A few weeks before Christmas, I received an e-mail from my friend April with a simple question: what is your favorite word? Interesting and fun, I initially said 'spatula,' but then confessed it was actually the favorite word of an old friend and I had stolen it from them. So, I gave my personal favorite word: epergne. An epergne is a fancy centerpiece, traditionally made from silver (but also from glass in the late 19th century) used to serve a variety of things. You often see these archaic pieces in museums, tier upon tier of little baskets and other small containers intended to hold fruit, sweatmeats and other treats. I love the word, but I also love the object it stands for and the fact that like many serving items, it has gone the way of the dinosaur. Reader, you probably think that just because you eat your dinner with a fork, knife and spoon that your descendants 200 years from now will also eat their dinner with a fork, knife and spoon. But consider this: aristocrats didn't start using forks until the Renaissance. And what's more, they were expected to bring their own when they came to dinner! Plus, more people on this planet use chopsticks than forks. Chances are, in 200 years some completely new food delivery system will have been developed and forks will only be seen in museums. Like epergnes.
So anyway, I thought, "what a delightful game. Name your favorite word." But a few weeks later, I received a package from April containing a little frame with a my favorite word embroidered and embellished. I love it and it is truly unique. You can find fabulous things by April here.
