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Is he still open? Anyone with the latest there? Thanks!

This thread will give you an update on (1) what traditionally is in the markets of France each month, (2) what members see/spot early on and (3) what we/you do with the products, that is, recipes, tricks, lessons. Please add your comments on to individual months’ threads. January February March April May June July August September October November December

What’s in the markets in April The following are in full season in April (the underlined ones are the major items) : lamb, rabbit, langoustines, mackerel, asparagus, morilles, goat cheese, St Pierre, turbot, sole, lotte, merlu, seiche, sorrel, spinach, petit pois, cauliflower, artichokes, watercress, radishes, frisee, mangos, fromage blanc, pave d’Auge and Pouligny cheese. (Again, I’m relying principally on the Almanach du Gastronomie by Armelle de Scitivaux (Bottin Goumand, 1998, 133 FF)).

What’s in the markets in Jan The following are reported by the Almanach du Gastronomie* to appear in the markets in January: Arriving: arctic cod, Pollack, anchovies, fennel, spinach, 6 varieties of Provence (what we call lettuces) including lettuce, escarole (same in the US: endive in the UK), curly lettuce (we call it frisée too), leaf or curly lettuce (feuille de chene), oranges, pommes clochard (for the traditional apple dessert), certain pears, strawberries (from Spain though), litchis. Leaving: herring, pheasant, wild boar, chestnuts, Roquefort Baragnbaudes, grapes, esp from Moissac. In full season: oysters, urchins, mixed aromatic herbs, calamari, scallops, bar (European bass/sea wolf), sole, merlan (whiting, Silver Hake), dorade (daurade, sea bream, chrysophrys, gilt head), raie (skate or ray), rouget (red mullet, sur mullet goat fish), plie (carrelet, European plaice, dab), poulards and capons, beef, farmer’s pork, cabbage, cauliflower, mache (we call it mache, but elsewhere it is apparently called corn salad or lamb’s lettuce), beets, salsifis (somewhere called the oyster plant) and crosne (Japanese or Chinese artichoke on which a thread runs), pumpkin, truffles. Vacherin, Munster, Abondance, Ossau-Iraty, Salers + Laguiole, blue cheeses, citrus, pineapples, bananas, kumquats and physalis (ground cherries or Golden Nugget Cape Gooseberry). *Reference: Almanach du Gastronomie by Armelle de Scitivaux (Bottin Goumand, 1998, 133 FF.)

Can somebody please tell me the addresses of Jaques Genin and Pierre Marcolini(sp?) in paris Thanx tarek

I went out for tea with a friend yesterday and we ended up at a French tea shop called 2eme (located in Chinatown in Kobe, Japan, of all places). The specialty of this shop was tourtiere de gascogne--they look like beggars' purses made with phyllo, and inside the little purse there's a layer of cake at the bottom and some caramelized apples (they had a few other fillings, but I had the plain apple). I thought perhaps they were a traditional pastry of Gascogne, but I found the tourtiere de gascogne website. It seems to be a trademarked product. Does anyone know anything about these little pastries? Are they, in fact, a traditional sweet from Gascogne, or are they a modern invention? Has anyone ever made them before?

Hi..the first time i had chouquette was a year+ ago in France and i kept having them everyday until i returned home. Time passed and i would like to make some now but could not settle with any recipe or even recall what made them so good. If anyone can give me some clue on this..that will be great! Should it be as firm as the eclair or a bit softer...? Does it have a bit of the egg smell...or that means it is underbaked? I used Pierre Herme's Choux Pastry recipe and baked at 220C.. I sprinkled with Pearl Sugar, can granulated be used? Thanks! Nantana

What’s in the markets in France in August The following are in full season in August: anchovies, sardines, tuna, bar, crabs, calamari, ceteau, lobster, langoustines, coalfish, sole and mussels; beef, duck and pheasant; brie de Meaux, camembert, gaperon, Munster, Neufchatel, Pont l’Eveque, goat cheeses, l’Epoisses, Chaource and Reblochon; broccoli, fennel, frisee, herbs, sorrel, green beans, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, potatoes and fraiches (basil, parsley, chives, coriander, tarragon, etc); cepes; almonds, brugnons, figs, mirabelles, grapes, quince, plums, peaches, nectarines, melons and pears. Once again, I’m dependent on the Almanach du Gastronomie by Armelle de Scitivaux (Bottin Goumand, 1998, 133 FF) and Regal magazine, as well timely faxes from Felice.

Hi All, In approximately 4 weeks time I will have 18 hours in Paris between flights from Africa to Asia, I would like to buy Magret de Moularde, frozen so that I can take them back to Indonesia, I will be carrying a small Ice Box for the purpose but have no idea where to buy them, I will be staying for the day near the CDG airport and can easily get a train to Paris. I have been to Paris a number of times before but cannot recollect seeing a market anywhere! Best Regards, Richard

Picnics A compendium of existing threads This is one of a series of compendia that seeks to provide information available in prior threads on eGullet. Please feel free to add links to additional threads or posts or to add suggestions. Picnic on Monday Picnic baskets Paris parks for picnics Where to go & what to take There are many other references to picnicking in parks, etc., under threads entitled “budget” etc., which you can search for directly.

Hello All- I want to try a classic pot au feu. What cut should I look for at the market? Should I plan to tie it myself? I also want something that will leave me enough for sandiwches for the rest of the week. What internal temp should I strive for? I'd like it barely pink in the center. Thanks for any help.

I'm the mother of an almost-six-month-old, and I'm thinking a lot about how to raise a daughter with a good palette. Rice cereal (the traditional first food in America) doesn't seem like a good start-- I certainly wouldn't eat it very happily. So I'm wondering about other countries and other traditions-- What's the traditional first food for babies in France? (I'm also going to post this in the following forums: Italy, Spain, Japan, India, China, Middle East, and Mexico. Apologies to those who run across this question in other places!)

Wine tours This is one of a series of compendia that seeks to provide information available in prior threads on eGullet. Please feel free to add links to additional threads or posts or to add suggestions. Languedoc Roussillon Provence Avignon Nimes Food & Wine Tour Wine tasting where? Bordeaux

How better to discover France than to cook the local ingredients? A couple of recommendations (and a couple to go on my wish list for my next visit) Delicieusement Votre - Private Cookery Courses in Lyon Aurelie Chauvin welcomes small groups to her beautiful house just 15 minutes from the centre of Lyon. We joined her for a morning cooking with a Father's Day theme. The group cooked together, each adding their bit to the lunch we would eventually sit down and savour. Our course was one of the higher priced ones 70 euros (well it did include fois gras on the menu).We made a superb tagine with lamb and artichokes and very rich chocolate dessert with tuiles, with scallops and fois gras to start. Aurelie speaks excellent English and provided recipes in French as well as English Participants enjoying a leisurely lunch after a hard morning's work Aurélie Chauvin Delieusement Votre 18, allée des Mirabelles 69340 Francheville 04 37 41 58 07 Delicieusement Votre La Maison du Moulin Benedicte Appels Maison d'hôtes de charme 26230 GRIGNAN Maison du Moulin maisondumoulin@wanadoo.fr Benedicte runs the most fabulous upmarket chambre d'hotes/table d'hotes in Grignan not far from Montelimar. This accomplished Belgian Chef (who includes a "stage" with Jean Luc Rabanel as one of the highlights of her culinary career) runs a varietyof seasonal courses including one on black truffles! Benedicte speaks excellent English. We did a mini course with her helping prepare the evening meal for her guests (which we savoured too!) And on my wish list .... Lecon de Gout et Degustation (Taste Lesson) restaurant Nicholas le Bec, Lyon 04 78 42 15 00 restaurant@nicolaslebec.com 2nd Monday of each month either 15.00 to 17.30 or 19.30 to 21.30.8 people max. 55 euros per person or 45 euros if you belong to Cercle Nicolas le Bec (20 euros per year) Discover seasonal produce, understand the products in a relaxed atmosphere and taste a cuisine that focuses on health and equilibrium at this Michelin star restaurant. Jean Luc Rabanel of L'Atelier is shortly to introduce cookery courses http://www.rabanel.com/ecole.htm#

Firstly: We are going to Paris end of September til mid-October. I read in a guide that there was a "vendanges" celebration the first Saturday in October in Monmartre. What is it exactly? Is it fun? Is it touristy or local? Secondly: We are renting an apartment on rue Coquilliere in the 1er (near Forum Les Halles) if you have any suggestions on interesting markets, patisseries, boulangers etc. in the area as well as affordable bistros and not to be missed restaurants. We would like to stay in a reasonable budget (under 50 euros) but can afford to splurge for two or three meals. Thirdly, I've read a lot about Transversal, went to their website, is it better to try it at lunch or dinner? Fourthly: I am a designer and saw photos of the interior of Maxan restaurant. I definetely want to go see it closer, is it very expensive to eat there? and are there any other modern restaurants that are worth checking out on a design standpoint? Je vous remercie d'avance.

Bonjour tout le monde I believe this is my first post in the France forum.. Spending this summer stuck in the US after last summer's months abroad has put me in full planning mode to get back to the Hte Savoie, Paris and other parts of France (and Suisse, Italia, and Espana) next summer.. I can't wait to revisit my famille d'accueil in Faverges and actually eat well again! Anyway, with other friends going abroad to all corners of the world (as far away as Japan) and offering to send me back packages of local delicacies, the cost of shipping "un colis" back to the States has become an issue. Last summer when I returned home from France, I had to purchase another valise to carry all of the food items I had emassed (thank God for the Soldes, I was able to get a good deal on a suitcase). My French family told me that it was "tres chere" to ship items to the US, but I never verified this at the Poste. I saw "colissimo" service at the Poste, but never inquired about the price of shipping to the US. Having purchased items from ebay that were shipped second day air from Singapore for only $25US, I can't imagine it is completely cost prohibitive to send back a package of some of the things that don't fit in my suitcase when traveling for extended periods abroad. Does anyone have experience with which services are best and most affordable for shipping non-perishables across the globe to the US? Merci, Adam

Two years ago I stood dumb before my fishmonger, wondering why in the world I wasn’t getting any scallops. Had I used the wrong word (Coquilles Saint-Jacques)? Had I not ushered the proper greeting? No, I understood after the third repetition: they were not in season. Not in season? In America I could buy scallops whenever I wanted. But now, on the eve of my first dinner party in France, the pesky bi-valves were nowhere to be found. With Serge and Agnès arriving in less than an hour, I pointed hopefully to some white flesh-looking fish and returned home to struggle with its bones. Despite the fact that I was raised in the “breadbasket to the world,” I had no sense of seasonality before moving to France. The same items were present year-round from my stadium-sized grocery store. They were cheaper in certain months, but always available. In France, during that first month, I felt constrained. There were fewer options in smaller stores that seemed never to be open when I needed them. The recipes that had formerly dazzled were, without the right ingredients, of little use to me now. I had to re-learn how to eat. Eating in France means following the seasons. My next lesson was the autumn appearance of wild mushrooms. Months later, the arrival of clementines marked time for a city without snow. Oysters burst onto to scene with crowds gathering for free tastings at the local poissonnerie. Within months friends were whispering about springtime lamb and asparagus. And summer, before I knew it, had come 'round again - bringing deep red tomatoes and stacks of fresh herbs. Last night I cooked again for Serge and Agnès. This time, however, I went about it in a much different way. Gone were the convoluted recipes and fusion acrobatics. In their place, an offering of what's best in September: Salad of endive, radicchio, beets, pears, goat cheese, and hazelnut Roast chicken and potatoes with green beans Seasonal plums (mirabellle, Reine Claude, quetsche) with a runny Brie de Meaux When you buy food that’s in season, you don’t have to do much besides put it on a plate. The Brie de Meaux, which had been aged for eight weeks in my butcher’s cave and set out only when it was ready to be eaten that day, was runny and redolent of green summer grass. The plums were at the peak of ripeness – perfect in the moment and rotten the next morning on my counter. So to paraphrase the Rolling Stones: You can’t always get what you want But if you try sometimes to follow the times You just might find...you get what you need (and more).

While I'm in Paris next month (for the 1st time!) I'll try to picnic for many of my lunches. I'd love to hear what you like to pack in your basket and where you like to buy it, if you have a favorite shop. Also, it seems that some parks let you sit on the grass and others don't. Have you seen any good websites that list this or other picnic spots? Do supermarkets sell wine or only liquor stores? Thanks.

What’s in the markets in September The following are reported by the Almanach du Gastronomie + Regal* to appear in the markets in September: Arriving: oysters, bouquet prawns, sole, rouget, game, soup vegetables, chestnuts, mushrooms, Picodon cheese, apples and nuts. Leaving: langoustines, ceteaux, tomatoes, strawberries, blackberries, bilberries, melons and peaches. In full season: sardines, anchovies, mackerel, coalfish, tuna, calamari, spider, swimming and big crabs, bar, lobster, beans, beets, fennel, broccoli, frisee, garlic, eggplant, cepes, zucchini, herbs, sorrel, peppers, potatoes, brie de Meaux, camembert, Chaource, goats, Epoisses, gaperon, munster, Neufchatel, Pont l’Eveque, Reblochon, pears, Mirabelle, quetsche and other plums, grapes, almonds, brugnon and other nectarines, red fruit, and figs. *References: Almanach du Gastronomie by Armelle de Scitivaux (Bottin Goumand, 1998, 133 FF) and the September-October Regal.

I am trying to procure some really fine Fois for a party in Rome. I found this producer http://www.foiegras-minard.com/ and before I order I was wondering if anyone knew of him or knew of another. This is for preserved and bloc fois as fresh is too hard to ship. We will be shipping to Italy not USA so local southern France producers are welcome and do not need to have major web site, just phone or email. TIA, David edited to add link

All of the big Hypermarkets chains in France are currently having their fall wine fairs. Hundreds of wines at 'bargin' prices. Lots of flyers in the mail and guides in the papers & some magazines. Here are just a couple of links: strategy wine fairs My question is are they selling any of your favorite wines at good prices? Have you spotted any real bargins? (that you're willing to share that is.) I'm also going to post this in the wine forum in the hope that some of the experts there will give some tips even though if they're not in France they probably can't take advantage of the fairs.

I need to beg for a synthesis of many of the cateorgies of information available here from folks who have much of it in their heads. I’m only going to get 40 hours in Paris as a layover and am trying to figure out which neighborhood to stay in to make the most of my time. I have a reservation at Drouant for one night, but just want to wander and rely on serendipity for the other dining choices. And instead of tourist sites, I’d rather immerse myself in a couple of areas that are good for simply seeing what people who are interested in food buy and how folks live. I’m sure the information I seek is in here – I have read huge chunks of it in several days of exploring the forums, but my lack of facility with paris maps and neighborhoods makes a lot of the geography just run together for me. I’m looking for a cheerful two days of recuperation back in society after my third tour in Iraq as a reporter. I have had to suffer greatly (yes, the unmentionable MREs, but also 40 tins of tuna and a hotel cook that I can't avoid due to security issues who has plied me with such beautiful dishes as a baked combination of sliced carrots, beets and cocktail cherries, and another of white bean, canned peas and ketchup.) Thanks for any help you can offer.

Both Paul Bocuse and Joel Robuchon make a line of packaged French dinners. Fine French convenience food -- is it even possible? We decided to find out. First off, they're refrigerated, not frozen. They're in the refrigerated case, in boxes. We bought one from each company: about five euros apiece -- cheap! Mr. Robuchon has partnered with a food company called Fleury Michon. They only had one selection in the store: Parmentier au Canard (here's the company's web page on the product). It's a casserole of shredded duck with potatoes and cheese. The ingredients list doesn't look too bad: whole milk, duck confit, water, potatoes, butter, creme fraiche, onions, mushrooms, Emmenthal cheese, shallots, spices, and preservatives. It comes in a ceramic crock: poke some holes in the plastic top, and then three-and-a-half minutes in the microwave. The first bites aren't bad. Cheesy potatoes: what's not to like? And the duck isn't bad, either. It didn't cook evenly, but that's okay. But after a few bites, not so much. We split both entrees, which is good, since neither of us wanted an entire meal of this. Bocuse's offering (there are many made, but just two at the store this morning) is Noix de St. Jacques au Noilly. No, not nuts: small scallops. This one comes in two packages: one for the scallops and sauce, and another for the leeks and rice. The ingredients list for the first package is noix, creme fraiche, vermouth - Noilly Prat -- water, carrots, leeks, shallots, rice, spices, suger, salt, lemon juice, and preservatives; for the second package it's leeks, creme fraiche, tomatoes, rice, water, pepper, Emmenthal cheese, butter, fresh eggs, parsley, and preservatives. Not bad. Cooking this one takes work. The noix are in a plastic bag, and the leek-and-rice side is in a covered plastic tub. We poke holes into each of the packages and microwave them together for three minutes, just as the package says. Then we turn the leeks and rice over in the middle of the plate -- it stays together mostly -- and then artfully pour the noix and sauce around the side, trying to make it look like the picture on the front. Step four on the package is "la touche du Chef'"; we're supposed to find a sprig of fresh fennel and a slice of lime and add it to the plate. We make do with a sprig of flat Italian parsley from the garden. The taste: not very good. And unlike the other, it wasn't very good right from the start. The flavors were indistinguishable and not interesting either. Think airline food and you'll have the right idea. You can eat it, but you wish you didn't have to. Bruce

What’s in the markets in October The following are reported by Regal and the Almanach du Gastronomie* to appear in the markets in October, or October-November in the case of Regal: Arriving: scallops, dorade, pumpkin, trumpet of death and hedgehog (pied de mouton) mushrooms, Vacherin cheese, American apples, pears and quince. Leaving: germon tuna, mackerel, lobster, sardines, eggplants, goat cheese, reine des reinette apples, nuts and grapes. In full season: oysters, bouquet prawns, sole, calamari, herring, anchovies, guinea and other game fowl, rabbit, deer, spinach, turnips, carrots, cepes, girolles, fall cheese (bries, camemberts, munster, Epoisses, Maroilles, Abondance, Beaufort, Comte, Cantal, Salers, Laguiole), beurre-hardy and comice pears, nuts, grapes, chestnuts, figs and peche de vigne. Also: black cod, mackerel, pike-perch, venison, wild boar, bilberries, beetroot, white beet, broccoli, carrots, celeriac, fennel, frisee, haricots verts, mache, turnips, sorrel, leeks, chickpeas, pumpkin, and these cheeses (banon, fourme d’Ambert, lavort, morbier, munster, picodon, reblochon, Roquefort, le sable de Wissant, tomme de Savoie.) *Reference: Almanach du Gastronomie by Armelle de Scitivaux (Bottin Goumand, 1998, 133 FF.)

La Dernière Goûte, a beautiful little wine shop in the 6th, has started their tasting series again where they invite two wine makers to give a tasting. It takes place every Saturday from 11h00-13:30 and again from 16:00 to 19:00. It’s a fun way to sample some really great wine and meet the wine maker. Here is the next two weeks schedule: October 29 Château Ste Anne (Bandol) Domaine les Aurelles (Coteaux du Languedoc) November 5 Domaine la Tour Vielle (Collioure, Banyuls) Clos de l’Anhel (Corbières) I will post the next two next week. They have winemakers scheduled until January.