The Great Sugar Rush In the 17th century, Britain, France and other colonial powers established vast sugar plantations in the Americas. Sugar went from an expensive luxury to a commodity available to all in a couple of centuries. The dessert menu blossomed as chefs and cooks accidentally or deliberately created …

Socca, made with chickpea flour, is the ubiquitous street food found all over southeastern France, most notably in Nice and, more specifically, around the Cours Saleya market. When cooked perfectly, it is best straight from the pan and served very hot, replete with addictively crispy edges and lightly seasoned with …

Razor clams, found on sheltered ocean shores, most often during low tide, have long been a popular and easily foraged delicacy. You can usually see them with the naked eye, but if you toss some salt on the water above their burrows, you can watch the little white clams wiggle …

This velvety anchoiade-inspired dip is a gentler take on the salty Provencal sauce. I like to serve it with plenty of crunchy radishes, some quickly blanched asparagus and waxy potatoes for an easy aperitif platter to share. Chill your radishes in some iced water before serving for extra crunch. Take …

I made this recipe for a spiced baked apple dessert as a guest post for my friend Ron who writes Lost in a Pot in Sweden. I think a few of you might have seen it, but a repost seems like a good idea. The best part? It is truly …

“How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?” ~ French President, Charles de Gaulle in 1962 Serving a cheese course after the main dish is customary in France but certainly not mandatory. Typically the host provides a selection of cheeses ranging from mild …

Next time you search for a great lunch recipe, this seafood twist on Italian Brushetta is our new summertime go-to. The refreshing acidity of our Mirabeau Pure beautifully complements the lightly buttered lemon and parsley shrimp which are the star of this dish. Enjoy the Fennel and Dill Salad as …

In most people’s minds, lavender, rosé wine, and Provence are inseparable. As a result, the flowering lavender fields are a magnetic attraction for locals and visitors alike from mid-June until the middle of August. Farming Lavender The Romans first introduced the lavender plant to the South of France as they …

Autumn is sneaking up on us here in Provence as we see in the final days of summer. With some exquisite seasonal vegetables harvested over the sunny season, we took the opportunity to cook up some of our favourites to enjoy them to the full until we see their return …

Meringues are not hard to make but require patience and a low baking temperature. The recipe below for Lavender Meringues comes from the Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm in British Columbia, Canada. The Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm is a family-run operation requiring an entire team for planting, harvesting, drying, distilling, …