French

Tomorrow welcomes Bastille Day, the French national holiday that commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution. It's the perfect time to get cozy on the patio of a little bistro and make some celebratory noise. In the past, I've been inclined to settle in with a big beer and some moules frites, but this week, I've got a hankering for a French 75.

If you've never had one, a French 75 combines bubbly with the bright flavors of citrus and gin for a slightly sweet but very clean drink. My favorite version comes from San Francisco bar star Jeff Hollinger, who likes to garnish his drink with house-made brandied cherries. Drinking one makes me feel très sophistiqué, like a true Parisian. Get the recipe.

In celebration of Bastille Day, the French National Day, let's take a look at some French words we commonly use in our daily vocabulary. It's quite easy to mispronounce and say it as how it looks like on paper, because not everyone is fluent in French. Here are some of the more common French words and the correct ways to pronounce them:

Baguette: This long, barrow French bread is pronounced "ba-get."

C'est la vie: This is a phrase which means "such is life" and is used to downplay a disappointment. You pronounce it as "say-la-vee."

Faux pas: A faux pas is a mistake in etiquette or conduct. It is pronounced "foe-pah."

Chic: Chic is a word we often use in English to describe something stylish, and it's pronounced "sheek" not "chick."

Haute couture: Haute couture is basically high fashion. You pronounce it as "oat-koo-tuur."

Avant-garde: Avant-garde is a term often used to describe something unorthodox or experimental. It's used a lot as a description in the fashion industry. You should pronounce it "ah-von-gahd."

Eau de toilette: You'll see this phrase on most perfumes, or "eau de parfum" for stronger fragrances. You should pronounce it as "oh-do-toy-let."

Cache: Cache means a hiding place or anything that's being hidden. Since it doesn't end with an accented "e," you should pronounce this word as "kash," not "kashay."

I don't like hearing about any languages disappearing, but the idea of French's demise seems intolerable. Fortunately, it is also probably impossible, at least in the near future, but French is a language in decline. Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) is an organization dedicated to promoting democracy, peace, and human rights in the 70 French-speaking countries, and also to preserving the French language. To get ready for Bastille Day on July 14, here are 10 words and phrases with no English equivalents that make the unmistakable case for Français.

1. Dépaysement: The sensation of being in another country.
2. La douleur exquise: The heart-wrenching pain of wanting someone you can't have. Even a Sex in the City episode was named after it!
3. Chômer: To be unemployed, but because it's a verb, it makes the state active.
4. Profiter: To make the most of or take advantage of.
5. Flâneur: As defined in the book Elegant Wits and Grand Horizontals, it's "the deliberately aimless pedestrian, unencumbered by any obligation or sense of urgency, who, being French and therefore frugal, wastes nothing, including his time, which he spends with the leisurely discrimination of a gourmet, savoring the multiple flavors of his city."
6. Esprit d'escalier: The literal translation is staircase wit, but it means to think of a comeback when it's too late.
7. Retrouvailles: The happiness of meeting again after a long time.
8. Sortable: An adjective for someone you can take anywhere without being embarrassed.
9. Voila/voici: It's so necessary that we use it all the time. "Voila" literally means "there it is" and "voici" means "here it is."
10. Empêchement: An unexpected last-minute change of plans. A great excuse without having to be specific.

Anything to add?

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If you've never had a pain d'epi, this pull-apart baguette is intended to mimic the appearance of the flower of the wheat stalk, or "epi" in French. Each little ear of wheat can be easily pulled apart, which makes this bread shape ideal to pass around the table at dinner parties or picnics.

If you don't have time to create a sourdough bread starter, this overnight dough is the next best thing. Complete the first step of the recipe the night before, allowing the bread to ferment overnight. This imparts a slightly sour yet floral aroma and taste.

Creating the baguette shape may seem daunting at first, but the process becomes more natural by the second or third try. To spread the dough into a rectangle shape with an even thickness, press your fingers in the center of the dough and then slowly knead it outward.

To cut even epi pieces, maintain the same 45-degree angle and spacing between each cut, then use your fingers to alternate the side that each "wheat petal" rests.

The bread will rise when it cooks, so space each loaf several inches apart. To learn how to make these beautiful pain d'epi loaves, keep reading