French (food idiom) Fridays: les carottes sont cuites
(and a warming soup recipe for you!)
Les carottes sont cuites = it’s all over!
Welcome to January’s French (food idiom) Fridays! Today, we’re talking carrots!
what does the expression “les carottes sont cuites” mean and where does it come from?
The expression “les carottes sont cuites” translates to “the carrots are cooked” and means “It’s all over/ too late”.
It’s thought this expression dates back to the 17th century1 when the poor only ate carrots (which at the time were cheap to buy) with their cooked meat. Since cooked meat = dead animals, the “cooked carrots” were associated with death (as in: it’s all over)2. Into the 19th century, the expression was also associated with death; someone might tell a dying person that their carrots were cooked.
In June 1944, the expression was used on Radio London as a coded way of announcing the arrival of the Allied troops in Normandy3. Who knew?!
et maintenant, à table!
This month I have a soup that is perfect for our wintery temperatures in Toronto - but if you’re in a part of the world where it isn’t winter yet, save this for a rainy day ;) It comes together quickly with mostly pantry and fridge staples and - bonus - is even better the next day once flavours have had a chance to meld.
It’s a simpler version of this soup which includes pumpkin and this one which was very much a made-up-as-you-go recipe ;) (excuse the bad photos - those were EARLY blog days!).
This one will become a staple in our house over the winter months, it’s THAT good!
get the recipe!
Grab the printable recipe by clicking on the blue button!
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Thanks for reading! Until next time!
Mardi
xo
Les carottes sont cuites (expression). (2023, April 30). In Wikipedia. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_carottes_sont_cuites_(expression)
via Le Figaro and Langue Française
I'm loving these idioms, I knew the onions one but this is a new one for me! I just bought a soup maker today, I need to put it through it's paces!
Perfect timing! This recipe looks delish! Funny that I had to find it via Paris (Chocolate & Zucchini site) when you are in my hometown (although I live in Ottawa now). I hope you don't mind that I've shared it with a weight-loss group I'm in (with credit, of course). Hoping to take a choux course with you when I'm in Toronto. Thanks for this one...I'm making it today.