We just returned from a long, awaited vacation in the south of France to a surprisingly calm and breezy Paris. I was one of the Parisians angsty with anticipation that the Olympics would transform the city into a hot, congested petri dish full of tourists and heatwaves. To my delight and everyone else’s it’s been a glorious two weeks. The temperatures have not been extreme. Today marks the only boiling hot day with temps expected to reach 35 C (96 degrees F) but I will take it if it’s just one punctuated, steamy day. Most mornings, I’ve been able to thrust open the windows allowing the cool summer air to sweep through the apartment and have taken multiple strolls with only a slight breeze as my companion while the crowds were contained at the various Olympic venues.

With no plans to travel until fall, I’m taking this month of August to enjoy the month with ease and allow the changing of seasons to happen without force before la rentrée. La rentrée, the first week of September, is the true official start of the new year for France when schools start back and everyone has returned from their month-long summer escapades.

I find that the rhythms of life in France (and I’d say Europe as a whole) maintain a close connection to the natural rhythms of nature. Maybe it’s the deep, agricultural roots that haven’t been completely reaped from culture since food is a main source of joy here, but life is dictated by the seasonal circadian calendar and summer is strictly enforced in France as the season of rest. I have come to appreciate how it’s encouraged and a bit of a faux pas if you do not take rest during this allocated time.

The other seasonal calendar that is strictly followed is buying and eating what is in- season. This is the norm when it comes to fresh air markets but even in large, commercialized supermarchés here, you simply cannot find fruit and veg that is out of season. Unlike in the US where you can find strawberries in the middle of February, it’s simply unheard of here and the reasoning is not just because February isn’t strawberry season, but why on earth would you succumb to eating a piece of fruit not at its best!?

Which reminds me of the time we were at our annual summer beach vacation in North Carolina and we were having lunch at one of the local restaurants that was an institution in Southport, NC. My dad ordered a hamburger with the works and when it arrived he opened it up to flavor it to his liking and exclaimed, “What is this?!” He quickly commanded the waiter back to our table and asked him to tell the chef that the single tomato slice on the burger was a WINTER tomato, not a SUMMER tomato! At the time, my tween-age self slithered down in my chair with a red face. My dad, who maintained a garden most of his adult life, understood the gastronomic importance of eating seasonly. If this had occurred today, I’d would have proudly joined in his protest!

So in honor of late summer and enjoying the choicest of fruit, I am sharing my favorite and very, very simple tart using any stone fruit. I grabbed a few apricots the other day and sliced them up and had a delicious tart made under 30 min. Enjoy!

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