By PestoPistou A cousin of the Ligurian focaccia, which is also known as fugassa over there, fougasse is a provençal loaf easily recognised by the slashes cut through it prior to baking. Back in August, after a mooch round the beautiful Cours Saleya food and flower market in Vieux Nice, …

By PestoPistou It’s full-on tomato season here in Dorset, and hugely satisfying to see so much ripe, red fruit both in the garden and the greenhouse. We might even be saved from the usual gallon of green tomato chutney this year. Over the summer we’ve munched our way through Explore …

By PestoPistou It never ceases to amaze me how most people know exactly what pesto is yet when you mention the term pistou, it’s blank faces all round. This no-nut French cousin of pesto is just as delicious and even easier to make. No toasting of pine nuts required here. …

By Deborah It’s time to make wine in France. Remember the TV ad for Dunkin’ Donuts: “It’s time to make the donuts!”  It’s time to make wine in France. Unusually cool weather over the summer months caused a late grape harvest. (“La vendange”) Explore this Post Via:: Barefoot Blogger       

By PestoPistou I’ve been consulting my provençal cookbooks again, this time for jam recipes as there are loads of plums, blackberries and other fruit just waiting to be preserved around here and I thought it would be fun to try something a little bit different this year. I was intrigued …

We’re still going strong with homegrown tomatoes, courgettes and aubergines here in Dorset, and with a solitary, ripe pepper this week (yes, just the one), the whipping up of a ratatouille seems unavoidable. Now, if Jacques Médecin is to be believed, each of the vegetables should be cooked separately before …

Aioli is a garlic mayonnaise it is a Provencal classic typically served on Fridays, although you can often find it on menus any day of the week.

By PestoPistou As you may have gathered, we spent some time on the Riviera last week and before leaving home I had booked in visits to a couple of my favourite vineyards. Cue much yawning from the children. So this Wednesday’s Wine post describes how we got on at Saint …

By aixcentric When a message popped into the Aixcentric mail-box saying that a new boutique of frozen yoghurts had opened in town and that, on opening the door, ‘you will be instantly transported to the beaches of California’, of course I had to investigate. And frozen yoghurt not being a …

By PestoPistou La Merda dé Can is the niçois name for these gorgeous, green gnocchi made with swiss chard or spinach. The literal English translation of the term will not be repeated here as it’s less than flattering, but I am sure you can work it out for yourself. Now, …