Chickpea Flour Panisses Frites are Better than Fries
Panisse, like polenta, is easy to make. The difference is chickpea flour instead of cornmeal. However, the culinary debate about whether panisse is a culinary creation of Marseille or Nice continues without resolution. Is the authentic version of panisse found at a snack bar on the beach in l’Estaque, where …
A Surprising Côtes du Rhône Villages Food and Wine Pairing
Very rarely do you come across a Côtes du Rhône Villages so incredible that it might as well be a Gigondas wine. However, in this case, the red wine that we used in this wine pairing from Paul Jaboulet Aîné (2020) is a nice upgrade. It is big and bold, …
Why I Love of Figs and an Easy Dessert Recipe
Before I moved to France, I had never seen a fresh fig. The only figs I knew were in that classic American cookie – Fig Newtons. Although, admittedly, it’s a pretty good choice in the grocery store cookie aisle. Discovering Figs When I moved to the south of France with …
Octopus in Tomato Sauce La Poulpe à la Niçoise
Among Nice’s many attractions are its Mediterranean location and the fresh seafood. Octopus (la pouple) is one ingredient that often features in Niçoise dishes. La pouple à la Niçoise was a favourite of the local fisherman mentioned by Tobias Smollett in 1762. However, the recipe has likely evolved since that …
My Fête de la Transhumance Experience in Provence’s Tinée Valley
A Sea of Sheep I pressed my back tight against the stone facade of the ancient house on the narrow street where I stood. Around me were dozens of other people doing the same. How, I wondered, was that huge mass of sheep barreling toward us going to fit through? …
Join a Francophile Community, hosted by a French native
Imagine if you could transport yourself to France from the comfort of your living room. You would open your computer or tablet, log into a platform and voilà. Le BFF Club was created as a virtual place to get your French language fix every week. Founded by Provence native Cynthia …
Trouchia Zucchini Omelette a Variation on the Nicoise Classic
The problem with growing zucchini in your kitchen garden (potager) is that it often ripens all at the same time. When my garden produces more zucchini than I can possibly consume, the problem is what to do with the bounty. Thankfully I remembered trouchia, a favourite dish from Nice, France, …
A Delicious Interview with Le Chef’s Wife Anina Belle
Meeting that special someone on the French Riviera while studying in the South of France certainly sounds like a movie script base for Netflix series. Yet, that is precisely how it happened for Anina Belle and Sébastien Giannini. They met in Nice while she was on a university exchange program …
5 Great Reasons to Visit Villefranche-sur-Mer
Shelley and Riccardo own nine (9) beautifully appointed rental apartments in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Both are Americans who have lived in Villefranche-sur-Mer for well over 20 years. It is easy to love the town for its location on the French Riviera. Initially, they arrived in this charming seaside town on the French …
The Mont Ventoux Villages and Our Top Restaurant Picks
Chefs in Provence build their menus around seasonal, locally available produce, small-batch cheeses, ethically raised meats and Mediterranean seafood. However, as a visitor, knowing where to go for good value food is not always evident. So we asked the owners of Le Prieuré La Madelène for suggestions on places they …