While panisse and socca include chickpea flour and water, the preparation and cooking for these typical Niçoise recipes are different. Like polenta, panisse starts with a dough cooked until it is thick. Then the dough is rolled or shaped and fried in a hot pan. Panisse is served hot and …

Fève(s) is a French word with several meanings – a trinket in the epiphany cake, chocolate disks used by chocolatiers and in baking, and fava beans. So in this Niçoise dessert recipe, we are talking about fava beans for the tart (tourte) filling, egg, sugar, and hints of citrus. The …

Regardless of the time of the year, my to-do list never seems to get shorter. Sometimes I want it all to slow down – even just for an afternoon. And this olive oil lemon cake is my answer when you need that sweet treat and a well-deserved break. I decided …

Nice, France’s 5th largest city, was not always part of l’hexagone but rather part of Italy until 1860, when it was ceded to France under the Treaty of Turin. As a result, the local cuisine evolved from Italian and French culinary influences. Mediterranean ingredients such as almonds, olives, olive oil, …

A little more than a year ago, I had a nice e-chat with my friend Romain, who writes The Food Trotter. He had just moved from Paris to Lyon and told me of some of the local specialities, one being the iconic Lyonnaise Tarte aux Prâlines Roses (Pink Praline Tart). …

A flâneur is not the maker of flans. A flâneur is French for one who observes, idles, saunters, and loafs, preferably along a Parisian boulevard. Not me. I am a doer, and I am in perpetual motion, much to the disappointment of many around me. There are advantages to this. …

These wonderful Christmas crescent cookies have ground almonds mixed into the dough. What better time of the year to enjoy baking and eating these cookies? Almonds have a long history in Provence’s agriculture and cuisine. Many Provencal dessert recipes include almonds, whole or ground into flour. Almonds are one of …

One of the many reasons I was thrilled to discover the Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm was this cherished family holiday recipe for lavender shortbread. This multi-generational, family-run operation in British Columbia, Canada, is dedicated to making quality products. From planting to the final product – the farm operations reflect …

The Epiphany in France is an excellent opportunity to make (and eat) cake. Although not just any cake, the day is traditionally celebrated with either a Galette or a Brioche Des Rois, recognising the 12th day of Christmas, when the three Magi arrived to offer gifts to the newborn baby. …

“Les treize desserts” is an old Christmas tradition in Provence. Thirteen desserts are enjoyed after Christmas Eve dinner, traditionally representing Jesus and his twelve Apostles. Each guest must eat all thirteen desserts to guarantee good luck for the year to come. There must be a minimum of 13 desserts, but …