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lundi 8 octobre 2012

Marché du Mois: Marché St. Eustache-Les Halles

Marché St. Eustache-Les Halles is all that remains of what was once the site of the city's largest food market. Later replaced by Rungis, Les Halles was where chefs, store owners, and shoppers of all sorts came to stock up on fresh ingredients.

Whether you are attracted by the history of this marketplace, it's central location near the charming Montorgueil neighborhood, or the convenient hours it keeps, there are plenty of reasons to visit the vestiges of what once was Paris' primary food source.

It is worth noting that this market, along with a few others including Marché Bourse and Marché Anvers, is one of a small number of Parisian food markets that stays open late enough on a weekday for shoppers to stop by on their way home from work.

What remains of the market is hardly a fraction of its predecessor and, unfortunately, there is not a farmer in sight at any of the stands that line the rue Montmartre. However, the products on offer are mostly of French origin and predominately seasonal.

French vegetables, chickens, and cheeses are for sale at various stands and the poissonerie was proudly displaying Coquilles St. Jacques (scallops), for which the fishing season opened on the 1st of October.

I was attracted by some heirloom veggies, including gorgeous purple "haricots verts" at a stand that was manned by a seller who knew his stuff. He instructed me how to prepare the "green" beans and then served me some lovely cèpes and told me what to do with those, too.

He bagged up my dinner ingredients as the smells of hot lunch wafted through the market stalls. Like most afternoon markets, Marché St. Eustache-Les Halles caters not only to forward-thinking shoppers who are getting the evening's groceries, but also those who seek instant gratification and some homemade ratatouille on their lunch break.

The majority of the produce at my chosen veggie stand seemed to come from France and the vendor's knowledge of each product implied an interest and investment in his profession. Doubting very much that he was actually the grower of the vegetables (the selection was too large and varied to come from one farmer), I decided to ask if he was a producteur anyway.

"Mais non!" he responded, slightly offended. "How can you expect me to be the producer- I spend all my time at the markets!" Point taken. This is an unavoidable issue for the independent producers that we see at markets, who have to split their time and lengthen their days by being both grower & seller of their produce.

So while there are no local producers present at the Marché St. Eustache-Les Halles, it is still possibel to find French-grown food and quality products, all while enjoying a stroll around this truly charming neighborhood.

Marché St. Eustache-Les Halles
rue Montmartre, 75001
m° Les Halles (line 4)
Hours:
Thursday: 12h30-20h30
Sunday: 7h-15h

Libellés : 75001, Marché of the Month, open late, open Sunday, open Thursday

vendredi 20 janvier 2012

Marché du Mois: Marché Bastille

The Marché Bastille is so huge that, once I got there, I couldn't believe I had never stumbled upon it in all my time in Paris. The silver lining of the cloud that was an insanely early rendez-vous with French bureaucrats on the nearby rue de la Roquette, was that it got me up in time to check out this gigantic market that takes up a good bit of Bd. Richard Lenoir.

As I began to wander around the market in what early morning sunlight managed to break through foreboding January clouds, the revellers on their way home from the area's many bars reminded me of former nuits blanches and the fact that I don't spend too much time on this side of the sunrise.*

*Editor's note: I'm totally exagerrating, it was like 9h30 when I got to the market- but to justify my crankiness I had been up since 7 a.m, making the whole day feel like it was way too early for anything to be happening. I am not a morning person.

My uncharacteristic Early-Birdishness was rewarded when I finally got through the stands of tacky clothing and bulk deoderant and shampoo vendors (which are way too-often a part of the market and have no business being in Paris where you can buy clothes and toiletries in a great many locations) and reached the seemingly endless booths overflowing with produce and other foodstuffs.

I did my habitual tour, happy to be back in a marché after the holidays had taken over so much time that I hadn't set foot in an outdoor market almost since my last Marché du Mois adventure.

The Marché Bastille is not lacking in choices, yet it isn't immediately impressive as far as local and ethically produced items go.

Having said that, I would hazard a guess that you can find at least one local and/or organic vendor for any item you may be looking for. It seems to me that a succesful shopping trip at the Bastille market would involve finding, and patronizing, these diamonds in the ruffage.

I was laden down by a bursting dossier of originals + 3 copies of every bit of paperwork relating to my lie that I could find in order to calm les bureaucrates, so wasn't really in the market for marketing, but I managed to take some photos of vendors that I will visit on my next early morning adventure to Marché Bastille.

I hope they will help readers find spot these vendors if they have the chance to go to this market. Frequent visitors of Marché Bastille are also encouraged to share their bonnes adresses!

As far as veggies go, I saw some stands that were very loud and proud of their organic status, waving their Agriculture Biologique flags in the Winter wind, but honestly I'm kind of sick of seeing these organic vendors selling totally inappropriate tomatoes, bell peppers, and zucchinis in the middle of January. If you're dying to break from the season, then I would encourage doing it organically, but I'm not really interested in the possibility of eating an imported tomato when the bounty of the colder months is really quite rich.

That's why this little, unassuming (they didn't even have a sign up of where their farm was located as far as I could see) maraîcher stole my heart. Amid the foreign fruits and flashy vegetables, this vendor clung to agricultural tradition like the dirt on their own vegetables. So reassuring to see on so many levels.

How can anyone ignore the awesomeness of Winter produce? Carrots, brussel sprouts, black radish, spinach, turnips, leeks, the list goes on... I guess you've got to eat it to believe it, and this little vendor would be a good gateway drug to get you going...

Ever since moving to France, my holiday traditions have increasingly included oysters- it's gotten to be kind of an obsession, a pleasure that almost eclipses all the other joys of the season. My fervor for fruits de mer was dampened when my belle mère called me in a panic one day to tell me that she had seen a documentary on Arte which explained that the large majority of oysters are in fact genetically modified. The damage had been done as I had already eaten my fill of oysters from what now seemed to be surely questionable sources, but I vowed that in the future I'd try my best to find sustainable sources of organic oysters.

Enter my new favorite Poissonière at Marché Bastille. Forget pech à la ligne, these guys go after their oysters using the "Pêche à Pied" method, which means they roll up their fisherman pants and wade into the muck looking for wild oysters to bring to the market. I've read up a little on la pêche à pied and it's pretty great (if you don't mind getting dirty). Regulations on the size of the shellfish, as well as the times you can fish and the amount you can take home protect wild shellfish from being over-fished or put in any danger of extinction.

I didn't grab the name of this fishmonger (bad blogger!!) but you will recognize the family's stand because it's the only one that proudly states that they are botht the direct producteur and distributeur of their seafood.

Marché Bastille also has a large selection of bakeries selling specialty breads and butchers that probably count in their company at leqst one local producer (you're on your own for finding that diamond in the rough), but one thing that stood out to me- probably because I haven't seen it in a lot of marchés- was the fresh eggs vendor.

Gathered from free-range animals, this vendor doesn't stop at your run-of-the-mill chicken eggs, but also offers lovely, enormous goose eggs. These eggs looked so perfect in this French market that I wondered why they haven't been incorporated into a national dish of some kind. Also, why have I never tried a goose egg? Also, is there some pun in here about goose eggs that I'm missing?

All in all, the Marché Bastille is a great stop for a shop or a stroll, and I found myself taking just as many pictures of my surroundings as the Japanese tourists who were working the same circuit. The market is, more than anything- and like most things- a treasure hunt, and I hope that you will enjoy exploring it if you have the chance.

Marché Bastille

Bd. Richard Lenoir 75011

m° Bastille (line 1, 5, and 8)

Hours:

Thursday: 7h30-14h30

Sunday: 7h-15h

Libellés : 75011, Marché of the Month, open Sunday, open Thursday

vendredi 16 décembre 2011

Marché du Mois: Marché Couvert de Passy

I'm as creeped out by the 16th arrondissement as the next 99%, but every once in a while I find myself called to visit this particular part of Paris, wandering the rues of the 16th's quartiers chics.

My most recent visit was motivated by the compelling description I read about the Marché Couvert de Passy, which promised fresh fish and foreign fromage.

By foreign fromage I mean cheddar, which is a rarity in Paris and is pretty much the reason why I elected the Marché Couvert de Passy as December's Marché du Mois.

Under a crisp blue winter sky, the market seemed bustling for a Wednesday afternoon- with eager shoppers squeezing into its entryways bookended with Christmas trees.

Once inside the market, I scanned my surroundings for the venders mentioned in the description, including the Poissonnerie de Passy and the fromagerie Androuet.

Despite its tiled walls and floor- the Marché Couvert de Passy is cosy and one can quickly take a tour around the economically organized space, which seems to be a former Poissonerie.

The scattered wall tiles dedicated to different types of fish are a nice tribute to the building's current incarnation as well, due to the fact that this market boasts several fishmongers.

I made my way to the reputed Poissonnerie de Passy, which is located at the back of the market and is made up of two stands- one for cuts of fish and another for shellfish, which includes a counter space for dégustations of wine and fruits de mer.

The Poissonerie had a special on Bonite that day, which I tasted for the first time a few weeks ago at Le Verre Volé.

Bonite (casually known as "the tuna you can buy") is of the Tuna family and is deemed to be in no danger of overfishing or extinction and therefore makes for a guilt-free, sustainable meal. It is delicious when seared and even better when served with brussels sprouts!

As far as vegetables are concerned, the vendors at Marché Passy demonstrate a preference for local and fresh produce. However, non-seasonal veggies were also in abundance, so shoppers who want to buy local should read labels to make sure they are purchasing hexagon-grown goodies.

And on to the fromagerie, where a warm welcome awaited me!

As soon as I asked for my slice of cheddar at Androuet the vendor addressed me exclusively in English- but not in that I'll-speak-English-to-this-tourist-so-that-the-transaction-is-completed-as-quickly-as-possible English, just simply in a I-like-speaking-English-to-English-speakers English, which I don't mind responding to in, well, just normal English. We chatted about how great cheddar cheese is and he recommended I try the Stilton next time around, very impressive open mindedness for a French cheese vendor!

For a modest 4 euro, I had a hearty tranche of artisinal cheddar- which is worth its weight in gold this side of the pond!

While the eerily calm streets of the 16th may not beckon to me very often, I am happy to know that within this calm arrondissement there is the animated ambience that only a great neighborhood market can provide.

Marché Couvert de Passy

Place de Passy

m° La Muette (line 9)

Hours:

Tues. - Fri. : 8h-13h and 16h-19h

Saturday: 8h30-13h and 15h30-19h

Sunday: 8h-13h

Libellés : 75016, Marché of the Month, open Friday, open Saturday, open Sunday, open Thursday, open Tuesday, open Wednesday

lundi 31 octobre 2011

Marché du Mois: Marché Jean Jaurès

I'm slowly cultivating a list of my Top 10 local producers present at the many marchés of Paris and, as I work through my list of marchés by arrondissement , I find that it is rather difficult to find even one local grower at these not-so-farmer's markets.

A case in point is the Marché Jean Jaurès where, on my visit in the early afternoon last Thursday, I noticed that none of the vendors were attached to a particular farm or region in France.

Granted, I should get to the market earlier (add this to the list of this blogger's New Year's Resolutions) when the market is probably more abuzz, but I find it is often the case that the stands are filled with fruits and legumes from all over and nowhere in particular, with the vendors having no specific link to the land their goods came from.

Having said that, there was one cheerful vendor at Marché Jean Jaurès who seemed to be making the effort to stock local and artisinal products, such as confiture faite maison, various nuts from different regions in France, and beautiful French tomatoes that reminded me of Céline's lovely article about her favorite tomato varieties of Southwestern France.

Marché Jean Jaurès is small and unimpressive when it comes to it's selection of fish and meat, but one should hesitate judging a market by it's coverage, because the treasures of this marché can be found in the simple pleasures of the season's last local tomatoes and the abundance of Fall's nuts and squash.

While my quest for local producers continues, the Marché Jean Jaurès is a fine place to stop by for residents of the 19th arrondissement looking for a few local gems.

Marché Jean Jaurès

185 ave Jean Jaurès

m° Porte de Pantin (line 5)

Hours:

Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday

7h-14h30

Libellés : 75019, artisanal, local, Marché of the Month, open Sunday, open Thursday, open Tuesday, seasonal

vendredi 30 septembre 2011

Marché du Mois: Marché Couvert Beauvau

I love the Ledru-Rolling neighborhood and I try to make a habit of stopping by. I would advise any hungry visitor of this coin to grab a great croissant at Blé Sucré or to dine at Le Cotte Rôti while strolling this quartier.

Recently I got my hands dirty visiting my friend Terresa's community garden which is just a few blocks away from Ledru-Rolling and the place Aligre, where you'll find this month's marché.

The Marché Couvert Beauvau is the covered market that sits next to the outdoor Marché Aligre, which offers a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and flea market fare. If you're looking for a nice selection of produce, I'd hit up the outdoor market. But don't miss the discoveries that await undercover at Marché Beauvau.

First of all, the seemingly endless cheese counters, stocked with regional artisinal cheeses of all sorts. There is also a wide selection of lovely Italian hard cheeses, like pecorino and parmasean.

Meat lovers will also find their cut of meat at either of the boucheries at the marché and just in time for our late Summer weather, overheated shoppers can pick up some artisinal and all natural ice cream made by Terre Adélice.

My all time favorite find at Marché Beauvau, however, was -in typical drunkard fashion- the beer stand. Stocked with beers from around Europe and the world, this is a great spot to pick up Belgian brews and Germans quaffs of all different styles.

I'm lucky to have a Meilleurs Vins Bio boutique down the right down the street and I'm even luckier that they stock my favorite brewed-in-Brussels beer Cantillon.

This spontaneously fermented beer is an aquired taste which quickly becomes an addiction. Les Meilleurs Vins Bio carries the Gueuze Cantillon variety, but the beer stand at Marché Beauvau also carries their Kreik and Rosé de Grambinus, the raspberry flavored lambic.

All this talk of adult beverages is making me thirsty, and luckily one of my favorite watering holes in Paris is also located in the Aligre area. The Baron Rouge is a wine bar that makes one feel like a kid in a candy shop, it's extensive wine list contains no glasses over 3,50 euro, with most verres hovering around 2,50 euro.

The Baron Rouge is a great spot for an apero, and if you're feeling nippish you cna order an assiette of the fromage from the market next door as well as some charcuterie.

The Baron Rouge gets bustly so get there early because sitting space is limited and they close their doors shortly after the Summer sunset (16h on Sundays and 22h Tues-Sat). If you don't get enough wine sur place the bar has a to-go option: bottles and bulk wine!

Grab anyone of their bottles, many of which are biodynamic, or get a consigned bottle and choose a barrel. Sold by the liter, prices range from 2,80 - 3,60 euro for a reds, whites, and rosés. Just in case you missed it the first time- bulk wine straight from the barrell. To take home with you. That should be a regular part of your life, shouldn't it?

Marché Beauvau

Place d'Aligre 75012

m° Ledru-Rollin (line 8)

Hours:

8h-13h & 16h-19h30 Tue-Sat

8h-13h Sunday

Le Baron Rouge

1 rue Théophile-Roussel

75012

m° Ledru-Rollin (line 8)

Hours:

10h-15h & 17h-22h Tue-Fri.

10h-22h Saturday

10h-16h Sunday

Libellés : 75012, artisanal, Bulk, Marché of the Month, open Friday, open Saturday, open Sunday, open Thursday, open Tuesday, open Wednesday, organic booze

mercredi 31 août 2011

Marché du Mois: Marché La Chapelle

The Northernly neighborhood that houses the covered Marché La Chapelle is not foreign to me as I've often made trips out there to visit the various Asian food supermarkets and bodegas. These are my favorite local spots to pick up fried tofu, ngredients for Kimchi, and other Asian delights that one can't easily find at the traditional marché.

Each time I've gone to the neighborhood, I checked in on the progress renovating the covered market on Rue de l'Olive. While work was being done on the marketplace, vendors set up a makeshift market à côté, with tents protecting butchers and veggie vendors from the elements all year-round. Now these determined dealers finally have a place to call home.

The completion of the covered market, decked out with classy new stalls and plenty of space to spread out, is a welcome addition not only for the vendors, but for the entire community.

The marketplace is located in the heart of a classic Parisian quartier convivial surrounded by pedestrian streets complemented by café terrasses that spill out onto the cobbled rues. I've always liked the vibe of this neighborhood, accesorized by laid back afternoon coffee drinkers and clear cultural mélange that make the 'hood an enjoyable spot to stock up on Bok Choy at Paris Store and pop in for peaches and cream at the marché.

As the community begins to really take advantage of this new resource, I forsee the Marché LA Chapelle growing into something unique and valuable for the neighborhood. As it stands, Marché La Chapelle is a little sleepy and the stands are fairly standard. There aren't any independent producers, but the butcher seems to have ties to a local pig farm. They seem really into pigs, actually- so that's nice to see.

Another promising stand was the wine shop where you could buy bulk wine. For a refundable 2 euro you can "rent" a wine bottle and fill it up from a variety of kegs. When I was at the market, at around 17h, the vendor was arranging tasting tables and putting some bottles au frais setting the scene for a degustation.

All in all, Marché La Chapelle has profited from its renovation and provides a lovely facility for vendors, I hope that independent vendors and producers will flock to the site because that's what the marché is really missing at present, and maybe a little heart- but I'm sure the locals are ready to provide that.

Marché La Chapelle

10 rue de l'Olive

75018

m° Marx Dormoy (line 12)

Open:

Tuesday-Saturday: 8h30-13h & 16h-19h30

Sunday: 8h30-13h

Libellés : 75018, Bulk, Marché of the Month, markets, open Friday, open Saturday, open Sunday, open Thursday, open Tuesday, open Wednesday

lundi 14 février 2011

Marché of the Month: Marché St. Quentin

Ever since I first moved to Paris, I've been intrigued by the Marché St. Quentin. The market is one of the few remaining covered markets in Paris, which makes it intriguing to anyone who wants to take a closer look at the French architect Rabourdin's work, or to anyone who wants to find out what is behind the market's cast-iron doors.

For whatever reason, I've never been near the market during it's opening hours and everytime I've walked by the closed up, sizable, market building I've promised myself to make the trip at a time of the day when I can actually set foot in the place. Encouraged by a suggestion left by a reader on this blog, I made a point to schedule a visit. Here are some reflections on this month's Marché du Mois.

St. Quentin is an impressive space, with soaring ceilings and ample space for vendors, most of whom seemed to have called in sick on the day of the week that I visited making the space seem even larger and more impressive. I imagine that weekends are more bustling and would advise any interested visitor to stop by during a rush hour, because the ambience would only add to the charm of the marketplace.

I rarely recommend visiting a market at peak hours- waiting in long lines for your vegetables can be tiresome and should be avoided whenever possible as far as I'm concerned. However, I wasn't at all tempted to buy vegetables while I was at this particular marché. The fruits and veg seemed mostly imported from Spain and other neighboring countries- even the squash, that grows locally and lovely here, came from far away!

Clearly, the produce is not the strong point of St. Quentin, but that isn't to say it has nothing to offer. While wandering through the stands I was delighted to find Pasteis de Nata, a delicious tradtional pastry, at a Portuguese food stand. Since Paris has a huge Portuguese community, it seems strange that it would be such a rarity to find Pasteis- but I don't think I've ever seen them anywhere else. I'm sure my readers know some good addresses to point me to to get my fix, but at least now I know for sure that I can find them at this market.

The Marché St. Quentin is in fact a hub of international food sellers, which makes it both a special market and a specialist in niche items you might not find at other smaller, open air markets. While there I walked by African food stands, Italian delis, North African epiceries. There were also vendors selling region-specific French goods, like beer from the North of France. The choice of cheese from all over the country was also very tempting.

Another store that caught my eye was the beer boutique that sold unique and artisinal beers. There you can find both Gallia and Demory, two brands of Parisian beer that have been resurrected by young entrepreneurs and will hopefully find a home, and a brasserie, in Paris one day.

If you feel like drinking your beer sur place the Marché St. Quentin has a friendly looking bistro that you can siddle up to and take a break from shopping or a pause for noshing. Whatever you do, take advantage of the fact that, with so few covered markets left in Paris, you've found a spot where Rabourdin's ceiling will keep you covered and his walls will keep you safe from the elements, making St. Quentin a cosy spot to duck into in any season.

Marché Saint-Quentin

Blvd. Magenta & Rue de Chabrol

Paris 75010

m° Gare de L'Est (line 4, 5, & 7)

Hours:

Tuesday-Saturday 8:30-1:00 & 4:00-7:00

Sunday 8:30-1:00

Libellés : 75010, Marché of the Month, open Friday, open Saturday, open Sunday, open Thursday, open Tuesday, open Wednesday

samedi 15 janvier 2011

Day 140: Marché of the Month: Marché Monge

As I eagerly walked to meet my guy and take him to lunch at the linen table-clothed and much talked about restaurant Le Timbre (3 rue Sainte-Beuve 75006; lunch menu 24-30 euro), I arranged a two-bird's-with-one-stone situation and stopped at this month's Marché: Le Marché Monge.

Clément had told me that he noticed quite a few organic stands sprouting up at this small market, which takes over the charming Place Monge every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 7h-13h, so I thought it would be worth taking a look.

The Market packs a lot into the little Place, with not only veggie vendors, but florists, apiculturists, and even clothing and pots and pan hawkers counting themselves amongst thehabitués of the marché.

If I hadn't been saving myself for my meal later, I definately would've bought some veggie spring rolls off the lady who sold asian-style soups, rolls, raviolis, and noodles-along with most of the necessary ingredients to make your own at home. But given my lunch plans, I was more of a spectator at the market and favored my eyes over my appetite.

The more I visit markets, the more I am aware and able to size up what I see around me. For example, it's true that the Marché Monge has some certified organic stands (2 to be exact), but these stands seem to offer a middle ground between the two extremes of the market: the industrial and the local.

Most people think that open air markets should automatically offer the opposite of industrial food, but as I purused the merchandise I was disappointed and annoyed to see shiny, almost plastic looking, apples arranged neatly in rows in the plastic bin at one of the market's stands.

Each apple had been branded with a sticker, bringing shame to the fruit and the other vendors, some of whom were farmers who had brought the fruits of their labor and most of which- like the vendors at the organic stands (who most likely buy their goods from Rungis or another wholesale market and bring it into the city) probably have a certain respect for the quality of the food they sell.

<------

good apples

--------------->

bad apples

It was a relief therefore, to find a few farmers who had brought their dirty and homegrown vegetables with them that day. And among the farmers' stands there was one clear star: Marc Mascetti and his team from Marcoussis.

Mascetti's farm is only 34 kilometers south of Paris. When I asked where exactly the farm was, Marc gave me these directions: "When the sun is at high noon, look at it and then walk 34 kilometers south".

While I'm not sure I would let Marc and his questionable sense of direction drive on a road trip, I was happy to have him guide me through the selection of vegetables he had brought with him that day.

Marc is clearly a popular guy at the market and he often stops selling in order to chat with regulars and gently tease them (he convinced a little girl that the incredibly unattractive crônesthat he was selling were actually magots that he sold to fishermen).

Marc went on to explain that crônes are on their way to extinction, as most people don't know what they are and have a hard time recognizing them as food. Add to that the fact that they have some unpleasant gas-inducing side effects, this little légumeseems destined to disappear.

True to my maudlin American marrow, I was moved by the sad story of the really, truly unappetizing crônes and I asked Marc for a handful. He was kind enough to throw in a few Topinambours(Jerusalem Artichokes). I then asked for 4 pears and paid my 2.80 € bill (See, buying local doesn't have to be expensive!) and continued on my way, shunning the shiny apples and happy with my dirty and pretty gross looking purchases.

Marché Monge

Place Monge, 75005

M° Place Monge (Line 7)

Wednesday, Friday, and

Sunday; 7h-13h

Libellés : 75005, local, Marché of the Month, markets, open Friday, open Sunday, open Wednesday, organic, seasonal

This Page

Paris Paysanne: The Blog

lundi 8 octobre 2012

Marché du Mois: Marché St. Eustache-Les Halles

vendredi 20 janvier 2012

Marché du Mois: Marché Bastille

vendredi 16 décembre 2011

Marché du Mois: Marché Couvert de Passy

lundi 31 octobre 2011

Marché du Mois: Marché Jean Jaurès

vendredi 30 septembre 2011

Marché du Mois: Marché Couvert Beauvau

mercredi 31 août 2011

Marché du Mois: Marché La Chapelle

lundi 14 février 2011

Marché of the Month: Marché St. Quentin

samedi 15 janvier 2011

Day 140: Marché of the Month: Marché Monge

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