She only does this twice a week, and each group is limited to 6 people. We met on a street corner at 11 AM, introduced ourselves, and off we went. We learned about cheeses, how to identify the master butcher in a shop, and Natasha pointed out how the finest of their craft display the medallions won in competitions, indicating their superior products. At each stop was a lesson of some sort, and samples of the local fare.
We spent three hours going to shops and marketplaces, listening, tasting. We ended up in this wine shop (not our first taste of wine on the excursion).
I had the Côtes du Rhône, a personal favorite of mine, but everyone in our group was happy with their selection. As we enjoyed our wine, members of the group were getting restaurant recommendations from Natasha. She knows where to eat all over Paris.
For the rest of our trip, we more or less adopted the French model for our evening meals. We were staying in a place with a full kitchen so we shopped for fresh food every evening. And standing in line at our local boulangerie for a freshly baked baguette became part of our evening ritual.
So if you are bound for Paris, and would enjoy a wonderful introduction to French food with hints on how to shop, this is a great way to spend 3 hours. You can find Mingling at the Market on AIRBNB.
