Winter Comfort

  • French Style Macaroni Gratin

    by Audrey

    Here’s to true comfort food with a French Style Macaroni Gratin! This rustic dish features macaroni pasta smothered in a rich cheesy white sauce, blanketed with salty bacon bits, breadcrumbs, an extra helping of cheese, and then baked until bubbly underneath and crispy on top. This easy dish is on the table in about 45 minutes to please the whole family.

  • Beer-Braised Spiced Pork Shanks

    by Audrey

    This deliciously rustic recipe from Brittany combines staple ingredients from the region: pork, shallots and amber beer. Plump, bone-in pork shanks are slowly braised in amber beer with spices, until fall-off-the-bone tender and incredibly fragrant. This is a robust, hearty dish to comfort the soul during Winter – yet I find it elegant enough to serve for a romantic dinner too. 

  • Roasted Carrot Soup

    by Audrey

    If you’re like me, a heartwarming soup made with seasonal vegetables never disappoints over Winter. And from my weekly rotation, this Roasted Carrot Soup has to be one of my favorites. Simple to make and affordable, this soup is creamy, satisfying and boasts delicious sweet flavors from roasted carrots. It’s also a great make-ahead and freezer friendly recipe. The perfect soup to cozy up to on colder days!

  • French Christmas Cookie Roundup

    by Audrey

    The Holidays are just around the corner! For all your holiday baking inspiration, I have gathered the most delicious cookie recipes from the blog that are very popular around the Holidays in France- and easy to make at home. I included classics like the Butter Sablés from Alsace (Butterbredele) and lesser-known recipes like the Cocoa and Almond Thumbprint Cookies from Alsace (Linzele).

  • Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme

    by Audrey

    Brie en Croûte is a festive French appetizer that is simply perfect for entertaining. Made with store-bought puff pastry, it encases a warm and melty whole wheel of brie, that’s then topped with honey, cranberries, nuts and thyme. Serve it on a platter with fruits and crackers, and be sure to impress your guests!  

  • Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

    by Audrey

    A classic Breton recipe, this Cauliflower Soup uses a whole head of cauliflower, chopped and roasted, to create a thick texture that’s very satisfying and with an incredible depth of flavor. It requires staple ingredients and no cream, but tastes perfectly rich and creamy thanks to the blended cauliflower. Serve it as a side or a meal on its own, to keep you warm on crisp evenings. 

  • Classic French Toast (Pain Perdu)

    by Audrey

    A staple food in France, French toast is named “Pain perdu” which translates literally to lost bread, reflecting the use of stale bread so it doesn’t get “lost”.  These slices of breads dunked in an eggy mixture and toasted in a pan are comforting, sweet and tender – and a breeze to make at home. ‘Pain Perdu” also embodies the high status granted to bread in France and the utmost importance of not wasting it.

  • Classic French Chocolate Moelleux Cake

    by Audrey

    A Classic of the French repertoire, a Chocolate Moelleux Cake is a decadent and intensely chocolatey cake, relying on only a few ingredients: eggs, sugar and a solid amount of butter and good-quality dark chocolate. Made with no flour, hence naturally gluten-free, this cake combines the richness of chocolate cake with the airiness of a mousse. A must for all chocolate lovers! 

  • Butternut Squash Soup

    by Audrey

    Comforting, nourishing and full of flavor, a simple Butternut Squash Soup is a cold weather staple. This easy-to-make, no-frill recipe requires just a few classic ingredients to create a naturally thick and creamy soup (no cream needed) with hints of sweetness and warmth. This is a simple and traditional soup recipe for everyone to have in their repertoire. 

  • Provençal Garlic Soup (Aïgo Boulido)

    by Audrey

    Translating in Provencal dialect as “boiled water”, the Aïgo Boulido is an unassuming broth of garlic and sage, enriched with eggs. It is delicately aromatic and believed to have powerful curative properties. This soup is widely consumed in the South of France to aid digestion, ward off winter ills, as a detox soup after days of feasting – and as a salving cure for hangovers too.

Pardon your French

Let’s bring French flavors to your kitchen! I share uncomplicated and classic recipes, lesser-known regional dishes and a few modern takes. Making French cooking easy, approachable and cliché-free is my priority.