fut
Friday, September 10, 2010
Colorful chairs, in Cassis, remind me of diversity—and all the new faces that we'll soon see: harvest volunteers coming from as far away as London and Californie!
fût (fuu) noun, masculine
: keg, barrel, cask
: stock (of rifle), handle (of saw), stem (of candelabrum)
Audio File : Download WAV or Download MP3 and listen to these French words:
Jean-Marc a fait livrer des fûts de bière. Jean-Marc had kegs of beer delivered.
A Day in a French Life... by Kristin Espinasse
I stare, suspiciously, as another piece of equipment is delivered to this farm. I have my doubts, as I did when the sea cargo containers arrived... after all, this is a vine-yard and not a ship-yard!
And while we are minding misnomers, let's get one more thing clear: what we do here is wine—not beer!
I study the installation: this time no heavy cables, cranks, or cranes are needed to transfer the units from the truck's flatbed to the ground—only three sets of arms... and three beer bellies!
Beer on tap! Chief Grape has just had two kegs delivered! Just a little extra motivation for our volunteer harvesters, who will soon be braving the heat and all the hard work! Judging from last year's harvest, beer is the unanimously popular refresher.
Coffee anyone? Only one whisker-faced taker.
But why beer? And why not chilled wine? you ask (Don't ask!). I quit asking months ago, but that doesn't stop me from doubting:
"I do not think this is a very good idea..." I comment, sharing my doubts about unlimited draught. "After lunch, the harvesters are going to zigzag back to the grape field!" And what will this amount to vis-à-vis grape yield???
I ask Thierry (pictured above) the delivery man from Brasserie Alphand, just how many liters are there in those fûts?
"Cinquante de blonde et trente d'ambrée."
"Quatre-vingt litres!"
(Jean-Marc points out that there are two kegs of bière blonde...)
I do the arithmetic: one hundred and thirty liters of beer divided by 14 days of harvest, divided by 12 harvesters....
What with the bad boys and their toys... looks like we're in for a rock-n-roll vendange this year!
Le Coin Commentaires
Corrections, questions, and comments are most welcome! Thank you for leaving a message here, in the comments box.
New Short Story Contest Open to Writers Worldwide ! Best and Most Delightful Stories about Paris. Click here for more information!
French Food at Home: Proving that French cooking can be liberating and accessible, the Paris-based correspondent for Vogue Entertaining and Travel presents more than 100 recipes she developed. Click here to order this or other items at Amazon.com and help support this word journal at no extra cost to you.
Best-selling books on the French Language:
- Pronounce it perfectly in French: essential for travelers!
- Easy French Reader: one of the best ways to learn French is by reading French!
- 501 French Verbs fully conjugated in all the tenses! + Common idioms
Smokey says Beer! The bees won't be the only ones buzzin' round here.
Smokey would like to share this French saying, sent in by his dear friend Carol, in Belgium:
La bière après le vin c'est du venin mais le vin après la bière c'est super!
(Beer after wine is like venom but wine after beer is super!)
A Message from Kristi: Ongoing support from readers like you keeps me writing and publishing this free language journal each week. If you find joy or value in these stories and would like to keep this site going, donating today will help so much. Thank you for being a part of this community and helping me to maintain this site and its newsletter.
Ways to contribute:
1.Zelle®, The best way to donate and there are no transaction fees. Zelle to [email protected]
2.Paypal or credit card
Or purchase my book for a friend and so help them discover this free weekly journal.
For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety
Maybe I need to come help, too :)
Posted by: meredith | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 11:48 AM
I'd like to come and help Jean-Marc as well instead of sitting here in the office in rainy Copenhagen. The more, the merrier!
Posted by: Jens, Copenhagen, Denmark | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 12:11 PM
Oh my. That coffee looks very good. I will have a cup (glass) please. Is Smokey eyeing the coffee or the cookies? I am with you Kristin. I have my doubts about a keg party and picking grapes in the heat of the afternoon in Provence. But who am I to challenge the wisdom of the Chief Grape? I will also take you up on the glass of chilled wine.
Happy, fruitful harvest to you all. I can picture the little trucks brimming with grapes as they wind their way around the roads. We on the drinking end appreciate all of your hard labor. See you soon.
Margaret in Durham where the mornings are finally cool and refreshing!
Posted by: Margaret Dennis | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 01:34 PM
Kristin-
From what I can see not a 'bier' belly in sight........
I'm also shocked at all the English used in that menu posted above your colorful chairs!
FAST FOOD
SPECIAL
MIXED GRILL ORIENTAL
At least it doesn't say "EAT HERE OR TO GO"!
Please tell me where Cassis is on the map.
Is it close to the USA? Or does it get a lot of American tourists? Where does all that English come from?
The French Language Purist Society is gonna have a heart attack! Not because of cholesteral laden food served there but rather all that ENGLISH!
Posted by: Roseann | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 02:11 PM
Ah, with the heavy rain and dark skies we're facing in St. Louis this weekend, even a few days of backbreaking labor in your fields seems like a relief. Some year I'll schedule my trips to France to coincide with your harvest. Bonne chance pour les vendanges!
Posted by: Julie F | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 02:20 PM
Je ne bois pas d'alcool. Cependant, je bois du vin.
Posted by: gail bingenheimer | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 02:36 PM
Strange to think they can drink that much and still work! We are all learning different customs all the time. It's cool on Cape Cod. Time for hot coffee and a sweatshirt! Bonne chance for the harvest!
Posted by: jan greene | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 02:45 PM
Sadly, this is one post I cannot share with my students today!
Posted by: Julie Schorr | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 03:16 PM
I love the chair metaphor! I think I'll use that concept when I talk to schools about my multiracial family and why we love what we bring to the table. :)
Posted by: Anita Adeeko Cook | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 03:46 PM
Ah, Cassis, one of my favorite spots in all of France. To answer Roseann, the English would be, not for American tourists, but more likely for the Brits who love the south of France. As far as the beer - I shall pray for all of you! :)
Posted by: Candy in SW KS | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 03:53 PM
It's about 26 fluid oz per person. A bottle of beer holds 12 fluid oz., so it's the equivalent of drinking a couple of beers over the course of a day. Your harvesters will burn it off and sweat it off with all that hard work in the fields!
Posted by: Passante | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 04:01 PM
love the t-shirt on Chief Grape. Sherry
Posted by: Sherry Richardson | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 04:20 PM
Looks like Smokey's cheek is much better. Good luck with the beer. Have a great harvest.
Posted by: mary | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 04:35 PM
after packing and unpacking several times for possible evacuation due to very active forest fire near Boulder, i need a vacation. rather than picking grapes and drinking beer, i think i need to sit in those chairs in Cassis and have a pastis. things are looking good this morning but there may be nasty winds this afternoon. it would be great if Julie could send some of the St Louis rain out west to us. i did stick in a few bottles of Mistral when we packed the car for possible evac! Tim wants me to ship my entire cellar to Boston for safe-keeping until the fire calms down
Posted by: gary | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 04:41 PM
Hi Kristin,
I didn't know the “fût” could also mean the handle of a saw. It is the handle of a plane (the tool to plane wood), so, why not the handle of a saw too?
The word "fût" has several meanings. I feel like adding one regarding trees:
-> “le fût d'un arbre” = 'the trunk of a tree', from the base to the first branches
-> “une fûtaie” = a forest / a group / a plantation of 'tall trees'
Now, just thinking about the sound “u” in “un fût” (French "u" can be a problem and lead to misunderstandings!)
-> Anyone having difficulties with the French “u” in “un fût" (de bière, de vin ...) might as well use the word “tonneau” instead (same meaning but easier to say → TO-NO) … otherwise ... un fût de bière" might sound just like “un FOU de bière” = someone mad about beer!
After all,
if Julie Schorr is “à l'affût de” some useful French for her students, she might share with them the various meanings of “fût” - and the tip given above, plus the little extra below:
--> "être à l'affût de” = to be on the lookout
--> "fut" and "fût"
-> "il/elle/on fut": passé simple / past historic of verb "être"
-> "qu'il/qu'elle/qu'on fût": imparfait du subjonctif / imperfect subjunctive of verb "être".
Posted by: Newforest | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 04:42 PM
Obviously too much beer has ben had, the guys are ignoring the
beautifully set coffee tray AND the beautifully set woman .
Ken Boyd
napa valley
Posted by: Ken Boyd | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 05:12 PM
Is the t on fut ever pronounced (like the t in but)?
When my husband is helping someone with no mechanical sense how to do a project, he has been known to say, "This is going to make more beer than I thought!)
Bon weekend a tous! Joan L.
Posted by: Joan Linneman | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 05:19 PM
Hello again,
If there was a need of a drink without any alcohol, as easy to get hold of as the drink from "les fûts de bière", what about “un distributeur d'eau glacée" / "distributeur eau & glace"? Hmmm, don't know, but, would an ice and water dispenser be more appropriate for (appreciated by) “les vendangeuses” rather than “les vendangeurs”? not sure and not sure about outdoors installation either...
Anyway, I think Jean-Marc has the right flair and knows how to keep his happy-and-very-hard-working “petite troupe de vendangeurs” in "excellente humeur"!
A team is a team, and members of a team look after each other. Besides, when the team is led by friendly and highly respected “Chief Grape”, no doubt "il a l'oeil” on his helpers and on the progress of his harvest! This is why I feel confident enough there will be 'use, but no abuse' of beer "dans les vignes du Domaine Rouge et Bleu"!
Kristin, I understand your initial doubt but I know you trust your "Maître Vigneron" and his approach towards "les vendangeurs volontaires", so I believe 'there is nothing to worry about'!
-> “Il n'y a pas de quoi se faire du souci!”
------------
* être d'excellente humeur"
= to be in high spirits
* garder le moral
= to keep one's spirits up
Posted by: Newforest | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 05:27 PM
Now I figured that out.....around a liter a day if everyone drinks the same. Maybe you need a few more people helping. All I can say is BON CHANCE!
Sunny today and a walk on the beach is on order.
Posted by: joie carmel,ca | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 05:56 PM
Gary, I read your post and, as I didn't know about the forest fires, I got this link and felt so sorry!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39073783/ns/weather/
Hope the nasty winds keep away from you!
"Bon courage et garde espoir"!
By the way, I'm sure the bottles of Mistral will be well looked after!
Thanks for the chairs, Kristin! So cool!
Perfect for Gary to come and have a refreshing drink with us.
Here (South of England), today: light grey sky, gentle drizzle now and then, no wind, and the very first hints of Autumn in the air.
I'm drinking a cup of 'Masala Chai' tea (love the lovely mixture of spices). Cheers!
Posted by: Newforest | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 06:00 PM
Well, good afternoon! Beer huh? I think I just might be able to talk my husband into coming over to help. Of course he would have to take a nap under the vines for every beer he has. I will be waiting to hear how many people you find napping under the vines. ha,ha! Lovely story and pictures today Kristin. I got a chuckle over a typo under the first picture. Don't change it, sometimes those mistakes make life a little interesting.
Posted by: Sharon Auckerman | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 06:00 PM
Are all the books listed on the sides of this site in French? I am thinking not?
Merci.
Posted by: joie carmel,ca | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 06:04 PM
Salut Kristin,
Guess one might say that Chief Grape and his Grape-aids are:
The crew
With a brew
That will do
What they have to do
Posted by: Herm in Phoenix, AZ | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 06:04 PM
Oo-la-la, you must be enjoying the view with all of those handsome, strong men arriving to help with the harvest! Keep the beer consumption to refreshing during the lunch hour and more robust as the sun sets. It will be a good incentive for a job well done.
I would love to hop a flight to Marseilles and jump in to help with your harvest. We are anxiously watching a forest fire in the mountains above Boulder and choking on the smoke. So much sadness and fear. We are praying for rain and containment. Gary, I would gladly stash your wine cellar safely here in Golden.
We were in Provence in May, Nyons, Avignon, Rousillon, Isle Sur La Sorgue, Nice. Magnifique! Je voudrais retourner, tout de suite!
Posted by: Sheryl | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 06:05 PM
Meredith, are you serious? Can you get here by 8:00 a.m.? :-) One day of harvesting (8-6pm...) will that be enough? :-)
Jens, lucky you -- you're too far away to partake in the pain!
Newforest, really enjoying the new words and phrases. Merci beaucoup! (Also, I've deleted the extra comments.)
Sheryl and Gary, so sorry to hear about the forest fire! But it looks like Tim (who has his eye on the goods!) is one to watch out for too... :-) Keep safe and we're thinking of you.
Roseann, Cassis is east of Marseilles, just 20 or so minutes up the coast.
Sharon, would that typo be "Californie"? I meant the "e" (or French version.) Hoping that was the typo... and not something embarrassing.
Herm, "the crew with a brew" - love it!
Posted by: Kristin | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 06:14 PM
It takes a lot of good beer to make a great wine.
Posted by: Bill Facker | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 06:23 PM
Bill Facker, your realistic approach is so true, so down to earth and made me smile -
A big bravo to Herm for his jolly "crew with a brew".
Kristin, haven't Aurélie, Cécile, Jacquie from Scotland & Daniel done an extra week?
Have all your harvest volunteers arrived by now? Is there one more week (or 2?) of hard work?
All my very best wishes to 'Chief Grape' & "toute sa joyeuse équipe".
Posted by: Newforest | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 07:26 PM
Gary, I feel bad for you as well....stay safe.
Kristin, you look great, standing there waiting to give out coffee! Wish we were there to help.
Tell Jean-Marc, I wish for him a great harvest this year. I am still saving the bottle of wine for something special.
Posted by: buffy | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 08:08 PM
Hi Kristin
The typo is in "soon to see". Delete "to".
Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Nick | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 09:44 PM
Just keep Smokey away from the tap! He may find out he enjoys beer as much as the harvesters do! And, Kristi, that coffee looks tempting on a late Friday afternoon.
Gary, what devestation from those fires near Boulder. I've been reading that many of the fire fighters have lost their homes. Growing up in Southern Cal I know what evacuations are like on the nerves. We'll hope for the best.
Posted by: Suzanne in Monroe Township, NJ | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 10:19 PM
Or maybe it's "the new faces that we're soon to see." And the Californie is to make it rhyme-y. But what do I know? Rien de toute!
Posted by: Sheryl | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 10:36 PM
I love the photo of the Cassis cafe. Cassis is just east of Marseille, a little harbor village on the coast. I spent some time in Marseille, and it was rare to find English used (and thus a good place to practice your French). When I visited Cassis, I was surprised to find a village ready to deal with English speakers! A small bus company served the Marseille-Cassis route. It had a sign on the top of the bus (in French) with the gist of "See Paris and die! But you can't die until you see CASSIS too! "
Posted by: Dot, in Rhode Island USA | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 11:26 PM
I confess I would personally prefer a drink other than beer, if given a choice, although I know other people like it. Is lemonade served much in France?
I'd love to be helping with the harvest. I hope the weather will cooperate - judging from the photos, it's beautiful now.
Bonne chance, and keep us posted on what happens with the shipping containers.
Posted by: Marianne Rankin | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 12:21 AM
J'adore Smokey -- comme tout le monde, san doute!!!
Marjorie
Posted by: marjorie | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 12:39 AM
Oops - sans doute :)
Posted by: marjorie | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 12:40 AM
"fût" was new
the typo was "to"
"Crew with a brew"
Yes, enjoyed that one too!
Herm is a riot
Just check out his si-et
On the web he did write it,
But now may deny it.
Posted by: Ron Cann | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 02:13 AM
Cheers to the harvest! Oh my, kegs at the ready. Count me in. Now...where is my passport??
Smokey: What can I say? Be careful where you snooze!
Posted by: Pat Cargill | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 04:48 AM
Raise a glass of 'blonde' for me Kristin - I wish you all a good harvest. Fear not - Smokey-Dokey has their number and will keep them in line (both drinking and harvesting)! His smart remark did make me laugh!
My own lieterary harvest is soon to come in too - ENFIN! I will be sending off my manuscript complete with illustrations on Monday! Will let you know when I have a pubication date (within 6 weeks).
Robyn xx
Posted by: Robyn Daniels | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 07:32 AM
PS. Forgive the 'typo': of course I meant 'literary' (fat fingers) - must have had a glass to many Sangria!! Off for a cup of coffee after being up all night working on my illustrations - just one to go and I'm done. Then last final revision of text and 'Angel-Kat' is off to Authorhouse! Yipee. Where's that champagne I promised myself when I finally finished it and sent it off to press?
Posted by: Robyn Daniels | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 07:42 AM
About:
'all the new faces that we'll soon to see'
Delete 'to' - eyes and grammar happier, yes - but now, pronounce 'we'll-soon-see' (Hmmm)
As a matter of fact, your ears might prefer:
-> 'and all the new faces we're soon going to see' ...
What to do with 'to'????
Up to you to SEE about it, Kristin.
Actually, I was wondering whether the 'typo' that attracted Sharon's attention was rather your 'can-dLE-abra'.
'Candle' would come straight to your mind, of course, and the word 'handlE', just before it, was still on your mind, wasn't it? So... with eyes and ears playing a game of synchronisation, easy to make a 'typo'!
--> un candélabre / un chandelier (à branches)
= NOT a candLEabra, but
--> a candELabra
Robyn Daniels,
don't know what your book is all about, but it sounds as if
"Bientôt, le champagne coulera à flots...
Bravo, bravo, bravo"!
Posted by: Newforest | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 10:42 AM
Newforest, thanks for the "candElabra"! RE extra work: yes, Aurélie, Jackie, Daniel, and Alexis were here at the harvest a few weeks ago (minus Cécile, who won't be harvesting this year--she's busy with a welding class!).
Bill, will share your thoughts with Chief Grape (about it taking a lot of beer to make a good wine!)
Thanks, everyone. Time now to set the table... the harvesters are due for lunch after a 4-hour shift this morning! On the menu: leftover pizza (hate to waste it!), salade de concombre, salade de mâche (lambes lettuce), tapenade, saucisson, and whatever else I can find in the frigo! Chocolate and coffee for dessert.
Posted by: Kristin | Monday, September 13, 2010 at 12:00 PM
In addition to the very interesting definitions for fût you provide, it can also mean 1. partie du tronc d'un arbre depourvue de rameaux (part of the trunk of a tree deprived of limbs) 2. Corps d'une colonne, entre la base et le chapiteau (body of a column, between the base and the capital). ....4. Monture servant de support.( support mount) 5 Caisse d'un tambour (box of a drum) (Le Petit Larousse) I learned about this word several years ago when I took a tour of private forests in France as guest of the Association Futaie Irrégulière http://www.coorensy.eu/?go=proj&sgo=part&ssgo=19
A Futaie is a forest coming from sprouts or plantings for the production of trees of large dimention au fût eleve et droit (with trunks tall and straight). The Futaie Irrégulière is supposed to be one with trees of different ages and sizes instead of all being of the same age and size.
Posted by: John J. Ross | Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 04:52 AM