Gingerbread or chocolate, still Santa

Oh, jolly old St. Nick  – the emblematic figure has gone through many transformations.  St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, school children, and pawn brokers is honored with December feasts and festivals across northern Europe. Long before he began sliding down chimneys on Christmas Eve, St. Nicholas (spellings also evolve) was a bearded saint who left treats in childrens’ shoes on December sixth.  Last weekend, folks in the French city of  Nancy were nibbling on gingerbread figures of St. Nicolas as they celebrated with their annual festival and parades.  But it was in the Versailles market that a chocolatier’s display caught my eye, the first time I had ever seen the saintly figure side-by-side with more rotund Santas.  So here they are, the bearded men, all rolling their eyes, back again for our gift-giving season. Maybe they know whether we’ve been naughty or nice?

Daubos Chocolatier is in Versailles market hall, and the shop in Versailles’ Saint Louis district is jam-packed with temptations, worth a stop. For their Chocolate Crème Brulée recipe (in French), see recipes on www.chocolatsdaubos.com