Customer Reviews

Markets Of Provence

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book without looking at the publication date. It's ten years old! Yet I still found that most of the information was relevant and many of the markets are still there--testimony to their staying power, I guess. I can't say if there are other books which you should get before this one, but all I know is that my time wasn't wasted using this one and it's been years since it was published.

If you or anyone you know plans a trip to Provence, make sure this book goes too! It is an excellent guide to the wonderful Provencal outdoor markets. If you want to experience Provence at its finest, this is one of the very best guide.

Full of gorgeous color photos, this is a beautiful as well as helpful book. After the trip, it is wonderful to go through the book again and savor all of the great memories. For the finest produce, cheese and other delights of the South, this book is a must have!

This excellent book was in the kitchen of a house we rented a couple of years ago in Caromb, northeast of Avignon. Not only were the lists of daily markets invaluable, but the recipe for quails with spring onions on tapenade-covered croutons, for example, allowed us to make good use of local products. (With all those fabulous tapenades available at market, I did not make my own, as the recipe suggests.) Patricia Wells's introduction reminds you of her own invaluable guides to food throughout France, and her inspiration and influence are apparent throughout the book -- the level of knowledge, enthusiasm, and appreciation for the wonders of Provençal food is engaging and contagious. The illustrations remind you of places you've been away from too long and get the juices flowing for a return visit for markets you missed the last time.

My cousin and I just returned from a 9-day trip to Southern France. Our highlights can all be found in this wonderful book. We met Henri Tomas and taste-tested and approved the Galette specialty of the house; taste-tested and brought back many bottles of wine from Chateau La Canorgue. We followed the suggestions and pretty much made the rounds to all of the sites. Our last evening in Provence, we sampled the goat cheese, bread from Henri Tomas' patisserie and the wine...we added our own Picheline olives and fresh market tomatoes to make our meal complete...what a last supper to have in France. Joy of Life, Indeed!!!!!! Thanks for making our trip a 10++++++.

My husband and I went on a romantic 3-week vacation to Provence in 1997. We used this guide daily, like a Bible, to select towns and markets to visit. We found it more up to date, helpful, and accurate than any of the others guidebooks we had with us. The authors told us what was of interest in each town, what were the best and most interesting foods to sample in each market, and who were the nicest vendors. When we return to Provence next we will rent a house so we can actually shop in the markets and then cook the food at home. We enjoyed the book so much we bought it as a gift for another couple planning a trip to the region. I bought it for one of my best clients who went to Provence soon after my husband and I returned. She loved it as much as we did. She passed it along to an English couple she met and they used it daily as well. We hope the authors will continue to update the information and add more recipes in future editions.