This week, the first strawberries, artichokes and asparagus appear in the market. And a recipe for those days when simply dipping asparagus in melted butter isn't quite enough.
I had a similar experience buying sourdough bread at our local market, I said I'll have 2 loaves please which cost me 16 euros. I was so shocked I paid it and have been trying to eke it out by slicing very thinly.
I’m very envious of your asparagus and even more so of your strawberries. Alas, I despise hard boiled eggs so no oeufs mimosa pour moi. Laughing at Papa Warbucks! Those market-stall radishes also look delicious (are all French radishes the type we call French Breakfast?). I can’t wait for a greater variety of (locally-grown) fruit and veg, cherries being my absolute favourite. I’ve been asked many times at the till if the enormous bag I’ve filled with huge deep burgundy cherries costs too much; I always say no, as I’ve never quite gone “Full Warbucks”...!
The recipe sounds lovely and I will definitely make it when our early local asparagus comes in. Tonight I’m cooking veal eascalopes with what used to be called Russian salad but from now on I will refer to it as salad Olivier (I think that’s right?)
The joy of eating asparagus after the hungry gap in Feb and March! I’m beginning to despise all the greens, kale, cavalo nero etc etc. I seem to have eaten nothing else recently! Hang the price, what a treat.
I love your newsletter and the market hauls, but sometimes it makes me so sad what lovely things there are in France, when I am stuck in England (and I feel like I am the only person I know who doesn't have some obscure Irish relative that they can use to claim EU citizenship). This week I signed up for a local vegetable box. I was hoping for something interesting inside but all I got was 4 turnips, a cabbage, 5 carrots, and a bag of decaying garlic (and paid £13 for the privilege). Hoping some version of spring will make next week's haul a bit more inspiring and french looking.
Oh, Heather. Sending you a hug. Sorry about the disappointing and expensive veg box. Even here last year I found the garlic quite poor and it went off quite quickly. A bad year for it, I think. Hopefully better this year.
well.. let me confess then that I bought one years ago, convincing myself I could use it for pasta all year round.. I never use it though, preferring to steam my asparagus lying flat in my frying pan with very little water 🤣
As an l.a. woman living in Lincolnshire, I so miss artichokes (steamed with garlic and dipped in mayonnaise).... it's been 3 years since last seen in our veg shop.
I love asparagus and sowed some seeds, more in hope than expectation. However they germinated and I have lovingly cosseted them on my allotment for the past four years. This year, we might be able to have our first harvest…perhaps one spear each. Fingers crossed eh?
This is genuinely so exciting, Judi. How lovely. And those spears will be so very, very delicious even if, this year at least, there may not be many of them.
How lovely (potentially) to have your own asparagus. I don't really have enough room here to grow many of my own vegetables, outside of a few tomatoes, lettuces and radishes. I hope your own spring vegetables come soon enough.
hehehe my sister in law did that with a christmas tree at panzers deli in north London , but was too embarassed to say anything ! we still joke now about the gilded tree. love the pink pelargoniums in the window box . xx
Oh my goodness! Happy Christmas Mama Warbucks... I would tease her about that forever, no question. I am so happy about the pelargoniums, I might get more.
I had a similar experience buying sourdough bread at our local market, I said I'll have 2 loaves please which cost me 16 euros. I was so shocked I paid it and have been trying to eke it out by slicing very thinly.
My mother used to cook asparagus, tied in a bunch, in a glass coffee maker. It was a very rare treat.
I made the Mimosa Asparagus last night and served it with coconut shrimp. It was awesome! My husband truly enjoyed this recipe.
I’m very envious of your asparagus and even more so of your strawberries. Alas, I despise hard boiled eggs so no oeufs mimosa pour moi. Laughing at Papa Warbucks! Those market-stall radishes also look delicious (are all French radishes the type we call French Breakfast?). I can’t wait for a greater variety of (locally-grown) fruit and veg, cherries being my absolute favourite. I’ve been asked many times at the till if the enormous bag I’ve filled with huge deep burgundy cherries costs too much; I always say no, as I’ve never quite gone “Full Warbucks”...!
I love being hauled around to all your markets and shopping. Now I have this recipe on my to-do list.
Thank you!
Those strawberries look delicious - enjoy😊
Excellent! that means I can stop making feeble excuses and Blame You instead.
I have been known to eat a plate of lovely home grown asparagus with butter and pepper though..
The recipe sounds lovely and I will definitely make it when our early local asparagus comes in. Tonight I’m cooking veal eascalopes with what used to be called Russian salad but from now on I will refer to it as salad Olivier (I think that’s right?)
Yes, that is right. In fact, that's what they call it in Russia...
The joy of eating asparagus after the hungry gap in Feb and March! I’m beginning to despise all the greens, kale, cavalo nero etc etc. I seem to have eaten nothing else recently! Hang the price, what a treat.
I get so excited when I see the first spears, I slightly lose my mind.
I love your newsletter and the market hauls, but sometimes it makes me so sad what lovely things there are in France, when I am stuck in England (and I feel like I am the only person I know who doesn't have some obscure Irish relative that they can use to claim EU citizenship). This week I signed up for a local vegetable box. I was hoping for something interesting inside but all I got was 4 turnips, a cabbage, 5 carrots, and a bag of decaying garlic (and paid £13 for the privilege). Hoping some version of spring will make next week's haul a bit more inspiring and french looking.
Oh, Heather. Sending you a hug. Sorry about the disappointing and expensive veg box. Even here last year I found the garlic quite poor and it went off quite quickly. A bad year for it, I think. Hopefully better this year.
Honestly Debora, you are not helping my resolution that I Do Not Need An Asparagus Pan. My already feeble willpower is wobbling like a half set jelly.
Haha! I am a terrible enabler and I cannot be stopped.
Same here!
Oh oh! You will not regret, etc.
well.. let me confess then that I bought one years ago, convincing myself I could use it for pasta all year round.. I never use it though, preferring to steam my asparagus lying flat in my frying pan with very little water 🤣
As an l.a. woman living in Lincolnshire, I so miss artichokes (steamed with garlic and dipped in mayonnaise).... it's been 3 years since last seen in our veg shop.
They are certainly one of the joys of life.
We would love to see your asparagus pan! I've never heard of such a thing but I don't doubt European ingenuity :-)
I should have taken a picture of it! I will, and I will add it and let you know when I have done it.
I love asparagus and sowed some seeds, more in hope than expectation. However they germinated and I have lovingly cosseted them on my allotment for the past four years. This year, we might be able to have our first harvest…perhaps one spear each. Fingers crossed eh?
This is genuinely so exciting, Judi. How lovely. And those spears will be so very, very delicious even if, this year at least, there may not be many of them.
How lovely (potentially) to have your own asparagus. I don't really have enough room here to grow many of my own vegetables, outside of a few tomatoes, lettuces and radishes. I hope your own spring vegetables come soon enough.
hehehe my sister in law did that with a christmas tree at panzers deli in north London , but was too embarassed to say anything ! we still joke now about the gilded tree. love the pink pelargoniums in the window box . xx
Oh my goodness! Happy Christmas Mama Warbucks... I would tease her about that forever, no question. I am so happy about the pelargoniums, I might get more.