Darker Days

Since 1996 all clocks in Europe are changed on the same date; the last Sunday in March begins Summer Time (Daylight Saving Time), which ends on the last Sunday in October.

We forgot to turn the clocks back last night but remembered first thing this morning.  Even with the extra hour we didn't manage to get to the market until nearly noon.  Since we're moving to our new apartment next Sunday this was our last market day at Marché Richard Lenoir, and because we have plans for several dinners out this week, we bought very little in spite of the temptation we always feel.  Few Paris  neighborhoods have a market like this one and I'm not sure how we'll manage once we move across the river.  We may have to come back to shop from time to time in order to enjoy the variety and relatively low prices compared to grocery and specialty stores.

I hope we can find this delicious little chevre, Taupinette, which has become a favorite; it's not too young, but it hasn't had time to develop much of a bite yet. 

And we have had very limited opportunity to try many of the types of fish available at the several fish stalls.  This dorade royale is found on a lot of restaurant menus, and the coquilles St-Jacques here are always sold with their coral.  The French can't understand why anyone wouldn't want it.  Of course in the US it's typically discarded.

Among the winter fruit we're finding clementines, pears, apples, and pomegranates, here called grenades.  The ones below, wrapped in their packing straw, are paler than the red ones we're used to.

Not at the market, but out in front of a nearby restaurant called Bar à Huitres (Oyster Bar) we came across this spectacular display of crustacean plenty.

It looks like it could be one of the Flemish still life paintings I saw earlier this week.  Except that you can take this home for dinner.  Which is an hour earlier as of today.