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The glorious
FRENCH MARKETS by Gabriel Gaté
For French home cooks, visiting a fresh food market at least once a week is a way of life. French markets are a feast for the senses, and as a chef, cookery writer and family cook, I feel stimulated and inspired by the great beauty of the colourful displays of fruits, vegetables and other stunning ingredients. I often mentally plan a menu or create dishes while strolling through the atmospheric food aisles. I am inspired by the seasonal smells of fruits and fine herbs, such as basil, tarragon, strawberries and melons. I like to visit a market between 8 and 10am when it looks its best and is not yet too crowded. I first walk through the aisles to feel the atmosphere and discover the best
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stalls. Then, I reward myself with café and a croissant or some other irresistible goodies before returning to the most tempting stalls. I must confess I have a weakness for fromage. My native country has over 10,000 food markets, so when on a French Scenic river cruise, you are never far from one. Paris alone has about eighty weekly markets, most of which are situated in an attractive or historic street and open two or three days a week. The French capital has also twelve covered markets open five or six days a week. The oldest, le marché des enfants rouges, was established in 1615.
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