How to Get a Guy to Go Shopping

PHOTO:  for many macho types, flea market shopping can be deadly boring.

Ladies, gather your market baskets, make your lists, and be sure you're flush with cash.  It's Sunday morning, and every Sunday we all hit les marchés des puces (flea markets) or vide greniers (‘empty attic’ sales). Most every village in the countryside has one annually, with vendors  and villagers selling their vastly assorted wares on makeshift tables.  Going ‘pucing’ is THE Sunday social activity, and a good excuse to lunch at the nearest restaurant.

Most of the girls love to shop, but what do the BOYS do at les puces?  There are a few guys in our crowd who like to peruse the treasures, and it’s true there are many typical ‘guy things’ to look at.  Besides antiques there are tons of tools, used DVD’s and CD’s and all manner of hardware for bricolage (handyman stuff).  But most  of them choose to wander over to the buvette, where the wine and coffee are flowing, and stand around this outdoor bar, mostly populated with les mecs, (the guys), until it's time to gather the troops and find a restaurant.

Ron and his copains have a great idea, which they are threatening to execute:  They will rent a table at the vide grenier we’re all attending that week.  They will place one single item in the center of the table, something unlikely to sell, maybe a broken car part.  They will bring lots of folding chairs, a nice big parasol for shade, a monster thermos of café cognac, baguettes, saucissons, and wine. In this manner they will while away the morning together, poseurs with no intention of making a sale, but with a great spot to people watch and bavarder (chat, and probably tell a few lies). 

Our friend Rudy, an antique dealer who scours the puces for business, has taken this idea one step further.  At the biggest outdoor market of the year, he rents a couple of vendor spaces and parks his vans there, where he can load up his finds.  He then sets up long tables and umbrellas, brings a grill, invites toute le monde, and we all have a huge pique nique in the middle of, and during, the market.  PHOTO above:  Rudy and Ellen's perfect picnic.

Though most of the other vendors set up their own little table for two for lunch under their colorful parasols, Rudy and his wife Ellen’s pique nique is in another league.  It inspires envious glances from the shoppers and the other vendors, some of whom try to wrangle an invite or a glass of wine.  With the smell of sausages sizzling on the grill and an expanse of beautiful salads and desserts, what man would turn down a day of shopping like this?  

PHOTO: Stoke up the grill, Mate:  Sausages amidst the purchases.

So of course we need a good salad recipe to bring along to la pique nique.  AND, all you need to know on how to find the French flea markets, below.

RECIPE:  Monique's Classic French Endive Salad

There are many versions of endive salad in France, and we really like our French friend Monique's recipe, which she has graciously consented to share with us.  Endive (chicory in the UK) is a favorite vegetable here, and with its mild taste and light crunch, it's a great place to add flavors.

For salad:

• 6 small bunches of endive
• 2 apples, chopped 
• 1 thick slice of ham (1/4 lb., 110 grams)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 6 oz. (170 grams) comté, chopped (or use gruyère, or swiss)
• lamb's lettuce

For dressing:  

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• snipped chives
• sea salt and ground pepper

Wash and dry endive then chop it.  Mix all salad ingredients together except lettuce.  Whisk dressing ingredients together, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Toss dressing with salad mixture and greens seperately. Serve salad on a bed of the dressed greens.  

HOW TO FIND THE FLEA MARKETS:  Here’s how to find the weekly marchés des puces if you’re traveling in France.  The local paper should have a list of the weekly ones in the classifieds. Bookstores sell the little booklet “L’adenda des Brocantes”, published annually.  This website also lists them: http://vide-greniers.org/. For the bigger antique markets,  here are some great books that will give you all the scoop:  The Flea Markets of France rates 30 big markets by region, with bargaining tips to boot.  If you're thinking Paris, Markets of Paris: Food, Antiques, Artisanal Crafts, Books & More, with Restaurant Recommendations covers not just antique markets but every market you can think of.

In the Comments:  Cynthia talks about the European love of white asparagus.  Is it better?  And Mark is perfecting his asparagus soup.  Hope you've found Mark's site—he's the 'Head Groundskeeper' at Your Garden Show, THE best spot on the web for plant lovers.