French Friday: String Shopping Bags
Do you ever have such a vivid picture in your mind’s eye, even thought you know you’ve never actually seen it in real life? When I see these string shopping bags, I can smell the salty air. A woman is in the sunny South of France, or maybe walking cobblestones on a foggy day in Dijon. She is headed to the outdoor market, and when she arrives, she pulls the string shoppers out from her purse and hooks them over her wrist, still empty. She walks among the stalls wearing a brown leather belt and a linen skirt with wrinkles across her lap from when she sat reading a book by the open window earlier that morning. Her hair is pulled back in two clips, and she is smelling the air and feeling the warm sun on her forearms. She picks up a round piece of fruit, chats with a vendor, tucks a head of wet, leafy greens into her bag. The bags expand as she drops in a wedge of soft cheese, garlic, a small bottle of milk, and perhaps some shiny fish fillets wrapped in stiff paper. And when the bags are heavy and filled, she walks back the way she came––in the sunshine, or in the fog––strong-armed, on her way home to make a fine lunch.
Can’t you just see it?
Happy weekend, friends! I’ll be away from my kitchen and living vicariously through yours: What’s on your kitchen agenda?
Sarah J: I can see it! We’re off to an oyster festival and won’t leave until we’ve had our fill.1 year ago
Ah! Heaven! That sounds so awesome.1 year ago
Kristine: I want to be that woman with the string bag!
Have a lovely weekend. I will be eating way too many Cadburys Easter Cream Eggs this weekend and then feeling guilty (sort of).1 year ago
Sara Rose: Totally charming vignette. I’ll pretend to be that woman as well. Tonight, I’m making spaetzle, brussels sprouts, and sausage but I did start my day with a toasted croissant with nutella and plenty of coffee! I thought it was a good way to start the weekend, slowly and with chocolate.1 year ago
Mmm, Easter candy. I almost forgot.
Sara Rose, that dinner sounds incredible! And your morning––that doesn’t sound too shabby either!
1 year ago
EB: Can I be that woman? Please??! I’ll be making sugar cookies for the kiddies this weekend. Bring on the sprinkles!1 year ago
Julene: Lovely vision indeed. In the kitchen is dough rising for my first attempt at hot cross buns for family dinner tonight. Fingers crossed that they turn out ok.1 year ago
Chez Loulou: Beautiful imagery! Bon weekend.1 year ago
Cadi: Oh, you paint the prettiest pictures, I long to be that woman at the market!
Weekend includes making a Meyer lemon layer cake with raspberry buttercream frosting for Easter dinner at my parents on Sunday. Happy Weekend to you!1 year ago
sovietvintage: Charming! thank you so much for including my shopping bag!1 year ago
pattyskypants: Just a minute to whine here (‘cuz U asked!): with a major kitchen remodel due in January, my very vintage electric slide-in range decided to ‘splode it’s oven element! Can I forget about baking from now until December? NOOOOO! But this blows Easter! And I just got back from the butcher where I saw the most scrumptious, heavenly boneless lamb roast. Woe is me!1 year ago
Katie: What a lovely scene…I can almost smell the fruit, fish and sea air.
I’m hosting a potluck Easter dinner…good times.1 year ago
Mary Liz Tippin-Moody: Oh, Sarah,
Your emails make my day OVER and OVER. I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend, and please know that your lovely insights and observations lend light and peace into otherwise dreary times. Bless you.
Mary Liz1 year ago
Nil: Thank you very much Sarah for featuring my green string bag! They’re absolutely best for shopping.I have more colors in my store and I’d like to give %10 discount to all your friends… Coupon code is : ESKI1
Thank you very much
Nil
http://www.iloveyoyo.etsy.com1 year ago
Elizabeth F: I have a green string bag and a blue string bag just like those. Except mine are made of nylon cord and I bought them in Italy in 1970.
We’re doing tabouleh and spanakopita and pickled beets and hard boiled eggs and homemade rolls and various vegetables, relishes, pickles and fruits. I hear a ham may be coming too. Cherry pie, lemon meringue pie and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Happy Easter, Happy Spring.1 year ago
Leili Learning Life: That was so…yummy!1 year ago
Natalie: I thought of this post yesterday as we walked to BFs brother’s house and BF was swinging my pink string bag filled with beer and a gerber daisy for his mom. It was such a contrast from the picture you painted and still so lovely.
I learned about these bags while working at a health food store after high school. I loved them so much I designed a crochet pattern to recreate them with whatever material I had on hand – I adore my hemp twine ones.
I baked Mexican wedding cupcakes yesterday – pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting, and I even piped on the frosting. I have sweet potatoes in the crockpot now, and the cinnamon is making the house smell delicious. Hope you have a wonderful weekend full of good family, friends and food!1 year ago
wendy: Now that the week-end is over I got to peruse the offering of wonderful string bags. Oooo, to be the one with a handful!
As far as the weekend kitchen, it was full of wonderful smells and sights! Since we are a Christ centered family, we chose to make Greek food for our Easter dinner.( We, being German and French)Thinking that He would have eaten something almost(?) similar, we made keftedes, bourani, hummus,tatziki, marzipan. While friends made spanakopita, dolmas, and provided lots of wine and pita. there were many at this table for sharing the wealth of love and food.
I pray that your weekend was as peaceful and that you might have your own weath of love and string bags!1 year ago