1er Mai - May Day Holiday

May Day - Ascension Day -La Fête du Travail (Labor Day) also La Fête du Muguet (Lily of the Valley) marks the unofficial start to the flea market season.

Chineurs (bargain hunters) of all ages descend on small towns and villages all over France to find a must have item, hidden treasure or piece of junk to add to a collection.

We had two vide-greniers (literal translation: empty attics), flea markets to choose from this morning in local villages: Tournières and Trévières.

We set off first for Tournieres but were disappointed to find that the foire there had been rescheduled for next Thursday, 8th May - WWII Victory Day (Fête de la Victoire 1945; Fête du huitième mai ) and another public holiday.

Off then to Trévières, arriving well after the start but still hopefull despite passing quite a few folk leaving with bags under their arms.

The foire was the usual mix of vendors, tables laden with hand me down childrens clothing, toys, games & videos; garden tools & plants; old car parts & farm implements; pots, pictures & china; postcards & posters.

Sadly, no Quimper faience this time but I did discover a very pretty ceramic salad bowl with servers and a leaf shaped, hand painted Limoges footed dish (both brand new) hidden beneath a table. After a little discussion (no haggling today) I came away with both, price €11, a bargain!!

On our way home we shopped at the tiny general store in La Folie and bought a crusty baguette, a creamy camembert & tiny vine tomatoes for lunch and a small pot of Muguet to celebrate.

Bon appetit.

http://www.normandie44lamemoire.com/versionanglaise/fichesvillesus/trevieresus2.html

Tuesday morning

Cold & damp on the dog walk this morning so I decided to spend the morning being a domestic goddess in the kitchen.

Simple comfort food was called for so first off I prepared banana walnut muffins, a personal favourite, to go with our coffee for elevenses and then a cauliflower cheese with crispy topping dish for lunch.

Muffin recipe:

10 oz/280 g plain flour

1tsp/5ml baking powder; ditto bicarb soda; and half a tsp salt

3 large very ripe bananas, about 1lb/450g

3oz/85g granulated sugar

1 large egg, beaten with a fork

2 floz/60ml milk; 3 fl oz/90ml corn oil

3oz/85g walnuts chopped

ditto chocolate chips

Mix first 3 dry ingredients together, mash the bananas & add wet ingredients, stir until just combined. Add walnuts & choc chips.

Spoon into muffin cases & bake in pre heated oven, 400 f/200 c for 20 - 25 mins

If you have a favourite muffin recipe please share!!

bon appetit

Maggie

Creating a new potager.

When we bought this house I inherited a vegetable garden and for a number of years I've been happy just pottering around and growing salad, beans, peas, courgettes etc. in quite a slapdash manner I must say!
This Spring, however, I'm trying to be a little more structured and so have had Sean (my new gardener) create 3 long beds dissected by a pair of paths using wood pavers
Today at the weekly market in Le Molay Littry I bought the first plants to go in the new potager. 4 sorts of salad; courgettes; tomatoes; cauliflower (chou fleur, so much prettier in French); beetroot (betterave); celeri and seed potatoes.
There will also be a section with herbs: parsley; coriander; rosmarin; wild garlic; basil; sage and mint (but in pots to contain the roots which would take over the whole place if planted in the soil).
In the potting shed I already have spinach; pumpkin and runner bean seedlings sprouting and when the soil has warmed up a little more I shall plant haricort vert and for the first time haricot jeune seeds straight into the prepared beds.
My bedside reading now is a gardening magazine and I'll welcome any tips that you feel will help with mynew project.
Check back for more info and hopefully, pix of my progress over the coming weeks.