by Ava Dale
As one of the great languages of love in the world, you’re probably already familiar with a plethora of French terms of endearment, like mon amour, “My love”… ma cherie “My dear”… or perhaps even mon petit chou “My little cabbage”
… Wait, what?
Yep, that’s right. “My little cabbage” Perhaps lesser known here in the States, but mon petit chou is a very commonly used term of affection for young boys in France. Some variations on the term are Mon choupinou or Mon chouchou, which are even more cutesy, and Ma choupette or Ma choupinette for when you want to tell one of the gals that she’s your cute little cabbage.
Why cabbages anyway? It’s very possible that these terms originate from a very popular birthing myth in France- one which states that boys are born in cabbages and girls are born in roses. The story is similar to the German stork myth, except instead of large spindly birds bringing your newborn children, you might instead find your children in your garden or out in the fields. While it’s a term now that can be used equally for men and women, cabbage has been historically associated with masculinity in France, with a tradition of young couples being served cabbage soup in the middle ages in order to ensure the man’s virility.
If you’re a lover of fine cuisine, as I know many you are, you may recognize the French word for cabbage, chou, from choux pastries, a classic style of French pastry dough used in the production of sweet creations. However, in this case the designation of “Cabbage pastry” does not refer to the ingredients of the dough, but rather the appearance or texture of the confection.
Sojourner Tours 