Three things I have learned while food shopping in Provence

1. Baguettes are best eaten the same day. A travel book tells me that the average Provencial family eats their bread four hours out of the oven. When they are fresh, baguettes are heavenly. Crisp on the outside, moist on the inside, they work well on their own, and wonderfully dipped in virgin olive oil or under a slice of aged, unpasturized cheese.
2. Some of the best banter from merchants can be heard under the tents at the ubiquitous Provence street markets. (Every town has a morning of the week where key streets are cordoned off and come alive with clothing, food and trinket merchants). The very best are from cheese vendors. This may be because the cheese sellers have a high-priced product that sells itself only once you taste it. I imagine a charm offensive is often required to seduce prospective customers into a sample. We bought a cheese this morning that was so good I nearly cried when I tried it. The vendor simply smiled.
3. You can buy a bottle of passable red wine in a grocery store here for 2.30 Euros (roughly $3.00 U.S.). A bottle of similar-quality, locally-produced rose costs at least twice that. A bottle of good rose, however, is worth this so-called “premium,” at least in this exquisite summery weather. Rose is served chilled, and its taste accompanies a warm, sunny Provence day the way a good bread enhances fine, aged cheese.

Here are a couple of photos from the La Londe Sunday market: