This delicious summer menu comes from Stephanie Villegas, a private chef and owner of Laurel, a cooking school in Provence. A Mexican-American, Stephanie married a Frenchman, and they now live in the historic Alpilles village of Fontvieille. Stephanie created a 3-course menu that is ideally suited for summer entertaining. Her …

With the summer heat in Provence, I find that an apéro dînatoire is the best way to entertain. I prepare all the dishes in advance except a fig and onion mini puff pastry. Then, 30 minutes before guests arrive, I put out my spread and pop the pastry hors d’oeuvre …

Our 2022 summer menu comes from Emma Kershaw, who lives in the South of France near the Spanish border. Start the evening with a savoury octopus pie from Sète, followed by a chilled soup, then the Catalan variation of fish stew and a sweet fruit finish. In June 2016, several …

While growing up, French people are immersed in the art of entertaining. It’s a central pillar of French culture, differently than we’re used to in the US. For the French, entertaining isn’t something they have to learn as much as it is just the way things are; this is why …

Those places in the world where spring arrives early (and stays) should be on your travel “bucket list.” When the mimosa begins blooming in late January, winter is almost over on the Côte d’Azur. However, like a cat playing with a ball of wool, spring takes patience in the rest …

Recognizing the importance of gastronomic tourism as a travel segment, Provence Tourism launched a food-focused celebration two years ago. Marseille Provence Gastronomie (MPG2019) was an incredible series of events including local markets, cooking demonstrations and even a record-breaking cooking class led by Michelin starred chefs. Building on the previous success, …

Not to dwell on the realities of 2020, but we had to get creative about seeing friends, if only virtually. For an international Zoom dinner, one of the guests made a wish for chicken breasts stuffed with herbed goat cheese and vegetable Napoleons on the side. That was a wish …

Sheet pan chicken is all the rage these days. I resisted the idea for a long time, figuring it was just another culinary fad that would fade. But then I realized that one of my favourite chicken dishes ever is a sheet pan chicken recipe by Ottolenghi. Chicken with Fennel …

Chef, author, and part-time resident of Paris, Lisa Baker Morgan agreed to curate our Spring Menu. She brings together three (3) recipes that celebrate the best of spring flavours, including asparagus, morels and strawberries. Start your evening with a cocktail, perhaps a glass of French champagne or one of these …

Friends for Dinner This summer in Paris, dogs, kids and adults cooled-off by splashing around in the Trocadero fountain – Fontaine de Varsovie – during la canicule (heatwave). On June 26th, a record-setting 46 °C baked the town of Vérargues, in l’Hérault. After a hot summer in Provence, much of Europe, …