Mendiants are made around Christmas and represent the alms traditionally given to beggars at this time. Each of the different dried fruits and nuts studding the chocolate disk symbolise the different Catholic monastic orders that practice begging (mendicant orders -- Augustinian, Carmelite, Franciscan and Dominican). These particular ones were photographed in my local boulangerie patisserie.
2 comments:
They look delicious. I might make some today. Personally, I'm a "caramelite" so I'd put them on a disk of caramel. I do wonder who the nuts are supposed to represent.
Hi, Carolyn. Here is what I flu d on Wikipedia:
Each of the ingredients used refers to the color of monastic robes. Tradition dictates that raisins stand for the Augustinians, hazelnut for the Carmelites, dried fig for the Franciscans, and almond for the Dominicans
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