Bonjour French Market Friends,
In France the weather is warming up and it is a clear sunny day in Paris, friends are sitting on the banks of the Seine enjoying outdoor picnics. Tod
ay is the Fete du Muguet, the Festival of Lily of the Valley, traditionally the day that people give a sprig of Lilly of the Valley to their cherished ones as a token of Friendship and Good Luck. This tradition is linked to the flowering in Spring of these delicate flowers and apparently started on the 1st of May 1561 at the court of the French King ,Charles lX who gave sprigs of these flowers to the ladies at his Court. (Image courtesy Wikipedia). When I worked for Air France, at Heathrow on 1st of May our air hostesses, dressed in elegant Dior uniforms, would disembark at Terminal 2 with baskets of Muguets and hand them out to the passengers in the Terminal then return to Paris. It was a lovely tradition and brought a touch of French elegance to a rather dull grey Terminal. I do miss dressing in Dior for work, jeans and an apron are now my latest fashion!
Today we celebrate Workers Day in S Africa, for entrepreneurs like myself, this does not alter our work schedule but 
does allow us to close early and enjoy the afternoon. Autumn is arriving with cooler temperatures and some rain which means that the Porcinis season has started. Our stock grows mainly in the SAPI pine forest in Kokstad, where the ground is sandy and clean, which means the porcinis are in great condition. We received our first of the season yesterday and they sold out. We will continue to order, please message me if you want us to keep some aside for you as they are really popular.
In our cheese range we have an array of flavours and textures to tempt you. The Brie de Meaux is runny and full of
flavour. The little Camemberts are perfect for making a warming evening dish, bake them in the oven with some garlic and herbs and serve with chunks of crusty baguette. Vacherousse is one of our most popular cheeses, this is a modern creation from the Jura, with a rich creamy centre and light orange crust, the flavour is subtle. In the firmer 
texture cheeses we have medium flavoured Emmental and Gruyere which are ideal to melt into a fondue. Another cheese that can be added to a fondue is the Tomme de Savoie, a dry crusted cheese that is aged for 6 months with a subtle flavour. For a strong flavour try some of our gooey Epoisses from Burgundy, one of the most pungent cheeses made in France.
A new addition in our dry goods range is L’Ail Noir, Black garlic from Terre Exotique. Originally used in Korean cuisine, this garlic is cooked in its skin in a special bag, which is placed inside a steel box and cooked slowly. The process is carefully controlled and takes 3 to 4 weeks, during which time the garlic darkens to a deep brown/black colour and softens to a sweet paste. After cooking, the garlic heads are removed from the bag and allowed
to dry. The slow cooking eliminates the strong flavour of garlic and creates a distinctive aroma and sweet taste, reminiscent of liquorice, balsamic vinegar and even prunes. The easiest way to enjoy this special flavour is simply to mash the garlic cloves into mashed potatoes.
The recommended wine pairing with Black Garlic is red wine, particularly Shiraz, we suggest pairing with some of our Pavillon St Pierre Rouge.
I hope you enjoy a restful day off today and look forward to seeing you in our little French treats shop soon.
Regards
Suzanne and The French Market Team