Download Our Summer Menu Collection

Featuring 25 recipes from the South of France for summer 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.

 Michel and Shirley

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Michel and Shirley, live in wine country, in Windsor, California. They have a full family with two beautiful daughters and five amazing grandchildren. Michel's day job is as CEO of Chancellor Health Care, a company which provides housing and services to older adults.

Previously a co-owner of a popular French bistro called Bistro des Copains located in Western Sonoma County California. The Bistro was closed in early 2015, after nine years!

In 2008, after searching for years and visiting many houses they bought a 17th century stone village house in the medieval village of Sablet which is in the Vaucluse region of Provence France.

Please read about the Sablet House (available for rent) and follow their blog Our House in Provence.

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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Explore · Villages Towns and Cities

5 Provencal Villages to Visit from the Mountains to the Mediterranean

August 28, 2026
Dreaming of southern France? Provence welcomes you from snow-capped Alps to sunlit shores, where each village—from mountain heights to the Mediterranean—unfolds its own tale. In this article, we invite you to discover five Provencal gems: Banon, Tourtour, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Menton, and Villefranche-sur-Mer. As we move from wild mountain vistas to vibrant seaside towns, each destination reveals …
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Provencal Recipes · Side Dish · Starter Course · Stephanie Villegas · Taste

Asparagus, Burrata, Charred Lemon and Toasted Hazelnut Crunch

August 24, 2026
Whether you serve this asparagus burrata dish as a starter, side, or a light lunch, it feels like summer on a platter. It’s simple yet elegant. Quickly searing the asparagus brings out its natural sweetness, and the lemon adds a touch of brightness. The creamy burrata, blended with the warm juices from the asparagus and …
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Keith Van Sickle · Restaurant Recommendations · Taste

Dining at Château des Alpilles in St-Rémy-de-Provence and Feel like Royalty

August 17, 2026
On a warm evening, there’s no better place for a special meal than Château des Alpilles in St-Rémy-de-Provence. It’s a hotel-restaurant that has been delighting visitors since the 19th century. A Spectacular Setting It’s not just that the food is delicious; the setting is spectacular, too. You arrive via a long driveway bordered by century-old …
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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Inspire · Learning French

Looking for a French Immersion Holiday in Provence? S.L Immersion is the Answer

August 14, 2026
Dreaming of a trip that goes beyond sightseeing and lets you live French in Provence? If you want more than snapshots—like real conversation or lasting language skills—try a home-stay French immersion with S.L Immersion in Provence, where every day is part adventure, part learning. We interviewed Celtina Masardo, founder of S.L. Immersion in Avignon, about …
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Keith Van Sickle · Restaurant Recommendations · Taste

For Delicious Gluten-free Pastry in St-Rémy-de-Provence, Try Chez Nouch

August 10, 2026
There’s a new patisserie in St-Rémy-de-Provence, and it’s a hit. Chez Nouch opened its doors in May and is already creating a buzz. Founded by Lucie Durand, daughter of famed chocolatier Joël Durand, it offers high-quality, entirely gluten-free pastries. Cakes, cookies, entremets, bagel sandwiches, and more are available at her shop near the town’s main …
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