Prades Market

Tuesday morning is Prades market day which in August is rammed with tourists and you hear far too many English voices. Are they especially loud or do their voices just cut through the gentle rumble of the locals? I never know the answer to this but I never feel afterwards "oh they sound nice people I wish I knew them." Am I am snob? Probably, and long may it continue if I am.

So I ticked off the items on my list, fresh goats cheese from the man who always tells me about his goats up the hill. I got a bit of a French lesson today as well. Apparently a "Plaisanterie" ( sp?) is verbal but a Blague is more of a practical joke ! Shame because I like saying " Je blague !"

I have a strange feeling that I am the English equivlent of Peter Sellers Cluseau when I speak French. Interestingly ( if it is interesting ) I have abandonned my "French" accent and reverted to my French spoken with an English accent. This is for 3 reasons, 1) They tell me they LOVE French with an English accent.... 2) The always ask if I am from Northern France when I use my "proper French accent" which I guess would be a compliment except no one like people from the North of France and 3) I steadfastly refuse to speak with the local accent... " du pang ( pain ) " for bread, domang ( domain) for tomorrow.... I'm sorry, no can do.... years with a Parisian teacher cannot just be wiped out over night !

Oh yes back to the list....

Peaches,,,  In the Prades valley you have some of the most productive peach trees in France and all the locals sell their own so its so hard to choose...they are all gorgeous. I love them for breakfast with thick yoghurt or mild goats cheese, or very mild Colummiers ( like a very young Brie ) Today I bought some sort of squashed peaches that have a custardy flavour... forgotten what they are called but they are fab - u - lous.

Olives.... they grow around here, often replacing old vines, in fact we have olives on our 3 year old tree this year but they are skinny little things. The ones I bought were steeped in garlic, basil and lemon... mmmmmm delish !

Red Onions..... Now then I have found in Italy and a lot of places in France they often serve salad with NO onions !!!!! This is not a complete salad in the Williams household. What is the point of a salad without a little " ooomph!?" Little note.... as we live up the mountain and often CBA driving for 20 mins if the shop is shut I have created an instant fix for the, no red onion problem.... Ignore this if you have always done it......

Dulcie's instant pickled onion.....Take a small glass jar ( could use plastic but that would be horrid )
Almost fill with balsamic vinegar, add sliced COOKING or any other boring / too strong for salad type onion.....so it is all covered with liquid
EAT with salad, cheese, pate, anything, and pop it in the fridge until all used. It's so nice I keep filling it up with more onion....

So no, not gastronomy but damn good !