[annabill]

I was in France last year around Easter, and one of the hotels I stayed at put out a bowl of these amazing little chocolate eggs filled with some sort of divine Nutella-like substance. They were pretty small, and wrapped in a plain copper-colored foil devoid of any sort of marking or brand name. I don't think they were a regional thing (they seemed like they were probably mass-produced) but the hotel I stayed at was in Angers, if that's any help. I have searched long and hard on the internet to see if I could find them and possibly order some, but without any luck. If anyone has any idea what I'm talking about and could possibly help me find some, I would be eternally grateful!

[Debbie]

They sound like the normal truffle filled easter eggs. Not a speciality really as they can be found in any country around the world. The Easter chocolates in France that are typically french are the ones shaped like fish and crustaceans.

There are so many brands etc, that it would be almost impossible to give you an exact name for the little eggs.

Sorry.

Maybe you could contact the hotel and ask them what brand etc. That would really be your only hope.
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If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

[David]

I'm having this vision of a giant lobster dressed in a short blue coat scampering from house to house on Easter Eve hiding Easter Crustaceans!
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

[Griffin]

Yes, once more the Easter Lobster brings Easter prawns to good little children all over France!
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Confusion comes fitted as standard.

[minty]

for those here who don't live in France - pictures and recipes of Easter chocolates and especially "friture"

http://www.tournemain.com/chocolats/recettes/friture-paques/

http://www.finesses.com/Chocolats.aspx?type=paques

[gingerpale]

Easter candy outdoes even Christmas and Valentine's Day for me. It's just So Pretty in Pink--and every other pastel--
tabletop deco/food in magazines/catalogs this time of year knocks me out.

Are the French "fish" Easter designs religious symbols? -- because of the tradition of Christ being a "fisher of men"?

[Griffin]

I don't know about the 'fishers of men' link tho' it sounds possible. But the Easter egg and the hare (not a bunny) are the symbols of Eostre, Saxon goddess of the Dawn. As far as I'm aware only Northern Europe and Britain call the festival after her. France, Italy and possibly Spain too call the festival Paques or Pasqua or a variant on that.

Usually it's a season of Rebirth in the folklore. The dawn of a new year properly.

I really shouldn't even be looking at the Leonidas site tho'... far too tempting!!
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Confusion comes fitted as standard.

[Debbie]

Griffin is right, it is a hare not a rabbit that is the "easter bunny". Rabbits were introduced to England, hares were not. And... it is the fertility festival of Eostre. Griffin you can have double points for your brain power this morning!

Yes it is called Paques in france.

I did know why the chocs are in seafood shapes.... but cannot remember Will think about it and try to recall. Maybe someone else can tell us immediately?
_________________
If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

[Rainey]

[gingerpale]

Here's a bit I found about the French Easter seafood shapes:

Poisson D'Avril (French Easter Fish)

"Everyone knows of chocolate rabbits in America, but did you know the French delight in chocolate fish? Although not directly related to Easter, poisson d'Avril are enjoyed throughout the entire Easter season. These fishy little friends start appearing in shops on April 1st, when children use paper versions to play an April Fools type trick. The 'trick' is to stick a paper fish onto the back of as many adults as possible, then run away yelling, "Poisson d'Avril!" (April fish!). The tradition is several centuries old. Some say it evolved from a silly 'fish trick' where one would send an unknowing person to market to buy freshwater fish when it was not in season. In French culture, food follows season, and even children know when (and when not!) to buy oysters!"

So apparently it has nothing to do with the Christian fish symbol--
which has an amazing and complicated history, if you're interested.

Rainey I adoooore Eddie Izzard--even his throwaway asides can get me giggling enough to miss the next 4 or 5 jokes!

[minty]

the explanation I heard is that the chocolate fishes do have a christian origin - Easter being at the end of Lent, the chocolate fishes were a sort of "thank you" for the real fishes that had been eaten during Lent, when meat was forbidden .
It also came as a kind of joke, as people were sick of real fish after forty days of it...they rather liked choc ones...

[Nicki]

What nice explanations!

I like the idea of chocolate fish very much. I think I might boycott easter eggs this - just seeing them piled up in shops and supermarkets is making me so angry at the moment! I hate the fact that there is so much packaging...foil, plastic, cardboard. Chocolate fish would be so much better.