Sunday 11 October 2015

St Caprais Chestnut Fair.



Yesterday was the day of the annual St Caprais Chestnut fair. I go every year (it's only down the road).

It was a beautiful hot afternoon, and as usual, people were out in their hundreds.


This is the village's medieval church. Tall and bizarre.


Here is a very nice young lady selling Bio vegs.


An old guy in a big hat selling Bio prunes; apparently he only treats his trees with a liquid nettle solution . 


And a man doing what I used to do; cutting stone into nice shapes. I didn't envy him, I've still got the bloody back that goes with the job.


And a man selling wild mushrooms (also Bio, one presumes). It seemed to be a day of 'Bio' everything.

I've tried not to repeat my report from 2014.... not easy. But if you want to see other stuff, just put a similar title into the search strip top left. 

All very amateur, and very pleasant. It's good to see so many locals now respecting their land, and producing food that's not been 'force fed'. I thoroughly approve!





28 comments:

  1. It all looks lovely and rural and what gorgeous weather for the event. I hope you bought plenty of stuff to support these people. It must have taken the person ages to collect all those mushrooms. What an amazing place you live in.

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    1. I'm ashamed to say that I bought nothing. I had gone with the intention of buying a basket, but the man wasn't there. I'm just back from mushrooming myself... not the same haul as the guy above.

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  2. The sun always shines on the chestnut fair. Those prunes look good. Was the guy with the apple press there this year?

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    1. Yes he was there, complete with his wonderful old tractor. So was the still, and the owners selling eau de vie.

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  3. We have a food fair here in South Norfolk to celebrate local produce, mainly beef and pork and beer and swedes and carrots. All very River Cottage. Not quite so grand as your one, yet.

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    1. This one is certainly not 'grand', but it's a lot of fun, and very bucolic.

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  4. Something to enjoy at least. You should start to make your own baskets. Just easy and relaxing, good for blood pressure problems.

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    1. I don't have blood pressure problems.

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    2. Sorry I thought you wrote about it. I, as often probably misunderstood something .

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  5. How I would love to be there and see a slice of 'real' French rural life Cro. I envy you those mushrooms - cooked in butter with a dollop of garlic and they would do me very nicely for lunch thank-you.

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    1. I found a few of the black ones this morning (trumpets of death), which have gone into a veggie tagine for this evening.

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  6. Aaaaa acute longing for France this morning. The man wants to know if there would be a stone carving teacher available if we come down?

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    1. I'm sure there must be one somewhere, but not me; I refuse to touch anything to do with stone cutting ever again.

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    2. That is a warning as good as any, thanks. I'll give him a lump of clay to work on instead. That we have in abundance!

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  7. Hello. Sorry to be off the subject but I am searching for your passata recipe. I have looked through last years posts but am missing it. Do you have it to hand or know when you cook up your tomatoes. Also would green tomaotes mixed in work, so many have not gone red this year. I really enjoyed your recipe last year. Thanks x

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    1. I just chop-up my tomatoes and cook them until they're semi liquid, then add whatever I'm putting with them; usually courgettes or green peppers. I then sterilise them for 2 hours.

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    2. Type Tom Time into the white search, strip top left.

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  8. What a lovely little fair, Cro. I've said it before: you live in paradise.

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  9. Just thinking of an annual local chestnust fair has made me smile. I do appreciate your continuing attendance and reporting.

    Best wishes.

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  10. What a lovely way to spend a day...both buyers and sellers.

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    1. And it was a beautiful day too. Everyone very happy.

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  11. Now that's a way I would have enjoyed spending a day (or half thereof).

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    1. There was plenty to see and do... even a small restaurant operating.

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  12. I love the 'amateur' in it all. By the way, they had ceps for sale in Piegut market for €18.75 a kilo. My son's girlfriend and her maman went for a half hour stroll and picked 6 kilos.

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    1. The man in the bottom photo had a few, but very old looking. I'll go and have a look a bit later on.

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