Escalade is the celebration of Geneva's independence from the terrible Savoyards who tried to sneak up and defeat the city on the night of December 12, 1602. As history has it, their defeat is mostly due to a brave woman who threw her "marmite" of boiling hot soup over the heads of Savoyard soldiers as they attempted to climb up the ramparts of the city.
Thus, the wonderful celebration is with a delicious chocolate marmite filled with marzipan flavored vegetables which the youngest in the family breaks into small pieces saying, with feeling: "Ainsi perissent les enemis de la Republique!"
Ann's family, of course, spent many years living in Geneva. We went to visit and celebrate Escalade with one of their Geneva friends who now lives near us in France. |
