Mmmn, nothing like the flavour of the first fruits hand-picked from your own tree.
Lilas was thrilled to get out there and collect these three apricots herself (note boots for the summer heat) and they were delicious.
Since renting a house in Adelaide many years ago that had a huge apricot tree in the middle of the backyard, I’ve always dreamt of planting our own ‘abricotier’ (apricot tree). We’d go down the back to feed the chooks and guinea fowl and pick a few ripe, sweet apricots on the way through. What luxury.
Even though our tree is still small, the concentration of flavour was incredible. And the ‘abricots’ went down very well with a chilled glass of Minervois muscat.
“folle avoine” (wild oats) growing above one of the old dry stone walls on my walk this morning
Some views from my morning walk today.
It’s hit 30 degrees this afternoon – in the month of May!?! – so I’m glad we headed out at 9am when although it was already bright, the air ws cooler. It’s going to be a hot one this week!
This heat has put all of nature into overdrive and the vineyards are accelerating very quickly – almost too quickly. Moderate temperatures and cooler nights allow a slower and more steady maturation, with good acidity and flavours in the fruit and a harvest (‘les vendenges’) in September. What you don’t want to be doing is picking two-three weeks early (here that’s August) after accelerated growth. Let’s hope it cools down a little!
wild leek flowersthere’s a lot of wild camomille out right now
While I’m on talking about wildflowers, I thought I’d share these pics of the poppies (‘coquelicots’) and broom (‘genets’), in full bloom here, that never fail to delight me.
The roads and vineyards are all lined with these these gorgeous flowers and their strong red and yellow tones. And the smell of the broom is just incredible!
I hadn’t really appreciated the season of Spring until now, living here in France. The contrast of each season is quite dramatic and very different to my hometown of Adelaide. After the cold and harshness of winter (am I glad that we have central heating – something unheard of for me in Oz!) nature in Spring just bursts to life with colour and energy. Even the locals seem to get excited and step up a notch in energy.
Maybe it’s also living in the countryside that allows me to appreciate all this magic and colour.
magnificent 'Genet' - Broompoppies growing amongst the dry stone wallsroute to the neighbouring village with the Montagnes Noir behindan old capitelle (stone hut)...and poppiespoppies and broompoppies, vineyarda Minervois wine cellarbeautiful broom
I know I married a Frenchie, but that doesn’t mean that everyday is full of flowers, French champagne, French perfume, lingerie… I won’t go any further, but to say simply that you can’t change the man!
What you see is what you get with this one (and I’m fine with that), and though dinners aren’t candlelit with violins serenading us, sometimes I do get little surprises. Like this one yesterday…
I've received some flowers!
A bunch of hand-picked wildflowers!
...roots and all
…roots and all!!
These beautiful wild leek flowers – ‘allium ampeloprasum‘ are all over the vineyards at the moment and Benji gave me quite a lovely surprise by bringing me this bunch home.
He is a romantic after all.
They just need a bit of a trim. But we can even eat the bulbs… a man that thinks of everything.
I can’t get enough of the wildflowers at the moment. Everyday brings a new variety or colour and it’s wonderful going out for a walk in the garrigues and a cheeky pick!
Back towards Pierre and Laetitia, on the same side is Valerie’s ‘garden’…
Valerie of ‘Le Jardin de Valerie’
‘Le Jardin de Valerie’ is the one of the most enticing stands… Her tables are lined with beautiful baskets laden with luminous green salads, rocket, mini broccolis, mini cabbages, shiny yellow ‘courgettes’/ zucchinis, celeriac, the best potatoes I’ve eaten in a long time and an enticing array of home-made ‘gelees’ and confitures (jams). The jelly made of muscat is a beautiful accompaniment to a chunk of aged ‘brebis’/ sheep’s milk (where are you Vincent?!?… your Brebis de Napoleon was the one of the best cheeses we’ve ever had. You are missed at the markets!).
Valerie’s produce
It’s not officially ‘organic’ produce, but Valerie’s principles are the same – cultivation with full respect for the environment, minimal water use and ‘lutte biologique’/ biological pest control. Compared to a lot of other fruit and vegetable producers you see at the markets, it’s by no means a big stand but in this scale, I’m reminded that all these beautiful vegetables are the product of one woman’s dedication and energy. Having visited Valerie’s ‘potagers’ (vegetable gardens) during an open day late last Summer, I was in awe at seeing the size of the whole thing, knowing that she maintained all of it herself (5 acres), and how much land you need to work to provide for a market stall, let alone your own weekly provisions! For her it’s a 7 day a week job from early morning till dark, but judging by her face she couldn’t be happier.
visiting Valerie’s garden
It’s been nearly two years since Valerie quit her job at the local paper and became a full-time grower and her enthusiasm for her produce is infectious. While I’m glancing over all the varieties of vegetables she’s always ready to share ideas for dishes she’s cooked at home with the same produce. She grows around 40-50 different varities of vegetables, including many ancient varities that you don’t see anymore in the supermarkets. I love buying her baby cabbages and the tiny heads of ‘mini’ broccolis and it’s the first time I’ve ever cooked with vegies like this. The flavours are so sweet and concentrated.
Her plans are ever expanding, she’s very excited about the large orchard recently planted of organic fruit trees which will help contribute to her jellies and jams.
I love shopping at the markets. I’m not able to find absolutely everything to stock the cupboards like I can in the supermarket, but its rewarding to get to know producers like Valerie, Pierre, Jacques and Laetitia and chat about how and why they do what they do.
These people usually have huge smiles on their faces – no matter how cold or hot or early in the morning – and you can see their satisfaction from selling their produce direct to the consumer. It’s also great exchanging recipe ideas and even just talking about the weather. Something we do a lot of around here!
The Vigneron's Wife 