The meaning of Croquechoux

Mandi asked me what CROQUE-CHOUX means so here's an explanation :o)
First, it's pronounced somewhere between "crock-shoo", and "croak-shoe" with a shorter "o". It's a funny nickname that my daughter Ombeline just kind of made up for her little brother Miles when he was a baby. Why croquechoux? Because it's cute and quirky sounding even in French. Because when you say that something or someone is "joli a croquer" it means "pretty as a picture", ie they're so cute you could just eat them. The verb "croquer" can mean "to crunch, or to bite into" and also "to sketch", which is where the word "croquis" comes from. The adjective "croquant" and its feminine form "croquante" can either mean "crunchy" or "cute & adorable", depending upon who or what you're taking about. Yeah, I know, French is a little weird and complicated sometimes, but you get used to it. Now for the "choux" part, a funny word if there ever was one: "choux" can mean "cabbage", "cream puff" (or puff pastry), or "darling"- take your pick! Brussels Sprouts are "choux de Bruxelles" (yuck!), but they have this heavenly desert here called "profiteroles" which are little choux or puff pastries stuffed with vanilla ice cream and covered with hot chocolate sauce (yum!). Here's a picture of my little croque-choux as a baby. Croquant, non?

Comments

[Colleen]

I was trying to figure that out for myself. I couldn't figure out why you were calling your blog "crispy cabbage" but then I decided that it was just some French idiom that I didn't understand. Thanks!

[Mary Beth]

Am I hallucinating (again?) or are brussel sprouts referred to as "les petit choux"? Pardon my french if the gender/plural thing isn't in order. Maybe it's just me who thinks of them that way. They are cute. Yummy and cute.