Summer is still clinging on. There are good days where the sunshine bank is over delivering with hot rays and blue skies followed by violent 'orages' ... that's storms. One can't help thinking that Autumn will be sharing her glorious autumnal glow very soon. Berries have ripened. The sunflowers look like they have hung their heads in shame... that will be the storm damage and not having enough water through nearly 8 weeks of minimal rain. Conkers are falling. Road sides are laden with ripe blackberry bushes, each over burdened branch beckoning pick me, pick me. Tips of trees are just taking on that burnt crisp tinge.
Paul and I have done our fair share of blackberry picking... to the point that we have cut short evenings out armed with white plastic bowls to pick the best crops that we have spotted! We have received a donation of mirabelle plums. Our French neighbour who is a retired farmer often knocks on the door with a glut of home grown goodies. Very recently we were in receipt of some juicy tomatoes from him. Timely I thought... as having recently seen the film Sugar... I am determined to make more sauces from scratch thus eliminating the need to use sugar.
We are also lucky to have 3 bramley apple trees. In order to avoid interaction with the wasps, I have been getting up early to pick up off the floor the best of the 'drops' and stocking up on apple and blackberry crumbles for the winter.
Last night [Thursday] after exchanging 'ca va' [how are you] with our French farmer neighbour, he asked if we wanted some pomme de terres.... now I am quite respectful of my elders, but I had to restrain myself from biting off his right arm! As born and bred Brits, Paul and I love potatoes, what Brit doesn't? And for 3 years I have purchased sparingly, as they are quite expensive in France. Quite surprising for a country that grows plenty of them. In French he said he would bring the potatoes round on his tractor and quarante, quarante.... So my mind races thinking quarante is €40 and if he is bringing the tractor into our garden there's going to be a hefty load!!
Within in minutes our neighbour has driven his tractor into our garden, performed a 3 point turn on threepence... he clearly has still got it in terms of being a skillful tractor driver and deposits 2 very large sacks of beautiful potatoes. Clearly 40 kilos, for a princely sum of €25... now that is what I call a good purchase. You can expect to pay €3 for 2.5kg.
I will pay it forward with my potatoe purchase to those who have shared their fruitful wares with us and we will look forward to having more of our favourite staple in our Autumnal diet!
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