[Pets de Soeurs]
Could there be a more inappropriate name than Old Women's Bellybuttons (bourriques de veilles)? How about Nun's Farts? Now, imagine if you will, the idea of naming a yummy baked good after such ghastly images and occurences. Credit for this divine sacrilege is due to the French Acadians and surprisingly not the Quebecois.
At a time when the church's influence was dwindling in French Canada, subtle blasphemy was commonplace. Believe it or not this is not the worst of it, as there exists a molasses dessert with an even more sinister name.
Birds, veils and virgins have also been tagged to this sweet pastry perhaps in attempt to eschew these unappetizing namesakes.
So what brought me to bake a confection named after holy flatulence on such a winter's day (have I inadvertently quoted a Mama's and Papa's song?)
I have been curious to attempt to bake these little mysteries for quite sometime now. I had experienced the store bought variety as a child, then packaged as the infamous assiette de pets or the roughly translated plate of farts. I loved the sugary and sticky goodness but was ashamed to admit what I had just eaten.
But by now the novelty of it all just seems so much fun. With this in mind and the fact that I love French Acadie, their rich heritage (some of which in still apparent in New Orleans) and present day rusticness, how could I not enjoy a homemade fart bun on a cold French Canadian day? New and improved recipe to come...
