Image by Luc Viatour. Once in a cafe, I pointed at a pain au chocolat and said I wanted a "chocolate pain". This consternated a well dressed lady next to me, who wanted to know why I called it that. I said that I couldn't pronounce it in French. This almost upset her, she couldn't see how that was hard.
Like John Cleese says, humor is brittle.
Damien informed:
It's called a 'pain au chocolat' in most of France.... except in the southwest where it's a 'chocolatine'. And people would get very upset if you used that word in a parisian bakery ;-)
However you may have better luck with this one, it's pronounced [shockolattin]. No weird nasal vowels ! Not sure they will know it though.
Be carefull when asking for a "chocolate pain", you might end up shackled in a dungeon and flogged with confectionnery.
No, I can pronounce it in French, I just think "chocolate pain" is a funny term. It hints at the love/hate relationship many of us have with chocolate.
It's called a pain au chocolat in most of France.... except in the southwest where it's a chocolatine. And people would get very upset if you used that word in a parisian bakery ;-)
ReplyDeleteHowever you may have better luck with this one, it's pronounced [shockolattin]. No weird nasal vowels ! Not sure they will know it though.
Be carefull when asking for a chocolate pain, you might end up shackled in a dungeon and flogged with confectionnery.
No, I can pronounce it in half-decent French, I just think "chocolate pain" is a funny term. It hints at the love/hate relationship many of us have with chocolate.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be pronounced "shockolattin". Besides, you could just say "I'd like a Chocolate Teen." Congrats on killing the joke though, everyone knew what Monsieur Stobblehouse meant.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
ReplyDelete"Chocolate Teen"... sounds nice. I see some around town, they look delectable.
Hmm, Chocolate Teen may replace my previous favourite dish of "muchacha desnuda con crema".
ReplyDeleteI think you made a Freudian Slip, isn't it a love/hate relationship with our continental neighbours?
This illustration was made by Luc Viatour
ReplyDeletePlease credit this with : Luc Viatour in the immediate vicinity of the image. A link to my website www.lucnix.be is much appreciated but not mandatory.
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OK, done.
ReplyDelete