Anxiety and Observation …both states were experienced by Susan Gish who describes Tuesday 19th May, the first day of the market in Aix after lockdown ended.
She writes: My anxiety apartment had been narrowed down to an anxiety closet the past few years since we’ve lived in Provence. It took many years from a stressful career, but I finally started to just ‘be’ and enjoy the moments. Unfortunately, with the lockdown and what has been happening in the world, my anxiety closet changed once again. This time into a full blown chateau. Although we live close enough to walk, I stayed away from the center of Aix the past two months. I took my walks away from town into the hills where I didn’t see any people, and got our food delivered. The very few times I walked into town I almost had a panic attack.
So yesterday morning going to the market I was a bit apprehensive. I put on my mask and carried hand sanitizer. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Hooray! I was really happy to see some of the market vendors that I totally missed.
Observations:
-My French is even worse when I have a mask on. No one can understand me.
-Understanding French is even worse when others have masks on. I can’t understand them.
-In the flower market and on the Cours Mirabeau textile market there were very few people wearing masks.
-The food market stalls have the merchants gathering your orders so you don’t touch anything.
-In the flower and textile market you can touch the plants and clothes, no problem. Just like before lockdown.
Masks at the market: Natalie and Roland serve at their food stall.
-Food markets have plastic wrap around food and a few have plastic shields. Plus there’s caution tape for customers to stand behind, though some are better organized than others. The same with the exchange of money, some are better than others. Hand sanitizer was in front at some stalls and I had to ask for it at others.
-In the Flower and textile market you can touch anything and go right up to the stalls. Just like before.
-Food markets surprisingly don’t have tape on the ground to keep distance between customers. People behind me in line were not respecting distance.
-In the Flower and textile market everyone was milling around inside and outside the stalls. Just like before.
Today’s haul:
Asparagus, petit pois, strawberries, artichoke all of which are still in season.
Farigoule olives served by Loren
I also got the first cherries and melon of the season.
Farigoule olives from Loren!
Coquelet from my duck and chicken couple, Nathalie et Roland.
Brebis cheese from my fromage man! Really beautiful yellow ancienne tomatoes. Potatoes, roquette. Beautiful coriander:
Sam made a coriander pesto:
Crush ¼ to ½ cup of pine nuts in a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have pine nuts you can use walnuts, pistachios, or cashews. Depending on how garlicky you want it and how much coriander you have add 1 to 2 cloves of garlic to the crushed nuts with about ½ teaspoon salt.
If you’re using a food processor or blender instead of a mortar, trim the bottom of the stems of the herb, then chop the leaves and stems, put them in the processor bowl with the garlic and nuts. Add the juice of a lemon and then process, blend or if ambitious and in need of a work-out crush in the mortar and pestle. When completely chopped/blended/beaten into submission, add some good olive oil and process again. Start with 2 or 3 tablespoons and add more (or not if you want a fairly thick pesto). If you’re going to store the pesto for awhile, don’t put any cheese in. If you’re going to use it immediately or in two or three days blend a ¼ to ½ cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano.
Sorry that the proportions are a bit sketchy, but it really comes down to how much fresh herbs you have.
Chef Sam and Susan Gish
aixcentric 
Oh how the world has changed, but the great news is the market in Aix-en-Provence still has all that wonderful spring produce.