Friday, November 21, 2014

Made In France Expo MIF

Last weekend was the MIF salon at Porte de Versailles (Paris' Javits convention center) and I finally went after looking at posters in the Metro for two years. These are some of the items I bought. Missing is the miel(honey) from the Ile de Ré and a bar of defoliating soap from Jeanne M.

The 3-day salon is strictly regional French products. 300 entrepreneurs big and small proudly showing decor, fashion, home, cosmetics and of course gastronomie
Weekends are when these food salons take place in Paris.
This weekend you can visit;
Le Perigord à Montmartre 21-23 around Sacre Coeur
Salon Saveurs 19-23 Porte de Versailles
Crèations Savoir-Faire (DIY) 19-23 Porte de Versailles.

MIF is at the same location as the Salon du chocolat. It's big.

And crowded on a Sunday afternoon, the last day. I thought I'd just waltz in and waltz out in an hour.

Ha! Not possible. Three hours later...Plus when you go the last day all the red apricot jam from Provence is long gone. Best go early. Did I say there is plenty of degustation (tasting).

My first purchase was this red current (groiseilles) juice. I simply can not resist a big bottle of home-grown fruity juice (65% fruit) especially if it's ruby red. This from Domaine des Rubis from Haut-Alpes.

Gorgeous burnt Sienna vials of Armagnac.

Regional beers on tap.

Like all the rest watching I am fascinated by anyone doing a food shortcut demo.

Somehow I buying this plastic tube thing (5€) unlike the irresistable pineapple cutter or veggie chopper of past shows. You place it in an orange or lemon and easily squeeze out the juice. I saw French kids walking around, well-behaved, clutching oranges and calmly sucking up the juice tube.

Chicken tastes from poulet de Bresse,the best chicken in France.

I tasted so much goat cheese but forgot to buy (end-of-show deals too) from Fromagerie de la Durance. Love to visit a goat farm. Most vendors have guided visits. Some have museums!

Another thing I should have bought - Cancoillotte from Franche-Comté. So creamy yet fat-free (according to Coco Jobard) but It's hard to buy something you can't pronounce.

I tasted this gateau Breton from Pont-Aven Sooo buttery and sugary. I'm always up for a taste at these shows otherwise what's the point of going? Forget your own personal likes and dislikes and go with the flow. It's the only way to discover new things. 

I loved this innovative children's playground equipment from Trigano-EVO. Many new fun products at the show. You sense the pride.

Cosmetics that make you look younger from Jeanne M (her grandmere) made from snail 🐌 slime of La Rochelle. She gave me a bar of soap to try out.

I'm mad for lavender. I have sachets hanging on every door knob and window latch. Plus sachets at my desk to squeeze and kneed (to release the soothing aromas).

They say Lavandre is a de-stressor. I'm convinced. I bought a spray from Les Agnels of Provence. I'd love to visit their lavender museum in the Luberan near Apt.

There is no French food salon without mountains of chocolate, this from Beussent-Lachelle.
Evidently dogs 🐶  are allowed. Do visit MIF next November. You'll have a ball.

18 comments:

  1. France is so proud of their products. 25 yrs ago when we arrived to live in France, you couldn't buy anything that was not MIF. You are a great ambassador through your blog, & deserve freebies.
    I'm making.lavender sachets, if you would like one it would give me great pleasure to send you one let me have your address.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're a darling to offer Barbara.
      Between all the sachets and bouquets and now the spray I'm good. I left the show reeking of lavender.

      Delete
    2. PS The pride was amazing. People could not have been more warm and friendly.

      Delete
  2. This looks like a really fun show.
    How the French stay thin with all these tastings is the unknown quantity.

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  3. That pooch was posing 4u.
    I too love lavender..Even in food:)
    Lovely products..I would have been tempted to try many things too.

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  4. Gateau Basque! And you passed it by....domage. I cannot wait to see what the snail slime does for your complexion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course I took a taste!
      I didn't buy any...not to be trusted with a whole cake.

      Delete
  5. Red currant juice! Oh my goodness – there’s a wonderful thing. I bet it’s great with a bit of vodka! ;)

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  6. did you catch the name of the company that makes the red apricot jam from Provence?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everyone makes it Frank.
      I happen to love Angelina's red apricot jam in fact.

      Delete
  7. Jane G.7:13 PM

    Ahem...I'm not putting no snail slime on my visage!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ahem...it's probably in what you're already using with a fancier name.

      Delete
  8. Mmmmm. Lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you for the "degustation" of this
    marvelous salon. You could get lost on
    a day like this in such a grand place
    to shop. Well, except for the snail slime~
    but the chocolate slabs and the sweet
    small dog made up for that.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great photos all the way through the post, Carol (plus the opening watercolor!)
    My favorite pic is the one of the Armagnac bottles - brilliant shot.
    And, the chocolate and the dog, so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  11. fun to be brought to this event with you doing the walking and the schlepping. The plastic citrus tool is really a terrific gadget. I use one all the time, especially for lemons. I put a lemon into the micro for a very brief while and that creates more available juice. Then I use the tool and leave it in the lemon when I store the whole works in a ziplock bag in the fridge for over a week. Just a little squeeze and out comes the juice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NOW you tell me ;(
      I knew I shoulda bought it.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous8:50 AM

    Was loving your blog until the post about the bear...am I incorrect?

    ReplyDelete

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