 

A silky savoury egg custard, baked in a buttery shortcrust. An easy dinner with a crunchy salad with French vinaigrette, and hop! you feel like you're in a Parisian cafe...

Quiche after having been a staple in France for centuries has become a symbol of the Lorraine resistance and identity at the end of the 19th century... But how?

It's now a much-loved dish that eases the hassle of making dinner for many.

What's the story behind this iconic dish?

Let's find out!



Episode written, hosted, mixed, and produced by Florence Vitel
__________________________________________________
Credits : 
Music :  under Creative commons License 
Orlando_Gibbons_Out_of_the_Deep (The_Tudor_Consort)
Liebestraum - AB Major  Franz Liszt
Danse Macabre, Camille Saint-Saens, by Kevin Mc Leod

Sound FX and Music :  Videvo under license
Lamb -Ragtime_Nightingale
FOOD DOUGH _DIGIB03-34 Domestic Sound Collection

How did Marie-Antoinette fare at the Court of France?

This episode reviews:

*The proxy wedding and what it means to be the Dauphine

 *The Journey to Versailles

* Wedding celebrations and Wed life

* Little rebellions 

* The daily routine of Marie-Antoinette

* How she becomes a fashion icon and a trendsetter

*  Marie-Antoinette's Adjusting to Court life.

Episode written, hosted, mixed, and produced by Florence Vitel

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Credits


Music 
C. Saint-Saens -Danse Macabre , by Kevin MacLeod under Creative Commons License

Francis Couperin, L'art de toucher le Clavecin;  Pavane Belle qui tiens ma vie from  Orchesographie Opus,
Mozart, mass in C minor, Et incarnatus est (Hesketh)
Louis Spohr Sehnsucht
all under Creative Commons License

Sound FX
Stock footage provided by :
Horse Carriage AMA03_76, Horse Carriage AMA03_81, Horse Carriage AMA03_82,  Horse Carriage IN23_11, Church BellsPealing EE112101
02_The_Ragtime_Dance, Applause _2005_05_1,
all downloaded under license from www.videvo.net
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Marie Antoinette is certainly the most famous Queen of France.
For a long period of time, she had been remembered for all the wrong reasons, regrettably.

Dubious quotes on cakes, defamatory nicknames pertaining to her supposed behavior regarding the King, the finances, or her clothing have percolated through the centuries, staining forever her name...

Golden locks of hair, a pale and rosy complexion, big blue-grey eyes, regular features, she had the grace of a swan.
Betrothed to the Dauphin of France, she would become the last Queen of France.

What was her life before becoming the most famous resident of Versailles?

What were her character and personality?
What is it about Marie-Antoinette's style that makes it still fashionable?

Let's find out!

Episode written, hosted, mixed, and produced by Florence Vitel

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Credits :

Music 
C. Saint-Saens -Danse Macabre , by Kevin MacLeod under Creative Commons License
Wolfgand Amadeus Mozart : under CC license
Concerto N. 5 C, Allegro maestoso
Symphony 40- G minor - Andante
Quintet for Piano and Winds 1 Largo Allegro moderato
Joseph Haydn
Cello Concerto in D 1 Live Performance, John Michel, under CC license
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The word Croissant could be the epitome of a Sunday brunch under the French art de Vivre guidelines.

We know what to expect when we bite into a fluffy and crispy curved croissant.
They are easily found in cafes, bakeries, in the frozen bread and desserts section of stores, and in the kitchen of talented bakers.

Yet, before becoming mainstream and ubiquitous, where did the humble croissant originate from?
Let's find out!

The epic of this curvy viennoiserie is like the delicacy itself: a multilayered thing, that will take the listener from the first café in Imperial Vienna to the Valley of the Nile.

We'll uncover the connection between food, ancient civilizations, the power of symbols, and why biting into a croissant is a true continuation of History.

Episode written, hosted, mixed and produced by Florence Vitel

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Credits

Music 
Angevin ; C. Saint-Saens -Danse Macabre ;  Cambodian Odyssey ;  Desert City
all by Kevin MacLeod under Creative Commons License

Marin Marais - Piece a une Viole du Premier livre (1686); G.F. Haendel  - Water Music  ; Franz Liszt - Liebestraum
all under Creative Commons License

Sound FX 
Stock footage provided by :
Cavalry: 1995 The Hollywood Edge  
City ;  Desert Wind : 2014 Series 7000 Ambience II
Medieval battle: Series 6000 Extension IV
all downloaded under licence from www.videvo.net
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How do you do?

I'm a very interesting, somewhat cheeky podcast, and packed with funny stories.
If you're a curious listener with a good sense of humour, that's my jam too.


_____________________________________________________________________
Written, hosted, mixed, and produced by Florence Vitel

Music :   Camille Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre by Kevin MacLeod
under CreativeCommons Licence
 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/