Holidays

Turnips are one of those classic root vegetables that tends to leave you wondering what to do with them… In France, turnips are often used in Winter soups, but their fleshy white texture also makes them well suited for layered gratins like the one. This dish is creamy and comforting, with only a fraction of the carbs of a potato gratin. Get ready to love turnips!

Outside of France, for some reason, Pots de Crème are the underdog of French custards. They don’t receive nearly as much love as crème brulées do – but if you go to France, it’s a whole different story. The French love their dairy products: yogurts of all kinds and what we call the “crèmes desserts”. If you ever visit a French supermarket, you will assuredly stumble on our entire refrigerated aisle(s) devoted to yogurts, fromages blancs, flans, mousses, faisselles and all kinds of custards and heavenly pots de crèmes. When …

This Clementine Roast Chicken with Fennel and Honey is a lovely Winter dish that is light and zesty, but very comforting as well. This is a simple sheet-pan dinner recipe that comes together effortlessly and makes the best of two seasonal ingredients – citrus and fennel – paired with succulent roasted chicken leg quarters. A winning trio all the way.   The perfect marriage of Citrus and Fennel, inspired by two Classic-French Recipes. The inspiration from this Clementine Roast Chicken dish came at the cross-point between two Classic-French recipes. First, …

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, candied citrus peels, honey, almonds, kirsch liquor… if you like all kind of Holidays spices and fixings, you’re in for a treat! These popular Leckerli cookies embrace all the flavors of the Holidays in a delicious tiny format. “Leckerli” means “little treat” and that’s exactly what they are: sticky, chewy yet crisp edged, and so fragrant from all the spices.

Fried desserts aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when people think about French food, right? But you should know that some French regions boast with fried doughs and treats of all kinds – several of which make use of seasonal fruits in simple and comforting ways. These Pear Sauce Puff Pastry Fritters, known in French as “Rissoles aux Poires” are my fall Favorites. They’re made with puff pastry filled with pear sauce and then fried to golden perfection. They’re crunchy, sweet, sticky, and very moreish. These little fritters …

Fall is just around the corner! And after fresh, juicy vegetables all Summer long, it’s that delicious time of the year to relish in all kinds of root vegetables… and today’s recipe is all about beets! In this Fall-perfect dish, beets are braised in white wine until sweet and tender, mingled with chopped kale, goat cheese and crusty bread.  It is a simple, unfussy side-dish or light dinner, and it’s a wonderfully different way to enjoy beets.   A dish inspired by the “Betteraves à la Poitevine” The inspiration for …

Autumn is on its way, and with it, the joyful grape harvest season – or “La Saison des Vendanges” as we call it in French. Running all throughout the end of August until November in France, grape harvest season is a celebratory time of the year that sees a frenzy of activity in French vineyards. Ripe grapes are harvested, and wine makers can finally measure the quality and quantity of their crops. Parallely, this season also sees fresh grapes making their way into French kitchens and in our seasonal recipes. …

Out of the numerous little bites that came out of my kitchen so far this year, these have to be in my top 3. Inspired from Mediterranean cuisine where eggplant holds a prominent role, these Eggplant Slices with Goat Cheese and Walnuts are as simple to make as they are delicious. A great, delicious recipe to celebrate this late-Summer, plum purple vegetable. An appetizer, a salad topping or a side dish. This is a simple and versatile eggplant recipe, that can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. …

The kick-off to patio season has to be celebrated with a great appetizer, right? Which is why today’s recipe is perfectly suited. This Ham, Olive and Cheese Bread is very popular in France, and a French aperitif favorite. Known in French as a “cake salé” (savory cake), you’ll often find this type of rustic bread/loaf served at friendly get-togethers or for pre-meal snacks and drinks in France. They come in all variations and are traditionally cut in thin slices or cubes for guests to pick at, while mingling before dinner. …

Growing up in Brittany, on the Atlantic coast, sardines were a staple food – coming in fresh every morning from the harbor and sold at the local “poissonnier” (fish shop); in cans or in the form of the utterly popular sardine rillettes. This tasty spread is a delight for sharing during the French Apéro (pre-meal drinks & small bites) and makes the perfect nutritious snack too. So what are “Rillettes”, exactly ? If you’re unacquainted with it, a “rillette” (pronounced “ree-yet”) in French is similar to a pâté, often made …