bonheur: My Marché

I bet everyone who lives in Paris thinks their marché is the best.

I'm absolutely certain I live near the best marché hands down. Marche Grenelle
Bd Grenelle 75015

The reason I moved to Paris is very simple. I wanted to have radis/French radishes and carrot rapée everyday.

Even though radis are grown in the Ile de France, the same Province Paris is in, the price fluctuates every week up and down like the stock market. They're available all through the winter too which I never expected. Usually you can eat them without washing.

Apricots are just starting to show up in the marché. Note in the corner 'ESP' . That's for Espana. People prefer their fruit and veg from France it seems. It's the law the origin must be stated for an item.

Cerise are new this week coming in from ESP and Grece so far. I tasted one and it was perfect IMHO. Still I'll wait a bit for the prices to fall...

There are lots of specialists in the marche coming in from the hinterlands. This chap is promoting his cooked-on-the-spot Aligot, a dish traditionally from the Aveyron. It's made of mashed potatoes, melted cheese, cream, butter and loads of garlic. Have you tried it?

This woman's specialty is escargot/snails and other seafood farci like scallops and moules.

The apple lady hails from the Loire vallee. She grows everything on her farm and produces endless variations on a theme - apple cake, jellies, juice, pate de fruit, you name it all apple-based.

I planned to come back and get some apples to paint but of course there was a big line. Next time...

Every single marche I buy une cuisse de poulet cuite from this woman hot off the rotisserier. Just hold up your thumb if you can't pronounce that mouthful when buying one thigh.