Audrey

Known as “riz au lait”, the typical French rice pudding is made with the simplest of pantry ingredients: rice, sugar and a lot of milk, simmered or baked together until creamy. No eggs, no cornstarch, no gelatin. The starch of the rice does all the work and thickens the mixture until it’s amazingly rich. It is one of the ultimate French comfort foods, and I never tire of making and eating it. 

When it comes to Spring – specifically strawberry season – it doesn’t get any more traditional than a Strawberry Charlotte Cake, in France. This dessert has a retro feel to it (and granted, it might not be the most modern dessert out there), but come Spring, it is always present in bakeries and cake shops throughout the country.   It is also a favourite amongst home bakers, because despite its fancy appearance, it is actually easy and quick to throw together (less than 30 minutes) and looks much more complicated …

Like most French people, I have an extreme fondness for mustards. And although the Classic Dijon Mustard is one of my favourites, I think my number one has to be the grainy Old-Style Mustard – known in French as “Moutarde à l’ancienne”. Its delicate sweetness and gritty texture makes it a condiment so unique, that I often think you don’t need anything else with it to make a dish shine. It is particularly true in this Kasha Green Bean Potato Salad,  where I think a tablespoon or two of the …

A Sabayon is a great reminder that the simplest things can often be the most delicious (and sometimes the most unique too!). A Southern-French classic, this egg-based frothy sauce is effortlessly whipped together, yet it makes for a unique and elegant dessert poured over fresh fruits. And with the arrival of Berry season, I wanted to revisit it using orange juice instead of alcohol (for a more affordable and approachable version). A truly simple, early-summer pleasure.

Buckwheat crepes are commonly known in French as “crêpes de blé noir” or “crêpes de sarrasin” (blé noir and sarrasin both translating to buckwheat). They are the quintessence of traditional Brittany cuisine, and if you’re visiting this beautiful North-Western French region, going to a “creperie” to enjoy one (or two, or three…) of these buckwheat crepes is an inevitable must-do.

White wine in a biscuit? Oh, oui! These rustic-looking White Wine Almond Canistrelli biscuits are a local specialty hailing from L’Île de Beauté: the sun-kissed Island of Corsica. Naturally vegan, delicately crunchy and best eaten after being dunked in coffee (or wine!).

Next weekend, Marc and I will be in Paris! We’re staying only two days in the big city before heading home to Brittany for a week and then to London, England, for another week. And even though two days sounds very short for a stay in the French Capital, we’re determined to have ourselves a great Parisian food adventure. For any foodie, getting ready for a trip to Paris can be both exciting and overwhelming. The city’s food scene is one of the most iconic in the world (if not …

In France, Easter classically calls for the “Gigot d’Agneau” (leg of lamb), accompanied by roasted potatoes and an assortment of seasonal vegetables (such as a Jardinière de légumes, Vichy Carrots or Haricots Verts). But lesser known (even to most French people) is the traditional Easter Beef, a regional speciality served in the southern Massif Central of France.

With the arrival of an early Spring, I’m getting excited about asparagus! And for me, freshly crisp asparagus calls for a Sauce Gribiche. A great classic of French Cuisine, the Gribiche is a flavorsome mayonnaise-style sauce packed with capers, cornichons and fresh herbs. And while still today an utter classic, it is one of those concoctions that’s still hard to put a label on … Is it a sauce? A mayonnaise? A dip? A condiment? A relish? I like to think it can be any of them! (I mean, is …

We’re one week away from Easter weekend and I know a lot of us are getting excited about brunch! In France, Easter brunch habitually involves a freshly-baked brioche on the table, like a buttery Fallue in Normandie or the anise-flavoured Caccavellu in Corsica. But this year, I wanted to bring back a yesteryear recipe known in French as a “Pascade”. This wonderful French-style Dutch Baby Pancake (which in France falls under the “crepes” category) is generously puffy and versatile, and ideal as a last-minute brunch idea.