Winter Comfort

Nothing screams a French breakfast like a classic Brioche on the table. But not just any brioche… If you ask me, it has to be a Classic French Butter Brioche – known in French as “Brioche pur Beurre”. This French bakery staple is a soft bread that is light, pillowy and enriched with lots of butter to create a taste and texture that is uniquely rich. Unlike other French brioches that can include milk or cream to create an unctuous crumb, this brioche – as its name suggests – is …

Chicken, fresh tarragon, cream and white wine are no strangers to a French kitchen – and they all come together wonderfully in this classic French-bistro fare. This creamy French Chicken Tarragon, known as “Poulet à l’Estragon”, is a simple one-pan recipe that’s both comforting and fresh tasting. Chicken thighs are first browned and braised in white wine for tenderness. Cream is then added for extra richness. But it’s really fresh tarragon, a staple herb in French cooking with assertive aniseed-like notes, that gives the distinctive flavor to this unique dish. 

If you’re a first-time bread-baker, this recipe is for you. This Overnight No-Knead Bread is a basic loaf that doesn’t require kneading nor does it include a sourdough starter. The yeast-base dough is simply stirred together and rests overnight on your counter top to slowly ferment, rise and develop flavors. Baked the next day in a sizzling skillet, the bread grows into a crusty bakery-style loaf with a flavorful airy crumb. Trust me, it will not disappoint!

This Creamy Leek and Potato Soup, known in French as Soupe Vichyssoise (or sometimes “Potage Parmentier) is made of puréed leeks and potatoes, enriched with cream. This is a simple soup that’s absolutely comforting when enjoyed warm on a chilly day. But I love that you can also enjoy it chilled. It makes for a perfectly refreshing bowl during warmer days too.

I bid a final farewell to citrus season in the form of this simple Lemon Poppy Seed French Yogurt Loaf, drenched in a honey lemon syrup. It tastes deliciously moist, fluffy and zesty. And like any other French yogurt cake, it is a foolproof and ridiculously simple recipe to make.   If you’ve been following this blog for a bit, you know of my love for French yogurt cakes. Last winter, I had shared a recipe for a classic Orange Yogurt Cake (still to this day, one of the most …

Quintessentially French, Coq au Vin (literally “rooster in wine”) is a mastodon of our cooking repertoire. Made from a whole chicken cut in 8 pieces, with bacon, mushrooms and carrots, it is traditionally cooked using red wine resulting in a purple-ish sauce. But its “Blanc” version, using dry white wine, is lighter, with brighter flavors and is just a little bit more elegant, if you ask me. 

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!

Putting a Breton twist on Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies! Today’s recipe revisits the American classic recipe of Chocolate Chip cookies, with the use of buckwheat flour and sea salt – two staple ingredients from my home region Brittany. Buckwheat flour gives earthy and nutty flavors to these chewy cookies, boosted with sea salt that is used both inside the dough and sprinkled over top. If you think chocolate chip cookies couldn’t get any better – just wait, and try! 

Who doesn’t love a creamy, melty and comforting mac n’ cheese? But have you ever had a French-Style Mac n’ Cheese before? If not, you’re in for a treat!  The foundation of this creamy casserole is a velvety white Béchamel sauce spiked with nutmeg to which we add a hefty amount of crème fraiche for richness and tang, and then Gruyère cheese for sweet, nutty flavors and great cheesy strings. This is a luscious and comforting recipe that’s a staple of French Mountain cooking. 

Unfussy, sugary and fried. French Bakery Beignets are nothing like what you’d expect from French pastries, yet they are quintessentially French. These plump buttery pillows rolled in sugar and filled with jams are found on most bakery stalls in France and are kids’ favorites at the time of the “goûter” ( mid-afternoon snack). They are also very popular during street fairs and carnivals across the country. And like most French, I often cave in to the temptation of grabbing one whenever I hit a street festival in France.