Waitman Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Bumped into the chef from La Merenda buying courgette blossoms the size of shuttlecocks at the market on Cours Salaya this morning. Based on what he served to the next table last night, they are going to a better fate than any of us. Bought immense cherries, fraise du boise, melons of all types, the size of a duckpin balls, sliced open for tatsting, bought and eaten with cured ham from the next stall. There were 20 kinds of fish, clear-eyed and smiling briny smiles. Too bad our kitchen sucks. And cheese of all types. We bought something fresh and goatish, carried it with the baguette and other swag to our apartment and had our petit dejuner in. Just taunting. Wish you were here. Most of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Market day in St Rémy: mouth watering charcuterie and fresh meats, peaches, apricots, melons (melon season is just starting), herbs, cheese, gorgeous olives and fragrant olive oil, huge tables of spices, wine, tomatoes, greens, and hand crafted jewelery. Had a lovely conversation in broken French and English and exchanged email addresses with a woman who sold her own bead work at the market, Purchased saucissons l'ail, peaches, apricots (perfect), real Reblochon, bread, olives, a lovely Gigondas (8 euro). Most consumed in the shadow of a well-preserved Roman mausoleum in Glanum/, just south of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted July 22, 2006 Author Share Posted July 22, 2006 Uzes, France: First real kitchen in a week so drove like hell to get here before the market closed. Astounding sourdough bread; chanterelle-type mushrooms for $12/lb, organic eggs and dirt-cheap aged crotin, a few peaches, the a couple of varieties of heirloom tomatoes, as they broke the market down around us. First home-cooked meal iun a week, to be consumed overlooking the tile roofs of the quartier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 We hit the market(s) in Aix-en-Provence yesterday. The artisinal jewelry, clothing, etc. was pretty predictibly overpriced but I did get a bracelet made of two silver forks for 25 euro and the flea market area was full of curiousities. Scott picked up a 19th century map of the Bouches-du-Rhône. The fragrance of the fruit section was overwhelming - peaches, apricots, blackberries, currants of all types, beautiful raspberries - we bought 1/2 a kilo of tiny, perfect strawberries and devoured it on the drive back to St-Remy. Interestingly, we have visited several markets and not seen any notations regarding the "organicness" of the offerings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marketfan Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 We hit the market(s) in Aix-en-Provence yesterday. The artisinal jewelry, clothing, etc. was pretty predictibly overpriced but I did get a bracelet made of two silver forks for 25 euro and the flea market area was full of curiousities. Scott picked up a 19th century map of the Bouches-du-Rhône. The fragrance of the fruit section was overwhelming - peaches, apricots, blackberries, currants of all types, beautiful raspberries - we bought 1/2 a kilo of tiny, perfect strawberries and devoured it on the drive back to St-Remy. Interestingly, we have visited several markets and not seen any notations regarding the "organicness" of the offerings. I live in Provence part of the year. Most of the markets in Provence are notr organic nor are many of the producers selling their own products. You have to look for BIO markets/producers if you want organic and for Marche Paysan for markets that are producer- only. Many are revendeurs -- resellers of produce they buy at the wholesale market. Digne has a good local and non touristy market on Saturdays with many local producers. You may be surprized to find yourself preferring the vegetable producers in DC to those of Provence but the fruit and cheese sellers are MUCH better in Provence. (The tomatoes are usually better here in DC markets, I was depressed to discover after ten years in Provence). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 I live in Provence part of the year. Most of the markets in Provence are notr organic nor are many of the producers selling their own products. You have to look for BIO markets/producers if you want organic and for Marche Paysan for markets that are producer- only. Many are revendeurs -- resellers of produce they buy at the wholesale market. Digne has a good local and non touristy market on Saturdays with many local producers. You may be surprized to find yourself preferring the vegetable producers in DC to those of Provence but the fruit and cheese sellers are MUCH better in Provence. (The tomatoes are usually better here in DC markets, I was depressed to discover after ten years in Provence). We were fortunate in that Uzes has a Wednesday market, in addition to the Saturday market, that focuses on local producers and offered lots of fine tomatoes, among other products. One thing about the markets in France is that they are often ridiculously cheap. Heirlooms ("vielle varietes") for 2 euro/kilo, less than half DC market prices. Cheese and cured meats for a song. We bought two dozendof the most spectacular oysters I've ever eaten -- even though there is no "r" in July -- for six euro, compared to, what, $1.25 eaxh back home? I don't know if it's EU subsidies or what, but I wish they'd figure out a way to get prices that low back home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Complete agreement. I mentioned the greater variety at more egalitarian prices on another thread. The markets there seem to be for everyone, where here they are priced for patrons with a few more dollars than most. Someone mentioned somewhere the fact that the Mt. Pleasant market takes food stamps, but the prices can be ruinous to a tight budget, especially with kids to feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts