Once upon a time in 1602, during the longest night of the year (between the 11th and the 12th of December), the forces of the Duke of Savoy launched an attack on the city-state of Geneva.
According to Genevois legend, Catherine Cheynel, a mother of God-knows-how-many-children, seized a large cauldron of hot soup and poured it on the attackers trying to climb the city walls. The heavy cauldron of boiling soup landed on the head of a Savoyard attacker, killing him. The commotion that this caused also helped to rouse the townsfolk to defend the city.
Today the tradition feeds our mind with this lovely story and the gourmandes Geneva people feed our tummies – just before Christmas to get all of us prepared to the crazy dinners!!! – with a large marmite (cauldron) made of chocolate and filled with marzipan vegetables and candies wrapped in the Geneva colours of red and gold.
Far from me to even try to make one of these beautiful chocolate pots first of all because you can find them literally EVERYWHERE and second, because they look extremely difficult!
I keep myself on the safe side of the “I want to smash you chocolate pot and eat all of you”!
And so I did! I was also very well supported by my colleague who happily took part in this little office battle: us Vs the marmite of Chocolate…not exactly the same as the one in 1602 but it was challenging, I can tell you that!
turningkitchentables 