Bonjour French Market Friends,
This last week I drove up from Charente to Charles de Gaulle Airport, it’s nearly a 6-hour trip, even driving at the maximum speed limit. I broke the route with several stops for coffee at the motorway rest places. Interesting to see that Starbucks completely dominates the coffee outlets even in the smallest country places I visited in England and France. I also loved the automatic self-service coffee machines (once I had been shown how to actually use it, I felt like a real country bumpkin facing the blank screen of the future). I think I should install one here at the shop, you don’t need waiters, just push a couple of buttons and pay the machine and it produces a top
cappuccino or any other variation that you select. And politely presents the coffee with a thank you message.
Traversing around Paris on the “Periph” is quite an experience as well. This 5lane highway forms a circle around the city and works well. There is a constant surge of traffic and the unspoken rule for motorbikes is that they slide in between cars on the fastest outside lane and the next lane, if you don’t move over until you are almost against the central barrier, they give you lots of rude hand signs. Truck drivers are not very patient either, even if you are driving at the supposed speed limit which was reduced to 50km/h, their horns are the loudest I have ever heard, they definitely would give our taxis a run for their money. My advice to anyone thinking of driving a manual car on the wrong side of the road, is to hire one with a built in GPS driving map, its brilliant, you just focus on the road while the map reader tells you which roads to take and they don’t argue with you!
Whilst I was in Paris I met up with my French family, who live in the heart of Paris on the beautiful Boulevard Raspail. As I walked along the 
street, past classic cafes with their elegant Parisian clients seated on the pavements enjoying an “Apero”, I was struck how unchanged this part of Paris remains, until I saw a blockade of taxis across the street. (they had been on the Boulevard for over a week as part of a country wide protest), facing off against the local Gendarmerie. I noted the Parisians just carried on walking around the protesters as if this was normal behaviour. Sitting in their apartment overlooking the street, my cousins rolled their eyes every time we heard a tear gas canister fired off. I felt I could be back home in Cape Town, except the Parisian Policewomen seem to have really chic uniforms and you do not mess with them. (Image courtesy of AFP)
What I did notice in France was the dramatic change in the way the general staff at the railway stations and airports were so friendly and helpful. I haven’t been back since before the Pandemic, and I think hosting the Olympics in France completely changed public service attitude.
This week we have plenty of beautiful cheese from France in stock. We received new stock of Epoisses in 250g boxes these are pungent and creamy. We have plenty of stock of Vacherousse, Brie from Meaux, ripe Camemberts, Buche de Chevre, pungent St Nectaire and Livarot, Pont l’Eveque, Ossau Iraty, Comte, Cantal, Roquefort, Fourme d Ambert and Bleu D Auvergne. We have Gruyere from Switzerland and Emmental from Germany. There is plenty for you to create a wonderful cheese platter to enjoy on our cold winter evenings.
We also received today a new stock of sea salt crystal butter from Brittany. It’s been a while since we could get this particular product, and I’m thrilled its finally arrived.
In our alcohol range we have received a new stock of Poire William Eau de Vie and some dinky bottles of Calvados. We also managed to get a few bottles of Absinthe which is the green liqueur favoured by French writers, who apparently dream of green fairies.
We also have a new range of biscuits from France. These include the beautiful Fossier Rose biscuits from Reims. These recognisable delicate raspberry flavoured, pink biscuits are light and crisp and dusted with icing sugar. We also have some Langues de Chat, these thin biscuits are called Cats tongue because they have a slightly rough surface. In addition, we have Ladies fingers from France, little chocolate Lu biscuits, some Gavottes and several different biscuits made with cheese. Come in and explore the new range.
One of my favourite French biscuits is the “Cigarette” a thin, crisp biscuit rolled up in the shape of a cigarette. They are not too difficult to make, as long as you watch them cooking and shape them into a cigarette while the biscuit is still warm and soft. They are delicate and elegant little treats, to serve with some cream and a glass of Tribaut Rose Champagne. See recipe below.
I hear there is a strong cold front coming into Cape Town this weekend, so we will all wrap up in woolly hats, scarves, gloves and boots as the temperature descends below 15C, Capetonians do not do winter well. Light the fires, make a fondue or melt some Raclette in front of the fire. Have a wonderful and relaxing warm weekend.
Regards
Suzanne and The French Market Team