Did you know Marseille has France’s oldest quincaillerie or hardware shop? It really is a must-visit if you are interested in traditional Provencal life. Take the magnificent big hand-graters for instance – just the sort of gadget used in café kitchens many years ago for churning out carrots and cabbage …

Contributor blog post by Vaucluse Dreamer: It’s now nearly 4 months since Millie, our Golden Retriever, arrived for her first visit to France and I think it’s fair to say she has settled in very quickly and already considers Provence as home. I admit that it didn’t start too well, …

Bunny opened my eyes to books, art, travel and slightly exotic (for me, at the time) flavours. Sadly, I had to say goodbye to this beautiful friend in December as a tribute I created this sweet dessert an elegant White Chocolate Mousse in her honour.

Kneeling on a garde genoux (wooden knee protector) by the edge of the public wash basin, local peasant-class women exchanged tidbits of town gossip as they worked tirelessly to brighten their laundry. Their weathered hands vigorously scrubbed away at stubborn stains as water sloshed against the shallow stone sides of the village lavoir in …

One thing I dreamed about before moving to France was to attend a cooking class in Paris. Little did I know that my wish would come true — without leaving the little town of Uzès. Chef Eric Fraudeau of “Cook’n with Class Paris” has a cooking school right down the road — Cook’n with …

The base for these Chèvre and Mushroom Tartlets is versatile. Recently, I decided to experiment with the filling as the crust could not be easier to make. Using the same ingredients for the dough, I created a savoury filling using fresh goat cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano and mushrooms. Serve these tasty bites with a chilled rosé or white wine, and this might just become your go-to appetizer recipe!

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Do you know about the sardine that blocked the port of Marseille? As I was perusing local postcards at a local flea market in Provence, I came across a curious image. The postcard depicts an enormous sardine blocking the port of Marseille. The seller, taking …

Contributor blog post by Jill Barth: The cork wine stopper is synonymous with preservation – not only of the wine in the bottle but of a way of life for cork farmers and the natural ecosystem of the forest. The process has been the same for generations because the system is a sustainable …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Some days ago, I read this comment on Aixcentric: “In your very comprehensive survey of Aix restaurants, I couldn’t find any mention of House of Cookies, rue Boulegon (but maybe it’s just my mistake!) It’s a lovely place, American vintage-oriented, and the owner, Laetitia, makes the …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Sure the markets in Provence are tempting, but… Are you curious about in the ins and outs of working in a market in Provence? Do you want to taste the best Provencal ingredients and find out how they’re made? Would you like to eat breakfast at …