This recipe for Cremoso de Mote is my soft wheat berry risotto variation. It is a dish that we ate twice while visiting Easter Island in 2019. Soft wheat berries (trigo mote) are cooked risotto-style, then sautéed vegetables are added. I didn’t get an exact recipe from the chef, but …

When the sun sets early on cold days, nothing is quite like the inviting aroma of braised lamb simmered in the oven. Orange and fennel combine with the meat for a warm, zesty flavour. In Provence, lamb from Sisteron in the Alpes de Haute Provence is considered some of the …

Qunice, or coing in French, is a lemon-yellow coloured fruit that looks like a lumpy pear. Although it is a genetic relative to apples and pears, the only way to eat quince is to cook it.  One popular preparation is membrillo (pate de coing), a dense, sweet, sliceable paste often …

La daube provençale – A provençal specialty with beef (or other meats) that you may try during your French immersion program with me in Provence Hello everyone. Today I’m talking to you about one of the most typical dishes of Provence. Here, everyone knows this specialty. That doesn’t mean everyone …

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 …

As you have probably gathered, I love French food and enjoy the simple formula associated with most recipes – fresh, seasonal and delicious. This recipe for Roasted Peppers stuffed with Goat Cheese is no exception. It is a simple dish with all the classic flavours of Provence hidden in the …

Today’s recipe is inspired by a meal I had years ago in Italy’s wine country – Montalcino. However, it could just as easily appear on a menu in Provence, where grapes are grown locally, and meatballs (boulettes de viande) are popular. The Italian dish, Polpettine con le Uve, not only …

This recipe for Roast Chicken in a Mustard Sauce is quite honestly the definition of simple French cooking, there are only three (3) ingredients, and it takes under a minute to prepare the marinade. The idea for the recipe comes from the late Lydia Marshall’s book A Passion for My …

As is the case with many of you, we take travel seriously. Last fall, we travelled to Southern Spain—Andalucia for the first time, and thus my culinary inspiration for these delicious Coquilles Saint-Jacques with a Spanish flair – Vieiras de Santiago. Once we know where we are going, the prep …

There is little debate that most things sound better in French than in English, and this dish, les Alouettes sans tête (English: “larks without heads”), is one clear example. In this old Niçoise recipe, thin slices of beef are stuffed with a mixture and slow-cooked in a tomato-based sauce. Like …