In a large Super U supermarket, in Pailhes in Herault, Languedoc, equipment for making & preserving large quantifies of jam, tomato sauce & stoning cherries. It’s an area where unemployment is rife and incomes low. The main local industry is wine making.
In the UK/Ireland, these products are only available, at higher prices (the copper basin costs 26€!) in high end, specialist cook stores. What would it take to one day see an Asda or Tesco stock this stuff? And is it really something to strive for?
My corner store, Cazouls les Beziers. Chickpeas and haricots blancs au poids at the till. Note the ham sitting in the open air (next to the fly zapper) behind. It was 33C today & the store has no aircon. In France, choosing how your food is packaged is still one of the choices consumers can make.
