lait de poule

Do you know what lait de poule is? It’s chicken milk, or what we would call, eggnog. But in France it’s called, lait de poule, which translates as milk of chicken. Can you think of anything more gross than the name, chicken milk? Me either.

All this chicken milk talk came up over the weekend while we were celebrating Thanksgiving, since now Christmas is just a hop skip and a jump.

But first… check out this tasty little guy…

That’s our French turkey. Or as Aidan kept referring to it, a baby turkey (baby turkeys and chicken milk… freakiest meal ever if you ask me).
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Friday morning, before The Husband and I headed down to our first ever Franco-Texan Thanksgiving, Aidan phoned me…
Aidan: “Why don’t you bring your running stuff with you and we’ll go for a jog tomorrow morning “
Me: dead silence
Because what was going through my head was some crazy multi-mile jog through Montpellier and uh, no, that was not part of my Franco-Texan Thanksgiving plans. But what Aidan had in mind was a turkey trot with the whole family. Our first annual Turkey Trot actually because you know that now, this is definitely a tradition. I mean look how awake and happy we all look…
{turkey trotting in our sleep}
Oh how I wish I had filmed Aidan’s Littlest chugging along. His little arms were pumping, his cheeks were pink, and there was a look of sheer determination on his face. As far as he was concerned, turkey trotting was some serious stuff. 
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{turkey, stuffing, and cranberry… oh my!}

Dinner was delicious. Aidan and her mother nailed it (no small feat throwing an American Thanksgiving in France let me tell you). Every bite tasted like America.

We watched the Longhorn/ Aggie game (a couple of days late but it was still awesome), we played charades (here’s a tip… if it’s your turn and you want to get out quick… mime Eat Pray Love… easiest one to guess ever), and we watched holiday movies. It was perfect. It felt like Thanksgiving. It felt like home.

bisou

32 responses to “lait de poule”

  1. How awesome that you had Thanksgiving Franco/Texan style. I asked my Californian friend who lives in Milan if she made a Thanksgiving dinner and she said she didn't because her Italian husband doesn't like it. What?? Who doesn't like turkey and trimmings? It's probably so ingrained in us Americans that we have lost all ability to discern whether it's really a good meal or not. Chicken milk – gag. But I can't stand egg nog either, so maybe chicken milk is a more appropriate name for me. I'm going to call it that from now on. Kind of like how I still call wi-fi wee-fee 🙂 xo, A

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  2. Awww, it sounds like you guys had a great time! I'm loving your Turkey Trot…things like that ARE serious business. : )

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  3. Yuck chicken milk really?! Lol I love me some egg nog, especially with coffee:-)

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  4. So pleased you had a great Franco/Texan Thanksgiving, looks delicious, just like our English Christmas dinner – btw what do you gals of the US of A eat at Christmas? And, what is the bigger celebration Thanksgiving or Christmas. Sorry for the interrogation but Thanksgiving is new and therefore exciting for me!

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  5. Looks like you had a fun time, and the jog was a great idea. You must have made quite a stir on those quiet residential streets! Du jamais vu!

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  6. Okay, you win the Best French Thanksgiving Award this year, hands down, chicken milk and all!!xo

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  7. Think I shall pass on the chicken milk just like I do on egg nog!It sounds as though you had a beautiful day though!

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  8. I nearly snorted tea out my nose at Aidan's mari – he looks suitably unimpressed!! And look how huge Clementine Petal Hirani Tigerlily is getting, amazing! Glad to hear you all had a great time!

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  9. Where in the world did you find a TURKEY in FRANCE??? Please share your secret!!!

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  10. I love your blog so much. It's funny and it's charming and it makes me want to live there. It would make such a great film or book! I hope some book editors out there stumble upon your blog!! xo

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  11. Oh dear, now I'll never get Mr.O to try egg nog if he sees “lait de poule” in the fridge . . .

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  12. That sounds like a great Thanksgiving…I'm not a big eggnog drinker but good to have the translation in case I need it this year!

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  13. wow – turkey on the table… i thought it would be an unacceptable meat for the gastronomic french! but lait de poule? i love eggnog but the name is a bit off-putting ;-0love your turkey trot!

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  14. Oh man! lait de poule is soo disgusting sounding! I had no idea that was French for eggnog. Gross. Although eggnog is kind of a gross word too.Glad you had a fun Thanksgiving! Doesn't sound like it was the saddest/loneliest Thursday for you.

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  15. Good for you on the trotting

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  16. Oh my goodness… chicken milk sounds absolutely REVOLTING! To be fair, I didn't drink eggnog until I was in my early 20s… and before that I thought something that looked like milk but had egg in the name (and in the stuff) sounded like vomit and I happily took a pass whenever people offered me their odd thick beverage…However, I was wrong. Eggnog, despite it's odd names is SO yummy!!! Your French (baby) Turkey Day supper looks gorgeous! I'm glad it all turned out so well! =)<3 MuffinLovesBiscuit

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  17. Aw! So glad it tasted like home. I spent Christmas in Europe once, and while there were elements all around, it just wasn't the same.

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  18. I love that you watched the game!! I watched it live…and fell asleep. We were making such fools of ourselves that I felt no need to stay awake!!

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  19. a turkey trot? what fun! and you make me smile by saying the meal tasted like America. funny how you can taste things like that. 🙂

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  20. Chicken milk does sound super gross! There's got to be a better name. hah! I'm so happy that you had a fun, traditional Thanksgiving, even though you're far from the States. Loved the Turkey Trot photo!

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  21. oh wow, chicken milk. ew. haha, but the turkey looks amazing! it really is serious business haha! xxKRistina

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  22. Love, love, love eggnog.. (Lait de poule, sorry). Can't buy it in the west of Ireland. Where, oh where, did the lovely Aidan come up with hers? Have been looking for a good recipe online but can't find one….Aidan?? :-)Used to add CC (Canadian Club) in the States…nothing nicer(or boozier) for Christmas or New Year!

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  23. Haha I love learning about little idiosyncrasies between translations. Chicken milk is a pretty good one.

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  24. Oh you just reminded me…I NEED some eggnog! Ok, so thanks to you..I know the name of it in French. I would have been lazy, not looked it up in a dictionary, assumed that it didn't exist in France after charging through Monoprix like a bat out of hell and bitch to my boyfriend that “Il n'y a pas d'eggnog ici!” where he would look at me and shrug his shoulders not realizing that I was talking about lait de poule that would be sitting in our fridge. Thanks for having me avoid this episode!

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  25. Love love your blog and the Franco- Texan THanksgiving!!! I'll bet you didn't have cornbread dressing…quelle dommage. 😦 And thanks for the heads up on chicken milk. For once I think I'll stick with the anglais instead of the français-haV

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  26. I'm so happy you were able to have an American Thanksgiving in France. BTW – Eggnog is Lait de Poule in parts of Canada too.

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  27. Mon mari doe look way too enthusiastic. And I wrote a draft about the turkey trot and described the littlest exactly the same. Down to pumping arms and pinkmcheeks. We loved spending it with you two. A xo

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  28. What a delightful T'giving in France and it surely is not easy to assemble. Love the “chicken milk” and will refer to it over the holidays.I always say wee-fee – so cute!BisesGenie

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  29. A “baby turkey”, I love it! The smallest one I could find anywhere was at Whole Foods and was 14 lbs….. for three of us! Oh well, lots of leftovers. Love the image of le petit!

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  30. Hahah! The Canadian pre-recorded football too and had it playing in the background on Saturday when we did our Thanksgiving. Love it!!!

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  31. Sounds like you had a good time — belated happy thanksgiving!

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  32. I have heard of chicken milk, but didn't know what it was! I would have never guessed eggnog! What a yummy looking Thanksgiving! It makes me wish Thanksgiving was here again so I could eat turkey and cranberry sauce!

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