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pichet

Pichet
...antique coffee grinder, lampshade, cross, tennis ball, ruler, picture frame, chain thingy... hmmm... what to choose for today's word? Sometimes the answer is staring you right in the face, in big, bold BLUE:


pichet (pee-shay) noun, masculine
    : pitcher, jug

(From old French "pichier")

un pichet de vin = a carafe of win

Audio File:
Listen to today's word and expression: Download pichet.wav . Download pichet.mp3


Getting To Know Each Other

Though French Word-A-Day began in October of 2002, comments weren't "enabled" until last month. Since, I have  been kicking myself in the side for not enabling sooner! In addition to the translations that are coming in from all four corners of the world, it is a pleasure to read your stories, via the comments box, and to share them, finally, with other readers.

Because I find it difficult (daunting?) to comment on other people's blogs (my inner critique tells me: You never have anything cool or witty to say and, besides, the words just don't come out right, or Just what is your motivation for commenting, anyway?)... Like I said, because I get all weird about cold feet commenting--and because maybe I'm not the only one--I have taken to adding questions to the end of these word-a-day posts. This way, if you don't feel like commenting on the post itself... then you might be inspired to answer one of the questions or to translate the word of the day... or to add your own language savoir-faire.

So here are some questions for you today (in theme, and not, with today's word): What do you put in your pichet? Wine, water, lemonade... flowers, spare change... les poissons rouges? Is your jug made of glass, porcelain, plastic, earthenware, copper, silver... stainless steel? Modern or antique? Is it dishwasher safe or do you carefully handwash it after each use?  Have you ever had to glue it back together? Who gave it to you and/or where does it come from?

Bon. Not up to talking about your jugs, er, pitchers? How about this: Do you know the word for pichet in another language? Do you know any expressions that go along with today's word?

Comments (and corrections...) welcome in English, French, or Franglais.

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Comments

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deb

Definitely flowers here. I love the country look of a garden bouquet in a pottery pitcher. I collect McCoy, Hull, USA and Roseville pottery and love to use it around the house.
I love your collage!

Frenchtornado

My "pichet" was a gift from my Mom on my last visit to France, it comes from the "Céramiste" Sylvie Thémereau (http://www.pouic.fr/sylvie/) who revived an old tradition, the decor she is using were originaly only for floor tiles that were distributed from Picardie accross France more than a century ago (1820 to 1920), but she has now transported them to pichets, cups, bowls... in order to keep the tradition of the "faïences de Ponchon" alive. My grand father had these tiles in his house in the center of France. You can also see some of the original tiles in Monet's house in Giverny.

Lori

My "pichet" is one that I bought at a flea market in Geneve, where my husband's Tante Renee' asked me what I would want with "that old thing?" Upon hearing of my love of old things, she insisted I come to her house, where she had many old things she would love to pass on to me!

Seana

Mon pichet is glass. Usually use it for lemonade, but sometimes water with cucumber slices. I always handwash it (because the little lemon bits stick and need to be scrubbed off!)

Muddy

Mon pichet italien is filled with blackberry bellini -- non-alcoholic, so my crave-stricken pregnant wife can enjoy as much as she wants.

La Rêveuse

Mine is a simple pottery one, white with a painted blue rim and hand painted with lemons and leaves. I found it at a brocante on the Butte aux Cailles in the 13e arrondissement of Paris, not long before we moved back to the states. I paid 5 euros for it, and the tag was still on the bottom. Came from a shop in Paris, and I remember "Andalouse" in the name and it's in the 15e I think. So, it may be Spanish, but I love it no matter what! Always takes me back to my home away from home...

mini

My 'Pitchet' is from India, made by the local ceramic industry in a town called Khurja. It is shaped like an orange slice and painted just the same. I love it dearly for the fact that it's a gift from a very dear friend and also because each time it sits on my table,it adds a burst of colour....

Frankie & Don

Our "Pichet" is our favorite restaurant in Seattle, WA. Our friends Jim Drohman & JoAnn Heron are the owners of "Le Pichet." Okay, a shameless plug, sorry. :) Actually, we like to serve wine in a glass pichet we have.

Bisque

Well, not one to talk of my pitchers, in Filipino/Tagalog we call it Pitsel (pi-chel)in my head that's kinda close, isn't it? :)

Sylvie

How about cruche, an other word for pichet (ut I think it mean made of pottery, eartenware jug). And the saying is "Tant va la cruche a l'eau, qu'elle se casse".

Stéphanie

I don't have a special pitcher, but no one has offered a "pitcher" saying, so here goes; the perennial favorite of parents: "Little pitchers have big ears." Usually tossed out just as the juicy story is verging on salacious.

Franklin Levin

While driving thorough rural central France we saw a sign indicating "Ville Romaine." We took the turn and shortly arrived in Jublain, the location of the Roman ruins. But, the ruins were not available that das since the entire town was having a bric-a-brac with things for sale on every street and corner. My wife spotted a tin, enameled pichet identical to the one in the photo, but yellow and which had been hand painted with flowers by some one, at the sale of a farmer and his wife. Honing my bargaining skills I looked at the price, 15 euros. "Quinze?" I said, with a amazed expression "Non," replied the farmer, "dix." He did the bargaining for me and the pichet is now a featured part of my our collection

Laura

I used to have a red Crueset pitcher just like that one; we carried it home from Paris, but it got broken, so now I use other pitchers for my iced tea, lemonade, water or juice. You can see some of them here:
http://amongsttheoaks.blogspot.com/2007/10/collecting.html
My favorites are the ones I bring home from my travels.

Vicki

do I put "red fish" in my pitcher???? or is that "red poison"... well, I don't have a nice pitcher, just a plastic tupperware one usually filled with ice tea or gatorade. I really need to upgrade.

Elaine Hamat

I actually collect pitchers and display them in a wall unit. I have a few hand painted ceramic beauties.. one favourite is from Roussillion in Provence, as well as vintage sangria pitchers, a metal milk jug similar to the one in the photo and my beloved green glazed jug from Mexico that us actually for making hot chocolate (they use puck shaped cakes of chocolate). I love the blue one in your post. Looks very "lived-in"

Alice en Floride

Mon pichet est faience de Quimper. My sweet daughter bought it for me when she was staying with her exchange student in Nantes. I keep wooden spoons in it right next to the stove and I love it! it matches my sel et poivre shakers that a wonderful madame, qui s'appelle Veronique, bought me to go with the pichet.
My favorite word of the day was when you made the lavendar sachets with ribbon. I want one of those! I love fresh French lavende!

Alice en Floride

Steven

One of my favorite things about traveling through France is the small pichet of vin rouge that the restaurant puts on your table. The pichet are usually small glazed pottery with indications of .25, .50 or .75 depending on the amount of wine you ordered. I just returned from Vence on Tuesday and have been kicking myself for not buying several pichet during my trip. Can anyone help me find what I'm looking for online or in a store in the US? I've Googled and eBayed and I can't find anything. If you can help, please drop me an email - [email protected]. Merci.

wine bum

I am drinking Le Pichet, it is the nastiest, cheapest Vin De Pays D'OC I could find in the supermarket here. It tastes like some sort of softdrink.

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