markets

How to navigate a farmer's market

maki — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 15:13:50 +0200

Long time readers of this site will know that I just love open-air markets. I make it a point to search out farmer's/food markets (marchés) wherever I go. It's not just about shopping for food, they are entertainment centers where you get to see colorful people as well as colorful food. I enjoy them as much as, or sometimes even more than, visiting restaurants when I'm traveling. Here are some tips on how to tackle a farmer's market, especially in Europe.

Get there about 1 hour after it opens, and no later than 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, before it closes. If you get there too early they are still setting up, and a lot of stalls start packing up 30 minutes before the official closing time.
...unless you are going to a very popular market by car. In that case get there as early as you possibly can, to avoid getting into a fist fight over a parking space (or walking very long way from where you end up parking to the market).
Wear comfortable shoes, warm clothing in the cool months, and a hat if it's hot and sunny.
Bring along a cloth shopping bag or a sturdy backpack to put your purchases in. A bottle of water can be a good thing to have along too.
When you first get there, don't get distracted by the first stall you run into. Raise your head and survey the whole market to see approximately how large the market is, and plan your movements accordingly.
If you can, make an overview run around the market first to see which stalls you want to tackle.

Touch the merchandise or not? This seems to differ on where you are. In Paris for instance you may get yelled at if you do; here in Zürich many of the stall holders will hand you a plastic bag so you can choose your own, and in Provence you often get a little basket into which you place your own hand-selected produce. The "When in Rome" principle applies here. However, do not squeeze soft fruit, then put it back. Ascertain the ripeness by smell.
Take photos quickly and discreetly. Some stall owners frown when you take pics, while some will even pose for the camera. If someone seems obviously pissed off at you when you aim the lens at them, just shoot quickly and move along. (While some stores will stop you from taking photos, I've never had a market stall person do so.)
As for the customers, a lot of people don't like it when you take photos of them without permission, especially old ladies and mothers with kids. Kids in particular - don't shoot them from the front unless you have permission from a parent. People are getting more paranoid about such things these days unfortunately.
Try to resist the persuasive sales pitch. This is a trap I fall into all so often. Some of those stall holders are master salespeople, offering a stream of seductive language together with tempting samples. If you don't want it, just say no, smile and thank them and move on. This lady baker was so good, we ended up buying about three times more bread than we actually needed from her cute stall.

Know what's in season and don't complain about the lack of asparagus in September, tomatoes in February, or pears in April. And if you see those things being sold out of season, don't buy them. Your taste buds will thank you.
If you are concerned about buying local, look for the signs for country of origin. Markets primarily are for local residents so don't assume that they only have locally produced items. In France for instance you often see green beans from Kenya. Here in Switzerland a lot of stuff comes from France, Italy and Spain. In French locally produced things say "du Pays"; in German if it says"Eigene" or "Eigen Production", it means the stall holders produced it themselves.
And finally, try not to buy more than you can actually eat within a reasonable time!

Food Destinations #2: My Local (Green)market roundup!

maki — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 12:10:37 +0200

I must confess something. I almost thought about changing the theme for this second round of Food Destinations, after receiving not a few emails saying things along the lines of "Great idea, but I've already talked enough about my local green/food/farmer's market". Of course, many food bloggers are going to be passionate enough about food to frequent, and talk about, markets already. Oops.

I decided to let it be however, because I was still looking forward to reading what people had to say on the subject in a concentrated manner. And as you will see from the bloggers who took up this challenge, the results are terrific. Each article takes you on a mouthwatering visit to a different food/green market. Food and travel, what can beat that combination? I can't think of much.

So, to go on a virtual market tour around the world, as well as to discover some great blogs (some dedicated to food, some to other subjects too) that may be new to you, read on...

Let's start in Europe. When I saw Jul of This Non-American Life's (a blog about being an American expat in Switzerland...I can relate to that) post about the Bürkliplatz market in Zürich, I had an 'ack' moment since this is in fact my most-frequented local green market, though I do roam around the other markets in the city. She describes it wonderfully - it's a really nice, regular homey food market for the residents of Zürich. And yep, berries are in season here!

Since Jul got to Bürkliplatz first, I went for my second-most-frequented market on the Helvetiaplatz. Both are about the same size, and held on the same days year-round, if you happen to be visiting Zürich sometime.

Moving to the west a bit, Pamela of Posie's Place (a Scot living in Switzerland) describes the wonderful daily market on the historical Marktplatz in Basel. This is right in the old town section of Basel so you have no excuse to miss it if you go to that beautiful city. (Three posts from three expats-living-in-Switzerland. I'm not sure what that says...we're all hungry?)

Amanda of Savoury Snark (what a great name), yet another expatriate (an American living in the U.K. this time), talks about her "local", a "produce store of unique caliber" called Bill's Produce Store in Brighton, England. We all should be lucky enough to have such a first-rate store in our neighborhood...

The intrepid Johanna of the passionate cook (expat alert again - Austrian in London!) filed her report on the great Borough Market in London, despite her laptop dying on her over the weekend. This is one of the truly awesome food markets in the world and I'm so glad Johanna was able to get her entry up in spite of her computer problems.

Swinging over to the east again, Zsofi of Chili & Vanilla, a Hungarian living in Belgium, goes back home to Budapest and files a wonderful report about the Budapest Central Market, which she visited with her fellow expatriate Danielle. (What is it about us expats and food? hmm...)

We'll keep heading east, to stop in India. Nandita of Saffron Trail braves potential rain and sure chaos to go to the Vile Parle East Vegetable Market in Mumbai, India, and comes back with some awesome pictures and a report that had me running to my spice cabinet to sniff my Indian spices, just to get a feel for what she was describing. (Okay, I'm weird.)

Going Down Under, Emily of Chocolate in Context (yet another expat...an American in Australia) chooses her favorite out of the markets of Melbourne, the South Melbourne Market. She loves the unpretentiousness and the great prices she can get there. And of course, she finds a purveyor of fine chocolates there too.

Finally we fly over to the United States, from which the rest of the reports are. Starting in New England, Kathy of Start Cooking, a beautiful new site (still in beta?) dedicated to teaching cooking newbies how to cook, describes the Boston Copley Square farmer's market, with helpful tips for getting inspiration for your meals at a market.

Moving down the I-95 to New York City, Virtual Frolic doesn't let the rain stop her as she goes out to the famous Union Square Greenmarket, the centerpiece of what is now probably the top foodie destination neighborhood in the whole of the city. Don't forget to check out her flickr photoset too!

Paula writes from Miami, a city mysteriously under-represented so far (that I know of) in the food blogging world, on the gorgeous new Mango and Lime site. She visits the Coconut Grove Organic Farmers Market in downtown Miami, with beautiful photos and useful tips for market touring in hot weather.

Natalia of From Our Kitchen describes one of her local food markets in Denver, Colorado, the Pearl Street market - a team effort since the photos are taken by her father! Colorado peaches enter my 'to definitely eat one day' list...

If you think of Seattle and food, you might automatically think of the world famous Pike Place Market. Kimberly of Music and Cats (yet another great site name) explains that there are several other markets in town, and proceeds to describe the Ballard Farmers’ Market. With so many wonderful markets, no wonder Seattle is a food lover's paradise. And I've fallen in love with the kitty in the banner.

We move down to the great state of California. Dolores of Culinary Curiosity takes us on a whole week's tour of the great markets in the San Francisco Bay area. With so many choices, no wonder this region is such a culinary hotspot.

Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway (the best way to go) to Lost Angeles, KT of Gastronomy 101's local market is on the real Melrose Place (not the TV show of that name), which is a "a tiny street that runs from La Cienega to Melrose". It may be a small market on a small street but it has all the requirements - fresh local produce, baked goods, and live entertainment.

Staying in Los Angeles, Erin of Erin's Kitchen describes the Wilshire Center Farmers' Market that's just outside her office - how lucky she is! I particularly loved the description of the "clutch of Korean grandmas" who arrive early to get the best produce. They sound just like my late grandmother.

We end our round-the-world tour in southern California, for a report with a difference. Motoko of We Must Eat goes to the South Pasadena Farmers' Market, and find herself a little underwhelmed. I found her post to be perhaps the most thought provoking one, because it reminds us that markets are not always paradises. I think the quality of any given market depends on many factors, but from the consumer's point of view it's what we expect, and demand from it. In the short decade or so I've been visiting or living in Zürich, I've seen the markets evolve to include more variety, more organic/bio-production produce, and above all more 'exotic' foodstuffs from areas other than Europe, because of the demand. I saw similar things happen to the markets in New York too when I lived there. I think this is all a great thing. I'd like to think we can exert the same kind of influence on all our food sources - from the food industry to farms to supermarkets, though our buying habits. That's an issue for another post though...

And receiving the prize is...

I can't say "the winner" because every entry was a winner in my opinion. However I can't give books to everyone unfortunately! In order to pick just one, the Official Taste Tester was given the task of reading all the entries carefully and then picking his favorites. After long discussions that went on until 2am this morning, we finally decided on one that had the best combination of background, personal touch, local flavor, and evocative photography, in our opinion. The Taste Tester's comments: "This was the entry that made me drool the most." (We also decided that next time we host this event ourselves and only have limited prizes, we are going to rope in some other judges - it's just too hard to choose.)

So, the Julia Child autobiography In My Kitchen goes to...Nandita of Saffron Trail for "Food Destinations # 2- Scenes from a Mumbai Marketplace". A packet will be winging its way to India very soon!

Honorable mentions go to Music and Cats for quality reporting, and Mango and Lime for a combination of writing and beautiful photos.

Thank you again to all the participants in this round of Food Destinations for your wonderful words and photography!

Food Destinations #3 will be announced very soon with a brand new theme and a new host - stay tuned!

Also, if you would like to host a future Food Destinations event, please email me at maki at makikoitoh dot_com. September, October and November are already spoken for - December onwards are open. To get a feel for what this event is about, you may want to read the posts linked to below.

Links to other Food Destination posts

Food Destinations #2: Lebensmittel Markt am Helvetiaplatz, Zurich, Switzerland

maki — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 23:23:40 +0200

This is my entry for Food Destinations #2: My Local Market.

There are several fresh food markets in Zürich. I was actually going to talk about another one, but someone else had covered it already (as you'll see in the roundup!), so I decided to head to the market at Helvetiaplatz.

Helvetiaplatz is a leafy square in a residential neighborhood of Zürich, and it caters mainly to residents. (It's also on the edge of the small red-light district of the city, but that doesn't mean it's seedy. No where in Zürich is really seedy.) It's a lively market with approximately 30 stalls - a nice manageable size. Everything is presented pristinely, like all Swiss markets. About half of the stalls sell fruits and vegetables, ranging from a big operation in the middle that sells mostly fruits, to small one-man stalls with apples, potatoes and other produce that had just travelled a few minutes. I love the fact that Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland but there are still farms within the city limits.

All the produce is very clearly labeled by country of origin, except for the small local farmers' stalls. Most of the produce comes from within Switzerland, or from Italy, Spain or France. There were berries galore - raspberries, blackberries and red currants; late peaches and nectarines, plums in all colors, and so much more.

The really local fruit being sold by an old local farmer - an apple variety called Spartan that is rarely seen in supermarkets, juicy ripe pears, and reine-claude (greengages, a kind of plum) - were the most appealing to me though. If you've never had a fresh ripe greengage, which are a sort of pale yellow-green in color, you are missing a lot. And the apples were small, tart and crisp, the way I like my apples to be. What really drew my eye though was the really ancient scale he was using to weigh the fruit.

Greengages or reine-claude

Fall was in the air in the form of squashes, both edible and ornamental. This green kind from the Ticino (the southern Italian speaking part of Switzerland) is one of my favorites, because it's sweet and dense like Japanese kabocha.

There are a lot of stalls selling flowers. On this first day of September there were lots of sunflowers and bright branches of physalis. This made me feel so nostalgic since my grandmother's garden had tons of these.

Some fall vegetable plants were being sold too. A lot of Swiss people with no gardens have allotments where they grow their own vegetables.

There are also stalls selling organically raised chicken and eggs, lamb, and other meats, fish, olives, as well as bread and baked goods. There was one crazy man from eastern Switzerland charming the socks off any lady that passed him by, convincing them to try his cured ham and cheese, rustic breads, and massive, fragrant steinpilz (Portobello mushrooms or large porcini).

And what Swiss market would be without cheese? There are a few cheese stalls, selling Swiss as well as French, Italian and Greek varieties. I went a bit nuts buying at the stall selling some interesting French cheeses, such as a wild boar (sanglier) cheese. Though...do they really mean it comes from pig (boar) milk? I will have to go back and find out.

There's a lot more too. Helvetiaplatz is in an area that has in recent years seen an influx of people of many nationalities. (It might be interesting to note that it's estimated that 25% of the population of this small city is now non-Swiss.) There are a few stalls reflecting this - such as one selling Persian delicacies like dried rose petals, dried dates and figs, and another selling Asian vegetables like pak choy and bitter melon. Even the regular stalls are selling more exotic looking produce now.

The Helvetiaplatz market operates year-round on Tuesdays and Fridays from 6am to 11am. To get there, take tram 8 or bus 32. From the main station, take tram 14 to Stauffacher, then either tram 8 or just walk a few blocks.

(Even more photos here!)

Provence, Part 4: The Farmer's Market at Velleron

maki — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 22:59:01 +0200

In my previous post in this series, I described my favorite regular Provence markets. I've saved the best for last however: the extraordinary Marché Agricole (farmer's market) at Velleron.

On our last evening in Provence, we debated whether to end with a farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant that served great traditional Provençal cuisine, or to go to the Velleron market. Velleron won, hands down.

Velleron is a small town somewhere in between Ilse-sur-la-Sorgue and Carpentras. Every evening from 6pm to 7pm during the summer except for Sundays and public holidays, and three times a week during the winter, an empty lot right off the exit on the main route between those two bigger towns is taken over by a troupe of small white vans. They're driven in by local farmers who bring in whatever they have fresh and ripe to sell that day.

The vans are lined up in two rows, their backs facing the central aisle. The doors open up and the stalls are set up. Some are proper stalls with awnings; some are simple foldup tables. The stalls range from fairly large ones selling a variety of produce, to ones selling just one or items. There are stalls with a sea of strawberries; an old farmer selling just a few cartons of haricot verts (slim green beans) and a couple of bags of walnuts; the garlic man who sells beautiful braids of garlic in 5 varieties. Most of the produce is labeled "Classe II", but they are fresh, ripe and amazingly cheap.

The local people know this well. That last evening, which was a Friday, we got there at 5:30, hoping to secure a nearby parking space. We were able to do that luckily, but there was already a horde of people waiting at the gate, baskets or shopping bags in hand. The bread stand right outside the gate to the market area proper was doing a booming business.

At 6 sharp, the gates finally opened and the people rushed in, elbows out, nostrils flared, shopping bags at the ready.

Since we'd been there before, we were already planning to get at least a couple of kilo of fèves (broad beans or fava beans) from the stand immediately to the right of the main entrance, which sold them for an unbelievable €1 per kilo. (That's about 60 cents per pound.) About fifty people seemed to have the same idea, and made a beeline for that stand. I watched amazed as the six stall sellers, ranging from grandpa to the grandson in his low teens, frantically handed out bags of produce and took money from outstretched hands. They sold out of their supply of beans, melons, and courgettes (zucchini) within about 10 minutes, with only a couple of kilos of new potatoes left. (We did manage to secure our share of the fava beans though!)

The ravaged market stall 10 minutes after opening.

The other stands managed to last a bit longer. The vendors were calling out what they had to offer, and handing out samples of their wares: juicy slivers of peaches, ruby-red strawberries, the sweetest cherries.

A few tourists like us wandered down the middle of the aisle with a dazed expression, cameras in perpetual motion, trying to capture the colors of the jewel-like fruits, the bunches of fresh lettuce arranged like bouquets with huge blossoms, the delicate greens of the beans and melons and zucchini. We couldn't capture the aromas or the buzzing atmosphere, or the sheer commitment to fresh, ripe produce that is taken for granted by both seller and buyer. This, I think, is the foundation of Provençal cuisine, what makes it so fresh and good.

Since we were driving home the next day, we pulled ourselves together to buy what we wanted to bring back. We bought 5 kilos of apricots, a couple of bags of both yellow and white peaches, those precious fava beans, a bunch of pink-hued garlic, a carton of small, thin-walled green peppers, a dozen zucchini flowers, two huge Russe heirloom tomatoes, and two bags of cherries. The total cost was less than €20. There are many buyers who cart off crates of beans and several large baskets of strawberries. My guess is that they are restaurant owners.

At 7, the show was already over. The white vans started to pack up, and the customers drifted away to the parking lots. We took a few last, lingering shots of the market and went back to our car, determined to go back as soon as possible.

Note: Although there are a few stalls selling products like jams, honey, wine, oil and cheese, most of the stalls here sell fresh produce. Even if you can't carry the produce home though, Velleron is well worth a visit for any food lover. It's less busy on week days by the way, but most fun on Fridays and Saturdays.

Technorati Tags: france, markets, provence, travel, vegetables, velleron

Provence, Part 3: To Marché, to Marché (2)

maki — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 19:04:43 +0200

Olives at a market stall in Grignan

Every day of the week there are several markets all around Provence. The biggest difficulty is in finding the right one for that day. Each market has its own character and atmosphere, whether it's large or small. Markets are also great places for gathering up the picnic supplies needed for a delicious lunch before taking off on other adventures in the region. Here is my very biased list of the best markets to visit by the day of the week.

Monday: Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is on the coast of the region called the Camargue, and is a good starting point for touring this unique and beautiful area. The small town reminds me a bit of a coastal resort town in southern Florida. It has lots of rather tacky souvenir shops, small cute hotels, touristy restaurants and sandwich stands. There's nothing wrong with that though: it makes me feel right at home.

The market is held on the Place du Marché (where else?) and is fairly small and manageable, making it a nice introduction to the Provence market life. Half of the stalls sell food. The other half sell clothes, bags, leather goods and such. Some local items to look for are Camargue rice and salt - though admittedly you can get these items elsewhere too, especially the salt.

The main thing to do here is to load up on picnic supplies (buy your drinks at the Casino supermarket), and then take off to explore the nature reserves, the salt flats, and the uncrowded and unpretentious beaches on the sparkling Mediterranean.

Other nice markets on Monday: Cavaillon (though watch out, the traffic there is horrendous)

Tuesday: Grignan

If I were to buy a house in Provence, it would be somewhere in or near the Drôme Provençal, in the northern part of the region. It's an area with the most variety in the landscape - vineyards, olive groves, apricot and almond orchards, and rolling fields of lavendar.

Grignan is a charming small town on a hill that is topped by an 18th century chateau made famous because it was where the daughter of Madame de Sévigné lived. The famous lady of letters herself stayed at the chateau frequently. The Grignan market is quite small - except for the high season, it's only on one street shaded by large trees. But that means it's quite uncrowded so you can take your time looking at everything and listening to the sales patter of the vendors, without being jostled by the shopping basket of some determined old lady. The quality of the products is just as good at a larger market, and you can purchase everything you need. (Look for the lady who sells homemade preserves - they are delicious!) In July and August, the market expands to accommodate a very high quality artisanat (handcrafts) market on the main street up the hill.

A market stall selling homemade preserves in Grignan

After the market, you can climb up to visit the chateau - the view of the surrounding countryside from the terrace is breathtaking. There are also many charming little shops in the village, and plenty of cafés, salon de thés, and little restaurants to explore.

Other nice markets on Tuesday: Vaison-la-Romaine, Sarrians, Gordes, Aubagne, Tarascon

Wednesday: St. Rémy-de-Provence

If you want to visit a full-on lively market that has everything you could possibly want, St. Rémy-de-Provence is a good choice. This dignified town in the Bouche-du-Rhône region is most famous for being the place where the Vincent Van Gogh recouperated after his bout of madness (when he cut off part of his ear) following a fight with his friend Paul Gauguin. The market fills the three-shaded streets and squares; produce, meats, cheeses, spices and herbs, soaps and perfumes, Provençal fabrics and gift items, honeys and wines and preserves, olives and oils...anything you want can be bought here.

If I have any complaints about St. Rémy is that it's that it's rather touristy, and the number of stalls selling the handcrafts that I love are a bit lower than at some other places. Since it is so popular, parking can be a problem. However it's still a terrific market. There are also many stores worth visiting in this town too, plus many historical places to visit in town and in the surrounding area.

Afterwards, if you held off on buying olive oil at the market, there are many olive oil producers in the surrounding area. Head south to the area called the Alpilles, and look for signs saying Huile d'Olive.

Other nice markets on Wednesday: Valréas, Sault

Thursday: Nyons

If I had to pick just one marché out of all the ones I have been to (though thank goodness I don't have to), it would be Nyons. Nyons, like Grignan, is in my favorite region of Provence, the Drôme Provençal. The small town is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and apricot orchards - the road from Grignan via Valréas to Nyons is one of my favorites for the beauty and variety of the landscape.

Nyons: a vendor selling olives and tapenade pontificates on the history of the olive.

On market day, most of the streets in the town center are filled up with all kinds of stalls; you can buy everything from beautiful handmade pottery to flowers to used CDs to African art - and of course, just about every kind of food you can think of. The Nyons olive, a small variety that is cured when it's ripe and black called tanche, was the first to receive an appellation controlée (meaning that it can be sold with the place name on its label), so it's not surprising that stalls selling olive-related items are plentiful here: cured olives, tapenade, and olive oil. (Contrary to my normal policy of not buying oil at the markets, I do buy the Nyons oil here, and it's terrific.)

It's hard to say why I like Nyons so much, but I think it's a combination of factors: the shaded, easy to navigate stall paths, the mostly relaxed and friendly vendors, the large number of stalls selling handcrafts, especially art pottery, and the sheer variety of goods sold. The last time I was there, I picked up some DMC embroidery thread at about 1/3rd the normal price; bought a beautiful handmade pottery bowl from the artist himself; got some delicious moist prunes and a tapenade with walnuts in it that was to die for; and ended up by buying a bottle of olive oil from an old farmer who sells only olives, olive oil and whatever fruit was ripe that day.

Other nice markets on Thursday: Orange, Martigues

Friday: Carpentras

Carpentras, in the heart of the Vaucluse region, is another lively market that is not overly touristy nor too big. The emphasis here is on food, food and food: the produce stalls are plentiful, as are the sausage, charcuterie, cheese, and baked goods stalls. You can also buy all the usual market items here too.

Carpentras: This stall owner was selling heirloom type tomatoes only - and what tomatoes!

The market fills the central plaza and the surrounding streets, and most of the customers seem to be local. Just watching the old ladies talking in fierce tones to the vendors is fun. This market is also not overly touristy, which makes it a bit more relaxing to explore than some others.

Other nice markets on Friday: Lourmarin

Saturday: Uzès

Technically Uzès is not in Provence - it's in the neighboring Gard region, which is part of Languedoc. However, the market here is so amazing that I had to include it here. It's about a 30 minute drive to the west from Avignon. Centered around the arcaded La Place aux Herbes, it goes on and on through the surrounding streets. It's one of the most picturesque markets you will ever see. My camera goes crazy here.

What makes this market really stand out for me is the number of stalls selling artisanat (handcrafted) items, both edible and non-edible. There's pottery, handmade preserves, locally produced honey, items made from metal, wood, and so much more. There are lots of street performers to liven things up too. (Incidentally, if you see a Dixie Land jazz group called Gig Street performing, you've probably landed at the 'hot' market of the day. We saw them three times on our last trip - at St. Rémy, Uzès and Nyons.) In addition, the stores of Uzès are quite interesting - lots of art and craft galleries here as well as gourmet stores.

A boy examines the merchandise at a stall selling handcrafts at the market in Uzès, unaware of the vicious attack dog standing guard...

The only negative of Uzès is that the parking spaces fill up very quickly. Try to get there as early as you can, or be prepared to fight for a space in the confusing parking lots...or just park some way away and enjoy a walk to the town center.

Other nice markets on Saturday: Arles, Apt

Sunday: Ilse-Sur-la-Sorgue

Ending the week in Ilse-Sur-la-Sorgue is not a bad way to go. Frankly the market itself is just so-so; the array of foods is not as good as at nearby Carpentras, and it's all very touristy. But it's still my pick for the place to go on Sunday, for many reasons. First there is the setting on the banks of the river Sorgue, which makes for many photo opportunities. Then, there are the brocante stalls that line the other side of the river from the market. Add to that the antiques and brocante stores that are open during the weekend, and you have shopping and browsing heaven. The prices for antiques and "vintage items" at Ilse are not the lowest, but the quality is generally quite good.

A selection of old choppers and other kitchen stuff at a brocante (flea market) stall in Ilse-sur-la-Sorgue.

Other nice markets on Sunday: Avignon (note that Avignon also has a daily market except on Mondays, but the Sunday one is the most colorful)

Honorable mention: Aix-en-Provence

The beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence has a general food market every day of the week, supplemented by flower, clothing, brocante and artisanat markets on various days. If you are limited to the cities because you don't have a car for instance, you can't do much better than Aix.

The other big towns in the area, Avignon (see above) and Marseille, also have daily markets. The Marseille fish market at the Vieux-Port is worth visiting if only to listen to the sales patter and smell that smell of fish.

Finding more markets

The best printed resource I have seen is Markets of Provence by Toulemonde and Gabinus, a book translated from French. Unfortunately it seems to be out of print, but you can find it sometimes via the Amazon Marketplace or Abebooks. It has the most complete and accurate listing of the various markets, with nice photographs.
This web site has a pretty exhaustive listing of markets, arranged alphabetically - though it doesn't list my favorite at Nyons.
The Provence Cookbook by Patricia Wells has a small listing of markets, but the book is worth getting for many other reasons. I'll post a full review of it soon.
If you would rather not spend too much time on pre-trip research, most of the tourism offices have listings of local market schedules.

Note: I'm very, very slowly adding pictures to my flickr Provence photo set. I tend to procrastinate a lot over photo selection, so please bear with me.

Technorati Tags: food destinations, food photography, france, markets, provence, travel

Provence, Part 2: To Marché, to Marché; (1)

maki — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 21:32:49 +0200

Nyons

In my previous post I described how I center my Provence travels around the glorious marchés. If you are fond of markets, there is really no other place I think of where you can indulge yourself as much as you can here.

Some marketing tips

There are three types of marchés that sell food: the regular marché, the marché Provençal, and the marché agricole. A regular marché is meant for local customers as well as tourists, so it will have a large variety of foodstuffs, clothes, and other everyday items; however most regular marchés have lots of touristy stalls that sell cute embroidered towels and the like too. A marché Provençal has a focus on items that appeal to tourists - gift items, crafts, and so on (though you can find food too). A marché agricole is a farmer's market, and has few or no non-food stalls.
Besides the food marchés, you'll also see signs and flyers for antique and brocante markets (flea markets). You might also see signs for Vide Grenier, which literally means "clear out the attic". These are the equivalent of British car boot sales - garage sales held in one location, usually a parking lot or something. Most of these are one-off events, though some towns (such as L'Ilse-de-la-Sorgue) hold weekly brocante markets. (I'm addicted to these...)
All regular marchés are held in the mornings, from 8 am to 12 noon. At 12 the majority of stalls, especially the ones selling food products, shut down promptly. So, plan your day accordingly.
Most people who tell you how wonderful the Provence markets are will not mention the big downside of the popular ones: the agony of finding a parking space. It really pays to go as early as possible to secure yourself a decent parking spot without having to fight for it. (Our Designated Driver almost got into a fist fight with a grey haired Dutch woman one day...)
Repeating myself: you really do need a cooler with ice packs to keep your purchases fresh and safe! Otherwise, limit yourself to items that don't need refrigeration.
The basic rule of all markets is ne touchez pas - don't touch, unless the stall vendor lets you choose your own (you'll see little baskets provided in that case). For things like delicate peaches and apricots in particular, don't try to squeeze the produce. And whatever you do don't poke your fingers in the attractively displayed baskets of spices and herbs. On the other hand, chances are the vendor will be handing out small slices of their best and ripest fruit as samples. One spice and herb vendor was doing great business by scattering a pinch of the fragrant stuff into peoples' palms. Many of the vendors will be offering all kinds of tasty samples. It's all part of the fun of the market.
Not all the produce you see is produced locally - remember that the markets are not just for tourists, they are where regular people do their grocery shopping too. For local produce look for the word Pays on the price signs. You will also see the term Artisanat on many items - handcrafts, sausages, cheese, etc. That means that the product is hand made, usually using traditional methods.
Many market stall vendors are terrific salespeople. They can charm you into buying anything! So remember to stand firm and not buy things you don't intend do. (This last time we bought two huge loaves of sourdough bread that we didn't particularly like from the samples, just because the stall owner talked us into it.)

Things to buy or not to buy at a marché

A display of honey pots at the market in Uzès.

The array of items for sale at a Provence market are so attractive that you might be tempted to buy everything. Not everything is going to get safely though customs when you fly back home though. Also, some items can be found for better prices and/or quality elsewhere. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, so your results may vary.

Things to buy:

Any produce or food items that you intend to eat right away.
Honeys and bee products - make sure they are from the region though and not imported.
Homemade preserves - sample first! Some are way better than others.
Cured olives and related products (such as tapenade) provided they are well packed. Again, sample the wares - they will encourage you to, so why not?
Dried fruits - the prunes (yes, prunes) and figs available here are usually outstanding.
Those cute embroidered towels you will see everywhere (but comparison shop!) Likewise for tablecloths and other linens.
Handmade items such as pottery, wood carvings, santons (small figures of saints and ordinary people that are used in a Christmas crêche) etc. You can tell what's handmade and what's not after some research (by which I mean looking at lots of items!)
Olive wood kitchen products. I love the olive wood spatulas I can buy here - they are a bit flexible, have a sheen to them, and don't scratch non-stick surfaces.
Handmade soaps and related items such as lotions. The prices for these at the markets are a bit cheaper than at stores that sell this kind of thing most of the time. Be sure you're buying regional products though.

Olive wood kitchen wares at the Carpentras market

Things not to buy (or to be careful about):

Olive oil: I think you can buy better quality olive oil from stores or the producers themselves. If you do buy olive oil at a market though, make sure it's really the good cold pressed stuff. Don't get bedazzled by a pretty bottle. (Believe me, I've been there!)
Prepackaged Herbes de Provence: You will see these everywhere, packaged in such cute little sachets and sacks. Ask yourself though - will you really use such a big quantity of Herbs de Provence within a reasonable time at home? I would much rather either make my own mix, or use the mixes that come in small, airtight containers - which can be purchased (gasp) at a supermarket. (I do however buy small quantities of herbs and spices that I can buy exactly the amount I want of.)
Wine: Most of the wines sold at markets seem to be of the tourist-bait variety. Buy your wine from a cave instead.
Dried sausages: Actually, dried artisanat sausages are great things to buy - if you are going to eat them while you are in the area. Bringing them home may be a problem - U.S. customs for instance will not like them. The same applies to cheese.
Provençal fabrics: I am not sure about the quality of the yards and yards of fabrics being sold at market stalls. For quality at a price, I prefer to go to a Les Olivades or Souleiado store (there is one of each in most of the large towns); for quality and great prices, there is a wonderful fabric store near Avignon...that I will describe in a later post. In any case check what you are buying carefully.

I'll list some of my favorite markets in the next post in this series.

Technorati Tags: france, provence, prunes, markets, travel

Food Destinations: Zürich, Switzerland

maki — Thu, 18 May 2006 14:09:55 +0200

This is my entry for the Food Destinations event - a day late!

Introduction

Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland, and the center for banking and commerce. With a population of around 350,000 for the city proper, and about 1 million for the greater Zürich area, it's not a large metropolis by international standards, but it's certainly very cosmopolitan. The entire population of Switzerland itself is around 6 million, so you can see that Zürich is quite dominant population wise.

This is a city that flaunts its prosperity in a subtle yet quite emphatic way. From the moment you land at the airport in Kloten and work your way through the granite-clad, spotlessly clean corridors, you are surrounded by a very Swiss kind of luxury. Trains are always on time, and always impeccably clean. Crime is barely an issue. People pay for their groceries at the supermarket with CHF 500 (Swiss Francs - currently roughly US $400) bills and the cashiers don't bat an eye. The shop windows along the Bahnhofstrasse, the main street leading from the imposing Hauptbahnhof (main station) are filled with understated displays of astonishingly expensive watches and jewelry.

This means that eating out in Zürich can be rather expensive. However, there are still many ways to enjoy the rich variety of food that is available here without breaking the bank. It's quite easy to find an expensive and fairly good restaurant here, but for my Food Destinations essay for my adopted city of the last decade or so, I'm going to concentrate on some great non-restaurant food experiences, with just one exception. (Max will be covering the restaurant scene in more detail in his post.)

Practical notes for visitors:

Almost everyone speaks at least a little English, so you don't have to worry about communications. Swiss-German sounds nothing like regular German by the way!
As in most European cities, service is included in the bill at restaurants and cafés. Most people leave some small change when they pay.
All resturants have smoking and non-smoking areas, and now the trains are all non-smoking.
The best way to get around town is on the pretty blue-and-white trams. All the destinations I've listed are close to a tram stop. The easiest way to use the tram system is to get a Tageskarte, or Day Ticket - available from the ticket offices in the main station, or from any vending machine at the tram stops.
Add 0041 to the telephone number and omit the first 0 (e.g. if the number starts with 044, just dial 0041 44 etc.) if calling from overseas.

So, here are my chosen destinations, in no particular order.

Confiserie Sprüngli, Paradeplatz

Bahnhofstrasse 21, 8022 Zürich, phone 044 224 46 46 http://www.spruengli.ch
Trams: 2,6,7,8,9,11,13 to Paradeplatz

Paradeplatz is the center of the city. Several tram lines converge there, and it's surrounded by chic boutiques, popular restaurants and expensive hotels like the Savoy. Dominating one corner is the flagship store of Confiserie Sprüngli, a true Zürich institution.

A confiserie is a store that sells both sweet and savory items; pastries, cakes, chocolates, sandwiches, and even ice cream. (Incidentally, the German term Konditorei is not that often used here, even if this is the German speaking area of Switzerland.) Sprüngli sells all of these items in their always busy ground floor boutique. Whether you want a box of chocolate pralines or truffles, a small yet delicious sandwich, a selection of delicate savory nibbles made from buttery puff pastry, or a beautifully presented slice of cake, you can find it here. A couple of specialities include the Cru Sauvage truffle, made from a wild cacao bean that grows in Bolivia, and the Luxemburgerli, a tiny meringue sandwich with a flavored cream filling.

Upstairs is an elegant Edwardian-style decor café/tea room, where you can sample a slice, or two, of those irresistable cakes, or have a salad or hot dish for lunch. One speciality that may sound strange but is surprisingly delicious is a sort of deluxe bowl of Birchermeusli (the bowl of fibre-filled cereal goodness invented in Switzerland). The Sprüngli version is soaked in milk until it's soft and mushy, mixed with crushed berries, and optionally topped with cream. The tearoom gets very crowded from around lunchtime until 3 in the afternoon, especially on weekends. One impressive thing about Sprüngli is that no matter how busy and hectic it gets, the ladies who serve you are always cheerful and unruffled. You never get the kind of attitude here that you might get at Fauchon in Paris for example - and the pastries are just as good. It is, however, a bit pricey.

Incidentally, there are smaller Sprüngli stores all over the city, so if the main store is too crowded, try another one if you only want to buy something. There is a Sprüngli conveniently located at the airport, plus 3 in the Hauptbahnhof. The distinctive blue-and-white Sprüngli wrapping has a certain cachet, so if you need to bring a gift to a Swiss friend you can't go wrong with something from here.

Globus am Bellevue

Theaterstrasse 12, phone 044 266 16 30, http://www.globus.ch
Trams 2,4,5,8,9,11,15 to Bellevue or S-Bahn Stadelhofen (one stop from the Hauptbahnhof)

Unfortunately they didn't let me take any pictures here. Nevertheless, this branch of the Globus department store is a worthy stop for any foodie.

The three-story store located opposite the Zürisee (Lake Zürich) is totally dedicated to food. On the ground floor there is a casual restaurant serving a variety of foods such as Asian style noodle bowls. There's even a sushi bar, which for Switzerland is not too bad. (I don't pretend that sushi is great here.) The upper floor is dedicated to kitchen equipment and tableware; for a cook it's sort of like an Aladdin's cave of goodies. Much of it is rather upclass and modern; you won't find grandma's china patterns here, but you will find elegant pure-white dinner sets from Villeroy and Bosch, hammered iron pots from Japan, shocking pink silicon baking molds from Fauchon, stainless steel pots and kitchen gadgets from R&oouuml;sle, Sigg and WMF, and the like.

Finally, the basement is all about food and wine! The vegetables are impeccable and viciously expensive; there are several gourmet food counters (one for cheese, one for cured meats, one for fresh pasta, and so on), and a fairly comprehensive wine section. One good thing about this gourmet food basement is that there are lots of opportunities to taste and nibble. Tasting dishes of mustards and oils and vinegars and the like are laid out generously, and there's usually some sort of wine tasting going on. The other day for instance they were handing out handfuls of organic chocolate in one corner, and having a balsamic vinegar tasting in another.

An ideal summer afternoon is to put together a picnic lunch here and carry it over to the lake, to either eat on a bench or on the deck of a commuter boat (the boats are part of the city transportation system, so the fare included in your Day Pass.)

Barkat Lebensmittel

Birmensdorferstrasse 143, 8003 Zürich, phone 043 811 54 90
Trams 9,14, Bus 33, 67,76 to Schmiede Wiedikon

At first glance, Barkat looks like a rather scruffy cash-and-carry market...which it actually is. But look closer, and you see a microcosm of the multicultural community of Zürich.

Barkat is located on a busy street right opposite an ubiquitous Migros supermarket. (Migros dominates food shopping in Switzerland.) Outside there are boxes of cheap, mealy apples and 50 kilo sacks of onions. But inside, the vegetable aisles carry things like casava, plantains, a huge variety of herbs, Japanese style sweet potatoes with pinky-purple skins and white insides, and amazingly cheap shiitake and maitake mushrooms. This is where I encountered puntarelle for the first time, for example.

There are several boxes that are just labeled "Asiatiche Früchte/Gemüse" (Asian Fruit/Veg); I often have no idea what they are but it's fun to ask people or just try them out. In the back, there rows and rows of spices, legumes and rice from various lands, as well as snacks (tooth-achingly sweet Indian pastries, strudel from Croatia) and breads that you don't see in regular stores. There are some misses here (rubbery mystery cheese or flavorless mystery jam) but going to Barkat is always an interesting adventure. It's all quite inexpensive, which makes it even more fun.

Restaurant Zeughauskeller

Bahnhofstrasse 28a, 8003 Zürich, phone 044 211 26 90, http://www.zeughauskeller.ch
Trams: 2,6,7,8,9,11,13 to Paradeplatz

My only restaurant entry is not necessarily the best in the city, but it's a must-go-to if you want to sample typical traditional Swiss/regional cuisine. In the case of Zürich that means sausages and potatoes, most often in the form of rösti, a grated potato pancake. And one of the best places to have that kind of meal is at the Zeughauskeller, which is conveniently located on the Paradeplatz (diagonally opposite from Sprüngli).

A typical lunch at the Zeughauskeller - Wurst and Rösti.

The restaurant is big, and in the warm months there is plenty of seating outside too. The menu is pretty basic - sausages, cutlets, a couple of fish dishes, and salads. People do not come here if they are on a diet or after 'trendy' food: they come for the excellent sausages, beer on tap, and the friendly atmosphere. The decor is sort of refined-beer hall. Out of town visitors we take there love it, especially Americans. At lunchtime the tables are filled with the "Züri Gnomes"...a.k.a. the bankers. (See a bit more about the Zeughauskeller in Max's post.)

St. Jakob Confiserie

Badenerstrasse 41, 8004 Zürich, phone 241 41 41, http://www.st-jakob.ch/html/confiserie.php
Trams 2,3,8,9,14 to Stauffacher

This small exquisite confiserie opened fairly recently, on a busy street about 5 minutes from the Hauptbahnhof by tram. It's run by the St. Jakob Behindertenwerk, a charitable organization that provides employment to disabled people - so while you indulge yourself you are also contributing to a good cause...a plus-plus all around! The head confiseur here is a lady, and the store has a very feminine feel to it. Even the packaging is in spring shades of pink, green, blue and yellow.

The chocolate pralines and truffles here are all handmade and delectable, of course - I am especially fond of the peppermint truffles, which taste like rather upscale after-dinner mints. They also have a line of handmade Leckerli (a sort of spicy biscuit that is a speciality of Basel), gorgeous cakes and sandwiches. The only drawback is that they don't have anywhere to sit to sample their wares on-site. Prices here are a bit less expensive than at Sprüngli.

Spezialitätenmarkt im Hauptbahnhof (Speciality Market in the Main Station)

Hauptbahnhof Main Hall, Every Wednesday from 10:00 - 20:00, http://www.ltm.ch/index.php?site=content/sites/spezialitaetenmarkt

The main food market for the city is conveniently held right in the large main hall of the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), every Wednesday. Since it's all indoors there's no fear of battling bad weather all year round.

Approximately 50 or so stalls sell everything from beautiful organically grown produce to cured meats to potted plants to breads and pastries to jars of honey, preserves, various sauces, and much, much more. The stall holders come from all around Switzerland and surrounding areas like Italy and France. There are also a couple of stands selling hot food and cold drinks to eat at one of the provided picnic tables. This is a must-stop if you happen to be in town on a Wednesday.

H. Schwarzenbach Kolonialwaren, Kaffeerösterei, Tee-Café (Imported Dry Goods, Coffee Roaster, and Tea/Coffeehouse)

Münstergasse 19, 8001 Zürich, phone 044 261 13 15, http://www.schwarzenbach.ch
Trams 4,15 to Rathaus

My final entry is perhaps the most uniquely Zürich destination of all. Located right in the Altstadt (historic old town), Schwarzenbach has been in business as a exotic-foods store for 140 years, run by the same family. (Their web site says that all 5 bosses have been named Heinrich! The current owner is Heinrich the Fifth. He only has two daughters though, so maybe the next generation will break the Heinrich string...) The current Schwarzenbach mini-mall consists of the original Kolonialwaren (which literally means "wares from the colonies") on the right and a café on the left, with a humongous old coffee roaster in the middle. When they are roasting, the whole street is filled with the irresistable aroma.

The old Kolonialwaren store is the real draw however. The windows are filled with a surprisingly up-to-date assortment of foods: dried herbs and grains, pastas of all shapes and sizes, vinegars and oils. Inside, you're transported back to another time: shelves filled with jars and boxes, big glass containers full of candy; baskets of dried fruits. Nothing here is self-service - you must wait patiently in line for one of the quietly helpful and polite ladies to take your order. Amazingly though, the selection here just as big, if not bigger, than at the glitzy modern Globus. This is the place that I buy my favorite salt from Brittany, as well as organic rye flour and the best chocolate couveture (chocolate buttons for cooking) in town. And the coffee is well, amazing.

The little café next door is quite plain inside, but very relaxing. There is a big variety of coffees and teas to try, plus some delicious pastries. You can while away hours here in perfect contentment. It's a great place to rest your feet after exploring the many interesting shops in the Altstadt.

Technorati Tags: food destinations, switzerland, travel, Zurich