The Food Files

I guess this entry is mainly about food. We haven’t really struck out into unexplored territory in terms of food items so far – my shops have mainly been in very small grocery stores in town where I’ve just been keen to grab familiar brands and run, or at the mega mega superstore, where I’ve also just been keen to fill my basket with necessities before the girls completely lose interest. But the highlights so far have definitely been the cheese (impossible to buy a poor camembert, it seems); the wine (good wine for about four or five dollars! One day I might even splash out on the seven dollar wine and who KNOWS how good that will be, can’t wait); the crisps (Dijon flavoured crisps – my new fave – and forget boring old salt and vinegar, it’s vinaigre echalot here, thank you very much); the pre-dinner nibbles like feta-stuffed olives and little gouda-flavoured crackers; and then there’s the girls’ big discovery: fruit syrups to add to water. So far we’ve tried strawberry, raspberry, lemon, and blackcurrant, and I have my eye on grapefruit, and passionfruit. And that’s only the beginning! (I know it’s basically sugar, and that I will have to wean the girls off them and back to plain water soon, but it’s rather fun for the moment.)

We also spent Saturday morning at the local market. I don’t think it rivals big markets in other French towns but it’s certainly big enough, and has the requisite cheese stalls, charcuterie stalls, olive stalls, fruit & veg stalls and of course, the absolutely necessary nougat stall. (See picture of Anna in front of the huge wheels of nougat – I don’t think I will be able to hold out much longer.) I bought a huge punnet of varied olives and they were absolutely heavenly. And gone already.

 Zoe and Anna looking for whatever is 'bon marche'

 Toby graciously indulging my olive demands

 Now THAT'S what I call nougat...

 The girls on the walk we did post-marche. (The weather improved...)

 The dangers of too much market-ing...