- From garden to markets -
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 With
their vivid colours, the picturesques Provençal Markets, recall
to all imaginations the first olfactive sensations of former and present
summer holidays : mixed fragrances of garlic, tomatoes, rosemary, olives,
tangerines and figs floating in the air...
On our Provence markets, presentation is upermost, fruit on one side and
vegetable on the other as presented by Antoine Pastorelli one of the very
few strictly local producers selling on the Saint-Tropez
market. One must be an early riser to enjoy freshly picked coutry fruit
and vegetable. "Small" producers sell their overnight picked
wares very fast, mainly to local housewifes, since a good product will
make a good meal.
There are supposedly 2 origins to the name of Ramatuelle,
the 1st "Rahmatu'llah," which should mean in Arab, "Good
Blessed", the other one, much older, goes back to a Gaul tribe named
"Camatullici" who is believed to have settled either in the
village itself or in its surroundings. The name Camatullici was transformed
to Ramatullici, and then to Ramatuelle. Anyhow, Ramatuelle
was originally a small village isolated from the outside world, by the
"Maures mountains", and the sea. Therefore, its population lived
withdrawn from the turmoils of history for a long time.
 Saint-Tropez
is a land of legends, one of which not so remote...As Adam and Eve were
chased out of Eden she took along with her a "golden apple",
Adam fearing Divine Wrath, beseeched her to discard the fruit, she answered
that she would, but later, wherever she chose... After climbing mountains
and going through valleys and plains, they glimpsed the Garavan Bay, which
mild climate and flora reminded them of Eden...Eve then buried the lemon
, as the legend goes this happened in Menton...
Sur nos marchés de Provence, la présentation est tout un
art, fruits d'un côté, légumes de l'autre, à
l'image d'Antoine Pastorelli, un des rares vrais producteurs qui vend
directement ses produits sur le marché de Saint-Tropez.  Il
faut se lever tôt le matin si l'on veut goûter aux fruits
et aux légumes frais de la campagne. Les "petits" producteurs,
les vrais paysans vendent bien vite ce qu'ils ont ramassé la veille
au soir, repéré par les femmes d'ici. Un bon plat commence
d'abord par un bon produit. C'est le slogan de nos grands Chefs, premiers
défenseurs de notre agriculture, qui exaltent en Provence une cuisine
méditerranéenne particulièrement appréciée.
 Take
care of tomatoes, they do not belong in the refrigerator !..This king
of Provence fruits is the main ingredient of such regional dishes as :
Ratatouille, (mixed vegetable stew), farcis, ( meat stuffed vegetable),
salads and of course the famous "salade niÁoise, bouillabaisse"
or fish dishes. |
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 Aubergine
(egg plant) is also a typical vegetable of mediterranean cooking. Artichokes
come from the west, but the small purple variety from Provence can be
eaten raw.
There are over 200 varieties of pumpkins, marrow, colocynth... Some
are used for cooking, like marrow, colocynth (or bitter apple) is unedible
and used for decoration.
Then come those delicacies carefuly set on top of the basket; rasberries,
a most fragile fruit, which requires humidity, but is sensitive to mistral;
figs and grapes at the time of vine harvesting, olives, which oil is
so healthy... Oranges are a luxury product, some are grown in hot houses
only as a side production; could they be the famous "golden apple"
of Hesperides ?
Oranges originated from China and the indies, they were brought back
to our southern country, by Crusaders.If however you find market products
a little expensive, forget about price tags and consider only your own
pleasure !
Quality is a matter of choice. Had you rather eat less tasty strawberries
from far away countries, or sweet fruit slowly ripening on the tree,
under this generous climate? Such as : a fig, one cuts slowly in 4,
revealing its red flesh; biting hungrily into a juicy apple or munching
over a mix of red berries poping open in your mouth...
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Article : "From garden to markets" - Page : 1/1
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From garden to markets : Bay of Saint-Tropez French
Riviera 
