Bretagne

Apple season holds a very special place in the hearts of the Brittany and Normandy people. At this time of year, both regions boast orchards of blooming apple trees of all varieties and hence nurture an extensive repertoire of apple recipes – be it sweet or savory. Countless apples pies, chicken and pork roasts with stewed apples, apple cider in Brittany, Calvados in Normandy… apples are the Queen of the local gastronomy year-round. And frankly, as a Brittany native, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of cooking and baking …

Known in French as “Le Fouesnantais”, this Cherry Bread Pudding recipe originates from Fouesnant, a small town in Brittany where cherries are a big part of the local economy. Filled with clusters of cherries and topped with a fragrant cinnamon crumble, it is rich and satisfying with bursts of sweetness (and it makes great use of whichever leftover brioche, pain au lait or bread you might have on hand!)

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 …

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.

For anybody who doesn’t know Kig Ha Farz, this recipe will probably sound very unusual. But truth is, behind the funny name “Kig Ha Farz” (meaning “meat-and-flour,” in Breton) is actually just that – slow-simmered meats served with dumplings made from two different flours (white and buckwheat).

Here it is, the infamous Calvados and Apple Flan from Normandy! On a recent trip to Normandy, we ate at La Ferme St Michel, and I had the most amazing Calvados and Apple Flan for dessert. It was tender, fruity and intensely fragrant, thanks to the Calvados Apple Brandy. So of course, as soon as I was back in in my kitchen in Canada two weeks later, I couldn’t resist making one (and it certainly won’t be the last one I will be making this fall/winter)! Being from Brittany, I …

There are a few staples that every French home cook should master, and French crêpes are without any doubt in the top 3. For myself, being from Brittany, the birthplace of crepes, they are actually #1. And as a true Brittany native, I must start by emphasizing the fact that savory and sweet crepes are quite different in Brittany, and surely not meant to be mixed up. The difference starts right from the choice of flour … Crêpes de “blé noir”: Literally translated as “buckwheat flour crêpes” are meant to be garnished with …