More bread, man......!

 The importance of 'bread' is shown in the usage of the very word in relation to other things.
'No bread, man' is not a good sign - not only can you not buy any, but you can't buy anything else either! The real article comes in all shapes, sizes, tastes and forms......colours and types are just as varied, one of them, and only one, have I always been unable to eat 'Pumpernickel bread' - it is so solid you can hear it grating its passage down to your stomach and splashing, undigested, into your stomach - Frightening!
There are so many types of mixtures attributed to 'bread that it is difficult to know where to start! These are only my personal choices and opinions, of course.......these things are adored by certain people ..Bagels.....the only thing I eat from them is the hole! A kind of 'muffin' - edible at teatime or breakfast for some people.....When in India, do as the locals ..or if it's Hallowe'en then this may be useful..... - which brings us back to the violent history of bread. Even now there are 'Inspectors' who go around controlling the weight of bread......a 'baguette' under a certain weight may not be sold as such, and heavy fines are imposed if they are! The history of the french baguette shows the love shown by the French to this national symbol, and in between times, the same attachment has been taken by many Foreigners living here in France. Here is a link to a site dealing with some historical aspects of the baguette and bread in general ...... http://www.retrodor.com/en/index.php/bread-in-the-french-tradition/history-of-bread-and-baguettes  or this one which deals with French baguettes, wine and cheese....  http://foreigndetours.com/baguette-and-french-bread/

In France, particularly in Paris or other larger cities, the most popular midday snack is still, after centuries 'Jambon - beurre'.....half a yard of baguette, sliced lengthways, spread more or less liberally with butter and containing a slice or slices of cooked ham-try it, it's good....
Never forget however, that the French had occasion to use their famous guillotine, often, in relation to issues concerning bread..... and the peasants were revolting........maybe that's why it's called 'PAIN' in French.......don't mock it!

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My pride and joy.....!

 When you enjoy good and nice things, like food, you have certain favourites....the pride and joys!
This 'mimosa' was one of them for me, when I had a garden - it started life as a small potted branchlet, and finished (when I left) some 40 feet high and full of blossom!
This is really only possible when you live in an area like mine, where the climate is such that almost anything will grow and grow fast! This, of course, makes gardening a pleasure, because you see results quickly, with a little water and basic knowledge - the sun and climate does the rest!   These beauties were number one in my list of pride and joys because they just didn't stop growing, were totally delicious, slightly sweet but also slightly acidy, when you pulled out the 'thieves' (that is the little sprouts between branches that steal a lot of the nourishment) they just thrived, and so did I! They started around March/April and I was still collecting in December! Finished buying at markets those abominations coming from greenhouses or from Spain, full of water, and always having tomatoe sauce, fresh, available! Just the smell on my fingers AFTER harvesting was a delight to the nose. In salads, or with a simple vinaigrette another delight.....if there were any really larger ones (I preferred the 'tomates ronde'- normal sized round tomatoes) then they would be either stuffed with a sausage meat and oven cooked or brushed with a little garlic flavoured oil and popped on or under the grill - another delight! I always used herbs de provence gathered fresh - free of charge in the heathland (or a little fresh parsley - free also from the market hall) and often a filet of anchovy placed on top....all these things simple - natural - not complicated and not expensive, thanks to the sun, the earth, the water and my own little fingers!
 Another pride and joy, although they did it all by themselves, were these things! They started in April/May and we often picked the last ones for Christmas! We were quite happy to make jam and other things from them, as well as having many invited guests to help out with their eating....!
So many things, so little work, so cheap.....for example!
All of these things just......grew!
Wasn't really a question of planting and being great in the garden.....just happened....wasn't even a question of cheaper, because in the seasons, tomatoes, melons and strawberries were so cheap in the market that probably the price of watering in the garden at home was more expensive, but the taste....the taste...! The only thing that presented problems was this....
 At one moment in time, we spent every afternoon until early evening picking them, we invited village friends and others to come and help themselves....we gave them away....and STILL we had to go out the following day and harvest-sore backs or not! We froze them, tinned them, bottled them, ate them - they just kept on coming. For 2 years they were a part of my 'pride and joy' then they fell into displeasure! Shame really, not the cheapest to buy fresh, but enough is enough-and you can't make jam from them!
I had lettuce until I realised I was spending money on plants/seeds and water just to feed slugs and snails, and although I did/do eat snails, I stopped with the lettuce. Slugs are not too nice!

My only failure was this  I got them to grow - for the table, not for wine - already cheap enough here, but I really wanted them for this....THE SHADE.....! Unfortunately, the bees, wasps, flies and mosquitoes liked them too, so - up they came, but for a while they were my pride and joy as well!
Now the gardening is over, no garden any more, and happy with that....just a shame you can't buy chicken or pork seeds. Wonder if it would work with canary seed? Bit on the small side that's all, but same colour as the mimosa.....
Bonne Appétit!

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