Postcard from France

Last week I had the good fortune of spending some relaxing time in the Languedoc region of France. Where is this you may ask? (I didn't know either until my husband suggested it.) It's located in southern France, about 1.5 hours over the Pyrenees and a bit in land from the Mediterranean. This lovely place is birth place of sparkling wine (Blanquette was first made in the Abbey of St. Hilare, which as a devotee to all things bubbly, I visited), Roquefort cheese and cassolet.

Besides the breathtaking (and ridiculously steep to climb) Cathar castles, we of course needed to visit the farmer's market.

We shopped at the market almost exclusively for our dinners. I mean, you only need a loaf of good bread, some good cheese, a handful of olives, maybe a bit of lettuce tossed with a simple vinaigrette, some cured meat and some dried fruit. Heaven. Add in a glass of blanquette...even better.

The market was completely bustling. I wish Falls Church Farmer's Market had a dried fruit vendor with as an extensive selection as the one pictured above. And maybe an olive vendor too...they do have a pickle vendor that I keep meaning to purchase something from.

Why don't the vendors at farmer's markets here use the little chalk board signs? It's certainly more attractive than the paper in plastic sleeves and won't blow away...