Foraging/Wild Things Archives

Let me share with you the wonderful delights of foraging in the Provencal countryside and the local flora and fauna.

Fleurs Sauvages, Mai Cyanotypes by Ashley

June 8, 2018 by ashleyt 6 Comments

Cyanotypes by Ashley Tinker

This is the original Fleurs Sauvages, Mai series from which 6 were sold at the exhibition.

In addition to the Alpilles Oil Paintings, I spent the spring in the studio of the NG Art Residency creating cyanotypes. This is a old photographic process where light-sensitive chemicals are exposed to the sun, therefore creating one of a kind prints. Using thick watercolour paper, I chose the wild flowers that I found in the surrounding fields in Eygalieres including wild peas, poppies, thlaspi, grasses and more as the subject. These works are incredibly detailed because a brush was used to apply the chemicals rather working with already treated paper. The result is an ethereal painterly effect. Somewhere between paintings and photography. That being said, they’re extremely tricky to photograph and it’s difficult to see the detail here.

…

Early Spring Landscapes in Provence

March 31, 2018 by ashleyt 7 Comments

May I brag for a moment? Just look at how beautiful these landscapes are, even at this time of year. Most of these pictures were taken with my phone, as many were impromptu pit spots on the side of the road. Which is your favourite photo? Let me know in the comments below.

Early morning in Gordes.

Spring in Provence

I’ve noticed a sudden change this weekend in more visiters to the area. (Basically in the form of jostling for the parking spot outside my house).

Early Spring is wonderful time to visit Provence. Easter weekend is when many businesses re-open after the restful winter months. Although the poppies may not be out yet (soon), the evergreen Cypruses and olive trees colour the landscape as well as the flowering blossoms. I’ve learned to appreciate the low season pastel light in the villages because without leaves on the trees, you can see more clearly the beautiful architecture.

Here are some photos from my travels around the area in the last 3 weeks. Enjoy!

…

My Vegbox in Provence

October 14, 2016 by ashleyt 2 Comments

French seasonal produce from a weekly vegbox

The contents of my vegbox in Provence. Delivered to my door every Friday.

May I brag for a moment?

Have you seen how ridiculous this Provençal version of a vegbox is? This was in September. We started receiving our vegbox during the summer when I found out that half my street also gets the same parcel delivered once a week by a local Paysan. Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner?

…

Foraging for Strawberries in Provence

May 24, 2016 by ashleyt 4 Comments

Did you know that wild strawberries grow in Provence? I couldn’t believe it when Robin first pointed them out to me. In this climate, you’ll often find the plants taking refuge in the shade. They can be quite abundant. Once you recognise the distinctive toothed foliage, you’ll be seeing the little berries along the sides of paths and woodland all over the place. Fraise des Bois tends to grow in poor soils. For instance, we first discovered them all along the side of an abandoned lawn. They need more water than the typical landscape of the garrigue (craggy limestone rocks, lavender and rosemary that covers Provence). Therefore, foraging for strawberries in Provence is best in areas of dense green vegetation.

…

The Freshest Veggies Near You

December 3, 2015 by ashleyt 6 Comments

Farm shop in Provence

I must admit, and you’ve probably noticed, that I am minorly obsessed with markets. Despite generally scheduling my entire week around whichever market I would like to visit, I sometimes just can’t get to the market I want to with the best produce. Since living in France my standards have become very high! Believe it or not, depending on the weekly market you frequent, the freshest vegetables may not be found there. Instead, why don’t you try your local farm shop in Provence?

…

Learning about French Salad Leaves

November 24, 2015 by ashleyt 2 Comments

La Salade: French Salad Leaves

My local farm shop in Provence is selling these tender shoots at the moment. Large baskets of the just-picked French salad leaves are set up to pick and choose. I originally placed only 2 varieties in my basket before I was told that the combination of Roquette (Arugula), Pissenlit (dandelion) and Mezzona makes the perfect balance of spicy, bitter and sweet leaves for a salad. I can now say that I agree!

Locals usually forage these tender shoots in the Spring; however, cultivated varieties are available now at quality green grocers and farmers markets.

The French are adamant that there’s a proper way to eat food, and I must say that I have to agree.

Evening Walk in Les Baux de Provence

November 20, 2015 by ashleyt 4 Comments

Sunset in the Vineyards of Les Baux de Provence

The other evening I witnessed the most beautiful sunset I’ve yet to see in Provence.

Sadly, the camera cannot truly do justice to the intense colours we saw- but I’ll share these images with you anyways!

First, while wandering the garrigue landscape admiring the variety of herbs, we came upon the Maire (mayor) of Les Baux de Provence who was out hunting specifically for partridge. Only in France?

…

How to Pick Walnuts (noix de grenoble)

October 19, 2015 by ashleyt 3 Comments

If you happen to live near to a walnut tree here in Provence that has yet to have been ravaged by squirrels… I suggest the very satisfying activity of foraging free food! There are many walnuts here in Provence; you’ll often find wild specimens on country lanes. These tend to be the ‘English’ variety of walnut rather than the black walnut.

…

September Harvest in Provence

September 3, 2015 by ashleyt 1 Comment

A typical day of the September harvest in Provence from my enormous garden (and 3 chickens). Including tomatoes, parsley, swiss chard, eggs, nasturtium leaves

September Harvest in Provence

The mornings are crisp all of a sudden. The days are still hot. The harvest, of just about everything, is in full swing. I went for a walk and followed the smell of a skip full to the brim of grape skins before I stepped into the leaking juice running down the road. At the Coteaux d’Aix wine harvest festival in Lambesc- there are grapes between my toes as I hold my linen market dress up and squeal. Afterward, a seventy-year-old paysan cleans my feet with Savon de Marseille.

I’m fighting a losing battle as I try to make a sauce out of the kilos and kilos of tomatoes that are unhappy on my hot kitchen counter. Between batches, sweating in my kitchen, I only have a moment to reflect. Pesto needs to be made and I’m not sure how much money I should spend on the pine nuts. The locals relax at the markets; they have more time to talk. They’ve either made their money for the year during the month of August or have accepted that it won’t be made. The tourists didn’t buy as much.

As I drive by the local roundabout I smile as I notice an older woman pinching the olives on the trees there. She and a couple friends will be raking them off the branches within a few weeks. There isn’t any waste. I’m eyeing up the black husks hanging off the wrangled almond trees in the field down the road. I’ve already seen people on bikes picking from the lower branches. I’ve planted my beets and my leeks and the borage has re-seeded. I had no idea it would create such an expansive sea of mauve flowers.

I’ve started to drink red wine in the evenings. I’m actually looking forward to the cooler months where my Canadian bones (while blaming the whipping wind of the Mistral instead of the snow) will hide under a quilt with a good book and a cup of tea. Soon the leaves on the grapevines will change colour and the French women will start wearing their elegant Autumn boots. September in Provence.

…

Planting Leeks in Provence

August 31, 2015 by ashleyt Leave a Comment

Winter leeks have a blue tinge to their leaves. These are being sold right now at Vaison la Romaine market on Tuesday mornings.

Repiquage des Poireaux d’Hiver

For those of you who aren’t kicking yourselves for enthusiastically sowing hundreds of seeds when the first spring blossom appeared (the sprouting weeds somehow not reminding you of the seemingly unmanageable workload that comes with a ‘potager’ of a decent size), you will most likely be thinking of planting your winter veggies. I would suggest planting leeks in Provence.

…