Download Our Winter Menu Collection

Featuring 25 recipes from the South of France for winter weather, along with menu suggestions, all designed to make your cooking experience enjoyable. Download this PDF, which includes recipes for starters, main courses, side dishes, and desserts.

 Mary Kay Seales

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Mary Kay Seales was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest in Washington State, where she also teaches writing to international students at the University of Washington. As a lifelong traveler, photographer and writing teacher, her recent move into travel writing was a natural progression.

She has lived and worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Costa Rica, India, Azerbaijan and France, and her travels include Bora Bora, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Peru among other destinations.

She is the author of two guide books - The Beginner’s Guide to the French Riviera: Stop Dreaming & Start Packing, and The Beginner’s Guide to the Olympic Peninsula: Exploring the Wild Beauty of the Pacific Northwest - as well as a frequent contributor to other publications in France.

Her most recent blog is The Conscious Traveler.

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Appetizer · Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Provencal Recipes · Taste

Black Truffle Puff Pastries with Foie Gras – Chaussons feuilletés au foie gras et aux truffes brumale

December 19, 2025
Black truffles, also known as the millionaire’s mushroom, are an indulgence reserved for special occasions. Because of their rarity (and cost), truffles are typically shaved into delicate slivers. Their earthy aroma blends exquisitely with the foie gras in this recipe, creating puff pastry treats that capture the essence of Provençal cuisine. Enjoy the recipe below …
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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Local Food Producers · Taste

Pistache en Provence the Reasons Why Pistachios Are Perfect for French Soil

December 12, 2025
Provence is renowned for its exceptional climate, rich historical heritage, vibrant cultural traditions, and, of course, its celebrated cuisine. The South of France is a major agricultural powerhouse, producing a diverse range of crops, including grapes, olives, almonds, black truffles, figs, stone fruits, apples, pears, lavender, sunflowers, and, increasingly, pistachios. The revival of pistachio cultivation …
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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Stay: Accommodation & Rentals in Provence

A Gorgeous Property for Sale in Provence’s Vaucluse Near Malaucène

December 10, 2025
Are you looking for a change of pace? Have you been considering buying a home in Provence for an ideal escape? Or perhaps you’ve always dreamed of running a bed-and-breakfast in the South of France. Now is your opportunity! Le Prieuré La Madelène is a stunning property featuring 10 bedrooms (including 1 gîte) nestled in …
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Artists Inspired by Provence · Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Inspire · Shopping & Gifts

Bring Provence Home with a Painting by Ashley Tinker

December 9, 2025
We did just that: we brought a sunflower field from Provence into our home—not literally, of course. We received a wonderful gift from some generous friends: an oil painting by Ashley Tinker titled “Tournesols, Castillon.” Every time I look at this painting, I feel as though I am taking a brief journey to the countryside …
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Barefoot Blogger · Inspire · Shopping & Gifts

Catch the Festive Spirit Christmas Markets the Holidays in Provence

December 8, 2025
The South of France is a wonderland during the holidays, with colourful markets transforming historical settings into scenes from fairytales. I visited Christmas Markets in the South of France, within a two-hour drive of Uzès. Here’s a journey through some of the region’s enchanting holiday experiences. Ménerbes at Christmas My shopping travels started at Montpellier’s …
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