To Market, To Market

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I have to faire des courses today—go grocery shopping. After five days in the country, the fridge is pretty much vide and it usually falls to me to fill it back up. Now how I wound up with this duty, I’m not entirely sure, but it’s a mixture of me wanting to have all bio (organic) products and more importantly, not being burdened with an official day job.

I kind of hate doing the groceries here. I miss Whole Foods. A LOT. Along with Fresh Direct. New York made life so simple because I could go online, order all my groceries AND have it delivered in a two-hour time slot of my choosing. Now that’s convenience.

Here in Paris, everyone still prefers going to the various outdoor markets or marchés. It’s kind of like the farmer’s market in Union Square, and it happens on different days and different areas of the city. I guess I’m too much of a [New York] city girl to appreciate the marchés yet. It just seems like so much trouble.

Paris marché

You go from stand to stand and hopefully find everything you’re looking for. Then you have to lug it all back home with you, everything stuffed into little plastic bags. Hopefully, you remember to bring your eco-shopping bag; if not, be prepared for dozens of plastic handles to bunch up and dig into your wrists and fingers. And it’s cash-only, folks.

I’m not saying it’s not a charming experience (once or twice as a tourist). Ideally, you’re supposed to go frequently enough that the vendors start to recognize your face and let you in on the best produce or fish of the day. I think I just like my groceries a bit more orderly, nicely arranged in lovely rows in a clean, well-lit space, Muzak optional.

Ahh... Whole Foods

I also got turned off to the market near our house because I got in a fight with one of the vendors. I was eyeing some pretty grape tomatoes on the vine one day when the old guy manning the stand quickly jumped on me, asking if I wanted them. “Yes?” I guess so, they looked nice and fresh. He then put two bunches in a bag, asking if that was enough. When I agreed, he weighed them and said, “17 euros.” I smiled and said, “You’re joking, right?” Unsmiling, he answered, “No, they’re 17 euros.” So I said I’d take less tomatoes b/c who’s crazy enough to pay 17 euros for some 20-odd grape tomatoes? (17 euros is $26!)

He impatiently took out one bunch of tomatoes, weighed the bag again and said, “11 euros.” I said, “I’m sorry, but that’s just too expensive.” So he rather nastily said, “Instead of being sorry, why don’t you look at the sign first before buying something.” He pointed to the sign, which was turned around sideways so no one could see it, naturally, and sure enough, these tomatoes were 48 euros a kilo! I snapped back at him, “Well, why don’t you try being a little nicer to your customers. You’re trying to sell stuff, remember?” And we huffily parted ways.

Dman told me later that this guy is famous for getting into fights with people over his ridiculous prices, but after that, the marché kind of lost its luster for me. Anyway, I’ll probably head over to the Monoprix, which is as close to an American supermarket as they have here, and then Naturalia for all my bio things.

Sigh. I really hate doing groceries. Please, Whole Foods, open a branch in Paris!!

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Tags: bio, faire des courses, fight, Fresh Direct, grocery shopping, Monoprix, Naturalia, New York City, organic, Paris, supermarket, Union Square farmer's market, Whole Foods