France is currently experiencing one of the worst wildfires since 1949, in the province of Aude. This region in southern France is located between the Mediterranean sea, south of Toulouse. Known as the Cathar region, the most famous town is Carcassonne. Currently the fire has burnt over 150sq.km, equivalent to the size of the city of Paris. Global warming, reduced rainfall, high winds and the uprooti
ng of vineyards have all combined to cause this natural catastrophe. Previously vineyards had helped to slow down the spread of wildfires however since 2023 vineyards were uprooted in various regions of France due to the declining consumption of wines, in Aude over 5000 hectares of vineyards were uprooted. Sadly, the impact of global warming and climate change is clearly visible this week in France. (Map courtesy of GDACS.org)(Image courtesy Facebook E-Meteo services).
Back h
ere in our lovely city, we are still in the heart of winter with plenty of rain and chilly weather. At least our days are starting to get longer, and the early spring flowers are beginning to raise their heads on the slopes of our mountain. This Saturday 9 August we celebrate South Africa’s National Women’s Day in memory of 20,000 brave women who marched on the Union Building in 1956 to protest against the Pass Laws. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia) Their actions helped to build our new society and empower women.
In our cheese selection this week we have received new stock of the beautiful Cantal entre Deux. This cheese weighs 8 kilos and is almost too heavy for me to carry. Similar in style to a tart cheddar but made centuries before cheddar was invented by the English (according to the French) This Cantal cheese has been made in the Cantal mountains, in the Auvergne, since before the Romans invaded France. We have the 150g and 250gr camembert in boxes, these are great for baking in the oven with some garlic and rosemary stuck into them, they become a mini fondue, just dip some fresh 
baguette into the melted cheese. We also have 1kg wheels of Camembert from Normandie which look wonderful as a central table piece for a large party. We have a new wheel of Tomme Jurassienne with truffle in it, this mo
untain cheese from the Jura has a medium firm texture and delicious truffle taste. Also, from the Jura mountains rich pastures we have Comte, Morbier and the Prefere des Montagnes, a soft cheese similar in style to Reblochon but slightly less pungent. The clients who have tried this new cheese have all been very pleased with it. If you are looking for a delicate but rich and creamy cheese then go for the Vacherousse from the Jura or the decadently rich, delicate and creamy Delice.
In our dry goods range we have some interesting new flavourings to liven up your dishes. Sel Fou (crazy s
alt) is coarse sea salt from the Island of Re, located just off the west coast of France. It has a slightly smoky, peppery, herby flavour. The pink coloured salt is mixed with rosemary, pink peppercorns, paprika and cayenne chilli. Use it to flavour your meat and chicken dishes. Another new spice is the Voatsiperifery pepper from Madagascar. This rare and little-known peppercorn grows on lianas that can reach 10 m heights. The taste is slightly woody, with floral notes and hints of citrus. Grind it over your dishes or add it to some chocolate.
For my recipe this week I am sharing a winter warming dish made with one of the unique produces grown in France, the green lentils from Puy. These are my favourite lentils because they have a lovely peppery
flavour, they don’t go mushy when cooked and they make me feel healthy because they are rich in protein. Their uniqueness comes from the valley where they have been grown since pre-Roman times, Le-Puy-en-Velay in the Haute Loire, which has a microclimate with low humidity due to the surrounding old volcanoes. They are naturally cultivated without extra watering or fertilisers. Unlike other lentils their skin is very thin due to the lack of humidity, so they do not need to be soaked beforehand. Smaller than most 
lentils, their colour is a dark green to steel blue due to anthocyanin, a pigment, which is also present in blueberries and red grapes. Because their uniqueness is due to their origin, they are certified both AOC and AOP. There are lots of recipes for Puy Lentils, both hot and cold, this week I am sharing a simple country dish made with fresh herbs and topped it with our 18 months aged Parmigiano Reggiano and medium soft-boiled eggs (mollet). Serve this dish with a glass of the Petite Sirene rouge from Bordeaux.
I hope you have a great Women’s Day and spoil yourselves with lots of treats.
Happy Womens Day!
Regards
Suzanne and The French Market Team