French Cafes, Provence for Beginners, Goodbye Brocante


French Cafes

Photos and text by: Corey Amaro

Anywhere in France, be it a city, a village, a port town or an island you will find a cafe. If you want to be part of the French scene, stop in a local one and have a drink. A glass of water with a slice of lemon, if nothing at all.

French-cafe-outside 

Of course having a raspberry tart as well doesn't hurt. 

Merisi loves to take photos of cafe scenes. We went in to a few thousand of them. I thought, at least we should have a drink in each one… though she went in just to take photos of other people's leftover tabletops. I stood by feeling like an elephant in a china shop…. and then after about the nine hundredth one, I got into too.

But let me tell you Merisi she even goes so far as to move the leftover teacups, wine bottles, coffee pots, napkins… I even think if she had to she would move the table just to have perfect light. I stood in awe thinking, "Now this is serious photography going on."

I dared to take this photo between two people while they sipped and nibbled politely on their tart. I felt so mischievous.

Outside-cafe

Gee, maybe I will start a new blog called, "Provence for Beginners" (how original?) scrapping the brocante.

Sipping and nibbling is an addictive habit I could easily became accustomed to.

Thick-hot-chocolate

Oh yes, so easily I could.

I ordered hot chocolate while Merisi was clicking away between table, waiters, clients, teacups…

When the hot chocolate pot came out with the spoon standing upright I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Than I grabbed it, took a photo of it, ate it, then proclaimed, "Goodbye brocante, hello happiness."

________________________________

Note:

Riederer Cafe: Where-the-spoon-stands-in-hot-chocolate and desserts to give up the brocante for. Click here for more information as to where to find Riederer in Aix en Provence.



Comments

19 responses to “French Cafes, Provence for Beginners, Goodbye Brocante”

  1. The first teapot looks inspired. Thanks, Corey.
    Kris

  2. Anna Bluebell

    Café-hopping in Provence. What a great idea.
    I used to have a house in Provence but unfortunately not any more.
    By the way, I really like your blog.

  3. Man oh, man. you guys are doing me in. Beautiful photography….cafe scapes that are so evocative of the dreams of life in France/Provence. And I love the post before with you at the window. Let me tell you, girl, you have style and Merisi captured it beautifully. Happy travels.

  4. That chocolate! What was it like?

  5. Oh Corey, my mouth is watering over that chocolate. More details, my friend, more details…

  6. I know. I KNOW.
    I visited Merisi in Vienna last summer and spend a day with her visiting one cafe after another. We had coffee in all! You are lucky to have her as your guest, cook and inspirator 🙂
    (my third try to comment today, somehow they all seem to disappear somewhere in cyberspace but 3 is a lucky number, isn’t it….)

  7. that chocolate looks divine!!!!!!
    jackie
    bliss farm antqiues

  8. Oh, the rich thick chocolate…do you scoop out a spoonful and the stir into hot milk in a cafe au lait bowl? I would just lick the spoon and snarf up all the creamy chocolate…forget the milk! Do your prefer hot chocolate over cappuccino?

  9. uh uh, don’t say goodbye brocante. please?

  10. That definitely is thick hot chocolate! Good by waistline.

  11. We have to know more about the chocolate.
    ~elaine~

  12. Aw…I too shamelessly take photos of other’s cafe leftovers…
    I too shift dishes if they are not aesthetically pleasing to me…
    Can we form a club of table stalkers?
    There must be many of us out there, haunting cafes, never ordering anything, just re-arranging the dishes for the bus boy..
    Bus boys are fortunately dilatory in France I;ve noted and it’s a good thing indeed for us table stalkers.

  13. PS
    Love the ‘signature’ china in the second shot. How clever is that to bring it along?!

  14. Oh, Corey is so Tongue in Cheek!!!!!! *giggles*
    Just for the record: We had coffee or hot chocolate everywhere I took pictures! (I confess to the habit of stealing the images of other people’s deserted tables, though. Caught there, red-handed!)

  15. I also loved the clever placement of your name on the china in photo 2!!

  16. Lieselotte

    There´s nothing wrong with going coffee – hopping ( copyright : Merisi ) and taking pictures of nice dishes, cakes, whatever ! Can you please ask Merisi where she got that flour TYPE 700,and what the brand name is ? If she got it in Austria, I´d try to find it because it makes such a difference for pastries. Thank you !

  17. Julie Ann Evins

    I am sad today Corey, I lost someone very special today. I wish I was sad beside you in Aix with the spoon upright in my chocolate, Jx

  18. I’m with everyone else….what’s the deal with the chocolate..? Do ya just dig it outta there? Do you add milk? I want some…I’m drooling.

  19. You have given me another great reason to visit France. I’ll never look at a cafe the same way again.
    Tks,Len

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