Les quatre saisons

Present to the class

Confident pupils can present their designs to the class, e.g. You ask, “Ton épouvantail est fait en quoi?”; pupils reply “Il est fait (en paille)” You could then ask: “Qu’est-ce qu’il porte?”; pupils reply “Il porte (un pantalon)”

Talking point 2

EVERYDAY LIFE IN France

Scarecrows

Scarecrows were originally very functional: birds try to eat many farm crops, and farmers want to scare them away so they don’t lose much of their harvest and income to these hungry flying predators.

usually when it’s too cold where you are: n air-freighting from warmer places; n quick-freezing at the time of harvest; n growing in glasshouses.

Watch film C4: Cauliflowers

❑ Watch film C4 which shows cauliflowers being cultivated using modern mechanised methods in the marshlands near Saint-Omer.

Scarecrow festivals

Every April the village streets of Moringhem in northern France are full of scarecrows. The event started one day in spring 1989 when the mayor’s secretary set up some scarecrows to direct some foreign friends to his home, as a bit of fun.

The villagers loved the idea so much that they voted at the town hall to make this an annual tradition every spring in April.

Warm up

Before showing Film C4 , discuss with the class what produce is currently “in season” at the time of your lesson; it could be vegetables, fruit, meat or fish. Talk about farming and the seasons: what season do children think is best for planting seeds and seedlings? When in the year should they be harvested? You could talk about how produce is made available out-of-season,

Respond with understanding

❑ In what season do children think the cauliflower seedlings were being planted? When in the year should they be harvested? (see “Talking Point 3”).

Key Sounds

Listen and enjoy copying these typical sounds: where have you heard them before?

as in... épouvantail, étang, heard before in décrivez, été, légumes, marché as in... épouvantail heard before in genou, août, vous as in... épouvantail, étang heard before in printemps, jambe, antennes, santé as in...écureuil, épouvantail, grenouille heard before in chenille, oreille

CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

❑ Growing food in your school garden

Try growing enough of one vegetable in your school garden, so you can make a soup with your harvest.

❑ Food Technology/ICT: Survey & Taste-Test

Set up an investigate-and-taste activity with seasonal produce.

Just like the Court of King Louis XIV, can you respond creatively to cooking a meal with the produce that is currently “in season”? (see “Talking Point 3” and Ch.3.11).

Aristocrats in those days were very excited by soups designed to bring out the particular flavour of one vegetable. Here is a pea soup recipe similar to those of the 17th century. Le potage is a soup generally made into a smooth puree before serving, so you need a blender (or press the mixture through a sieve by hand!):

Choices to make in your recipe:

(1) What sort of onions?

Either 4 spring onions, 3 shallots, 1 leek or 1 onion; add a chopped clove of garlic if liked.

(2) Add bacon or make it vegetarian?

Fry 2 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, and chop up; or add some sort of ham. If you use bacon, you can add water instead of stock.

(3) Add flavour?

Add a pinch of sugar, if you want it sweeter; a squeeze of lemon juice for a sharper taste.

(4) Garnish to serve?

A small bunch of mint leaves, chopped; and a spoonful of crème fraîche, cream, or yoghurt.

RECIPE for Pea Soup

Ingedients:

30g butter

1 onion, chopped (or alternatives)

450g shelled peas (about 1.2kg of pods)

(or frozen peas); plus 5 pods for extra flavour

750ml vegetable stock (water if adding bacon)

Method:

1. Melt the butter over a medium heat in a large pan and add the chopped onion and bacon. Cook gently until it starts to colour.

2. Add the peas and pods and stir well, then pour in 750ml stock/water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the peas are tender (about 10 minutes depending on size).

3. Remove any pods and puree the soup using a blender; then add the lemon juice and season to taste – try adding a pinch of sugar depending on the sweetness of your peas.

4. Warm up soup if it’s getting cold; serve with your chosen garnish.

Talking point 3

Everyday Life In France

Caulifowers and vegetables in France

Medieval cooking

At the time of King Louis XIV, eating habits in France began to change. In the Middle Ages, the diet of aristocrats was rich in meat and fish; vegetables were considered “indigestible, poor people’s food”.

In the days before refrigeration, cooks disguised the taste of meat and fish going bad by adding strongly-flavoured exotic spices and sugar. 17th-century food writers introduced new ideas, like Nicolas de Bonnefons, in ‘Le Jardinier français’ (1651) and ‘Les Délices de la campagne’ (1654), and chef, François la Varenne, in a recipe book entitled ‘La Cuisinier françois’ (1651). They persuaded cooks to bring out the natural flavours of foods rather than disguise them.

17th Century Fashion For Gardens

Cooks were urged to seek really fresh meat, fish and vegetables. They stopped adding spices from the East like saffron, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom (except pepper); and replaced them with local herbs (parsley, thyme, bayleaf, chervil, sage, tarragon).

Sugar was only to be used in desserts. They persuaded aristocrats all over France to cultivate their gardens, and introduced new vegetables like cauliflower, asparagus, peas, cucumber, spinach and artichoke. Cooks were encouraged to prepare simpler food with skill