PMFA Is Back In Brooklyn

For those who have been missing PMFA, I apologize for the long silence. A few days ago, I returned to Brooklyn after a trip to France and Germany, which had originally been planned for this past May, but had to be postponed because of Covid.

My husband and I  spend most of the time away in my family's country house in a remote section of the Auvergne in France. There, as in the United States, the pandemic has brought about many changes, but

we felt so lucky to have made it there at all.

The trip was bittersweet. My father was supposed to spend some time here with us this summer, but 2020 had other plans. He passed away unexpectedly in June, so walking into the stone farmhouse he bought in 1971 without him was hard. It holds so many memories.

The weather in early September was spectacular. One day was lovelier than the next.

Most days, we were able to eat outside and I spent countless hours working in the garden. Our neighbors had taken good care of the house during our absence, but the weeds had spent the long summer invading the flowerbeds. 

Though the bigger improvements on the house will have to wait, some smaller projects were completed. My husband continued some stonework and expanded the pebble walk from the shed to the house.

It looked quite nice when it was all finished and I love the crunch of pebbles under my shoes.

It was not all work, though. 

Occasionally, we had time for a round of pétanque in the evening.

On Saturdays, we drove to Issoire, a nearby town, for market day. 

It remains one of my favorite things to do while here.

I always look for this older gentlemen and his little cart.

Most of the produce at the market is picked that day and food prices are rather reasonable 

compared to New York.

The taste and smell of these sun-ripened strawberries was amazing

We mostly buy our saucissons from this vendor.

This being 2020, there were quite a few vendors selling masks.

As the weeks passed, summer started to fade and the leaves were slowly changing their color

The fields were veiled in fog in the mornings. Nights became colder

Blue skies made ways for dark clouds and rain.

and more and more rain. A whole week of it.

The temperatures dipped and we made fires to stay warm in the house. 

We knew that it was time to leave before it got even colder.

So, we closed the house with a heavy heart, drove away, hoping that we can return again next year.

Back in Brooklyn, the suitcases are unpacked.  the pile of mail which arrived in our absence has been looked through, and the passports safely put away till next time.

Please join me here again as I resume posting about Carroll Gardens. I am looking forward to covering  news of our neighborhood.

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Saturday Is Market Day In Issoire, Auvergne

Saturday is always market day in Issoire, a charming old town here in the Auvergne region of France

Walking through the town's narrow streets to shop for produce and other merchandise remains one of the great pleasures of summers here.

Many of the products are locally sourced, such as this honey.

This merchant is at the market every time we come here

and her strawberries are the best.

So are her red currants.

Abricots for jam or tarts.

Ripe, flat peaches

Choosing a melon is science: "Do you want to eat it today or tomorrow?" she asked.

The average size of a red leaf salad at the market

I loved this old man in his old-fashioned cart, selling his own produce.

Rattes: the best potatoes for roasting

Organic potatoes and onions

The best saucissons at the market

Smoked, herbed, with blueberries, bleu d'Auvergne or St. Nectaire cheese, to list just a few.

Let's not forget the smoked ham

Rotisserie chickens  to take home for lunch

Pain Payet, just one of the kinds of bread available at one of the Issoire bakeries

The crust is the best

But the pain a l'ancienne can't be beat.

Clafouti aux cerises...

or brioches feuilletées, it all looks great.

A new stall this year sold micro greens.  I took coriander and radish greens, which really added something salads.

The same vendor also sold edible flowers.

These blooms, however, where for the garden.

Micro breweries are a thing even here in the Auvergne.

Instead of a rotisserie chicken, one can also purchase live chickens at the Issoire market.

or ducks, if one has a farm.

The freshness and the taste of the produce is so inspiring that I can't wait to get back to my kitchen to start cooking.  Sending greetings from my Auvergne kitchen back to Brooklyn, dear Readers.

Zucchini tarte with onions, potatoes and goat cheese.

Clafouti aux cerises

Poulet au citron with coriander micro greens

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