Monday 25 March 2013

Our French Life - Chasing the Dragon

Our French Life - Chasing the Dragon


When out Saturday in Vitre we decided to look for an Asian shop we had been told about by a friend, John loves his curry's but curry paste as such can't be found here, I dare say you could find these things in the big cities but we are very rural and live among the farming community, we had an idea of where it might be but when we looked it wasn't there so we drove around for a little while, Then!! just when we had given up and had decided it was time to go home, there it was like a dragon out of the fire..


It was not as big as the shop we had found in St Gregoire, Rennes but very well stocked and they had some Pataks curry pastes.

 Sadly there were no poppadoms or Naan bread but I think if we go there often enough he will get them in...most of the produce was geared toward Chinese with fish the like of which I have never seen before and certainly haven't heard of.
The strangest thing is the owner was of course Chinese who spoke french but the image of a Chinese man with a french accent was hard to take in, the good thing was he spoke just enough English to be able to hold a small conversation with him, he was very helpful and kind.
Here is what I found on line at Ouest France newspaper in case any of our friends here in France fancy a touch of the exotic.


Display: The Dragon, Asian and exotic products - Vitre



Thom Thi Bach offers all sorts of Asian soups.


Where to find Asian groceries, glass and exotic? At Thi Thom Bach and her husband The Trung just opened their store Boulevard Laval.
On the shelves, many spices, noodles, sauces, soups, preserves, teas, fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen foods such as spring rolls, dumplings, samosa.
Their plan is to offer their dishes and why not learn about Asian food. "Many customers ask me," says Thi Thom. "It is possible to order items that are not in the store," adds Thi Thom. The Trung regularly travels to Paris to buy his goods.
The Dragon, 87, boulevard de Laval is open from 9 h 30 to 13 h and 14 h from 30 to 20 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
It Goes without saying we had a curry Saturday evening but with prawn crackers instead of poppadoms.

OLD FRIENDS Visit 

Our friends Neil & Carol who have 2 Maison Secondaires in our village ( in fact that is how we met them)
Arrived for a working holiday on Saturday, so Needless to say we had them over for Sunday lunch.










Sadly we had to sit through the boring motor racing and put up with the tantrums of overpaid racing drivers and their toys, there that's my moan over with but it was worth it to have their company.
Neil & Carol come from Rotherham and had a pretty naff journey due to the snow in England but got here eventually, they have one house in our Street which they stay in and when they are here and also rent it out for holidays, they also have a second house on the opposite side of the street which they are renovating, so most holidays are spent either plaster-boarding and joint skimming or water pipe fitting etc, all the lovely chores that go with renovation. they do seem to always find time to explore the area too and sually find more things and places than we do.