Fresh

Market today for the first time in a while, and we got there unusually early. We were stopped in our tracks by this new one-product-only stall; if you look carefully, you can see white asparagus, which is unheard of here. The producer is a great salesman, as seeing us pause to admire it, he swept us into a seminar on the difference between white and green asparagus. We had noted there were no prices on display -- when asked, "9 euros a bunch or two for 16" he said. That's outrageously expensive, but it was cut just this morning. He slid a white stem from the bunch, peeled the base, and passed us each a slice -- it was tender enough to eat raw. We crumbled in the face of his skills and bought a bunch (of white) whereupon he regaled us with instructions on how to cook it -- six or seven minutes he said, but given how tender it was, about two seems more appropriate.

We did the rest of our shopping (a handful of cherries from Céret at 9 euros a kilo, tomatoes, fresh garlic, new potatoes, strawberries, cheese) and as we passed him again, he beckoned to us and gave us some bits of green asparagus to taste. They were perfectly edible raw too.

On the way out (unencumbered with further asparagus) we met S and T separately, had a chat with both of them, and then met German B from my book group so stopped to talk to her too. It's nice to meet people we know at the market, but it's still so much quieter and less lively than it used to be.

I'd already bought tagine from the traiteur for lunch, so the asparagus has gone in the fridge, and will be cooked tomorrow, to be served with hollandaise sauce.

In the afternoon I baked my loaf and then went birdwatching again, with the long lens and my phone. The Merlin app identified 13 different birds. Some I didn't believe (thrush, Iberian green woodpecker, spotless starling (?)), but the others were plausible; I even saw some of them. Even with the long lens I didn't get any acceptable photos though. I did see a hoopoe on the ground, too far away to blip.