to market, to market!

little mami with her shopping bag on wheels!

I must confess, I didn't know what day it was when I set out on my run the other morning. It was only when I noticed all the people in the streets pulling their grocery bags on wheels, walking towards the town square - that's when I knew it was Saturday. Market day! I hurried back to the boat to get my dad and we set off to join the rest of the town at the busy market.

Now, if anyone knows me, they know I'm a huge fan of markets. No matter where I am, I always make a point of visiting the local market; it says so much about a place. In Oakland, CA, there were organic certified dog biscuits for sale! In Marrakech, Morocco, you can purchase an entire lamb on the street, or choose from a colorful array of fresh spices or dried fruits. I love walking around the markets, getting a feel for the place, people-watching, and sampling the delicious food.

bunches of grapes

The first thing we came to when we approached the market was a little stand with the words "La Cade de Dede" stamped on the side. Behind the glass, there was a woman doling out portions of what seemed to be some kind of cake. I couldn't figure out what it could possibly be, so I asked. "C'est une galette faite de faine de pois-chiche, tipique de Toulon," she answered and handed me a piece to taste. It's a local specialty of Toulon made from chickpea flour, and it was amazing. I made note to try to make this at home and continued on my way.

Set up in the streets were long lines of tables on each side filled to the brim with colorful fruits and vegetables. Behind each table stood it's proprietor, scurrying around offering cooking suggestions, picking out the ripest fruits, making change, and shouting hellos to passing friends. What struck me most about this market was the simplicity of the scene, the rawness of the interactions. I've worked at farmers markets before, and I've spent hours perfecting my farm stand to make it look appealing to customers, tilting the baskets of produce just right so they look bountiful and beautiful. There was not such thing going on here. No tablecloths, no artfully arranged produced - just tables, vegetables, fruits, and clear signage.

pumpkin!

If you've been to a farmer's market in, say, the Pioneer Valley, or even the Bay Area, you've seen people do the market meander. I'm guilty of it myself. I'm mainly there to oogle the goodies and indulge in the happy vibe of the whole affair. (Also, samples. Big plus.) Sometimes I stop to chat with farm stand attendants, ask them about their produce, where it's grown, how their season is going, blah blah blah. The fact is, I can't really afford what they have on their table; that's one of the main reasons why I work on organic farms. I want to have access to clean, healthy vegetables, but I can't pay the price. So I mosey my way around, and usually leave empty handed. I've seen people do it at the markets I've worked. They might take away a particularly attractive bunch of beets or maybe a funny-looking variety of squash they've never seen before, but for the majority of their grocery shopping, they'll go to their local grocer, probably of the mega variety.

But here in Toulon, you can tell, this is people on a mission to buy groceries. That's it. People haggle prices and ask about each other's families. Little old ladies make the rounds, sniffing out the best prices and the freshest produce. They have their favorite vendors and they probably go to them first.  I didn't have to ask vendors where produce was grown; most of it was from France and it was always clearly marked, down to the specific region. (I did see a big pile of sweet potatoes from the good old US of A, and it made me laugh.) There was no pretense, no hint of elitism like you might find in the States. People from all ages and backgrounds, coming together for the simple purpose to buy their fruits and vegetables, like the good old days. Except I don't think there ever was a good old day when this was the norm in the States, for everyone in town to head to their local market and buy their supplies for the week. This has been the norm in Europe for centuries, and I was happy to see that it continues to be a mainstay in this culture.

Another facet to note is the prices. I came away with a bag of gorgeously plump purple figs (you know their ready when they're starting to burst at the seams), a handful of yellow plums, half a head of cabbage, one head of dark green lettuce (none of this watered down romaine nonsense), a chunk of pumpkin (the pumpkins are so big that they have to sell it in pieces!), and a bouquet of fresh mint. All of this for no more than five euros... Good luck trying to find prices like this in the States!

locally harvested oysters

pomegranates!

sweets from USA!