St. Antoine Report 28 February 2004

[bleudauvergne]

Eggs, taken to honor the vénérable masters who have guided me through February's egg classes.

Pig face anyone?

Some typical Charcuterie found in Lyon:

and some dried sausages, also local, from savoie.

The garlic from Lautrec, the kind schneich was talking about in the onion confit thread:

Not many herbs available from the producers but always a bouquet or two in the winter months.

Being in the midst of winter, we root around.

The panais are more like potatoes than navets, and they can be sliced and fried.

He used this to weigh my panais.

Mr. Coche's father-in-law found him a nice butter mould. They used to form it fresh into balls but now his son fills the moulds. We think they're really pretty.

Not many French greens but always something for a salad from the local producers.

Spring is not too far away.

The fish man had these fresh fished from the med:

He says that the best thing to do with the poulpe are to freeze them before cooking them. In the past, people would pound them on the docks to make them more tender but now the easiest way is to freeze them and then thaw them out to get the same effect. We bought two to stuff. I don't know the difference between calmar and poulpe, except that calmar is much more expensive.

My slice of bleu. There was a man at the market who's wife had given him a list (it was a long one) of things to get. He had forgotton his glasses and asked me to read what cheeses he was supposed to get, it was funny!

According to the producer of these nuts, Green walnuts will be coming out for the jour de St. Jean, end of June. I will be getting them to make vin de noix at the suggestion of Trillium and ludja, in our dicsussion of vin d'orange.

From a conversation with a vigneron, this year is one of the best years that he has ever had due to the hot dry summer. We bought a bottle of Syrah from him.

Happy weekend!

-Lucy

Edited February 28, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[Adam Balic]

Lucy - really lovely photographs. In the image of the four roots, the top left are the famous black turnips? I have always wanted to cook these with a duck, have you cooked them and if so how does their flavour compare to white turnips?

[bleudauvergne]

Thank you, Adam.

You got it. Those are radis noir, and I usually add them to the pot au feu with other roots. They are sweet and wonderful.

edited twice to change the name and then back again once I verified it.

Edited February 28, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[docsconz]

Beautiful post, Lucy, thank you. It really whets my appetite for a return visit to Europe. It has been almost five years since I've been to Paris, although I had brief excursion last summer to Carcassone. I especially liked the photo of the oysters.

[Cynthia G]

Thanks for taking us along on your market day, Lucy. What a beautiful and satisfying way to shop!

[bleudauvergne]

Dear All -

I have received a message from Bux that this post was inappropriate in General Foods. Really sorry folks! I invite any of the regular posters in General Foods to come to the France section, where my market photos will be moved. Have a nice rest of weekend!

-Lucy

[marlena spieler]

oh, i think its wonderful to have your market day posting in general, because the france section always seems more about whats going on, and where to go what to do, whereas i just saw your thread and clicked on, and loved it!

merci beaucoup for taking us along!

ps: what are the panais used for? i was so surprised to see them because i have seldom seen parsnips (their english name) in france or french recipes......

perhaps egullet should have a market shop along day, every week, with a different person tagged for it, and put it up in the general section. i think it would be terrific to see markets all over the country, and world, and to hear commentary about whats in season, etc.

anyone interested out there?

[docsconz]

oh, i think its wonderful to have your market day posting in general, because the france section always seems more about whats going on, and where to go what to do, whereas i just saw your thread and clicked on, and loved it!

merci beaucoup for taking us along!

ps: what are the panais used for? i was so surprised to see them because i have seldom seen parsnips (their english name) in france or french recipes......

perhaps egullet should have a market shop along day, every week, with a different person tagged for it, and put it up in the general section. i think it would be terrific to see markets all over the country, and world, and to hear commentary about whats in season, etc.

anyone interested out there?

This Topic on Farmer's Markets already exists and would be a good repository for what you are suggesting. This is certainly a gray area. My initial feeling is that this particular topic was best situated on the French board, however, I can see the argument of a more global Markets Topic on the General Board. I have previously posted reports and photos of markets in Italy and Spain. I think it would be kind of fun to compare markets globally.

[bleudauvergne]

ps: what are the panais used for? i was so surprised to see them because i have seldom seen parsnips (their english name) in france or french recipes......

Hi Marlena - The people at the market did not hesitate to talk about the parsnips, and recommended that I make parsnip chips - Which I did!

But my husband and I both agree that they would we simply marvelous slow braised with some fresh farm butter and sea salt.

About the location of the post, I'm just happy to be here and I implicitly trust the good judgement of the hosts here - if they feel my market report is better in the France section, I am just as happy to go there and post there. I think in my first month here, my first impression of the France forum has been that it is quite travel and restaurant oriented and I'm basically writing from home, speaking from the heart about my experiences with food. I felt putting the place name of the market was normal. I completely repect the decision and feel comfortable enough manouvering about in the forums to post anywhere deemed appropriate. And I would like to say that since I joined, I have been really inspired by the wonderful stories, ideas, and appreciation for food that everyone shares here. Thank you so much for welcoming me into this community the way you have.

-Lucy

[Bux]

Dear All -

I have received a message from Bux that this post was inappropriate in General Foods.  Really sorry folks!  I invite any of the regular posters in General Foods to come to the France section, where my market photos will be moved.  Have a nice rest of weekend!

-Lucy

In all fairness to all, what I tried to express was the opinion not that it was inappropriate in General Foods, but that it would be more appropriate in the France forum. I will move it as soon as I feel everyone who Lucy wanted to see it here, has had that chance. There have, over a period of time, been several messages about markets in Lyon posted in the France forum and this lovely photo essay would be a wonderful accompaniment and a service to those who have read those posts in the past, or who will read them someday.

I don't really want to discuss the appropriateness of where to post and thus dilute this thread, but the France forum hasn't been all about what's going on, and where to go what to do or even focused solely on things mainly of interest to tourists.

[Richard Kilgore]

What a wonderful pictoral! I would like very much to see more of this type of thread...French markets, bread and pastry, farms, Bresse chickens and such.

[menton1]

Bux,

Thanks for putting this on the France forum; I never would have seen it on the General Foods because that forum has so much activity that good things like this tend to get "lost".

And thanks, Bleu, for the wonderful photos of the market. Gives me pangs to get back to France ASAP!!

[Bux]

As far back as I can remember, Lyon has been known as a city with good food. It hasn't always had the finest restaurants in France or the most well known or repsected temples of haute cuisine, but one usually ate well in Lyon, if not lightly. Tripe in all forms are local specialties. Lyon is also known for its sausages. The indoor Halles de Lyon are a bit less picturesque than the open market on the quay, but it's a wonderful market and has been the subject of several posts in the forum.

[bleudauvergne]

The indoor Halles de Lyon are a bit less picturesque

Much more picturesque for what Lyon is famous for, Bux. The quenelles, the meat products, the cheese. I once witnessed an African family come in to where I get certain items on my cassoulet list, and pick up three large plastic jugs of pig blood (it was a special order). No where else like it. I get there once every couple of weeks. It is the best and freshest source for the poulets de Bresse and the milk fed veal of the Charrolais. There is much more of a reliable cheese selection there. I can only trust a couple of the fromagiers on the quai (St. Antoine) for impeccably affined cheese (which is really all I need) but can trust all of the fromageries (I would say there are about 15 - I will count next time) at les Halles and find hudreds of varieties. Some are better than others for one cheese or another - for instance there's one place I will not buy my bleudauvergne but I get my fondue cheeses there. The oyster experience is definitely the most complete in the city of Lyon at les halles, with sometimes a dozen varieties in baskets before you, and a guy who will talk to you for as long as you are there (sometimes hours)about his product while shucking them, their history, how certain types are farmed, the flavor differences and what causes them, how size matters, including using his arm to twist into various coast lines and tapping his elbow or the inside of his wrist while explaining. You would be suprised to learn all of the wonderful information you can absorb about oysters along with them, while he keeps filling your glass with a simple cool macon and keeping your basket filled with fresh rye bread smeared with beurre de baratte. For produce, it's more expensive there, but just about everything on earth can be found there imported fresh. If you need a certain Italian cheese like an artisinal ricotta that does not keep, you can tell one italian vendor and he'll pick it up for you on his next run. All herbs, all seasons, fresh and flavorful. Specialty vendors thrive there. Badourian has developed their imports and dry goods epicerie fare at Les Halles a lot over the past three years, although they sometimes don't set freshness standards for dry goods. But where else can I find my pickled turkish seaweed that I once had on the shore of kis kelesi or the sumac that dusts my smoked goat cheese toasts. Before, I had to take a trip to their main hall next to the mosque at guilloterre, now I can usually find what I'm looking for at their stand at Les Halles.

St. Antoine is picturesque in that it changes more with the seasons. It's a breathing living market that attracts much local talent. But I would never say it's more picturesque than Les Halles.

[bleudauvergne]

By the way, I braised the parsnips and they were a little too mushy and a little too sweet. Maybe they're better as chips.

-Lucy

[Bux]

I was thinking of the ambience, not the food when I said picturesque. Maybe it's not the best word, but les Halles de Lyon would not be photogenic without the food. The quais overlooking the Saône and le Vieux Lyon on the other side are quite a background, though not one you needed or used in your photographs. In general, I found good food all over Lyon, or at least good looking. I got to see more charcuterie and patisserie than I could eat.

[bleudauvergne]

It's true, the scenery apart from the food is also very nice on the Quai St. Antoine.

Edited March 3, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)