Students for our cooking class come from all over the world.  We have had the pleasure of meeting Americans, Australians, Asians, Europeans, and even a Candian couple who returns every year for a refresher workshop (or two). Without fail, whether these folks consider themselves cooks or beginners they want easy recipes. This recipe for Quick Coq au Vin meets that request, enjoy cuisine à la Française made easy.

Inspired by a beautiful Marina di Chioggia variety that we found at a Sunday morning Farmers Market, I decided to make this Roasted Pumpkin Risotto (recipe follows).

Nimes-based chef Anne Challier adapts her recipe for pâte with pork and chicken liver pâte (pâté fois de volaille) to create a savoury pastry tart. Here, is the recipe for the meat filling. Use a muffin pan as your shape, make the pastry dough recipe

In Provence, it is quite common to see fresh tuna displayed on a fishmonger’s stand. So what to do with that fresh catch? Of course, there is the classic Salad Niçoise (click here for recipes) or light up the grill and enjoy the Asian flavours in this recipe for Spicy Tuna Burgers. Asian …

If you are a fan of figs, you know that their season is short, and when figs are ripe, they are not going to last long. So, when the beautiful, sweet bounty presented itself, it was time to make Blue Cheese Fig Tart.

This guest post comes to us from Berlin (and Madrid)! Vlada Migas is a pastry chef and the voice behind the tempting recipes on her blog Cook for Soul. “I enjoy feeding people with tasty desserts and sharing my cooking stories with them. Recently upgraded my skills with alternative dieting …

A  traditional soft bread found in Provence – fougasse – is the inspiration for the walnut and blue cheese tarte soleil (a puff-pastry tart) recipe. The tart is best served hot or at room temperature. Petra Carter, the founder of le Pistou Cookery School in Uzès, made this version with cheese and walnuts. However, you can adjust the fillings to suit your taste, or what you have on hand.

The following recipe for a clafoutis aux courgettes (zucchini casserole),  turns a traditional Provencal dessert into a savoury dish that is suitable for vegetarians. You can experiment with the fillings, depending on what is available, or in Jackie’s case growing in your garden.

This recipe for a baked ratatouille tian combines layers of summer (estival) vegetables in an earthenware dish. You can vary the ingredients depending on what is available. This version of a traditional, Provencal side-dish comes from the kitchen at le Pistou Cookery School in Uzès.

This quince almond tarte tatin (tatin aux coings et aux amandes) is a fall dessert that celebrates the slow-ripening fruit. It’s a bit of work to peel quince, but you will be pleased with the sweet end result.