Jacque's Back
Now it's time for a feast.
Joan
6/4/20242 min read
We've been eagerly awaiting the time when we'd spot Jacque's stall by the roadside on our way in to town. You may remember that last year I raved about his peaches, but this year we were in time to buy a kilo of his finest cherries. Here they are(above)...the richest, largest, juiciest cherries that man can buy. It is not for nothing that the cherries from St Etienne and Soubès were once highly prize in the markets of Paris. Jacques was also selling fresh apricots. Of course we bought some of these too. Whilst shop bought apricots may be stringy, his are always perfect.
But all is not well with Jacque's cherry trees. There is a 'mouche '(or fly) around which is impossible to eradicate. He may even lose one of his trees. That brings to mind the dead or dying cherry trees that I have seen above the maison forestiere, where once there must have been a thriving cherry orchard. Cherry trees would seem to be fairly vulnerable. Jacques also cultivates olives. As we learned from our neighbour Roland, there is a mouche around this year which is spoiling the new growth on his olive trees. But as Jacques confirmed, this can be dealt with in time. Alas the cherry trees can't be. There are a number of cherry trees alongside our village stade. Fortunately, these are full of ripe fruits, ready for anyone who wishes to come along and pick them. We have two wild cherry trees in our garden, but alas these cherries are bitter and are 'strictly for the birds.'
