For me, the best ambassadors of French cuisine are all the little bakeries that you find walking around the city. You can already smell the delicious breads and pastries after only a few steps in the street and even if you already had breakfast, suddenly your stomach might start grumbling.…
[caption id="attachment_143145" align="alignnone" width="460"] all photos by author[/caption] Baking a Far Breton is for me a flashback from my childhood. I still remember the smell penetrating the entire house of my grandmother. I needed only few seconds to guess what we will gone have for the afternoon tea! You know…
Spring has been showing its sporadically sunny self in the City of Light, bringing with it a fresh crop of fruits and vegetables. Artichokes the size of my head are stacked on tables at the weekend marché, and next to them are pyramids of slender, bright orange carrots draped over…
We use to think that the charlotte was a French recipe. It is true that charlotte cake, especially Raspberry Charlotte is a dessert much loved by the French people. Nevertheless I have learned that the recipe originally comes from England: our closest neighbors. By the way, nowadays London is only…
France is a cultural melting pot that you can experience firsthand by simply looking at the people and architecture in Paris. You can also taste the ethnic infusion in many French recipes. It may come as a surprise to learn that in some parts of France couscous has been voted…
Being from Montpellier, coming to Paris always leaves me a bit confused. This is the type of city that you love and hate at the same time. How can this crowded and noisy city can be so charming? What I hate the most is taking the underground in Paris. Everybody…
You can always find a generous selection of seafood in Paris. Most larger marchés will have a range of fish from which to choose, and grocery stores also stock everything from white fish to shrimp, scallops and even seasonal oysters. There’s something elegant about serving seafood to guests who come…
Valentine’s Day can often lead to forced gestures for those not so versed in the romance department. We can blame Hallmark or consumerism for the dread some fear when this holiday approaches. Luckily Parisian men don’t tend to fall into this category, as many are romantic on most days of…
I like the idea that there are no mistakes in life since you can always learn something from your foibles, and a new path can often be a better one. I’m not so sure this theory is always true when it comes to cooking, especially when making French recipes, as…
The French are culinary masters at both the sweet and savory. Sometimes French recipes can even blur the lines of each with the amount of butter used. Take crêpes, for instance. Whenever I can manage to get into the always-popular crêpe spot Breizh Café, I’m conflicted about whether to order…