(In English below)
Je dois être idiot, mais je ne me suis rendu compte que récemment que les légumes d’hiver étaient essentiellement des racines et que ceux d’été poussaient au dessus du sol cherchant la lumière et la chaleur du soleil. Cela a déclenché une crise aigüe de réflexion philosophique dans mon petit cerveau.
C’est vrai que l’hiver est la saison de l’hibernation pour nombre d’animaux qui se réfugient sous terre. Nous mêmes avons besoin de nous ressourcer et de ralentir… En cette saison grise, froide et pluvieuse, nous avons aussi besoin d’aliments qui nous réconfortent. La boucle se referme donc ici, puisque les plat d’hiver, les plats réconfortants, sont souvent à base de racines: soupes de légumes, pot au feu et autres ragoûts délicieux… Le monde est bien fait et le marché, débordant de patates et de navets, reflète mon état d’esprit… Mon état d’hiver:0)
I must be an idiot, but I’ve only realized recently that winter vegetables were essentially roots when summer vegetables and fruits were growing above the ground, stretching towards the sun. This triggered an acute crisis of philosophical reflection in my little brain.
It is true that winter is the season of hibernation for many animals who take refuge underground. We too need to recharge our batteries and slow down… It is also during these gloomy, cold and rainy few months that we need comfort food the most. It is quite fitting then, that winter dishes, comforting dishes, are often made with roots as their main ingredients: vegetable soups, delicious stews… The farmers’ market, full of potatoes, carrots and turnips, answers my need for comfort food. It also reflects my state of mind… My winter state of mind:0) The market tells me it is OK to slow down; to seek comfort and warmth…
Here are some pictures, so you may forget all the nonsense I just wrote:0)
MY FRENCH HEAVEN 
I love the slide show. I also love stew and dumplings – it’s once a week weather now!
🙂 Thank you my friend!
Moi aussi!! J’adore vegetables l’hiver!
okay, that’s as far as my high school french memories will allow 😉
I love farmers markets, and go to 1-2 each week. I so look forward to the beauty of the produce, and finding those wonderful, colorful items you can never find in grocery stores!
I recently came across white-skinned sweet potatoes that had a violet & white marbled inside…which are by far the sweetest I’ve ever had. Mixed with yellow and aubergine carrots, it makes a lovely winter’s side dish =0)
Thank you for bringing France to your readers! Love these virtual trips!!!
🙂
Never nonsense that you write! I miss the French markets!
🙂
A very philosophical post Stéphane 🙂
A little too philosophical I’m afraid:)
superbes photos !
je n’avais pas plus remarque que toi que les légumes d’hiver poussaient sous la terre… pourtant je suis loin d’être idiot ! 😉
Bon ça va alors. Je me sens un peu moins con:) c’est drôle de voir qu’on peut apprendre à n’importe quel age. Il faut juste prendre le temps de mieux observer…;)
You are so funny. Thank you for helping me forget. Ha, ha, ha, ha!
🙂
Not nonsense at all! With the advent of modern supermarket shopping where anything is available at virtually any time, whole generations have missed out on knowing when the food they eat is actually ‘in season’.
The beauty of farmer’s markets is that the food is always in season, and as a result it tastes like real food rather than like something that has been hibernating in a container as it travels from one side of the world to the other.
As to the comfort of winter vegetables – I can hardly wait! I love salads but I’m ready for summer to be over so I can cook big pots of soup for hours to get the flavour out of that slow cooking. I envy you. 🙂
I always forget that some of us are right in the middle of summer:) My nephew is sailing around the world right now and it’s been interesting to see him go from Winter to Summer to Winter again over the past 3 months of race:)
It’s lucky he’s sailing otherwise that would be one hell of a lot of jetlag!
It sure would:)
Inspirant! Les stews ont vraiment leur place à ce temps-ci de l’année!
J’aime particulièrement le veau aux carottes! Je crois que je vais en faire bientôt et je partagerai ma recette;)
Oh my god Stephane you need to sell some of those images. They are pieces of art! The old man. The town square. The potatoes. The green beans. Magnificent!
And yes winter is a time for us to slow down and regroup! I love cooking this time of year. More so than in the summer!
Thanks! I wish I could sell them. I just don’t know how to go about it… And I’m the same, I prefer cooking in the Winter:)
I think a big part of root vegetables in winter is because they used to be the only kind of vegetables available in winter when there were no airplanes and greenhouses to defy the seasons.
Great pictures as usual! Love that truffle 🙂
That truffle was huge! Regarding veggies, I find it always best to buy local (even if I don’t always do it)…:)
Terrific images (as always)!
🙂
Just love your photos, fabulous depth, intense contrast, sharp detail, intense hyperealism. Are you doing some after camera tweaking? Are you prepared to share which program and version are you using? 🍭
Some of them are untouched and for the rest I mainly use Snapseed on Mac. Thanks for the comment:)
Thanks, working on an upgrade so considering all options 😄
Thanks for sharing your French market with us. I loved it.
You’re welcome!
So that is what real neufchatel looks like! 🙂 There is a sad lack of proper cheeses over here. This post makes me long for the market days in Europe.
We are very lucky indeed. Where do you live that you don’t have good cheese?
New Hampshire. The US is big on taking the character out of cheese. Though I can find some local artisan cheese. But the lovely government wants to think for us so they ban a lot of wonderful imports. And you can’t find the stuff made well here. So when I head to Europe I indulge!
so, i’m the one with no roots….the one who never want to slow down, but somehow i know you are right…why do you think your thoughts are nonsenses? Someone wiser than us used to say: The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination…
Exactly what you’re doing: you let us imagine the smell of your kitchen, the taste of certain things…
( yes…even the taste of the roots…& the fruits::))
You are kind:)
Love this post! Thank you!
You’re most welcome PK!
Beautiful photography!
Thanks Karen! I have good subjects though:)
We have become addicted to adrenaline in our fast paced lives. I agree wholeheartedly – we need the comfort of rest. I am breathing deeply as I write this comment and I feel good!!!
I love your comments. I can feel your positive energy reaching me through the screen…
Ahhhh….:)
Ah, roots. I’m a big fan of root vegetables, especially in soups and stews in the winter. Your photos, as usual, are brilliant. You have such a gift.
Thanks Julia! I will make a stew sometime next week. I will probably use veal with onions, carrots, white wine and potatoes…:)