PROVENCAL PRODUCTS DEBUT AT GROCERS
An idyllic vacation at a farmhouse in Provence has long been many a food-lovers' dream -- and while it will remain a dream for most of us, at least we can get a taste of it from a San Francisco company importing some of the region's most notable foods.
Best bets from the new Life in Provence 11-product line include a luscious sauteed eggplant, a rich and chunky eggplant-and-tomato condiment; a potent rouille (spicy mayonnaise), perfect as a garnish or as a decadent spread for sandwiches; a whole grain mustard dressing for hearty salads or a crudite dip; and a vinaigrette that isn't as sugary as most commercial dressings.
Life in Provence products can be found at Andronico's, Mollie Stone's and Oakville Grocery throughout the Bay Area; Draeger's on the Peninsula; Woodland and Mill Valley markets in Marin; Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco; and Palisades and Sunshine markets in Napa Valley. Suggested retail price for the eggplant (13 1/2 ounces) is $6.90; rouille (6.8 ounces), $4.90; dressings (8 ounces), $4.90.
--Miriam Morgan
(c) San Francisco Chronicle, June 9, 1999
