Cravings of a Market Snob
Champêtre: French Market Shopping in June
Snob! Je suis un Snob!
Shopping today at the weekly Wednesday market at Lavardac with two newly arrived friends—a returning resident writer and a new young helper, I realized how far afield I have taken this food shopping thing. I immediately turned my nose up at the first bright red cherries we encountered in favor of some dark black ones; I stood in a too long line to score the last of the sucrine lettuce—those perfect little crisp frilly heads that make a perfect salad for 1 or 2; and I insisted walking all the way to the very end of the market place to buy a dozen organic eggs from Françoise as well as two handfuls of perfectly plucked haricots verts. Because I support Françoise and she always has something special that I want if not need.
I confess. I am such a market shopping snob. Don’t let me put you off, though; I only want to share the best, the favorite, and the most special of my local treasures. So here’s a comprehensive list of what else I bought.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Marché traditionnel de Lavardac, Lot-et-Garaonne (47)
Only raw milk sheep's cheese from the Pyrenean pastures, forgotten in a cool hut for 24 months, and dubbed L’Oublié—the forgotten one, by vendor Paulo.
Two small boxes of very dark, very ripe cherries to stain my lips (see above) and make one jar of thick Black Cherry confiture to eat with the above fabulous forgotten cheese.
Three perfectly beautiful aubergines, purple and white striped, not as big as my wrist, for grilling in the oven while I cook some carnitas.
500 grams, une livre, or a pound of fresh mussels—a bargain at 4€ (8€ a kilo) and just enough for two for supper. I’ll cook them with fresh new shallots, a tomato, and a dose of Banyuls vinegar. See recipe below!
3 ginormous local tomatoes, two Coeur de Boeuf, and one Noir de Crimea for the first tomato lunches of salads, BLTs, and Tarte de Tomates.
A kilo of apricots. #BecauseSummer
Long, torpedo-shaped red onions which are perfect for pickling for Mexican food. The bonus deep green tops are great for sprinkling over everything, too.
6 smallish avocados from Portugal, with very small pits and all perfectly ripe for a week of savory breakfasts.
A loaf of wood-fired pain de campagne, dense and slightly tangy as it should be, from a good levain starter. The new, very tall baker drives an hour each way to bring his wares to market. I feel I should at least contribute to his gas money.
And the first amazing local French melons from a field in Fieux! They are the best in the area. I am excited for that first taste of what might be a long sunny season of sweet honey-flavored melons to serve with a few salty slices of ham, saucissons, that cheese again, or even anchovies!
Two big bunches of lemon and Thai basil; then I spotted a pot of basil to plant in a big pot on the terrace. I used some of the lemon basil along with some lemon zest and juice over a bowl of overripe strawberries and a few of the cherries to make one pot of tart and sweet confitures.
Market heartbreaks
However, there are losses, too. While scouring each stall for something special and new, I overlooked my usual goat’s cheese and yogurt vendor until he was packing up. Cursing myself now, this would have been the perfect dessert with that strawberry/cherry jam! I also missed out on the fresh Vietnamese spring rolls and nems as they sold out quickly while I was at the other end of the market. These are the little heartbreaks for a market snob, paid for in sad disappointment. ( I know. I’m such a lucky girl that this was my biggest concern this week.)
Seriously, I love being able to shop at my local outdoor producers’ markets all year round. On a recent short trip to the Mediterranean coast and the charming seaside towns of Collioure and Banyuls, I realized how fortunate I am to live in this inland food lover’s paradise called Gascony. While on the coast, I ate my weight in salted anchovies and drank cold glasses of soft white wine ( a chardonnay from nearby Limoux), and there was unlimited calamari and sweet raw shrimp at each meal. However, nothing compares to the diversity and abundance of our Gascon markets, where the farthest a tomato needs to travel is barely 2 kilometers from an open field to a bustling market. So while no mussels grow along the Gascon country roads, I pulled out this favorite recipe to make with some Atlantic coast (1 hour away) shellfish from the fishmonger at the market. It was a way to combine the best of both worlds- the salty seas and the inland gardens.
Moules Éclatées (From A Culinary Journey in Gascony- Kate Hill)
or Popped Mussels. featured in A Gascon year- Juin issue page 37
Here’s an old favorite, first published in 1995. I first tasted these mussels cooked on a plancha in a bar-bodega in Agen in the early 1990s, and since then, I have made on repeat each summer in my galley, on the outside grill, wood-fired oven, and now stove top. Think of them as finger-licking snacks as a starter to serve with bright bits of summer’s first crudities or as I served it last night with thick chunks of pain au levain and a salad of melon slices, salty cheese, salt, pepper, and very good olive oil.
SERVES 2
500 gr /1 lb small mussels (use 250-500 gr or 1/2-1 lb per person according to your appetites)
1 slice Jambon de Bayonne or prosciutto ham, chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, roasted, seeded, and chopped (fresh or from
a jar)
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
1 ripe tomato, seeded and
chopped (no ripe tomatoes? just leave it out)
hot pepper flakes to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Wash and clean the mussels; set aside.
Combine all the other ingredients into a lumpy vinaigrette and let rest for 15 minutes. This can be done in advance and stored in the refrigerator. (Let the mixture come to room temperature before using.)
Use a large cast-iron or other very heavy skillet. Heat the skillet on high until the pan is very hot. Use no oil or fat; you are dry-roasting the mussels. Toss in all the mussels and shake. They will start to pop open in the hot pan within minutes. When all the mussels are open (3 to 5 minutes), add the spicy vinaigrette to the pan and swirl or stir the ingredients into the shells. The liquids, melding with the mussel liquid, will open the shells further, and the sauce will fill each shell. Cover and let sit for a few minutes. Stir and serve as soon as the mussels are well coated with the glaze, place on waiting plates and serve with pieces of garlicky toast and very large napkins.
My ebooks contain more recipes like these simple ones, available to all paid subscribers at no additional cost.
Join me every week for a jaunt through the French countryside, in and out of the markets and garden, and into the generous Gascon kitchen of my creative residency. Read more about The Relais de Camont. The Camont Journals chronicle the country life in Southwest France and Champêtre: a Field Guide is the next adventure full of good food and slow living in France.
Finding France: A Memoir in Small Bites is also archived for paying subscribers at The Camont Journals. You can read about these long adventures from arriving in France on her canal barge, the Julia Hoyt, to the gathering table here at the Relais de Camont. It’s all archived here: https://katehillfrance.substack.com/t/finding-france
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Sounds like you might benefit from a market snob apprentice. Someone who will take direction, and help ensure proper procurements.
I have to admit, I, too, am a bit of a market snob! We know what we love .... I grabbed some dark black cherries this week as well. They are so sweet!