Going to the Butcher

I have a great butcher in Saint Rémy .  The shop is run by a husband and wife.  They take great care in the quality of their product and service.  When you order a piece of meat, the butcher asks you how you will prepare it.  He cuts off any extra fat.  Trims around the bone.  Cuts it into the size you want. 

If you want hamburger, he takes a piece of beef, runs it through his grinder and forms it for you.  Burger by burger.  There are many things fait maison - home made.  Homemade sausages - at least four kinds.  Home made patés, salamis, ratatouille, stuffed vegetables.  The butcher's wife dishes out the prepared items and runs the register while the butcher handles all the cutting.

If you are a local (as are most of the customers) they take time to chat with you.  How is the family?  How does the butcher make his sausages?   How will his customer prepare the stew?  For how many people?  Does she salt her food? What the doctor says about salting food.  Why her husband puts too much salt on his food (really, that was part of today’s discussion.  That is when the butcher's wife added in that all husbands salt their food too much).

So this was part of the discussion I overhead today as I was patiently waiting my turn.  I had thought that since there was only one person in front of me when I arrived, it would not take the normal 30 minutes.  After all, I had only to place my order to pick up on Sunday for a barbecue we are hosting and to get a few things from the prepared case. 

But even though the woman in front of me bought just a few things, the cutting and chatting and doctor discussions took 15 minutes.  Finally, my turn.  I placed my order with the butcher, discussing how many cotelettes d'agneau (little lamb chops), merguez and saucisses aux herbes I needed for the 10 people I would be serving. 

Then over to madame as I was also ordering things from the prepared case.  First I ordered two slices of paté en croute (in a pastry).  But the customer before me had also bought some and the butcher's wife deemed the remaining amount too close to the end to cut two nice pieces, so she had to go to the back and find a new log of paté en croute for me.  That took a while.   Then I ordered some rillette de oie (sort of like a rich tuna salad but made from goose) and finally it was my turn to pay.

But the customer behind me was a very old woman and the butcher had just finished serving her.  Of course I let her pay first so she didn't have to stand too long.  Then it took her a while to get out her money and find the right amount.  Then the phone rang.  Somebody wanted to order something for Sunday.  There was a long discussion between the person on the phone and the butcher and his wife.  How many people did they need to feed? What spices would he put in it?  Should she pick it up at 11:00?  No maybe 12:00.  No 11:00 would be better.  Okay, settled for 12:00.

Finally, 40 minutes after entering the boucherie I paid and left.  But, at least I had a 40-minute French lesson. 

vvs