Maggie Unwraps a Banon Cheese

17 April 2011, Late in the day

Maggie and I were at a farmer's market in the town of Apt this morning and came across a stand that sold only one cheese, the one they made on their farm. It's called Banon, a soft and creamy goat's milk cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves and tied with raffia. We had it late in the day while sitting on the terrace where we were staying outside of Bonnieux in the Luberon valley. The sun was about an hour from setting, the light was dazzling, the bushes framing the terrace were lit from behind in a blaze of silvery light. It was still and silent, and every once in a while a tiny breeze stirred the catkins on the bushes which then released puffs of pollen, like smoke into the silvery air. It was mesmerizing to watch as nature sent the countless billions of spores into the world to do what they were meant to do. We sat and stared like two kids at this bounty.