Showing posts with label French Markets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Markets. Show all posts

Friday, October 18, 2019

Market Day in Céret

Saturday, September 21st, 2019 

We’ve been blessed with great weather so far; just a little drizzle one day in Saint-Remy!
Early this morning at 730AM the view from my bedroom window wasn’t too promising.
It was a “moody” sky! 
We can only hope Mother Nature will get over her “bad mood” soon since it is “Market Day” in Céret! 

Monsieur Honey and I always say you can’t do anything about the weather!

So as the Mother Goose nursery rhyme goes we had two choices ...
 “this little piggy went to the market”  or “this little piggy stayed home”! 

You have to roll with it or you stay put inside and miss out on some great experiences.

We all armed ourselves with proper gear (jackets, hoods, hats and umbrellas, etc) just in case the heavens opened up to shower us and off we went to the Market. 

Our tour of the market started at Place de la Liberte. 
Normally it is so busy with vendors stalls, visitors and shoppers that you can barely move through the crowds. 
Today the market was much smaller likely due to the weather.

We had a short list of a few things we wanted ... » anciennes tomates » of every colour possible, bulb onions, a stalk of celery (I had plans to make some soup) melons and bread from a local boulangerie.   
My first stop was at the flower sellers to have a bouquet of beautiful lisianthus set aside. 

Giant pan of cooking Paella ...

Added to our list while we’re here ... some of these strawberries! 
We will have to keep looking those aren’t the anciennes tomatoes.

Colourful pottery ...

Vendor with variety.
Everything made from olive wood ...

Some local beer tasting and Matheau (sp?) from Le Traquenard had a sale! 
Le Traquenard Brasserie Artisanale is worth trying. 

After dropping our purchases at the car, we wandered a little longer. 

We dealt with Mother Nature’s mood fairly well until the rain changed from a drizzle to a downpour drenching us all. 
We needed to find some shelter and maybe a coffee ... most places were full a l’interier (inside) ...

We sat side-by-side outside under a large canopy facing the street, perfect for watching the activity. 
Monsieur Mark looked after ordering and we were quickly served. We had picked up some croissants & pain au raisin at the boulangerie to enjoy with our coffees & cappuccinos. 

Monsieur Mark’s charm and his thank you « Canadian flag » pin to the waitress garnered him a neat souvenir t-shirt from the El Toro Loco Bar.

These little ones were well-prepared for Mother Nature’s tears (today’s downpours) with their rubber boots and brightly coloured umbrellas. 

We finished our Market Day with a quick stop at the Intermarche (supermarket) and then lunch at Relais d’Ourlich.  
We were later than the normal time for lunch in France, luckily we were seated and served. 
It was a delicious and entertaining meal. 
We had a server with a great sense of humour. 
Madame Susan asked her a question about one of the entrées trying to figure out what it was ... and the server replied with an « oink, oink » sound!
Sounds are universal! 
We all laughed! 
Delicious food, our lunch started with a buffet of salads, meats, cheeses, etc.then our choice of four main dishes. 
The potato dish was mashed potatoes with pumpkin, another must to add to my dinner menus. 

My lisianthus bouquet to brighten our day!  
     







Wednesday, May 13, 2015

A Market Tour in Ceret!

Saturdays are Market Day in Ceret and it's all happening right outside our apartment and all around the many town streets.


The vendors were busy early setting up their stalls, the first one in our square was  "Monsieur Poulet" the chicken rotisserie man ... I think we heard the clanging of the propane tanks at about 530 am.
Quickly the square filled up and the various vendors were ready to sell their wares ... here you could find everything plus the "kitchen sink"!


My Monsieur Honey was the first customer at the "Flower Stand"  where he purchased a surprise bouquet of flowers for me.


 
     

Now I know why I call him Monsieur Honey!




                  Plenty of choice ... colourful vegetables.

               
                        


Herbs and spices from A to Z ...


Artisan teas for you ... Suzie Q!


For the bakers ... Every imaginable vanilla product!


Some nibbles for aperos? 
What will it be "saucisson, anchois, pate lorrain" or one of the many Catalan specialities?


Madame M. & Msr. Guy said we had to try the anchovies ... after the first one I got use to the taste.



Pate Lorrain (similar to a sausage roll) was Msr. Honey's choice.


Paella for dinner...




What no delivery ... Okay I'll carry it in my back pack!

        







Do you need a new book, Monsieur?


Or maybe a French made cotton sweater?


Maybe we need a new basket to carry everything home!





Hope you enjoyed our "Market Tour" under the shade of the colourful umbrellas and the huge "Plane trees".