Ramasser and Oursin + vocabulary section
Wednesday, December 07, 2016
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TODAY'S WORD: ramasser
: to gather up, to collect, to pick something up
ECOUTEZ - Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce today's French word: Download ramasser
En fin de matinée, je vais aller ramasser des oursins dans la calanque du Port d'Alon. Later this morning, I'm going to gather sea urchins in the inlet at Port d'Alon.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
"Gone Fishing"
by Kristi Espinasse
This morning, after he finishes pruning one more section of his vineyard, Jean-Marc is going fishing for oursins--and Smokey and I are going to tag along!
"Will you wear your combinaison de plongée?" I ask my husband, wondering just how cold the water is this time of year.
"Oui."
(It's that cold!)
Weeks before Christmas, it isn't unusual to see people swimming in the sea. My friend Judith, who is 70, swims daily. I don't think she wears a wet-suit. Maybe the water is warmer up the coast, in La Seyne-sur-Mer? Mais bien sûr que non!
"These people have built up a good resistance," says our friend Henri (I think his real name is Gilbert...). Henri (Gilbert?) owns the neighborhood restaurant, Pizzaria Chez Henri, where we ate le cabillaud and les calamars frits last Sunday, with our kids. "If you want to swim in this winter, you need to begin training after summer. Here's how...
Il faut nager tous les jours... à la même heure!" You've got to swim every day...at the same hour!
It's too late for Jean-Marc and me to follow this winter swimming regime. We quit swimming in September or October. But it is something to keep in mind for my dreamed up future.... Off now, to watch Jean-Marc ramasser quelques oursins--and to eat them sur place, with some good bread and a dollop of beurre salé.
FRENCH VOCABULARY
un oursin = sea urchin
une combinaison = suit
combinaison de plongée = for diving
mais bien sûr que non! = of course not!
le cabillaud = cod
le calamar = calamari
frit = fried
ramasser = to gather
sur place = on site, on the spot
le beurre = butter
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Brrrrr... It must be freezing in that water, but many believe swimming in the winter is essential for training one's body to become resistant to a cold temperature and to strengthen the immune system.
Posted by: Katia | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 12:44 PM
Are les oursins de Mediterranean the same as those in the Caribbean? Many (many) years ago when exploring the Jamaican coastline tennis shoes were required to avoid injuring our feet from the sea urchins. No one told me they were edible. Quelle surprise!
Posted by: Cindy | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 02:34 PM
Hi Kristi,
I love the color of the oursins, like a burgundy! What a fun tradition to share with the kids! Jean Marc's Rosé sure looks good!
Posted by: Eileen deCamp | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 03:04 PM
How does one prepare Les oursins? How did Jean-Marc and his buddy prepare them?
Madame Mimi in San Antonio , Texas USA
Posted by: Marina Garcia | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 03:27 PM
Max is so handsome--proud Mama. xoxo Mary
Posted by: mary | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 03:31 PM
Thanks, Kristi, for your charming story with the lovely pictures to illustrate it! I enjoyed the vocabulary with J-M's help to assure the correct pronunciation. "Mais bien sur que non" caught my fancy. Bonne journee! (no accents allowed on this old iPad)
Posted by: Cynthia | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 03:54 PM
Caribbean black urchins have big "needles" and it's very painful if you step on one. The white ones have very small "needles" that the use to walk with and are harmless.
They are over harvested and practically disappeared over the years (at least on the beaches of St.Martin)
Posted by: Jackie Satterlee | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 04:08 PM
I wish peple would realize these are beautiful animals, not groceries!
Posted by: Jackie Satterlee | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 04:10 PM
good morning: my husband & I are from NY; Freddie swam in the winter waters of Coney Island for more than 50 years; I only did it for 15! Now, in North Carolina, we have given up our winter bathing; however, we do have wonderful memories & fairly healthy bodies! Merci, merci. Ann
Posted by: ann sorocki | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 04:11 PM
(People)
Posted by: Jackie Satterlee | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 04:11 PM
Hi, Kristi- i have seen oursins harvested in Siracusa, Sicily. However I've never seen one eaten. How do you eat the roe? Hold it in your hand and use a little spoon and just spoon it in? I have no idea. HELP-
Posted by: Roseann Milano | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 05:29 PM
Just want to say, I so enjoy your essays on nature and know how interesting foraging can be.
Posted by: Gail Accuardi | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 05:36 PM
Our dear Kristi,
Such wonderful pictures!Once again you have totally wrapped us in hugs with your beautiful family!And!(needless to say)taken us on a terrific getaway from middle of the week humdrum!
I confess that I have never been a fan of
oursins(maybe just never had them prepared in the right way?)But how artistically you captured them with your camera there by the seaside!
Just a feast for the eyes!
Thank you!
Love
Natalia. XO
Posted by: Natalia | Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 06:26 PM
We have sea urchins here in the Caribbean, but we don't eat them. Some time ago you wrote about some affordable tours in France ( Provence ) given by some women. But I have misplaced the website. By any chance do you have their email/website. Thank you, Best, Maria Eugenia from Puerto Rico
Posted by: Maria E. Sastre | Thursday, December 08, 2016 at 03:22 AM
Two people in our little Collioure, both in their 80s, swim every day and have all their lives. I am a wuss.
But I am pretty good at getting a spine of an urchin out of a foot--Don stepped on one on a vacation and it would have been cut short but for my trust (sterilized!) Swiss army knife, tweezers, and vaseline. You have to oil the area and the spine will slip out more easily, but we learned as we went...and stayed on vacation! I love the Japanese ones too, bright yellow. Lovely photo. Great kid. Both of you!
Posted by: Suzanne Dunawaly | Thursday, December 08, 2016 at 09:23 AM
Your photo of the opened sea urchin with bread and wine is far better than the photo in English Wikipedia, showing one from Sicily. Are the oursins better near France than there?
Posted by: Sarah LaBelle near Chicago | Thursday, December 08, 2016 at 03:41 PM
would love to hear (read) answers about how to open oursins, how you prepare them, and how you eat them...? I've had them with sushi rice and nori--yum!
all your entries (and entreés are so-o appealing!) merci!
Posted by: Valerie Meluskey | Monday, July 24, 2017 at 05:49 PM