Sunday is my bread buying day.
I head off to the tiny village of Frayssinet-le-Gelat, where a wonderful small bakery produces some of the best bread in the area. Yesterday throughout my entire 20 Km allez/retour journey, I didn't see another single vehicle (I just add that for info').
I always buy a Sourdough loaf, and yesterday I also bought a Garlic bread, known as a Fougasse.
The Fougasse needs to be eaten at once; it doesn't keep. It is very garlicky, so you need to eat it amongst friends. It is delicious served with good quality paté, or houmous.
We're lucky to have such good small bakers in the area. They are a real treasure.
The baker's lovely wife, Sandrine, always addresses me as 'tu', she also refers to me as 'jeune homme'; which makes me feel old, You can't have everything!
It looks lovely. Has the shape of the first loaf got a meaning? It looks like a tree, like a "tree of life"
ReplyDeleteGreetings Maria x
A good point. I really have no idea, they have always been like that. I imagine it has something to do with spreading the oily-garlic evenly over the surface.
DeletePaul always enjoys buying bread in Frayssinet, I wonder why!
ReplyDeleteIt's the lovely, tanned, Sandrine.... why else would he go!
DeleteThe staff of life now has new meaning Cro, due in no small part to Sandrine?
DeleteLX
And I expect she's quite used to it!
DeleteFougasse here in the Touraine is a flat bread with a sprinkling of onions and/or lardons. It's really the equivalent of foccaccia.
ReplyDeleteThe Garlic/Duck fat version is our local speciality. I believe they change from region to region. They're all good.
DeleteI went out for a loaf of Kingsmill yesterday. It is made from locally sourced wheat and sold in every supermarket in the British Isles. We had hard boiled egg sandwiches for tea, the making of which this bread is perfect for,
ReplyDeleteThick Kingsmill makes the best Bacon Sandwich. In fact most sandwiches are best in that type of bread.
DeleteAbsolutely. It's the only time I ever buy bread in this country (Scotland).
DeleteHaving been reared on Mother's Pride sliced white bread following the war years I really appreciate good bread especially if it's baked locally. Bread of Heaven!
ReplyDeleteI like both. Good Sourdough to go with my Paté etc, and Mother's Pride for Bacon sandwiches etc. Those 'refined' summer sandwiches with cucumber or cress would never pass scrutiny if made with peasant loaves.
DeleteI know about tu and the context in which it is used, but not about jeune homme. Let me check the word jeune. Snort.....the phrase means young man. She has a customer for life.
ReplyDeleteYes, but she only refers to us old folk as 'jeune homme'.
DeleteFor some reason I had it in my head that you lived further East and South. In fact you live in a part of France I used to know quite well although most of my French friends have either moved or died so I don't go there much now.
ReplyDeleteI live on the cusp of 3 departments The Lot, The Lot et Garonne, and The Dordogne. The best of 3 worlds!
DeleteFresh bread is a true joy in life.
ReplyDeleteIt surely is, and variety is the spice of life!
DeleteThat garlic bread looks to die for.
ReplyDeleteIt really is fabulous. We had it with some rustic Paté.
DeleteWish we could get a version of that garlic bread. It looks wonderful. When we go out to the big city I always buy a big load of dark brown sourdough. Much nicer than mine.
ReplyDeleteSunday and fresh bread, the best day of the week!
Once you've tasted good Sourdough, nothing is ever the same again. We actively look forward to it.
DeleteI love fresh bread! Here (in Texas) I buy a roasted garlic and monterrey jack cheese bread that I use toasted with butter for breakfast. Probably not as good as yours, but definitely a favorite of mine. As for the "young man" thing... I get there here also ("young woman"). It's not meant to be, but comes across a bit patronizing.
ReplyDeleteShe means well, but, as you say, the 'young man' bit is slightly patronising. Still, from the lovely Sandrine I accept anything.
DeleteThat garlic bread is a work of art, shaped as it is into a tree of life.The tree figures so large in knitting and other needlework, and I know you see it in art. In bread is new for me, and I am delighted to see the shape.
ReplyDeleteIt's a memorable shape. The only bread I know of that is shaped as such. Lucky that it's also so good to eat.
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