markets – Page 3 – The Vigneron's Wife

at last… my folks came to town!

July 31, 2012August 2, 2012The vigneron's wife

the aussies came to town — a visit …all the way from home

They came, they saw, we drank – woohooey!

It was meant to have been a BIG surprise, but in the end we knew. But that didn’t change ANYTHING in the way of how excited I was to have my parents – for the first time in 12 years!!- come and visit us.

My lovely brother had tried as hard as he could to keep it a surprise until the very last but, with all sorts of things popping up on his end and ours, had to tell us that he was heading our way with two of his kids and da da da daaaa… Ma and Pop in tow!

Since we moved here 14 years ago I’ve been enormously lucky to have had so many friends and family stay – and each time is so special as you get to enjoy each person on their own and usually over an extended time (hey, this is no quick side trip on the itinerary – if you’re going to travel from one side of the world to the other you’d better make it a decent trip!). I adore going back to see everyone in Oz, but it can get hectic trying desparately to catch up with everyone at once. This way, when people come to stay on our turf, I can relish every minute of their company and not have to juggle with a social diary.

So this was Jan and Pete’s – and Mark, Ruby and James’s turn to finally drop their bags and hang out (in the home that my parents hadn’t seen until now!)

I took them to all the places they’d rememebered vividly from twelve years ago, dined in a few lovely bistrots, cooked my favourite meals for them, introduced them to our mates and even snuck in a few drinking sessions, bien sur, with Benji’s wines (yes I’ll make it clear you don’t drink the stuff Mum).

I can’t tell you how good it was to have everyone here at last. I’m still smiling. Thanks big bro Mark for making it happen!

ps – a word of warning! there’s a few pics down below, sorry – but hell, this trip was twelve years in the making!

waking up on the first morning — the view on the first morning

lilas' classroom — showing Ma and Pop the classroom

La Cite - aka Kevin — La Cite in Carcassonne – or ‘Kevin’ as we like to call it.
The original hill site dates back to the 6th Century BC, with the Romans fortifying the hilltop in 100 BC. The Visigoths claimed the land from the 5th and 6th centuries. It was held by various different leaders from the 11th century onwards and underwent a complete renovation in the 19th century.

buying turkish delight — buying ‘Loukoum’ (Turkish Delight) at the Olonzac market

Acca Dacca rules — the Aussies at the Olonzac market – with a bit of Aussie culture thrown in

l'estagnol — lunch at L’Estagnol in Narbonne

in the cloitre in Narbonne — after lunch stroll in ‘le cloitre’ (the cloister) of the Cathedral of ‘Saint Just et Saint Pasteur’ of Narbonne – built during the 14th and 15th centuries

dad and junior at the stove — Dad and ‘Junior’ at the stove making the family favourite, Osso Buco (YES Phillip, one more time!!)

mark, lilas and pop — Mark, Lilas and Pop (keep working Mark)

AOP St Chinian — Benji’s juice, Nicki’s artwork…

working hard on the terrace with Who and the Australian Woman’s Weekly, direct off the plane from Oz

minerve — Minerve – this fortified village is perched above the Brian and the Cesse rivers and earliest writings on it date back to the 9th century. It is famous for being a Cathar stronghold until the early 13th century.

dunny view — one of the best views in Minerve – located from the cafe’s dunny.
Love the wallpaper

romeo and juliet on the bridge — Romeo and Juliet on the bridge

fruits of the season — a wine producer selling some other fruit!

a great way to finish the visit… swimming in Minerve

canal du midi — one of the folks’ faves, the Canal du Midi

some sights #4 – from yesterday (don’t forget the Jubilee!)

June 4, 2012June 5, 2012The vigneron's wife

Le Moulin a Felines — Le Moulin outside Felines

vide grenier in the rain — a Minervois vide grenier (village garage sale) in the rain…

vide grenier in the rain 2 — Spot the Pierrot (remember them?!?)

inside a shed at the vg — hidden treasures sheltered from the rain in Philippe’s shed

books at the v-g — love the ‘Killdozer’ – and J.T doing the headband

umbrella lady and her house — …who lives across the road

text books — you can tell we’re in a wine region

HRH and Phillip — love Lizzie (as seen on TV)

Gruissan blanc — the white was flowing for the ladies

Pam's treasure cupboard — …and her amazing treasure cupboard (thanks P!)

so typically French!

August 29, 2011October 6, 2012The vigneron's wife

chez le coiffeur — the barber shop in Carcassonne

Do you ever find yourself smiling at some of the things you pass by during your day?

I love those moments and have started to record them with my camera. I can’t help it. Everything in France seems so exotic to me, being a ‘non-Frenchie’!

Here’s some pics to share with you, but be warned! There’s a few of them, so I hope you don’t get bored!!

baker at the market — Pierre the baker having a ‘tranquil’ pause at the morning market

Citroen 2CV — A lovely orange 2CV, shining like a beacon in the morning light

chien chic — ‘Chic Dog’ (you know how they put their words backwards!) – every pooch needs a parlour

Hotel de Ville de Narbonne — Hotel de Ville in Narbonne flying the Bleu Blanc Rouge

hanging out to dry — …and not so frilly bits

les chaussures roses — …les messieurs like a bit of pink too

Mamy Jeanne's recipe book — It’s the real thing! – one of Mamy Jeanne’s much-loved recipe books

…a Mamy Jeanne dish

(& check out the brilliant photo of her!)

our village library — And while we’re on the topic of books, I just love this. It’s the bookshelf in our local village library… gives you a small taste of what the public are reading up on! Recipes, winemaking, a history of Europe, a history of France and, bien sur, a little bit of psychotherapy. Tres francais.

colon poster — Yes, it’s the GIANT COLON!! Be curious!! Roll up for a visit to the centre of the giant colon!… (thanks for the poster Mat, you know me too well!)

the cheese trolley — Colon health, giant ‘chariots de fromage’ (cheese trolley). Ever heard of the French paradox?

At the local ‘brocante’. This poor guy got caught, but we still hear his friends in our garden at night

french doorhandle — the doorhandle to one of my favourite brocantes

Cine — a cinema in Limoux (where Blanquette is made)

baguette in a basket — take-away baguette

a trip to the patisserie — Really love this one too. The scene, the clothing (so now!) and the little guy at the back just happens to be some Vigneron I know…

lady of minerve — a regular vision in these villages

les hommes de Toulouse — les messieurs sur les bancs

Still there? Hope you made it!

Mamy Jeanne’s Jardiniere de Legumes

June 15, 2011April 16, 2013The vigneron's wife

It’s the season of peas. How delicious and sweet they are – served in the pods as a nibble during the aperitif, or boiled or steamed. I grew up with my fair share of them – Mum always hid them in the mashed potato – and I loved them like that even if ‘green’ was a no-go zone at the time. But I must say that the peas we ate were more of the frozen in a bag variety (feeding a family takes a lot of shelling I now realise). Now it’s a delight to find so many fresh peas around at the markets and Lilas and I’ve had a great time sitting amongst the rows of vineyards (Benjamin uses them as a ‘green fertiliser’) picking and eating them.

Lilas shelling peas for Mum — Lilas shelling peas with her mum

A couple of years ago, my parents-in-law brought Mamy Jeanne with them to stay at our place (Mamy Jeanne is Benjamin’s maternal grandmother and ever since my arrival in France has been a huge support – even when my French was non-existant and communication was conveyed by gestures). Not one to sit around and enjoy being waited on , Mamy wanted to help contribute to the numerous family reunions we were having that week and prepare a few of her favourite Spring dishes from over the years. And we’re talking a few Springtimes here – Mamy is 90 and also been known to wield a ping-pong bat in games against the great-grandchildren.

Mamy Jacqueline et Mamy Jeanne — I just love this photo of the two Mamys: Here is Mamy Jeanne on the right and Mamy Jacqueline on the left. Tres stylish femmes!

So I took Mamy to the local market and she was very keen to buy up on the peas. She wanted to show me how to make a Jardiniere de Legumes (as one of my husband’s favourite dishes, it was almost a family duty to add this to the repertoire) and I was very eager to hover over the stove as she did it.

When the peas are abundant in Spring and you have the arrival of the other ‘legumes nouveaux’ (new vegetables), this dish is served on many French tables. It’s extremely easy, colourful and healthy. We had some Australian friends to stay recently and with a couple of vegetarians amongst them, it was a perfect meal.

Mamy Jeanne’s Jardiniere de Legumes

(please note that quantities are approximate – I vary them, depending on how it looks in the pot)

ingredients:

10 or so lettuce leaves (any type of green salad leaf)

10 carrots

10 potatoes

6 turnips

4 onions – or about 8-10 new baby onions

367 432 peas (that’s what it seems like – but make it about 800g, unshelled)

bay leaves

fresh thyme

butter, olive oil

salt, pepper

salted pork (this is optional – depending on how you feel and if there any any vegos)

method:

First I like to fry the onion in a good chunk of butter and olive oil until almost golden as I enjoy the sweetness (and easier for hubby to digest).

(I read a recipe where a women likes to caramelize a bit of sugar in her pot first, but I really don’t think you need to when the new vegetables are so sweet and fresh)

Once onion is done, add the salad leaves and stir well until leaves are floppy. If using pork, add now too.

Then add the carrots, potatoes, turnips, all cut into random, small chunks (some like to perfectly dice each vegetable but I think this looks too neat!), and herbs.

Add water to the pot, until vegetables are just covered, close lid and simmer after boiling for about one hour – or until vegetables are to your liking (the French have a reputation for very well-cooked vegetables, something unheard of in the Asian-focused cuisine so popular in Australia!)

Remember to add the shelled peas about half-an hour into the cooking time. I don’t like to add them from the beginning as they can get mushy.

Serve on its own or as an accompaniment to veal, pork or chicken, with a big pot of French mustard on the side.

to market to market… part 2: Valerie’s garden

May 19, 2011March 6, 2013The vigneron's wife

Le Jardin de Valerie

Back towards Pierre and Laetitia, on the same side is Valerie’s ‘garden’…

Valerie at the yesterday's market — 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 and her produce — 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.

a visit to Valerie's garden — 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!

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