What I loved about it!
Fresh, seasonal produce everywhere: Whether I was in the heart of the city or exploring tourist sites, I never had to walk too far to find vendors selling fresh fruit, vegetables or fresh juices.
Specialized foods: The French take their bread and cheese seriously- and so did I. From traditional white and whole grain loaves to sweet honey-flavored breads, their boulangeries as well as fromageries sold a variety in all shapes and sizes. The cheeses ranged from being pasteurized/non-pasteurized, flavored/non-flavored, garnished/non-garnished, aged/fresh. Fresh bread and cheese specially made an easy and quick lunch to fix. And then there were the olives (variety of green, black, and flavored) that could be eaten just as a snack or made into a tapenade. And though I am not much of a wine connoisseur, if you are, Aix offered several opportunities to explore their wine and cheese pairings at local stores and vineyards.
Rotiserrie chicken: Smaller sized (than I am used to in the US at Peruvian restaurants) roast chickens, were sold at farmers' markets and were in high demand!
Ethnic food scene in Marseille, just a train ride from Aix was a treat. I visited a few North African stores selling spices, olives and even dined at a Spanish Tapas restaurant in the city's vibrant neighborhood of Le Panier- I left Marseille wishing I had more time to explore!
Small portion sizes: Restaurant portions were noticeably smaller than I am used to in the US - but they felt just right. Sauces were made with fresh ingredients (like pesto) which added so much more flavor to the dishes.
And a few not-so-favorites!
Croissants: Don't get me wrong. I enjoy a good croissant. But after five weeks of seeing (and eating) them everywhere, even the smaller chocolate filled ones, started to feel like empty calories. Sometimes, there really can be too much of a good thing!
Viennoiseries: Patisseries here took great pride in their viennoiseries (think croissants, brioches, pain au chocolat), while I was grateful to have sampled them, they felt too rich for an everyday indulgence. By the end of it, I found myself wishing for more savory snack options at the patisseries.
Lastly, while cooking with fresh seafood from the local markets was a joy, restaurant prepared seafood dishes were often under-seasoned. Besides salt and pepper, I hoped for more herbs and spices in my seafood.
