Something tasty for the weekend - Saturday market, Chartres.

Staying as we were in chambres d'hôte (on which more later) we were not able to avail ourselves of much of the produce available on the wonderful Saturday morning market in Chartres. So, I had to enjoy most of it by only visually.

However, if we had been, a fine dinner could have been made.

First though, one would had to make sure you had chairs.

This man specialised in reseating them, in maize straw, or cane. (I am so not a street photographer. My attempts lack something, and the most potentially interesting, a shot of a shrewd-looking nun buying groceries from a shrewd-looking market trader, turned out with both their faces being obscured by the price labels of the goods...)

Then you would need to get dressed up.

These girls were helping to promote Macedonia week in Chartres. An even smaller girl gave me a booklet about Macedonia with some lovely pictures.

Then what would you like for a starter? Artichokes?

The ones on sale here were enormous, far bigger than any I have seen in Brittany, said to be the artichoke heartland of the world. I was assured by Breton friends that this was probably because all the biggest and best Breton artichokes are sent towards Paris, and some may have found their way here.

Or perhaps crudités, some radishes,


or a tomato salad?


Then perhaps the fish course,

Which would go nicely with some spinach.

Whatever you have as a main course, make sure to cook it with plenty of garlic,

some little earthy red onions (Roscoff pinks were also available...)

and some spring carrots, or celeriac, or Swiss chard,

and some more garlic.

And then there's the cheese.

If you're feeling a little liverish after that, what about some pruneaux d'Agen?

When I consider how the English brutalised prunes in school dinners and similar, I almost think we deserve the contempt in which our culinary reputation is held in the rest of Europe, which normally I rail against with persons of any nationality who come my way. Real prunes are the most unbelievably luscious, sumptuous things, almost more like a sweetmeat than a fruit. I did buy some of these.

Or, if none of that grabs you, you could go alpine, and have a fondue.

But don't forget to rub the pot with plenty of garlic.