Belmont Market eat your heart out

Sunday in St Antonin Noble Val is market day and what a market.  I dragged the others out of bed, telling them we had to go early, that it closed at 12.00 given that it is sometimes frustratingly difficult to get them all to move before about noon.  Myles, Elspeth and the children were finally ready by about 8.30 and we wandered about 100 m down the lane to the beginning of the market.  It went on and on and all through the market square, down the lane to the main shopping street and beyond into a car park and just kept on going.  Every type of food you could imagine, fruit, vegetables, meats, cheeses, wines, cakes, breads, jams plus clothes, bags, jewellery, pottery and even a stall selling tagines which I admit I fell in love with and knowing I cannot carry it home bought one to use here in the next 4 weeks.  And yes, that is my thumb in the top left hand corner.

The unglazed ones were 8 euro and the glazed 15.  I bought the glazed one in the middle.

I left Myles to buy the charcuterie and he got a bit lost in the translation and ended up with something he didnt want, so later when he went back to the house to tell Richard to join us, Richard was able to negotiate something that looks disgusting on the outside but inviting inside.  I trust it will taste good with the kilo of white asparagus that I bought for 3 euro.  We had a meal at a Basque restaurant the night we arrived to celebrate Richard's birthday and our first course was asparagus with something like parma ham.  I am hoping to recreate that as it was fantastic.  Our next course was lamb chops from de quercy (nearby region) which were the best lamb chops I have ever tasted.  I was anxious that it might turn out to be lambs brains and very grateful when the plates arrived.

These photos are taken in the market square.  I also bought goats cheese, duck breasts, a chicken piece to make soup, vegetables and cherries for 2.50 euros for the kilo.  Again, just the best cherries I have ever tasted.  I should never have eaten breakfast before I went down. There were croissants and breads and pastries and crepes and on and on and on.  A stall was selling coffee, another escargot and so much duck everywhere as this is the region - foie gras in jars, tins, packets.  Also confit.  I will buy some of that next week.  I bought some foie gras from the supermarket on the day we arrived as we were all starving and called in on the way to the house.  Added milk for baby and bread and butter.  It was bliss.  The foie gras cost .71 and that is about $1 which was enough for us all to slather on bread and some left over.

We are having roast chicken for dinner tonight - wrapped in bacon (having bought those yesterday) with potatoes, parsnips and carrots roasted with it.  Still havent found any pumpkin which I am hanging out for.  I also bought some beetroot that I will roast with garlic in foil at the same time.  I bought peas in their pods  thinking that Thomas may enjoy the experience of shelling them with me.  I think the last time I did that was about 50 years ago.  I also bought flat beans, as opposed to haricot verte the ones we get we call french beans.  Also some broad beans.  I dont know how long it will take us to work our way through all of this but we will give it a good try.  I made a huge pot of pasta with a sauce made from traditional sausage for dinner last night thinking the children can eat the left overs throughout the week while we eat something they may not enjoy.  They loved it and have had it again this morning both for breakfast and also Tom, for lunch.  Not much left.  I made french onion soup yesterday for lunch and it was a perfect day for it as it rained all day.  That is why I have not yet taken any photos of the village as it was too wet yesterday to get my camera out. I will go for a walk later and take some of the incredible lanes, buildings, bridge, roc d'angler etc.

The house is great - set on 3 floors with big rooms.  Myles, Elspeth and Richard are on the top floor, with the bathroom and toilet. I am on the middle floor with the children, the kitchen and living area and the bottom floor is a big garage which the boys and Alice play soccer in. It has another toilet and the laundry facilities.

The house is well equipped but I think the laundry lady hasnt returned all the bed linen and towels that are supposed to be here.  Lots of beds and doonas and pillows and only just enough sheets and a towel each when there is supposed to be a lot more.  I got an email from the owner saying that the hot water system was being replaced and it should have been done before we got here.  It wasnt, but the old one still works.  The man came yesterday and spent hours and hours getting it installed and ran out of both time and patience to connect it.  He said he would be back during the week some time.  He had real problems drilling through the basement roof to the kitchen floor - he had a drill about 45 cm long and it was not doing the job.  The walls are all well over a foot thick.  Anyway it was amusing to hear him swear in English although he only spoke French.  It was a new turn on the phrase "excuse my french".

There is no garden, but a climbing rose up and over the front door as a lot of houses have.  Also two window boxes that were bare.  I have planted some basil, thyme and coriander in them as I will be here long enough to enjoy them.