Französischer Markt und Euromarché

Yesterday there were 2 cool things going on in the city center: Französischer Markt und Euromarché. Both happening quite independently, but were made better by being on the same day. I snuck out of my flat before the rain started again to go check it out. At the Französischer Markt, which apparently happens several times a year in the Marktplatz in front of the old city hall, all things French come out, and there were about 6 stands. There were several fromage (cheese), with lots of Roquefort varieties, bread, and dry sausage stands. Some of the other stands had the following: soaps (Provencial- the best, gentlest ever), jewelry, fish, sweets (including macarons), and jams/marmelades. There was only one place with limited macarons, but I was excited to get macarons! I ended up getting a year's supply of soap for my sister and I, a dozen macarons which are sitting in the freezer waiting for my sister to visit later in the month, and a few jams. Soap scents: coconut, olive, strawberry, cinnamon, peach, violet, mimosa, and jasmine. Macarons flavors (that I remember)- raspberry, pistacio, strawberry (there are another 3 I can't remember). Jams/marmelade flavors: Milk with orange liquor, carrots with whiskey, apricots with lavender; all are from a place called La Boîte à Biscuits (40 Rue Nationale, 67160 Wissembourg, France). A blog with cool pictures showing it is at http://kitchenlioness.blogspot.de/2012/05/french-market-bonn.html.

Food stall in Marktplazt

Standard Marketplatz food market

Standard Marketplatz food market

Französischer Markt

French desserts!

Some of the French stalls

Stall with olives and meats

Fountain in Marktplatz

Old City Hall

Next up was the Euromarché (http://www.euromarche.eu/)- "the edible experience combines many different traders, who come from different regions of Europe. These dealers have a long way to buying to present their range. When you visit this market, then you will feel enchanted in the various holiday destinations that you have previously visited once or always wanted to visit. At each level, the language is spoken, a challenge for the customer and the dealer, that's something special." Yeah, there weren't kidding about the language being a challenge. I can switch between German, Spanish, and English fairly decently (to get a grasp of the conversation), but French, Italian, and Dutch threw me off completely. Even the Haribo bear was visiting, promoting the new Bonn store. So without further adieu the stands that I saw: The French led with their presence- one stand had all thing lavender, with lavender pillows, soap, argan oil, another had many varieties of onions, shallots, and garlic, a crepe stand, a cookie stand (I got an almond cookie, a pistacio cookie, and another one with ginger), and a flammekucken stand. I voted for having a flammekucken for lunch, which had Chevre goat cheese (not my favorite, but whichever), dried tomatoes, rocket, and onions, paired with a glass of sparkling water (just a little too early for wine). Other stands- Norwegian, with clothing goods and things like that, Italian, with parmesan cheese and hams, several fish stands (eeeeeewwww)- ok people were liking the sandwiches etc they were making with herring and raw fish, but not me....., a dried fruit stand, a Netherland stand with cheese (mostly Gouda) and stroopwafel which is a waffle cookie, and a Polish beer stand. I almost forgot to mention the Belgian chocolate stand (I know, how could I forget this one, especially with the chocolates 10 feet from me :) ). I've so far indulged in a pistachio and espresso chocolates... these will not make it until the end of the month.

Haribo bear

Belgian chocolates

More chocolates

Dried meats from France

Fish

Polish beer

Flammkuchen options

View of Muensterplatz church

Flammkuchen stand

My Flammkuchen

mmmmmmm

Beethoven!

My Belgian chocolates

Yummmmmmmm......

Pistachio

 


After being loaded up with heavy good stuff, I wandered into the Galleries Lafayette, and made the mistake to going to the lower level. Dangerous territory, Belgian chocolates, gourmet wine, spices galore, big cheese market, imported foods, etc. I finally found dried cilantro, Europe really doesn't know what it's missing with cilantro. I also wandered around and got myself a small bouquet of spider mums. The underside is yellow and the top of the petals are red, so very fall colors. Speaking of fall, by the time I returned from my Phoenix trip, two-thirds of the leaves have fallen to the ground, there are a few hold-outs that are probably waiting for the first hard freeze before hitting the ground. The sky is almost a perpetual gray, yesterday had a really high high temp of 60F degrees, and only because of the cloud cover. On average the current temperature tends to be 50-55F and a low of about 40F. It's gotten cold enough that my ears and nose are cold when I walk to work, so the scarf has come out and I might have to add a hat to that too. The umbrella is perpetually parked in my backpack or purse. On another separate note, it looks like my team came in 2nd place for the walking challenge, darn it. Oh well, I got a lot of exercise from it.