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 …

Poulet au Vinaigre, or chicken in vinegar, is a classic French preparation that you will find braising in homes as readily in restaurants. At the onset, it sounds kind of overpowering and maybe even unappetizing. Chicken in vinegar? Rarely do we think of vinegar as an ingredient other than maybe …

“How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?” ~ French President, Charles de Gaulle in 1962 Serving a cheese course after the main dish is customary in France but certainly not mandatory. Typically the host provides a selection of cheeses ranging from mild …

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 …

Looking for a great dish for cold-weather activities? Easy to make ahead and serve when you are ready, Endives au Gratin is a Belgian dish typically from Northern France and Belgian. The dish consist of endives wrapped in ham slices served in butter and a bechamel sauce. After outdoor activities, …

If you’re looking for a vegan or vegetarian dish to wow your plant-based friends, this take on a traditional terrine is an excellent place to start. Eggplant combined with some bright and flavourful spices make for a firm, tasty starter dish that is fantastic served on its own or with …

As an avid traveller and French Riviera lover, 2020 has hit me very hard, and I’m sure most of you reading this article can relate. 2021 is not looking that great either, at least at the time of writing. Some readers of my blog have asked what I’ve been doing …

If you could pick your last meal – what would it be? For my last meal on Earth, I would select a dish that is both humble and classic. I would choose a duck confit. There is something utterly delicious about obscenely crisp duck skin mixed with succulent duck meat. It …