Au marché, au marché

The other day on the way to the market, I taught Elena 'To market, to market,To buy a fat pig; Home again, home again, Jiggedy jig; To market, to market, To buy a fat hog; Home again, home again, Jiggedy jog'.  It made me think about how when that little rhyme probably was made up, it was when village markets were the way of life for everybody - and perhaps some frazzled parent made it up to keep their kids excited about going to market??!!  And now they are becoming a key thing we do as part of our week.  And I think it is pretty cool that Elena can associate that rhyme with something we do.    

The village markets were one of the things we were looking forward to before we came away.  On my previous travels in Europe I hadn't really done the market thing so much as we moved to a new location every day or so.  Of course the ones that remain in my memory are in Barcelona and in Venice.   

I guess it what excited me coming away was being able to go back to the same markets regularly, try different things every time and also find favourite vendors.  We haven't been disappointed, and I love spending the morning at the marché. 

Our favourite has been Mirepoix which is about a 25 minute drive from us, and held every Monday morning and is a great way to start the week.  It is set in 14th century village square, where the vendors sell their wares alongside the covered 'verandas' (where the second floor of the building juts out to create the cover, rather than something jutting out from the building.  A picture might explain that better.

The tables and stalls of goodies wind their way through Les Halles and alongside the centuries old church.  Under the 'verandas' outside the restaurants and bars are tables and chairs, each with their own look that defines which chairs belong to which establishment, and throughout the morning and heading into lunchtime and the winding up of the market, the tables are filled with people having a snack, a coffee or into lunch with some wine and something more substantial to eat.  I could watch the activity for hours and hours...but alas, with two kids in tow, we generally have to move quickly and onto the next thing to keep their interest up, or to find the next yummy thing to eat. 

Mirepoix market.  Gregg ambling through with the kids.  Often the picture changes and the buggy is empty of children and full of shopping!  But it shows the 'verandas' I was trying to explain.  I must find out what this is called. 

The vendors are just as interesting as their produce.  They are helpful when we must look a little overwhelmed at what to choose (or even how to choose it - some select your fruit and veges for you - others have bags for you to fill your own that they hide away up above your heads, so when you stand there waiting to be served you look like a goober), the name of things are in French - and even reading the name labels out our accent often causes a giggle - but we always get there, they are friendly to the kids - who are often handed a grape, an olive or piece of dried fruit or slice of salami.

Our favourite vendor is one guy - but he has multiple names - the olive man, the dried fruit man, the sundried tomato man, the vege chip man.  We love his things and always come away with what we think is enough....but never is!  Luckily we have found him at both Mirepoix and Limoux so far, so can get a double weekly fix if we need to. 

The stand with man with multiple names that we have given him.  It was one of the first stands we went to at Mirepoix market.  The most commonly used word at his stand is 'plus' ie, more.   



Eeek.  Didn't like this guy and his buddies.  I had kept walking and Gregg and my brother Joe who was with us this day in Limoux stopped!  Why? We all were watching our pockets and bags.  Another guy was showing Joe a rope trick where he pulled it around his neck.  Creepy. 

Mirepoix not on market day. 

Mirepoix on market day

Back home with our first market shopping.  

Our first market visit we came away with some basic things, but now we know what can be found at the markets we are leaving with more goodies...I got powdered vanilla and vanilla pods the other day; and just devine herbal tea taken out of a big canister and packaged so nicely in a little bag for me.    We have realised the bottom of the buggy is just nowhere near big enough for our shopping so have bought a basket (that can also double for taking towels to the beach, or picnics out).  Since we have bought that it is always filled to the brim with du pain (bread), des legumes (veges), des fruits (fruit) and lots of other goodies.  And everyone I talk to seems to have a new recommendation for a vendor to visit, or where to get the best olives or other regional product! 

We are seeing some of the same vendors at a couple of the different markets.  Another one we like is on Friday in Limoux (home of French bubbles and another blog tale!!).   It doesn't seem as compact or intimate as Mirepoix and is spread over the village square, a couple of streets and into an inside hall, but in reality is probably about the same size.  They had some chickens and rabbits in cages...not for pets, me thinks...

There is a market close by for every day of the week if we want it.  Sometimes we go once a week, sometimes twice.  It just mingles into your way of life here, and it is great to see the markets obviously full of local residents as well as holiday makers from near by, as well as tourists passing through.  We can get a lot of what we need for the week and it makes going to the supermarket really for the non-food things, or non-perishable items.  It is a lovely way to be able to live, and also then cook.  We don't have a fridge full of things that get bought with good intentions as part of a full supermarket trolley, and then get wasted as they don't get used.  It is filled with things for the next few days...and then we know we'll be off to market again.  We have tried in NZ to get to markets more often than we actually have.   

We hope this will be a habit we do take home with us.  Jiggedy jig!!