Photo: Painting by Jan Ayers, "Bird Market at Notre Dame"
Last Sunday morning I went to les puces (flea market) in a small village, though it was really more of a vide grenier, where the country folk empty their attics of unwanted junk.
At one stand, I spotted a bird cage sitting on the ground, with four fat pigeons crammed uncomfortably inside. Two of them were pure white and beautiful–doves, perhaps. “Fifteen euros” said the handwritten sign.
Now I am not fond of putting any birds in cages, and these, I feared, awaited a particularly ominous fate. Monsieur le vendeur, who owned the house just behind, came over as I contemplated them.
“Bonjour Monsieur. I’ve never seen pigeons for sale at a village flea market," I said in my best French. "Can you tell me what one does with pigeons bought at les puces?”
“Well Madame,” he said politely, just managing to conceal a smile, “you take them home and cook them.”
I was sure that Ron, who was waiting in the car for me, was not going to tolerate a cage of 4 frightened rescue pigeons in the back seat of our sedan. Our truck, unfortunately, had been left at home. “I won’t be needing the cage,” I said. “Can you give me a better price on just the pigeons?”
At this point a small crowd had begun to gather. You know, to watch the stupid American. One of the other vendors came over. “She’s going to let them go!” he protested.
Monsieur raised his hand to stop the new arrival and said calmly “Please let ME handle Madame.” No fool this vendor, he knew he was about to make a sale.
“Madame,” he told me kindly, “if you take the pigeons to your village and release them, they are just going to come back to my barn. This is their home.”
“In that case,” I said, “I’m going to offer you 10 euros for their freedom, we’ll release them now. Americans don’t eat pigeons, or rabbits either for that matter,” I explained. “The money is to buy their liberté–you can never again trap, or eat, these pigeons. You must promise!”
Many hearty reassurances were forthcoming; we shook on it and the money changed hands. Then it was time for the grand release ceremony. Monsieur placed the cage on a table, and opened the door with a flourish. The pigeons happily fluttered out, and like idiots landed on the top of a wall next to him, so close he could reach out and grab them.
“Shoo!” I said, waving at the clueless pigeons. “He wants to eat you!” They retreated, at least temporarily, to the roof of his barn (that's one of the happy, liberated pigeons, in the photo).
The French crowd who had gathered rolled their eyes heavenward in unison, and snickered.
“On vas faire les bises! “ Said Monsieur as I departed. Let’s have a kiss! A sure sign that I had made a friend, in spite of our differences. We both got our money’s worth–10 euros for a good story, and at least some borrowed time for the birds.
Though I’d like to believe otherwise, I fear those pigeons were back in the cage for the afternoon crowd. “He’s got a great new business model,” Ron said, when he heard the story. “He can just keep selling those same pigeons!”
RECIPE: Frenched-up Shepard’s Pie
While we’re talking of saving animals (and getting healthier ourselves, by eating less meat), here is a fabulous cooking tip I came across, from cookbook author Martha Rose Shulman (The Very Best Of Recipes for Health and Mediterranean Harvest: Vegetarian Recipes from the World's Healthiest Cuisine
Mushrooms are always great paired with beef, so I used a similar technique to stretch out my ground beef and make a tasty shepard’s pie this week. Shepard’s Pie is unbeatable for a one-dish meal when you’ve got dribs and drabs of veggies to use up. I frenched it up with a little gruyere cheese, though you could use swiss, cheddar or parmesan (and you could even leave out the beef). I've given directions rather than a real recipe, since substitutions are welcome.
Serves 3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200C)
In a dry black skillet, sauté a half pound (225 grams) of sliced mushrooms on high heat, until they’ve released their liquid and it evaporates, and mushrooms begin to brown. Remove mushrooms to a plate.
Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the same skillet and sauté together, over medium heat: some chopped onion, red pepper, celery, maybe a sliced leek–or most any other veggies you have in your fridge–with ¼ to ½ pound (115 to 225 grams) of ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper. When beef is well browned, add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and the mushrooms, and cook a couple of minutes longer, stirring. Turn heat to high and add about ⅓ cup of wine or water and 2 teaspoons of worcestershire sauce, plus a dab of hot sauce, and stir for about a minute, until liquid is mostly gone. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, peel and slice 4 medium potatoes and steam until tender. Mash them with a little butter and a splash of milk, plus salt and pepper. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of gruyere over the meat mixture. Spoon the potatoes in mounds over the meat mixture and spread out evenly. Top with ¼ to ½ cup more cheese. Bake until golden, 15-20 minutes.
Hop on over to The Daily Basics this week to read more about Olivier Magny, author of Into Wine: An Invitation to Pleasure
16 thoughts on “The Pigeons Go to the “Puces””
Hi Lynn,
Well I’m with Ron on this pigeon deal – you gave this guy a great business idea! Let’s hope the pigeons enjoyed their taste of freedom even if it was for just a short while. I wish I would have been there to see it all take place. 🙂 Thanks for the smile you put on my face today. Connie
Lynn – I love you – don’t ever change!
Sally
An amusing story and happy the pigeons had a little bit of liberte!
I know why you did it Lynn, wild ones taste so much better!
Having said that , it is difficult to get them around here, so I did an exchange, Reiki for pigeons.
Now that really is modern French rural life.
That was too funny! I remember my uncle raising them and we would eat them (that was over 40 years ago, I was innocent!). Well, now, I would have done just like you!
What a charming tale. You are a kindred spirit. Bless you for your kind heart. I would have done the same.
The late Princess Lucy Shirazi used to travel everywhere with her 2 pet pigeons. One escaped the cage and flew through the lobby of the George V. All the bellman were chasing it waving scarves while Lucy sat in a chair sipping Dubonnet and smoking a Turkish cigarette. Finally the bird flew into the bar and was caught shortly thereafter. Wrapped in a towel it was presented to Lucy by Mr. Pozo, the mgr. Princess thanked everyone, and departed with the bellman escorting the Princess and the pigeon. There was never a dull moment when she was around.
I love your efforts to save the pigeons and I am very confident that in addition to a very short reprieve, you also provided the seller with a great laugh. I’d like to think he honored your agreement but I doubt it. You don’t often see pigeon (squab) on menus in Northern California but rabbit is showing up a lot more and in fact it is a favorite of diner’s at our Bistro des Copains.
Lovely story Lynn. I too hope the pigeons freedom lasts. Alas, perhaps the kiss really did seal the deal and the gentleman will keep his word! Recipe looks delicious as always. Best wishes and bon weekend from Amalfi.
Wonderful story, Lynn! I would have done the same thing. I’m going to send you a copy of my poem, written in Paris, called, “Le Pigeon.”
Lynn, you are a lady after my own heart– buying freedom for the pigeons(!) even though they would inevitably end up back in their barn with fates unknown (but surely surmised)(gives reinforced meaning to the term bird brain,doesn’t it?)
I especially applaud you for speaking up that Americans do not eat either rabbits or pigeons!
Your Frenched Up Shepard’s Pie is nothing short of heaven!
What a wonderful post!You’ve started our weekend off with smiles!
THANK YOU!
Whenever I see pigeon or lapin (rabbit) on a restaurant menu I order it–particularly in France. If both meats are on offer, I make my husband order one and we share our entrees. Really, you should try them, they have flavors much more delicate and complex than chicken, beef, or lamb. If, instead of caged birds, you saw a chicken or a lamb at your “vide grenier”, would you have bought it and released it?
Loved the painting of the bird market. Do you know where it is located? I’d like to see the real thing.
Lynn, I just snorted..and had to look both ways to make sure no one noticed. Your story is absolutely delightful and hilarious, too. What a unique experience and what heartwarming characters– especially you.
I love the story Lynn. It’s always such a delight to read what goes on in your life. The recipe sounds like a must try. Thank you.
I wouldn’t have the heart to eat a pigeon or a rabbit. I was raised by my grandparents back in the ’50’s and my grandfather would hunt rabbit and squirrel. One day, they served up a squirrel I had delighted in watching outside in a tree. When I asked if it was fried chicken (I was about 5 yrs old), they said no, it’s your friend the squirrel. I just puckered up right there with big tears dropping into my plate. I was heartbroken. Anyway, many Americans do eat rabbit, as the raising of meat rabbits is taught in 4-H. I have a dove nesting in a hanging pot on my garage now, she was there last year and she has returned to spend the summer with me.
Such a well told story! Thank you for freeing the birds!
Congratulations on the new book!!