Celebrate Bastille Day with a Summer Marché Tomato Salad

It’s Bastille Day!! We’re eating outside! I made fresh lemonade and a damn good summer tomato salad with goodies from the Friday marché in Saint Seurin. I’ve got plenty of extra sunscreen, maybe another wide brim hat too. Please bring a baguette and some Lillet Rosé for a late afternoon spritz.

There’s a bit of a breeze by the river, but if it gets too hot, we can take off our shoes and walk across the Miroir D’eau. Or just pop into the city for a cornet of ice cream, there’s a shop near the clock tower with the best pistachio.

What’s Bastille Day?

Fête Nationale Française. Vive le quatorze juillet ! The French Revolution storming of the Bastille in Paris in 1789. Similar to the American independence day celebrations, France parties on July 14th with fireworks, picnics, music, and simple cuisine.

More to Celebrate!

Exactly one year ago my fingers hit publish on the first article launching My French Table. What started as a way to share my French inspiration, expat adventures, and cooking endeavors has become something more special than I imagined – a community of over 8,000 people who also love French culture, discovering new foods, and my musings of figuring it all out en France as I go.

I want to show you what it's like to live here

I want to bring you to the markets of France – literally. Starting next month, I'll be filming my weekly trips to the marché, showcasing my favorite vendors, and walking you through how I shop for ingredients. Together we will discover French seasonal treasures, buy artisanal creations, and transform marché finds into simple, delicious dishes.

For my paid community, these monthly market adventures will complement your regular recipes and content, creating an immersive French foodie experience straight from the Southwest of France.

Join us and be part of something special as we explore Bordeaux and France together – one market, one recipe, one story at a time.

Thank you all for a wonderful first year. It is difficult to fully express how much your support truly means. I am so excited for Year Two and can't wait to experience it with you!

Joyeux 14 juillet!

Bise and a fresh baguette mes amis!

Jenn

To celebrate I’ll be making a few Fig French 75 Cocktails!

And this lemony herby French Potato Salad!

Summer Lamb Chops and French Potato Salad

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Marché Basket Ingrédients

tomate | tomatoes

A mix of yellow and purple heirloom tomatoes alongside green zebras creates a colorful medley of sweet and tangy flavors. The green zebras offer a hint of citrus, the yellow are delicately sweet, and the purple bring the perfect touch of classic tomato acidity.

I keep unripened tomatoes on the counter or window seal until ready to cut into wedges. Slightly firm with a little bit of give from a tender squeeze is what you’re looking for.

abricot | apricot

While waiting in line for fresh mint this week, a vendor handed me a juicy half of an abricot, I quickly scarfed it while digging for change in my purse. Sold! I took six. Their sweet-tart flavor and tender, chewy texture makes them the perfect contrast to the juicy tomatoes. These little peachy jewels scattered through the salad add pops of orange against all the green.

nectarines

The nectarines I found had a slightly pale undertone, usually a sign they were picked a bit too early. A good rule of thumb: look for nectarines with rich yellow or peachy hues for the best flavor. Luckily, most of mine smelled like honey, offering a subtle sweetness without the extra juiciness you'd typically get from a ripe yellow peach running down your arm.

olives

The last time I ordered olives at the market, I wasn’t able to translate “pitted” into French, which I’ve since learned is dénoyautée. Pitting cherries for a pie is fine, but trying to pit olives for a salad is a hard NO. Always grab pit free olives and save yourself the frustration.

Kalamatas have a lovely brininess, with a hint of smokiness, that adds more depth to our summer fruit salad. You can definitely swap them out for green olives, but I just found the saltiness of the kalamata and their visual color contrast to work best.

piments basques | peppers

Products from the Basque region, where France and Spain closely mingle, are common at the marché—including these skinny little peppers that taste a bit like banana peppers. They’re a little sweet, a little spicy, and definitely zingy with hints of vinegar. My mouth starts watering long before they reach my lips. The heat gives just enough of a sting to wake up your tongue, but it’s quickly mellowed by the ricotta cream spread.

basilic & menthe | basil & mint

Layers of flavor darling! If you see fresh purple basil, buy it. Enjoy the experience of anise, cloves, and citrus on your tongue. Pair with fresh mint and we’ve got a simple but complex salad enhancer.

Summer Marché Tomato Salad

Ingredients

Creamy Spread

• 360 grams (1.5 cups) crème fraîche

• 56 grams (1/4 cup) ricotta

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

Tomatoes & Stone Fruit

• 3-4 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges

• 4-5 ripe apricots, sliced

• 2-3 ripe nectarines, sliced

Mix-Ins

• 70 grams (1/2 cup) kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped

• 70 grams (1/2 cup) Piment Basques (banana peppers)

• 113 grams (1 cup hazelnuts), chopped

• 18 grams (1 cup) purple basil leaves, torn

• 18 grams (1 cup) mint leaves, torn

Drizzle & Sprinkle

• olive oil

• fresh lemon juice

• flaky sea salt

• cracked pepper

• additional basil and mint

Instructions

make the creamy spread

1. Stir the crème fraîche, ricotta, and lemon zest together in a bowl.

toss the salad

1. Place the tomato wedges, apricot and nectarine slices, olives, peppers, herbs, and nuts in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and juice from half a lemon, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

2. Gently toss everything together with your hands.

3. Taste and add more of anything you like.

assemble the salad

1. Spread the ricotta creme across a serving plate in a nice thick layer.

2. Spoon the salad onto the creamy spread, making sure to evenly incorporate all the ingredients.

3. Top with a few cranks of cracked pepper and additional torn herb leaves.

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