January 13, 2006

K is for me.



a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j...

'k' is not a very French letter. Most words beginning in 'K' are foreign like le kimono, le kookaburra, and le kangourou. In fact, half of the words in the kid’s dictionary I use are from the other side of the planet from France. Peut-etre, ‘K’ is just a foreign concept like… me.

A friend once called me an ‘inside-outsider’ here in Southwest France. Having lived here afloat along the Canal de Garonne for nearly 20 years, I am accepted by neighbors and friends as being, well, just Kate. No “Madame this” or “Madame that.” Whereas my friend Vétou has called her neighbor Madame Auch as they morning coffee together for 30 years , my rather formal widow-neighbor Mme. Dupuy, calls me just “Kate”. And always has. Not very French to call someone by their first name! And me, a ‘woman of a certain age’ even. Perhaps it’s because neither of my names sounds French. Kate doesn’t conjure up Kathryn or even Kathy to le francais and “Hill” comes out 'eel/ill'-- with a bit of a hiccup.

“Just Kate” also means I have crossed the formidable line between vous and tu; you can’t vous-voyez someone you call by their first name! Or maybe it is as John Berger described in Pig Earth, these villagers see me in my rural inexperience much like a child. I had to be taught the ways of their country's life, French country life, from planting a garden to putting up pigs.

(Of course, you knew that this was pig blogging weekend and that’s where I was going!!!)

This week the advertising flyers arriving in the mail from Intermarché, Géant Casino and Carrefour all say the same thing ---la Foire de PORC! I realized for the first time in all these years, that I didn’t need my neighbors to hold my hand. I could if I wanted to, like a good suburban French woman, go to the hypermarché and buy all the makings for home-made sausage, pate or even ham from salt to canning jars. Closer to homeport here at Camont I use the local farm store, Terre du Sud, selling knives, gauze bags, salt, jars, boilers, labels etc.-- one stop shopping. Everything but the pig!

The PIG! Since I didn’t order a pig earlier in the year from my farm neighbors, the Sabadini’s, I can go to the neighboring village butchers who have extra shoulders, hocks and trotters available as pig fever starts to take over. But best of all is that tomorrow, at the Saturday market in Nerac, if I go early enough, the Chapolard Brothers will have a true nose-to tail selection of their high-quality, lovingly raised Gascon/Great White pork in their market wagon case. Marc Chapolard or his much-mustachioed and bereted frere offers every week a whole beast, in bits, for the weekend pig blogging that goes on all winter here. A ‘green’ ham to boil? A shoulder to roll into coppa? A fresh liver to mix with lard and potatoes for a peppery paté de foie? A sack of ears to cook crisply and serve with a winter salad? The beret or stomach? The couenne/skin rolled for adding to cassoulets? If you are more inclined to eat than cook, then you can walk away with fresh boudin, saucissons, perfectly seasoned terrines, confited pork chops and ham, ham and ham. Three different kinds.

I leave my pig blogging post a surprise, even to me. It’s what I like best about shopping at the markets. I am confident enough that I have a great supply of delicious and carefully-raised pork from which to choose. Every ‘insider’ has her sources, secret or not, and being an insider in Gascony has its delicious rewards. If K is not a very French letter, for a not-French-at-all outsider, then K stands for …just Kate.



KH by TC

and a special thanks to Michael Hayward for round comfort

10 comments:

David said...

Whenever I play Scrabble in France, I always get both the W and the K. We need to start integrating more English around here so I have a better chance at winning at Scrabble

Kate Hill said...

I have tried for years to get people to let me play bi-lingual Scrabble. Afterall, if one is expected to understand and talk in two languages, why can't one win in two languages? And remember-kayak. a killer score!

"Diva" said...

what was that game with letters on dice that filled a box, and you had to connect them to make words???

It never worked in Italian as you need so many double letter...

Just Kate?... Just fabulous!

Kate Hill said...

BOGGLE! I still have the set I brought with me when i moved to the boat 20 years ago! I'll bring it to IACP and see how many pig parts we can make out of it!

Anonymous said...

Interesting because in the Italian alphabet there is no letter "k" (5 less letters in the Italian alphabet than the English one.)

By the way, your descriptions of the market sound lovely!

"Diva" said...

Boogle.. thanks!
in Italian there is no J, K, W, X or Y.. I am Judy Witts..that's three out of the 5!
They tend to call me Giusi.. that's juicy to you!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kate,

Bummer I did not know about this pig weekend event. I would have made something as I love to cook this little animal. Ah well, une autre fois.
As to your post about the letter "K"and Kate versus Madame, this is quite true.
I have the reverse situation here in the USA, while being French, to sometimes find funny to go to a store and I hear "What can I do for you sweetie?

Anonymous said...

R.Losson m'a fait découvrir cet espace que je me suis empressée de référencer sur notre site.....
Quelle poésie, à trés bientôt peut-être pour la Tue-Cochon à l'Horloge le 17 MARS prochain
Serge&Valérie

Anonymous said...

hmm I know the feeling. I lived in a subburb of Paris for a year (I am also a Kathryn). Kathy was as close as anyone got. Personally I like how they say it, but at least with Hill people can try, my last name is Schosboek- yes... Anyway I really enjoy your blog :)

Beau Lotus 涟 said...

Glad to have found your blog. Have lived in Paris for 10 years and have never heard of la Foire de Porc! Will have to keep an eye and a ear out for exciting events like this from now on...