Hanging the pot

Housewarming or pot hangingOne of the benefits of learning French whilst living in France is that the more obscure words I’d be unlikely to learn in a French language class are more available to me. For example, a housewarming party in French is not chauffage de maison. The literal translation does not work. It’s pendaison de crémaillère, which translates to ‘pot hook hanging.’ I’d argue that it’s a stupid name, but is ‘housewarming party’ any better? In fact, after finding out more about the pot hook hanging, I think it’s a better name. Let me explain.

Historically, pots of food were cooked over heat, and they need a pot hook to hang the pot from. By having a party to celebrate the hanging of the pot hook, it means you’re going to cook a big pot of food for your friends who have come around to celebrate you hanging your new pot hook in your new pad. Warmth, sharing, full bellies: it’s everything you want for a nice evening in with friends.

Meanwhile, nobody can agree on the etymology of ‘housewarming’. Some say it comes from a Russian couple who provided bread with salt to a passing dignitary, and others say it’s a Scottish tradition of bringing hot embers to a friend’s new house to literally warm it up. One source even says it was a shoemaker in London who cooked a hot pot stew for friends to celebrate a new home, and in the process of cooking, warmed his house. None of these match what I always thought ‘housewarming’ meant: I presumed you invited your friends around to warm up the house with their love. Regardless, shouldn’t it be called a homewarming party? Because anyone can own a house, but you have to make it your home.

So, last night, I partied at my own hanging of the pot hook celebrations, which involved no pot hook, no bread with salt, no embers and no stew. The house, however, is now a warm home, so it’s time to find my next obscure French phrase to question.

About

I'm a technical author, journalist and writer from Australia who has been living in Europe since 2000 and exploring the world from there. My passions are writing, snow sports and travel.

3 Comments on “Hanging the pot

  1. …and a very jolly party it was in your very warm home – thank you! and thanks too for the insight into the history of ‘housewarming’ – excellent! xx