With the prospect of shorter days, cooler nights and relaxed meals with friends and family, Nutmeg enlisted Martine Bertin-Peterson to design a Provence Harvest Menu. This three-course meal is a celebration of the colours and flavours of autumn with pears, squash, lamb and a sweet finish. Accomplished only begins to …

After a long stretch of scorching summer days, cooler autumn weather in Provence offers a chance to serve warm, hearty meals. Fall mornings wrapped in a cloth of humidity with heavy dew and fog clouding the early hours until the sun does its work. With the hard work finished for …

“Would you like some figs for dessert?” I was asked following a lovely meal one summer’s evening in Caromb. For someone who had only ever eaten figs in yoghurt this was an opportunity not to be missed! My fellow diners rose from the table and headed outside. This intrigued me …

Fall Shades In Provence, autumn’s arrival can be subtle. Not long after the grape harvest, the vines start changing colour. Vineyards turn shades of golden-yellow and deep-red signalling that the rootstock is ready for a rest. The Plane trees (Platanes) that provided welcome summer shade drop their large brown leaves …

Provence in Autumn Bizarrely we sense and feel the changing seasons more in Provence than we do in Devon. Back in Exeter, the proximity to the sea seems to soften the edges of summer as it shifts into autumn and likewise, autumn into winter. That’s not the case here. Today …

There is something wonderful about a traditional French market and over the years we’ve spent a considerable amount of time ambling around them in different towns across the Country. The nice thing is that each area expresses its own identity through its markets – with the wonderful seafood stalls, full …

When French immersion students stay with us, they are always surprised that my children love garlic confit, olives, and fish soup. So, sometimes we eat bouillabaisse at home. My cousin lives in Marseille and has a delicious bouillabaisse recipe shared below in English and French. In this article, I will …

Making mayonnaise at home may seem daunting, but it is a right of passage for a Provencal cook. However, after you have seen it made, you will realize that it’s just a matter of fresh eggs and a good whisk. Aioli is an excellent condiment with fries, of course, with …

In Provence, a sure sign of the changing seasons is the new varieties of produce in the grocery store. While it is not a wholesale change from one week to the next, regionally grown tomatoes are no longer prominent. Instead, apples, pears, green beans, mushrooms, carrots and colourful squash take …

My husband arrived from the family orchards with a box of perfect pears. These medium-sized pears were bright green with hints of red and slightly but not too ripe. So I decided that Tarte Tatin aux Poires – Tarte Tatin with Pears- would be on the menu for my upcoming …