“The Allure of Provence and its Wines” was previously published in Culinaire Magazine (June 2016). This updated article includes additional reading, travel tips, and details on wine colour production and terminology. Mention Provence to a friend and they likely have a mental image that involves cobalt skies, cicadas and lavender …

Provençal rosé—and rosé in general—has been riding a popularity wave in recent years. While there are instances of trendy lifestyle marketing involved, many rosés are wines of quality, made by winemakers of skill and terroir of distinction. Behind them lies a secret weapon, hidden in an unassuming coral-coloured building with green shutters: The Center for Rosé …

Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with the summer solstice. It is not my favourite day of the year when I know that despite weeks (hopefully) of hot weather ahead, the harsh reality is that the amount of daylight will continue to get shorter from here until mid-December. However, it …

Artichokes Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Tapenade. The combination of fresh artichokes, goat cheese and tapenade translate into “Provence in a bite” to be enjoyed with some chilled rosé.

When perky artichokes announce the arrival of warmer weather, it is time to revisit Artichokes à la Barigoule a Provençal delight, rich, flavorful and complex. Fresh artichokes are usually available in local markets from spring through late summer. The garlic, carrots and fresh herbs give the dish its flavour. You can make this dish vegetarian by omitting the bacon.

“Every Day My Cooking Has to be Great”  Bon rapport qualité-prix. It means “good value for money” and it’s one of my favorite French expressions because…who doesn’t love a great value? So I was delighted to learn that Emmanuel Billaud, the chef at Le Clos Saint Roch in Maussane-les-Alpilles, was …

You might think that this recipe Candied Clementines (Clementines Confit) with Moroccan spices has nothing to do with duck but, in fact, it uses a similar methodology of preservation only in this case with sugar and corn syrup.

Natural Wine Trend If you’re not currently living in London, New York, Paris or Japan you may not have heard of orange wine or even biodynamic wine for that matter. We were first introduced to this type of wine five (5) years ago, while living in London, at the Terroir biodynamic …

The poppy flower petals (coquelicot pétales) colour the sugar water and give the liquid a slight floral flavour. The syrup is easy to make and a refreshing addition to plain or sparkling water.

The most difficult part of this Lemon Thyme Grilled Trout might be finding fresh trout. If you have a reliable fish vendor, they likely have fresh trout in the spring and summer months. Ask your fishmonger to clean and remove the scales, so you do not need to worry about that messy task when you get home.