While in Provence last fall, I began reading L’appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home. Why read about Paris ex-pat experiences while living in the South of France? I wanted to read this book for several reasons, starting with the fact that I love David Lebovitz’s culinary …

There is no question that my heart is equally split between France and Italy, which is why I run small-group Goût et Voyage tours in both Provence and Tuscany. The scenery is similar, yet architectural and cultural differences make travel in both locations pure joy. However, when it comes to …

Our limited edition Rosé Vermouth collaboration with Vault Vermouth was born out of a shared love for the aperitif culture and our passion to re-use and upcycle. Using our rosé wine from previous vintages and grape spirit from our gin production, we’ve created an aromatic Rosé Vermouth inspired by the …

Those places in the world where spring arrives early (and stays) should be on your travel “bucket list.” When the mimosa begins blooming in late January, winter is almost over on the Côte d’Azur. However, like a cat playing with a ball of wool, spring takes patience in the rest …

Raising sheep and goats has been part of the fabric of life in Provence for centuries. Before grocery stores, small animal husbandry was necessary for nutrition and is the basis for traditional recipes. We highlight eight (8) of these dishes further down in this article. Grazing Land In a landscape …

Salty food and oily fish is a wine pairing challenge. However, nothing that Cocoa & Lavender wasn’t willing to try. Taking inspiration from southern France, this delicious warm platter of feta and sardines paired beautifully with two Acquiesce wines. Producing only Rhône-style white and rosé wines, Acquiesce Winery is a …

As the weather in the Sonoran Desert finally cools down, the morning temperatures are just low enough to use the fireplace. Once winter arrives, I  look forward to that first fire and spend all morning staring into the flames. Along with those indolent desert winter days come the addictive comfort …

Originally, we created this gin and tonic cocktail recipe for Halloween, but why wait that long to enjoy this drink? The recipe uses our Maison Mirabeau dry gin. A refreshing gin and tonic drink alternative for any occasion   Additional Drink Recipes:

You might shy away from bread making, but this simple Cocoa and Lavender recipe for a French Brioche Loaf will make you reconsider. Our friend Barbara took a no-knead brioche bun recipe and turned it into a loaf. This easy loaf has become one of our favourite bread for sandwiches …

While this recipe is not typically Provencal, aubergine (eggplant) and tomatoes are plentiful in the region, and we highly recommend trying this vegetarian dish. While we will always love a variety of meats, poultry, and seafood, we add more vegetarian options for our health! Melanzane a’Scarpone is one of our favourite …