Ah, the food in France
April 29th, 2008, 3:06 pm · Post a Comment · posted by alamancefoodie
The Alamance Foodie went far afield recently–to Provence. What better place is there for foodies to indulge their passions? Cafe and restaurant food ranged from very good to sublime, and the prices ranged from ridiculous to: “with the subprime mortgage mess, can I get a second mortgage to pay for this dinner?” There are two realities about French cooking. One, it is a matter of personal pride to any Frenchman who prepares food to prepare it very well. And, two,even without the very unfavorable exchange rate for the Euro, French restaurants are expensive.
Here are two examples. In a small restaurant in a small village we paid eight Euros ($12.80 at the current exchange rate) for an appetizer of fresh asparagus spears with a vinaigrette sauce. This was not a Michelin starred place. In fact, it is not even mentioned in the Red Book. The asparagus was fresh and tender, and the sauce was fine–but 13 bucks?
On another day we had lunch at a cafe in a small village. Nothing fancy, just a local watering hole that served coffee in the morning and pastis in the afternoon. Two of us had ham and cheese sandwiches and a small carafe of house rose. Sixteen Euros–or $25.60 for lunch. The sandwiches are not to be confused with what passes for a ham and cheese sandwich here. Thin slices of dark red, lean ham and local cheese were served on fresh baguettes sliced lengthwise. Expensive, nevertheless.
All was not lost, however. Every village and town in Provence appear to have a weekly market. Vendors of everything from cheese to wine to sausage to vegetables and flowers set up in the village centers. The sight of all of this beautifully displayed food is a treat.
Wonderful thumb-shaped radishes were sweet and tender. Asparagus and artichokes were in season as well.
We found we could buy an herbed sausage, a wedge of artisanal cheese and a freshly baked baguette at a local street market and enjoy a wonderful picnic for less than the price of the asparagus salad we had in the restaurant.
Our favorite dinner in Provence came from a street vendor in the lovely village of St. Remy de Provence. As we navigated the stalls full of flowers and food, we came across a man cooking Paella in a huge wok. The aromas of shrimp, saffron rice and mussels compelled us to buy our dinner on the spot. That night accompanied by tender radishes, fresh asparagus spears, a loaf of great, crusty bread and a Cotes de Provence rose, the paella was the tastiest meal we had in Provence!
Though not yet up to the glories of French markets, we have our Farmers’ Markets as well. Last Saturday, at the market in West Jefferson a vendor gave us a recipe to go with her garden fresh arugula. It’s seasonal, easy, and very tasty.
Split a baguette lengthwise. Lightly brush with olive oil. Crumble gorgonzola cheese and chopped walnuts on top of the bread. Top with pieces of arugula leaf. Broil just long enough to melt the cheese.
Try it, you’ll like it!
