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Thank you for teaching me all about Strawberries here in France. Must go to market for some Gariguettes tomorrow. Avec some sugar and crème chantilly.

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May 31, 2023Liked by Julia Watson

I loved this article. It reminded me of my childhood, picking strawberries at my grandfather’s little farm in upstate NY. We ate as many as we picked. Everything was organic, well before organics were a niche market. I bought some at our local farmers’ market last weekend which were tiny & delicious. I also bought a bunch of very large, dark green asparagus which tasted nothing like asparagus from the supermarket. Thanks for writing this.

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Lovely memories! If supermarkets weren't so focused on their bottom line, we would get food with more flavour and greater nutritious value and more independent farmers would survive.

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May 31, 2023Liked by Julia Watson

A wise and informative piece. Thanks!

By the way those wild strawberries you occasionally find on chalk are delicious too.

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Wild ones are wonderful. The French have emulated their flavour in Mara des Bois.

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I’m always encouraged by farmers’ markets. I just wish more of the farmers were ‘bio’ as they say in France. The farmers’ markets are much better, there. My MIL bought her vegetables fresh, most days in France.

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Even if it's not from a farmers' market, I tend to buy daily. It eliminates the amount of food that gets chucked out.

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Have you ever flown over the Spanish polytunnels? It's one of the most post-apocalyptic sights I've ever seen, endless even from the air.

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How depressing!

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