It was Tuesday, market day in this Vauclusian village, and the streets swelled with shoppers perusing the 450 stalls groaning with vegetables, fruits, cheeses, meat and poultry, spices, candied fruits, nougat and flowers, clothing, shoes, linens, pottery and Provençal tchochkas.
It was Tuesday, market day in this Vauclusian village, and the streets swelled with shoppers perusing the 450 stalls groaning with vegetables, fruits, cheeses, meat and poultry, spices, candied fruits, nougat and flowers, clothing, shoes, linens, pottery and Provençal tchochkas.
But before joining the throng we had a rendezvous at the tourist office with saffron farmer Pascale ARVICUS of L’or rouge des 3 rivières. A former programming engineer,this wafer-thin Belgian fell in love with saffron and its culture.
Derived from the flower of the crocus it is harvested by hand and very quickly. To glean 1 lb (450 g) of dry saffron requires the harvest of 50,000–75,000 flowers; a kilogram requires 110,000–170,000 flowers.Forty hours of labor are needed to pick 150,000 flowers and in Pascal’s case he and his partner pick their entire harvest.
Most of us hear saffron and we think paella and bouillabaisse but Pascal brought honey, confitures and biscuits infused with the delicate red pistils.
We meandered, eyeballed, shopped and eventually found our way to Les Secrets de Lola where Marc Boccassini and his wife, Laurence Albanesi present their artisanal biscuits named for their daughter.
Hand made since 1999 the cookies are made to order. Dough preparation: Every product a distinct dough;yielding different textures on the palate (soft, crunchy). The order of mixing the ingredients is very important.
For example for the “Beggar” (figs and nuts) fresh butter comes first with quartered figs and whole nuts lightly roasted. The kneading machine is turned slowly to avoid burning the butter; then comes the sugar and eggs. Then comes flour. The dough should be smooth and soft as velvet, then it can be shaped on the cool marble. We shape the tailor to customer demand.
Sold by the kilo Laurence went down the line filling a bag with a broad assortment of these beauties. We plan to test them with champagne and dessert wines-report to follow. I did, of course sample a few while waiting.
No trip to Provence would be complete without stocking up on tapenade and olive oils and we did, stopping at the Monnier-Martin stand. A family business since 1855 they only sell cold-pressed. extra virgin, pure olive oil. And if you can’t get to Vaison try my favorite recipe lifted from Lulu’s Provencal Table. Perhaps with one of her Domaine Tempier rosés?
We had planned on a relaxing afternoon and gentle ride to Le Thor and an overnight visit at Poppy Salinger’s (Pierre’s veuve) charming La Bastide Rose but in the middle of nibbling Lola’s wonderful cookies I received a call from Nicole Rolet of Le Chene Bleu inviting us to lunch. Our host Laure Garrido of the tourist board had not been up the mountain so she was invited to join us….