the scent of this stew as our native Albertan bison simmers the day away in a slow cooker filled with the warmest flavours spices can impart. If you can’t access bison, as we can here in Western Canada, beef will be a wonderful substitute.

Often, comfort food is what we crave the most or maybe your Provencal mama’s cooking. The following recipe for Mama Régine’s Ratatouille comes from Cassis Bistro’s owner/operator Gilles Brassart. Cassis Bistro in Calgary, Alberta, delivers “South of France Flavour with Local Flair.” Originally from the Aix-en-Provence area, Gilles Brassart arrived …

This Squid Ink Pasta with fresh squid and tomatoes is a striking main course. The black pasta, red tomatoes and squid are a wonderful savoury combination. Enjoy any time of year.

This main course of lamb chops brushed with lavender honey invokes images (and flavours) of lazy summer days in Provence. The roasted lamb is paired with a Moroccan spiced salad that can you can easily prepare in advance.

Tender beads of barley dancing among roasted tomatoes, garlic, onions and thyme then topped with salty black olives,

Sun kissed ripened tomatoes in a tarte aux tatin with a sharp Parmesan, sweet Mascarpone cheese and fresh basil spread, baked to perfection on light and flaky puff pastry.

With this dish you can vary the vegetables and I think it’s lovely to use a mixture of aubergine, courgettes and tomatoes. The meat is generally a mixture of beef and pork, seasoned with herbs and spices.

Red Mullet is a rockfish often found in southern French cuisine, delicious grilled with tapenade or as part of yummy seafood soups. It’s a small fish that really brightens up our local fish counters with its gorgeous coral scales

Tomato Tarte Tatin starter was so gorgeous on the eye that everyone who came to our Mirabeau lunch was already talking about it before they even sat down. It combines all the delicious flavours of Provence in a super-concentrated way

What is a true Niçoise salad? An authentic Niçoise is made with raw vegetables; only the eggs are cooked. You have anchovies or tuna, never the two. This salad can be a complete meal with some good bread and a glass of rosé! You can mix the salad just before serving.