Market Day and Cooking Class

One of the most interesting and enjoyable things I have done in Paris is to go to an outdoor market.  There are many of them around the city -  most are open three days a week.  They are set up on city streets, so they need to be put up and taken down each time they are open.  Mr. Z and I watched one closing in our neighborhood last week.  Food and merchandise have to be put away, tables wiped and broken down, lights dismantled, booths taken apart and loaded into trucks.  The workers have quite a system, everyone seems to have a specific job.  It reminded us of Chautauqua students at the Bay Cafe!

Shopping in the markets is a blast!  Some markets are small, but others are like an outdoor Walmart!  People come to them for the most part for fresh meat, fruits and vegetables, but you can find almost anything there.  Converse All Star shoes seem to be a very popular item!

Last week I took a "Market and Cooking Class" from some Americans who live here in Paris.  My day started by walking to the Metro Station and traveling a few stops to another part of Paris.  I was met there by Richard, who is from New York City, but moved to Paris about five years ago.  There were two other people in the class - a husband and wife from Ottawa, which is the capital city of Canada.  (They had their 11 year old son with them )  Together we walked through a huge market, selecting fresh ingredients for  our lunch.  We then walked to the home of Chef Charlotte, who lives in a townhouse close to the Eiffel Tower.  Charlotte was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, but has lived in Paris for over twenty years.  Together we cooked a delicious lunch of duck, roasted figs, potatos, salad, roasted tomatos, and a glutein free chocolate cake!   Mr. Z showed up just in time to eat!  We had a great time, talking and learning about Paris life while we cooked and ate.  I invited the Canadiens to come to PC, since it seems like the rest of Canada is there all winter.  Charlotte mentioned that she may be looking for a house sitter next summer so that she and her children can visit South Carolina for six weeks.  I volunteered Chautauqua and she seemed interested!  Who knows?