Piegut-Pluviers used to be a pretty ordinary farmers' market
but has in recent years become a major thing and a bit of a
tourist attraction, especially for the British and Dutch. It's
Bonnie's treat, going to this place where everything is strange
and new. For me, it was less of a treat, as I can't really see
much, and the smells seemed not unlike those of other markets
only somewhat less sanitary (it was 100F), though more
interesting than the grocery store.

We came back with strawberries, raspberries, white peaches,
and pork chops, which I strenuously discouraged the butcher
from removing the skin and fat from. Most of the other things
smelled either under- or overripe, especially the wares of the
duck butcher, which were not at all helped by the heat. Oh,
there were all these stalls selling Charentais melons, and
I carefully sniffed each melon hoard, and they all smelled
just like at the supermarket.

Letitia wanted to see the Chateau de Bordeilles, which is
nicely situated by the bank of a picturesque river; it was a
crashing bore, the mediaeval castle turned into a function
hall and its dungeon into an escape game (separate admission).
The Renaissance castle was kind of ugly and boring as well,
furnished but with stuff of the wrong region and periods, giving
the impression of an antique store on steroids. The vaunted maze
was exceptionally pathetic, because its smallness was accentuated
by the shrubbery having mostly died off in the heat and drought
and therefore cut down to toe-stubbing level.

There is one restaurant in town, Le Tilleul, which is your
typical auberge but better than it has to be, the audience
captive as it is.

They were not allowing inside seating, so we were out on the
patio under umbrellas in the tropical breeze with everyone else.

The waitresses didn't speak any English, as this was in the
middle of the provinces, but between Letitia and me we managed
to get reasonably understood.

Bonnie, who is turning out to be almost but not quite as
unadventurous as Lilli, had quiche and salad and gobbled up
every bit before I could ask for a bite. Overchilled Chardonnay
apparently went well.

Letitia ordered goat cheese salad, which I had no interest in
tasting but was encouraged to anyway - the cheese was mild and
creamy and not objectionable, though by no means delicious.
Overchilled Chardonnay apparently went well.

I got the salade de gesiers, aka gizzards over greens, a
specialty of central to southern France (we were almost within
striking distance of Ian and Jacquie's). It was very good,
though the interior gizzard lining (the part that holds the
gravel used to grind up food) was insufficiently removed. This
didn't bother me much. I had a large beer, which turned out
strangely to be a Munich lager, Spaten. I guess the EU is a
good thing, as it's better than any French beer I know.

Next stop was the Abbey of Brantome, the home, consecrated by
Charlemagne, of an order of troglodytic monks who built an
elaborate cave city back over a thousand years ago and then
some more normal buildings in the Middle Ages. Spectacular,
almost inspiring.

Back home pork chops from the market and snow peas from the
Super U made a satisfying meal, with the berries from the
farmers' market for afters. Along with, Ch. Coufran 2010 -
fully mature, with lots of cassis, cedar, and oak, a pretty
wonderful wine given that it came from the supermarket and
cost under E10 a bottle.
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