French walnuts are amazing, meaty, sweet, gorgeous.  So this is my attempt at recreating the best pain aux noix (walnut bread) I’ve ever had.

This recipe is a play on words based the jeu (game) that appears to be at the heart and soul of many Provençaux – pétanque. Also know as boules, it is similar to bocce (bocchi) in Italy, but the old souls in Provence might never agree that the game has …

This salad plate is a cross between carpaccio and salad. Prepare the tapenade and pesto in advance. Shop for the fresh melon, lettuce leaves and tomatoes at the market in the morning and then plate the ingredients in time for lunch.

Rabbit is often served in France as an alternative protein to chicken, pork or other meat. This oven-roasted rabbit is flavoured with garlic and herbs that are traditionally found in Provence. The recipe requires very little prep time and just like a roast chicken it will fill your home with savoury aromas.

Gilles Conchy is the smiling face behind the Provence Gourmet. This is his recipe for Raspberry Tart with an Almond Crust. This is an easy dessert to make. The fresh raspberries and hint of mint give it a summer feel.

This recipe combines sharp, creamy blue goat cheese and ripe Anjou pears in a lovely savoury flan or timbales. The Anjou pear is also called the Genovian pear (in Italy), and perhaps that is a good example of the transferability of the language of cooking. A timbale in French cuisine is a sweet or savoury, custard-like recipe that is cooked in a cylindrical pan or bottomless dish (flan ring). In Italian, the same dish is called a Timballo.

We all agree that food waste is terrible, and in North America where shopping for many tends to involve large format stores with bulk packaging…often we buy too much. Even if you are a conscious shopper and dedicated cook like David sometimes there end up being some leftover bits in the fridge. Now, in Cocoa & Lavender’s kitchen nothing gets wasted so he created this recipe for spicy carrot goat cheese pâté.

However the reality is many recipes are quick and easy to make including these classic Madelines. Baked off fresh right before serving is best and easy to do. This recipe is courtesy of Daniel Boulud, but I added a little vanilla. I love vanilla

Every cook needs to have a few “go-to” recipes tucked in their apron. These recipes are the ones that you can make without checking to see if you have the ingredients, you know are delicious, and never fail to impress your guests.

For me, my mother’s Dijon Chicken, a simple baked poultry dish that is ready in under 30-minutes, is a go-to combination.

After the cold days of winter, spring arrives with a light touch: green vegetables start to grace the markets and rich foods give way to lighter, zestier dishes. Vibrant colours and flavours excite the palate. The first asparagus spears make beautiful salads, fresh chevre and local bread turn simple salads …