Cotignac Market and Dinner at the House

The market in Cotignac occurs every Tuesday. Store merchants spread their wares out into the street and other vendors appear along the roads and in parking lots. All the sensatory adaptors get a work out. For a foodie, a market day in Provence is heaven. I went to the market with a clear and open mind, a pocket full of money and two mules with back packs to help carry the load. The goal was to make a 3 course meal with fresh local ingredients purchased today. The produce produced here is bountiful. The specialty creations are overwelming; mounds of tepanades, tomato caviar, pate's, olives by the thousands, olive oils, artisan cheeses, fresh and cooked meats, and of course anchovies, sun dried tomatoes, figs and of course, l'addition....all the herbs and spices you can sneeze about. It was the best two hours of my life, well maybe a close second to August 13, 2005 and August 7, 1994.

After a brief stop at the boulangerie for quatre bagette and onion and pissadliare pizza slices, we started the long trek up from town, stopping 3/4 of the way to eat a pizza slice, visit with a local chat and chat with a belgian man who in January bought an apartment and isnow renovating. I volunteered Dereks help for the day, but unless he was an electrician, he wasnt needed. So up the hill we went, with back packs filed with warm poulet and jambon, bags of bagettes, produce, cheese etc etc.

With much assitance from my afternoon sous chef Marie Elizabeth, we began by first preparing the Gazpacho Provencal. I always find that a good 6 hours or more does wonders for most cold soups. Speaking of cold soups, one of my favorite quotes of all time is from Jules Verne who said "revenge is the best of all the cold soups" or something like that.

Next we prepared the beet puree and chopped beets for the risotto. Next was the vegetables for the Ratatoille, bright yellow, but small and firm yellow and green courgette, eggplant, hierloom tomatos of many varieties including black russian. The garlic was so fresh, Marie couldnt believe what she was wowrking with DD kept coming in and sampling the goodness. Red Onions, mushrooms, shallots and fresh basil.

The jambon was sliced by Phillip, the white asparagus blanched and then sauteeed with lemon juice and butter and the mustards and Aioli put in serving dishes. Time for happy hour where more vin rose was enjoyed.Then the risotto was stared. Marie did a fabuluos job and followed every instruction from the bossy chef very well. It was fantasico!!

C'est Bon!

Have a look at the pics and enjoy the passion and love that went into preparing this meal.

Bon Soir Leo and Ziggy!