Fall Entertaining Made Beautiful: A Provence-Inspired Menu for Friends

As autumn arrives in Provence, the temperatures change, as does the produce in the market. Traci Parent agreed to curate our Fall Menu for 2025. Her delicious choices bring together a delicious 3-course meal to share with friends and family. Below, you will find Traci’s vivid descriptions of the season in Provence, along with her reasons for choosing these three dishes for fall entertaining, and why it’s a great time to visit.

After a long, hot summer filled with ample sun, salt, and sand, I am ready to embrace the quiet comforts of fall: snuggling up with a cozy wrap as the evening chill takes hold, and savouring a satisfying meal composed of heartier fare. Summer’s bounty has been well preserved for the fall, transforming fresh fruit into jams and chutneys that will be enjoyed in the months to come. While the cool summer salads were light and refreshing, I now welcome more robust dishes that leave me feeling warm and satisfied.

Provence in the Fall

In Provence, the wine harvest ushers in fall, with lonely vines beginning to turn spectacular shades of gold and burgundy. Nature has run its course, and it is now up to the artistry of wine-makers to create pleasing vintages of Cairanne and Gigondas wines. There is a flurry of activity as we hike past the small domaines that dot the countryside. We are here for a short stay, and can’t help but be envious of our friends who stay for months on end at Bello Visto in Cairanne. This charming area of the Vaucluse has so much to offer, and it’s a bit cooler and quieter after the summer rush. It was a perfect day, starting at the market, where we chose our fresh produce for dinner. Now, after a scenic hike, we are ready to settle in and prepare our feast.

Guide: Wines of Provence

Starter Course

Root vegetables are staples on my autumn table, but none is more revered than the butternut squash. My perfect meal begins with butternut squash soup. The bright golden colour mimics the first leaves to change, and the velvety texture is the ultimate comfort food. Savoury with just a hint of sweetness, this soup is a pleasant way to prepare the palate.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Martine Bertin-Peterson

Like many soups, this one is easy to prepare. The butternut squash (or other variety) gives it a hearty flavour without being too filling, and roasting the squash adds a richer flavour.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine French

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• baking sheet, rimmed, non-stick 10x14
• saucepan with lid (3-quart)
• immersion blender

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb butternut squash peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 apple a tart, cooking variety, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth preferably homemade
• olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half
• salt to taste
• crème fraîche (or sour cream) for garnish

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place butternut squash on a rimmed baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat pieces evenly.
• Roast squash for 20-30 minutes until soft but not mushy.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a medium pot.
• While the squash is roasting, sweat the chopped onion over a low flame until soft, but not browned.
• Add roasted squash, sliced apple, nutmeg and 4 cups of chicken broth to the prepared onions.
• Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the apple is soft.
• Using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth.
• Check for seasoning and add salt to taste. Add 1/2 cup of light cream (half-and-half) to the soup and simmer on a low flame to reheat—do not boil!
• Serve soup in individual bowls with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream or garnish with croutons.

Notes

As an option for butternut squash, substitute pumpkin or other orange squash.

Vegetable broth may be substituted for a vegetarian soup option.

Keyword Butternut Squash, Fall Recipe, Soups, Squash

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Main Course

For me, the marriage of sweet and savoury is a divine match, and I have always loved a rich, meaty dish with a tangy fruit sauce. Seared duck breast with ground cherry chutney is absolute bliss. Perhaps it is because duck is harder to find in the States, but I eat it as often as I can in France. When it is seared to perfection, it simply melts in your mouth. Paired with the cherry chutney, the flavours and textures blend to form a sensory delight.

Seared Duck Breast with Ground Cherry Chutney

David Scott Allen | Cocoa & Lavender

Nothing screams elegance like a perfectly seared duck breast paired with a tart homemade chutney. This recipe is the perfect excuse to enjoy a glass of wine with loved ones and truly enjoy the finer things in life.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine French

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• saucepan with lid (1.5-quart)
• potato masher
• skillet hex-clad non-stick oven-proof (12-inch)
• cutting board, large plastic
• serrated knife

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot(s) peeled and chopped
• 1 plum tomato(es) seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups ground cherries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp culinary lavender buds dried
• 1 sprig rosemary chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 8-oz duck breast halves
• salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add chopped shallot, and cook until softened. Add the chopped tomato, ground cherries, sugar, Dijon mustard, and vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the lavender and rosemary.
• Cook 10 minutes or until somewhat thickened. Crush the berries using a potato masher to release their pectin. Cook an additional 5 minutes, add the lemon juice and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Season the skin side of the duck breasts with salt and white pepper. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the duck breasts skin-side down. They will jump and sizzle when they hit the pan. Sear them undisturbed for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is well-browned.
• Turn and cook for 1 minute, then transfer to the oven. Roast for 4-5 minutes (4 minutes for medium-rare, 5 minutes for medium). Remove from the oven and transfer breasts to a cutting board skin-side down. Let them rest a couple of minutes.
• While the duck is resting, divide the chutney among 4 dinner plates.
• Using a very sharp serrated knife, slice the breasts into slices — about 3/16-inch thick. (Slicing them upside down like this is much easier than trying to start your slicing through the skin.)
• Divide the slices among the four plates, arranging them on top of the chutney, and bon appetit!

Keyword Cherries, Chutney, Duck

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A Sweet Finish

Fading away like the sizzling summer sun, ice cream and sorbets are a distant memory. Something warm from the oven beckons. Dessert has taken on more substance, and a thick, golden salted almond praline cake bookends a fantastic fall menu. With a long history in Provence, almonds are prized for their unique taste and are a staple in Provençal confections, such as nougat and calissons. An added bonus is that the toasted almonds fill the house with a rich, comforting aroma. The day has fallen into darkness, but the house is cozy as we savour the last bites of a fantastic meal of seasonal favourites.

Salted Almond Praline Cake

David Scott Allen I Cocoa & Lavender

Recipe minimally adapted from Sweet Paul Magazine.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine North American

Servings 8 people

Equipment

• 1 cake pan non-stick 9-inch round
• 1 baking sheet, rimmed, non-stick 10x14
• 1 mixing bowls, stainless steel
• 1 saucepan with lid (1.5-quart)
• 1 cooling rack (10x15-inch)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 cups (340g) sliced almonds
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (170g) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
• 1 1/4 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup (120ml) unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup (150g) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
• flaked sea salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C).
• Liberally butter a 9-inch cake pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment, then the sides of the pan with 2-inch strips; butter the parchment.
• Place the almonds on a baking tray and toast them until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Add vanilla, butter, flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix well. Pour into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
• Reset the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• 10 minutes before the cake is done, place butter, sugar, and milk in a pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer for five minutes then add the almonds. Spread the almond mixture on top of the cake, even it out with a spatula, and sprinkle with some flaky sea salt.
• Return the cake to the oven and bake the cake for another 10 minutes. The top should be bubbly and golden.
• Cool briefly on a wire rack. Use a very sharp knife to cut around the edge of the cake before it is cold, as the praline topping sets very quickly.
• Turn it out onto the rack to finish cooling.

Keyword Almonds, Cakes, Dessert

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Guest Author

Traci Parent has had a passion for all things French as long as she can remember! Perusing her paternal grandparents’ French dictionaries from a very young age, the language and culture have always fascinated her. She was a high school French teacher for a decade (a profession she adored) and continues helping others craft the best experiences in France through her writing, videos, and website. Highlighting what makes each region special, French Detours offers travel services, itineraries and tips, as well as a boutique of artisanal products. She joined Ginny Blackwell, one of the pioneers of co-ownership, at International Property Shares in 2023 to help people realize their dreams of living in France part-time.

Autumn is a season of rich flavours and warm dishes that embody the season. Our unique fall recipe collection, featuring 25 easy-to-follow recipes and menu suggestions from Provence, celebrates this culinary urge.

Download the Fall Recipe Collection

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