Brin de Muguets, Lilly of the Valley, Red currant jelly, St Maure, Vacherousse, Echire butter, Confit de Canard, Recipe 202619 Parmentier confit canard

Bonjour French Market Friends,
I hope you are enjoying your Labour / Workers Day this 1^st of May. The groundswell movement in the 1800s, particularly in America, led to the regulation and limitation of workday to 8 hours to prevent abusive practices.

Today on the 1^st of May in France, many friends and families exchange a Brin de Muguet (sprig of Lilly of the Valley). This symbol of Spring and sign of friendship has been attributed to the French King Louis lX who was given a bouquet of Lilly of the Valley in 1561 (apparently). He then decided to make a tradition each 1^st of May, to hand out these delicate springtime flowers to the Ladies at his French court (Image courtesy of Xavier Remongin / agriculture.gouv.fr). When I worked for Air France at Heathrow (a while ago) on 1st of May our air hostesses, dressed by Balenciaga and other top couturiers, would fly into Terminal 2 at Heathrow from Paris Orly, with baskets of Muguets, which they handed out to the travellers in the Terminal. They then jumped back on the Caravelle plane and returned to Paris. It was a typically beautiful French gesture and brought a flash of spring colour and French beauty to a dull and grey Heathrow. This clever marketing gesture has stayed in my mind every 1^st of May.

Back here in Cape Town, our weather is really chilly with much needed rain. Having just completed another record breaking month in our business, I keep my fingers crossed that the global disruptions will eventually calm down and that we can continue to bring the beautiful products I love from France, to share with our clients around the country. Even though this does not include transporting beautiful Air France hostesses to hand out Muguets. What we do fly in, is the best in French cheese and culinary treats. I really enjoy it when new clients come into the shop every day and discover us. Please do pass the word around if you have friends in other parts of the city and country and tell them that we can deliver throughout South Africa, thanks to the efficient services of The Courier Guy, major cities are usually overnight. The rest takes a day or so longer. Our only limitation is the frozen pastries – these can only travel within a short distance from Cape Town unless we have a frozen delivery truck going to the area.

In our cheese stock this week we have received more St Maure. This small, log shaped goat’s milk cheese is dusted with ash. Their name comes from the name of Maure (Moors) travellers from the north of Africa who invaded France through Spain. After their defeat in battle, the Moors settled in the Loire region of France with their families and goat herds, and they transferred their knowledge to the local farmers on how to make goat’s milk cheese. Other goats cheese in stock includes crottins, fresh rounds of goat’s cheese, which are creamy and delicate in flavour. We have the hard crottins which are drier and much stronger in flavour. We have the large 1kg buche (log shaped) goats cheese, which is covered with a dry crust and a crumbly centre. Several people  with cow’s milk allergies prefer the goat’s milk cheese which is less creamy. Sheep’s milk cheese also has a lower fat content than cow’s milk cheese. My favourite blue is Roquefort; this incredibly flavoured sheep’e milk blue cheese is considered by the French to be the King of blue cheese. Serve it with a pear compote or a chunk of Membrillo (Spanish quince paste) which we do have in stock.

For clients who prefer more delicate flavours try some of our Vacherousse. This incredibly creamy cheese has a mild flavour with a slight tang in the crust. You can pair this cheese with some of our new stock of Redcurrant Jelly from Baxters.

We have also received new stock of the Échiré AOP traditionally churned butter. It is presented in individual baskets. Recognised as one of the best butters in the world, do pre-order as we only get a small quantity in at a time.

With the chilly weather clients are looking for heartwarming meals. As soon as the temperature drops the French rush in and buy Raclette to melt at home and serve with boiled potatoes and cornichons (small crunchy and salty gherkins). Another favourite is Confit de Canard, cooked duck legs in duck fat. This duck fat preserves the duck and is amazing for making crispy, brown, roast potatoes as duck fat heats up higher than other fats. This week’s recipe is an easy to make and rich, warming dish of Confit Parmentier (duck meat topped with mashed potato). Pair this with a Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot blend Petite Sirene from the Bordeaux region.

I hope you are all enjoying your Workers’ Day off (I wish someone would tell me how to fit all my work into 8 hours a day). Have a great weekend!
Regards

Suzanne and The French Market Team