Fall in Provence is my absolute favourite time of year. Since it is la récolte season, it is a time to harvest figs, pears, apples, pumpkins, butternut squash, and chestnuts. The grape harvest in Provence, known as la vendange, often starts in late August or September, depending on the year. …

Whether you arrive by car, yacht, helicopter or ferry, Saint Tropez is worth a visit! Park and Ride For a quick getaway to Saint Tropez, here’s an idea to avoid the frequent traffic jam between Saint Maxime and St Tropez. This is no exaggeration; the last 15-kilometre stretch into St …

Lyon is the 3rd largest city in France and the French capital of gastronomy! With its beautiful old town, many restaurants, museums and shops, there are plenty of things to do in Lyon. So, when my good friend wanted to visit a new city together, we decided on a quick …

With the summer heat in Provence, I find that an apéro dînatoire is the best way to entertain. I prepare all the dishes in advance except a fig and onion mini puff pastry. Then, 30 minutes before guests arrive, I put out my spread and pop the pastry hors d’oeuvre …

A friend of mine, Ulrike, first introduced me to this stunning Cucumber Grape Gazpacho last summer. It is a variation of an original recipe “The Sweet Life Cafe’s White Gazpacho” published on August 4, 2012, in The Los Angeles Times by Noelle Carter. Ulrike had the original article taped to …

While in Provence last fall, I began reading L’appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home. Why read about Paris ex-pat experiences while living in the South of France? I wanted to read this book for several reasons, starting with the fact that I love David Lebovitz’s culinary …

One of the Christmas traditions in Provence is called Cacho-Fio or Light the Fire. In Provence, Christmas evening begins with this ancient pagan custom. Cacho-fio is a ritual for lighting the Yule log (calendau, in Provencal) on the evening of December 24th. Together the youngest and the oldest of the …

For those of us who work and communicate online, having a robust and speedy Internet service is something we usually take for granted. You click on an e-mail in your inbox, and it opens as your finger lifts from the mouse. Then, when you initiate a search, thousands of results …

This chocolate and pear tart is a perfect dessert for autumn. Chocolate and pears are a magnificent marriage of flavour and texture. For this dessert, I also created a leaf design with raspberry coulis and caramel on a white plate (using squeeze bottles) and blended the colours with a synthetic …

I first discovered Quince paste (pâte de fruit) on a charcuterie and cheese board while living in Aix-en-Provence. Since then, I have learned to make my own, to the delight of my dinner guests. To serve the pâte, cut into squares or wedges and present with Comté, Pecorino Romano, Asiago …