Writer, entrepreneur and small group tour director Annette Charlton says, “I was a Francophile long before I visited France.” She agreed to curate our 2022 dinner party menu inspired by the change of seasons in Provence. Autumn is harvest time, so with the abundance of delicious seasonal produce available in …

While growing up, French people are immersed in the art of entertaining. It’s a central pillar of French culture, differently than we’re used to in the US. For the French, entertaining isn’t something they have to learn as much as it is just the way things are; this is why …

In the northern hemisphere, fall weather is around the corner, but not in Sydney, Australia, where Jean-Marie Liere has since 1997. Born in Poitiers, France, Jean-Marie’s family moved several times, including a two-year stint in Mexico City. He runs small cooking classes in Sydney, focusing on French cuisine and plans …

Autumn in Provence Fall is a beautiful season in the South of France, but regardless of where you live, the season’s arrival signals shorter days. The lingering summer light becomes more radiant, casting an ethereal golden hue across our dinner table. You can enjoy the residual effects of Provencal summer …

A Winter Gathering with Friends Generally, we head back to Los Angeles for the winter months, but my culinary heart remains tied to France. The flavours of Provence inspired the following winter dinner party menu. These three dishes will warm your insides, serve with some delicious French wine and the …

Friends for Dinner This summer in Paris, dogs, kids and adults cooled-off by splashing around in the Trocadero fountain – Fontaine de Varsovie – during la canicule (heatwave). On June 26th, a record-setting 46 °C baked the town of Vérargues, in l’Hérault. After a hot summer in Provence, much of Europe, …

Admittedly not everyone can manage a weekday dinner party with an hour (maximum) to prepare the meal before your guests arrive…but I like that sort of challenge. However, to be able to pull it off you need to be organized. After many years of entertaining, there are several tips I can …

Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with the summer solstice. It is not my favourite day of the year when I know that despite weeks (hopefully) of hot weather ahead, the harsh reality is that the amount of daylight will continue to get shorter from here until mid-December. However, it …

We have been “dining-out” on David’s delicious seafood-based Christmas menu, and a bit reluctant to turn the page to the realities of a cold winter in parts of North America. However, the truth is that Provence is enjoying a mild-ish winter, while skiers are revelling in the snowy Alps this …

Depending on where you live “Fall might be in the air.” Certainly, in most places in the northern hemisphere, the days are markedly shorter, the leaves are changing colours to rich, warm tones (reds, oranges and yellows). The harvest is done for most kitchen gardens, ahead of the of frosty …