c'est beau chez toi x chesney style | New Year Picnic
|Phography by Daniel Dobers| Styling by Chesney Style|
In France, the holiday season doesn't end on December 25th or January 1st. We celebrate Epiphany on January 6th with Kings Day, a tradition centered around the galette des rois, a puff pastry cake filled with almond cream and hiding a small charm called a fève. Whoever finds it becomes king or queen for the day.
It's a nice way to ring in the new year with friends. For us in California, it's become a beach tradition - casual, fresh, and a perfect excuse to gather outdoors in January when the weather actually allows it.
We keep it simple. Delicious sandwiches from La Fromagerie, along with their amazing imported French cheeses, a fresh baguette, a blanket, and friends. The real star is the homemade galette des rois - a personal favorite that I bake the morning of.
This is what I love about living in California while holding onto French traditions. We get to take what matters - the ritual of gathering, sharing good food, marking the passing of seasons - and adapt it to our surroundings. A beach picnic in January wouldn't work in Paris, but here it's perfect.
The setup is minimal. A blanket, real plates and napkins (even at the beach, we don't use disposables), the food arranged simply. The natural beauty does the work - the ocean, the light, the open space. You don't need to style much when your backdrop is this good.
|Phography by Daniel Dobers| Styling by Chesney Style|
What makes this tradition work is its casualness. There's no formal meal to prepare, no table to set for hours. Just good bread, good cheese, good company, and a cake that carries centuries of French tradition. Everyone takes turns cutting the galette, and whoever gets the fève wears the paper crown that comes with it. It's playful, it's easy, it's exactly what early January should be.
For my friends who aren't French, this has become their introduction to how we extend the holidays. For me, it's a way to stay connected to home while making the most of where I live now. The best of both worlds.
Galette des Rois
Purchase two sheets of puff pastry.
For the almond cream filling: Cream together 100g softened butter and 100g sugar until light. Add 2 eggs one at a time, then fold in 100g almond flour. Mix until smooth.
Roll out one sheet of puff pastry and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment, poke a few small holes.
Spread the almond cream evenly, leaving a 2cm border. Hide a dried bean or small charm (the fève) somewhere in the filling - this determines who becomes king or queen.
Place the second sheet on top, press edges to seal, and trim into a circle if desired. Brush with beaten egg, score decorative patterns with a knife (traditional rays from center).
Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until golden. Serve with a paper crown - whoever finds the fève wears it.
