Summer shot of Castres market
Our parking fairy is feeling generous this morning.
I am handed poll position–a hop and a skip from the fountain at the interesting end of Castres Market–to start my marketing.
The vent d’autan is strong–this is the warm wind from the east that can drive you mad when it lasts for days.
The stalls look strangely impermanent without their parasoles and the stallholders, embattled–showing a dogged determination to be of good cheer.
In fact the shoppers are compliant–keen not to robbed of the chance to celebrate a good week or put a less good one behind you with friends at one of the five cafés surrounding Place Jean Jaures.
It is 10:15am and the market has been up and running since 7am.
In the summer I’m here by 7:30 to grab the choicest tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and other summer delights brought in by local growers and picked just the night before.
I’m slower at the moment–finding it hard to get motivated when the changing season–winter to spring–is not showing on the vegetable stands.
A couple of sparsely stocked stalls selling asparagus–white and green–are the only sign that the year is on the move.
A weariness with winter vegetables is affecting me–same old cabbages, same old broccoli.
Much as I love them–love eating and cooking them, I’m ready for a change of color.
I wasn’t proud of myself yesterday buying eight tomatoes “on the vine” ho! ho!–but red, red, red.
(Halved, seasoned, dribbled with olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar, oven at 200c for 45 minutes and hey presto, it’s summer!)
Green to red please and get a move on.
I rest my case!
Robin Ellis 
These things are lovely, Robin, today’s particularly.
Thank you, Bob. And thank you for the book of poetry which I have yet to dig into.
Oh, Robin, how I love this post. Here in Western New York State, in the US, we haven’t started our growing season yet. Tree branches are still bare, and we had snowflakes falling yesterday. Just the thought of tomatoes growing locally again gives one hope. 🙂
Hello Robin, lovely to have your posts again cheering up our UK winter dreary weather it seems even with you things are later getting going this year or are we all just desperate for some decent weather, flowers and summer produce as you say. We retired to North Wales lovely scenery but abit lacking warmth wise at the moment! Roll on summer for us all!
Well I love the Spring too–it’s just now and then I feel I’ve done with winter fare for a bit.
Hi Robin,
I have fond memories (and a few pictures) of the market at Castres. My friend Pat and I were there with you picking up veggies to prepare in your very fine cooking class. Are you still doing the class? We were there in 2014 and I am very grateful to you and Meredith for expanding our cooking horizon.
Happy spring!
Sandy Smith Buchanan
Not at the moment. The house was sold so no kitchen. We’ll see in the future. Glad you got something from it.
U are fortunate you even had an early market to go to, Robin. It snowed here last night! (Central Ohio)
I saw beautiful “red” strawberrys at Whole Foods Market last month and brought them home with delight, anticipating sweet, juicy strawberry goodness. WRONG! They were red, but still oh so green…and sour! After braving through half of my basket, defeated, I had to accept the beautiful red strawberrys were just not ripe! Lesson learned! Red can sometimes be green! (the remaining imposters still sit on my shelf waiting to be thrown out..they are still just too pretty).
That photo of you in your kitchen made me smile – there’s my pin up from the 70s holding a tomato! Lovely picture thank you and yes bring on summer veg!
What a beautiful table, Robin, with all those vegetables and delicious food! So full of harmony! May full Spring come soon so that you can find seasonal vegetables to buy and cook! We have the first asparagus and strawberries 🙂
Oh lucky you, Paola!
Autumn hasn’t really started in Australia, we are still having temps of around 30 Celsius! My daughter in law planted the seeds she scraped out of a paw paw in summer so we are madly transplanting about 10 them before it gets too cold. So far, so good! Enjoy your Printemps, Robin.
Wow!
I am loving the brown tomatoes. Cauliflower, roasted with a coating of yoghurt and curry spices is a wonder, as are roasted beets and glazed brussel sprouts. I’ll be sorry to see them go. We don’t get white asparagus. Since I live on salads the only thing that changes is what I toss in and whether my feta is goat or sheep. It’s the fruits I miss.
Bravo! Je suis d’ accord!
After a wonderful week in Stratford I come home to find a really juicy photo of Mr Robin Ellis and yummy juicy vegetables. Absolutely splendid Mr Poldark. 🍅🥒🥦🌽🍠
Shawdian GBS
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You have a blissfully normal looking kitchen. Not a Food Network gadget or recipe in sight.