Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Mary,

According to Saveur and some online articles (clickety) folks in your neighborhood carve and light turnips for the season.

You done this? Pics?

Oh my god yes, for years I carved the dreaded turnip. K thru 3 children parade through town with lighted carved turnips on sticks. The turnips are the big round ones used for animal feed. The moms have to go to school to "help" design and carve these turnips. Basically a mom turnip competition. There is a technique that took me years to figure out as the other mothers were not that forthcoming until you had made a mistake. The first year I walked in cold, not even a knife while every else had elaborate carving tools. I think I finally got right before my youngest moved onto the 4th grade. It is quite a nice effect, all the lights and children singing about the beautiful turnip lights. I will see if I have a photo. I know we have some grainy video footage.

Mary

That's even worse than when I had to make angel wings for 5 yr old daughter's Christmas pagent. You would have thought it was a performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to be televised for the first time!
fitzie

No photos, I guess I was too busy carving inferior turnips. If you google image Räbeliechtli you will come up with some good photos. Ignore the ones without tops, the candle will blow out as you are parading about (and yes we do have young children swinging burning vegetables at the end of long sticks, thanks for asking). This is just a lead up to the Chlausjagen in the the beginning of December. This is the Santa hunting in a town near me. There are hundreds of cow bell ringers, hundreds of whip crackers, hundreds of Santas with gorgeous lantern hats. You feel as if you have been plonked straight into the middle ages.

Mary

Mary,

Sounds like fun!

I wonder if my frequent flyer miles would take me to Switzerland ...

Mary, that sounds wonderful. We don't seem to go to the trouble here in the US to do such elaborate productions. I wish I could come see it all......

Laurie