Saturday, August 20, 2016

Shopping At The Ambert Market

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Thursday mornings is always market day in Ambert, a beautiful little town in the Auvergne.  During our stay here, my husband and I try to do our shopping there as much as we can since it is one of our favorite things to do while here.
Vendors erect their stands along narrow winding streets, displaying wooden crates filled with the most beautiful fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat and fish.  It is a veritable feast for the eyes and one better not come hungry, otherwise one may be tempted to buy way more than one intended.
The quality of the produce in France continues to astound me.  Everything from the apricots to the melons to the tomatoes and the salad bursts with flavor. The prices are downright reasonable compared to what we pay back in Brooklyn. For example,  an entire wooden box of  16 perfect, juicy, sun ripened peaches was 4 Euros, which is roughly 5 dollars.  Two kilos of nectarines were 3 Euros (less than 4 dollars).
And a fresh  goat cheese made on a small local farm was 1.50 Euros.  Back in Brooklyn, it would be labeled 'asrtisanal' and would cost $6.00
Many of the products offered are organic and don't cost nearly as much as we pay back home.
Ambert's is just one of the food markets in the area. Every day of the week one could visit others in small towns all around the Auvergne and throughout France.
Perhaps the French are more demanding customers, but the choice of produce at the markets and even in the supermarkets is really quite wonderful.
Below are some photos I took at Leclerc, a large supermarket in the area. Just look at the selection of beans and different types of tomatoes.   And look at how large the yogurt selection is. And don't get me started on the cheese.  And its all reasonably priced.  I will miss all this bounty when I get back to Brooklyn.
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15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Katia Katia Katia.
Stop you devil temptress. Mais non!
French markets are supreme.
Thank you for all you photos!! We live vicariously through them while Brooklyn melts and sweats.

Katia said...

Anon, I promise I won't post any more food photos. Just had to show the bounty of the french markets. Boy, I will miss them when I am back home. Union Market and Whole Foods just don't compare.

Anonymous said...

That supermarche! The food looks amazing, but look at all those glorious, wide, empty aisles. Ou se trouve tous les gens?! I'll close my eyes and dream of them as I crowd my way through Park Natural and its hot-cranky-baby-fillled strollers.

Anonymous said...

Such amazing food porn! I just moved to Riverdale and the food is not as good as Brooklyn. And more expensive.

Jim said...

Although Brooklyn is your home, looking at these beautiful photos I can't help but wonder how you can come back to a neighborhood that is juxtaposed to one of the country's most fetid canals that reeks to high heaven in the summer, terrible winters, the all too often trash and dog poop that gathers on and around the sidewalks, terrible winters, neighbors who are too lazy to take clothes toy and other crap they no longer want to Goodwill and instead put it in front of the their homes on the sidewalk making the neighborhood look like the projects, weeds that no one pulls... oh and did I mention terrible winters?

Katia said...

Jim, I ask myself the same thing, but despite it all, I will come back for my Brooklyn friends and certainly for my children.
I do miss the neighborhood, but not looking forward to seeing all the changes that are in store for the next few months.
Heard that Councilman Brad Lander profited from the August downtime to restart the Gowanus Canal rezoning.

Jim said...

Katia, home is where the heart is, so they tell me. Didn't hear about Lander's profiting from the downtime but not surprised. The canal problem hasn't been resolved for 65 years, why should it be a priority now. As for other changes there will be one for sure, come Oct. we're out of here on our way to the West coast.

Anonymous said...

Oh Katia, I was so enjoying this - your feast for the eyes and senses (using imagination) photos - and then I got brought back home to ugliness with your mention of Brad Lander and his shenanigans with "community input" rezoning. Enjoy your paradise there while you can!

Katia said...

Jim, all the best to you. Hope you will check into PMFA occasionally to keep track of the neighborhood.

Katia said...

Anon,
I've tried to ignore news from Gowanus and Carroll Gardens, but it's hard. I'll be back in Brooklyn soon, so am trying to enjoy the remaining time here before facing the harsh reality of New York City.

bklynebeth said...

We just spent close to $100 on a couple bags of fresh produce from the Carroll Gardens green market which while wonderful to have pales by comparison with your Auvergne market? What a joy!

Anonymous said...

Jim, bad enough when people leave their crap on their own stoops---i find all sort of things on my property. Very annoying!

Jim said...

Anon - August 29, 2016 11:43 AM. Don't get me started.

Anonymous said...

Any news or info on the shooting at 3rd Pl and Court St. that happened this weekend?

Anonymous said...

Anything on Carroll Gardens?