Like any food mixing tradition I love that they are linked to the pilgrims and the St Jacques de Compostelle trail from France to Spain. The pilgrims always carried an empty scallop shell. Shells on buildings and fountains signified to them that they were welcomed to rest there. These shells (or their representation) are also supposed to hold great powers and bring serenity and clarity.
Contact us if you would like your own watercolour of St Jacques scallops!
(These particular one had a little baby scallop growing on its shell, explaining the bluish round spot on the upper right corner of the shell.)
Other foods I can not resist are Galette St Michel, buttery cookies with an imprint of St Michel crushing the dragon. St Honoré, a splendid cake of choux pastry, whipped cream and caramel, bearing the name of the patron saint of bakers. And St Félicien or St Marcellin, wonderfully runny creamy cheeses.
Having a Saint's name in them makes them in my mind calorie free item (almost)!
