Period+3+France+Leah+Bradford

France January 6th is Epiphany or Fete De Rois in which people gather to eat special cake known as king cake or galette des rois. The galette contains a special “toy” and whoever finds the “toy” in there galette wears a special paper crown and becomes the king or queen.
 * __Capital: __** Paris
 * __Population: __** 65,821,885
 * __Size of country: __** 260,558 sq. mi
 * __Special Celebration: __**
 * __Special Custom: __** L’Apéritif is a national custom in France, which involves setting aside half an hour or so before a meal to share a drink, nibbles, and conversation with family, friends, neighbors, or colleagues.
 * __Typical Foods of France: __**The baguette, a long, thin loaf of crusty bread, is the most important part of any French meal.


 * __Seasonal Food: __**French cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular because they are refreshing and produce is inexpensive and abundant. Greengrocers prefer to sell their fruit and vegetables at lower prices if needed, rather than see them rot in the heat. At the end of summer, mushrooms become plentiful and appear in stews throughout France. The hunting season begins in September and runs through February. Game of all kinds is eaten, often in elaborate dishes that celebrate the success of the hunt. Shellfish are at their peak when winter turns to spring, and oysters appear in restaurants in large quantities.