On our June trip to France this year we had suffered from a lack of markets. Francine was determined to make up for this oversight and we began by visiting Amboise market. Amboise holds its street market on two days of the week, namely Friday and Sunday. How terrific, something constructive to do on a Sunday.
We set off wandering back into Amboise. We began to doubt our information ‘cos the place we might have expected the market to be was devoid of activity. Then we spotted a sign pointing up five minutes walk downstream and, lo, there it was.
Looking around French markets, especially one this big, is much more interesting if you actually need something rather than if you are just window shopping – well, stall shopping, maybe, We did need a few things.
We had some chicken legs left that were begging to be made into a paella. The matter was settled when we spotted a stall selling artichokes, or alcachofas as they say in Spain. Stick them in the basket along with an accompanying red pepper.
We were woefully low on cheese, too, but a splendid cheese stall had some irresistible Reblochon Fermière and very interesting looking Bleu des Basques. Pop some of that in, too.
A nice spot of fresh bread for Sunday lunch wouldn’t go amiss, especially when we found a fresh fish stall selling some great looking prawns: prawns, mayo and bread goes down a treat and it’s so nice to get salt water prawns instead of the fresh water tiger prawns I usually see at home.
A lazy Sunday dinner was also on the cards when we found a rotisserie chicken machine. We just love the French rotisseried chickens and at a mere 15 euros for a free range job, you can’t complain. An uncooked one from Waitrose would cost at least that much. Breasts for dinner, legs cold for lunches afterwards.
We sat enjoying our lunch of prawns, bread and mayo whilst admiring an absolutely wonderful, old (1969, we heard) orange VW camper van with matching orange accessories which had pulled into the pitch opposite Frodo. It was in sparkling condition. With no overnight loo, it wouldn’t do for me, personally, but I loved it and couldn’t help but admire it.
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