venez avec moi en Provence: Peille

March 4th, 2012

Lavender and Wheat

venez avec moi en Provence: Peille

“D’où que l’on vienne et pour survive ensemble,
la culture est le lien indispensable.”

([Peille is] where one comes to survive together,
culture is the indispensable link)

Notre Village, Juillet 2010
by Roger Perruquetti
taken from Peille festival poster

One of the reasons I am drawn to France is that it is a place where tradition, manners, and history are respected and honored. Throughout France, down to the tiniest of villages, its inhabitants come together (usually annually) to celebrate the bounty of their region. These “fêtes or manifestations” range from apple picking and lobster trapping in the north to the harvest of jasmine, lemons, and lavender in the south. You will not find sponsored banners or advertisers promoting the events. These are local affairs. If there are 8” by 12” posters, they are designed and hung by the locals themselves.  Read the rest of this entry »

les marchés de poissons

February 22nd, 2011

les marchés de poissons

When you visit a market in France, deciphering vegetables is generally obvious. The appearance, despite the French sign, gives it away.  “Un chou-fleur” which looks a cauliflower, is a cauliflower.

Fish is trickier.  Moreover, there are many fish in France that are not available in the States.  Here are some pointers should you want to purchase fresh fish in a French fish market (or order fish on a menu). Remember that fish (as well as vegetables) is purchased by the kilogram, not the pound.  Approximately 2.2 pounds equal to 1 kilogram. The following describe how the fish is cut or caught:

  • “pêche locale” means that the fish was fished locally.
  • “de côte” means “of the coast.”  For example barbue de côte means that the fish, barbue (brill), was caught right there on the coast.
  • “de ligne” means the fish was line-caught.
  • “ griller”, for example, “saumon à griller”, means that that salmon is good for grilling.
  • ”sur arêtes” means that the fish has not been filleted and still has its backbone (une arête is a fish bone).
  • ” joue”  is a cheek.   “Joue de lotte” is a monkfish cheek.

  • “les filets” is fillets (i.e., les filets de Maquereau” are mackerel fillets)
  • “goujonnette” is a long piece of fish (or it can be meat) cut sideways and fried.
  • “la darne” is a steak of fish as opposed to a fillet (i.e., la darne de saumon is a salmon steak).

The following is list of the most common fish you will find in France in the markets with a short description.

Bonnes courses !

LM

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