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Calvados the Place

Manor house today in Calvados, France
Book Thirteen: Calvados: the place. Today, the department of Calvados is in the region of Normandie. The town of Mortagne is in the department of Orne in the region of Normandie. In 1650, the geography was the same but the political geography has been ever changing. Normandie was called a province in 1650, and Calvados was a comté or county. Mortagne was a town in Perche which was also a comté or county, but today what was Perche is officially called Orne. (However, anyone you ask will tell you they still call it Perche.) In the French Revolution (1790), the traditional political geography of France was changed from Provinces to 83 Departments and the target has been changing ever since. I, for one, now find it incomprehensible. Maybe if I drink some Calvados… Read More 
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Calvados

Calvados the drink
Happy New Year! I suppose this is a good time to bring up one of the most common subjects readers ask about. CALVADOS: A department in the region of Normandy in northwestern France, its name comes from a group of rocks on the coast. The signature brandy is first mentioned in the 8th century and the first know Normand distillation from the famous Calvados apples of the region was about 1553. The Parisians will tell you it is consumed after a fat-filled Normand meal to make “a hole” in one’s stomach to aid digestion. It is now readily found in U.S. liquor stores and is a bit of an acquired taste. Try it sometime. Read More 
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