Taking away the flowers of some plants makes them stronger and happier. Basil, for instance, will branch and provide you with much more pesto fodder if you make sure it never blooms. However, when we take away a zucchini blossom to stuff, fry, and eat, will it mean more zucchini …

What about a savoury snack or nibble with a glass of rosé? This savoury quick loaf a Ham and Olive Cake is a great snack or pre-dinner bite. It’s often enjoyed by kids here in France when they get home from school for their goûter. In French, this is called Cake aux Olives et Jambon – yes they use the English word “cake.”

This appetizer, a Provence Gourmet recipe for tomato, olive and goat cheese tarts, is delicious. We prepared the tarts for a starter course during one of Gilles Conchy’s cooking classes. If you are looking for hands-on, fun classes in Provence, then look no further. Gilles puts you to work preparing …

I am sharing one of my favourite recipes: stuffed with goat cheese, oven-dried tomatoes, and tapenade. The possibilities are limitless. Pour yourself a glass of rose and let’s get cooking.

This vegetarian recipe for stuffed zucchini flowers comes from the Rose et Marius blog (with permission). The season for these delicate zucchini flowers is short. When you have the chance, don’t hesitate to buy them, but make sure to cook with the flowers the same day as they spoil quickly. …

By definition, pork rillettes are made using a preservation method similar to duck confit. The pork is seasoned, then slow-cooked submerged in fat and cooked at a grandmotherly pace for several hours. Afterward, the pork is shredded and packed into sterile containers, covered in a thin veneer of fat and …

Last year, we hosted the Gemma Wade of “You Say Tomato Cooking” (meal planning, recipes, cooking classes and more) here in Cotignac. Gemma is a talented cook, turns fresh, basic ingredients into delicious dishes with ease. She was impressed by our Tuesday morning farmer’s market in Cotignac, one of five …

These Anchovy Puff Pastry bites are a bit of a “throw-back” appetizer from a book of retro holiday recipes. Since not everyone likes the taste of anchovy, you can change the filling – sundried tomato, basil pesto or tapenade all work well.

This summer when we were in Provence visiting family and pre-planning for our group tour, I noticed a developing trend for appetizers. The traditional black olive tapenade is of course always present. However, there is a movement to use alternative ingredients to create hummus-like dips, I call these spreads ades. …

Oeufs Mimosa (Mimosa Eggs) years ago in Marseille when my cousin placed a large, resplendent platter of Oeufs Mimosa on the dining table. The traditional recipe is unbelievably simple: