“Artichauts Vinaigrette” is likely the simplest, yet most delicious way to enjoy globe artichokes: simply boiled and eaten leaf after leaf dipped in a tangy vinaigrette. This staple starter is a French favorite, especially in my home region of Brittany where artichokes are plentiful. This is a classic recipe that is quick, easy and fun to eat too, as you work your way to the tender heart of the artichoke.
A Breton Pound Cake, known as “Quatre-Quarts” (four quarters) is the ubiquitous French snacking cake. It’s simple, not-too-sweet, just dense enough to be eaten with your hands and full of buttery flavors. This version is studded with lightly caramelized apple chunks to keep it moist and irresistible. A great year-round recipe for your baking repertoire!
This Chocolate Fondant Cake is a delicious recipe from La Baule, and is possibly one of the most well-kept culinary secrets in France… (updated recipe – January 2019). La Baule is a picturesque seaside resort town on the Atlantic coast, where beautiful stoned-façade villas and casinos mass along stunning sand beaches. It is a beloved weekend getaway spot for Parisians, who yearn for a slower, sun-bathed atmosphere and some fresh Atlantic air.
If there’s one type of cookie that defined my childhood in Brittany, it’s the Sablé Breton! These traditional French salted butter cookies are crispy, buttery, and perfectly balanced with a hint of salt. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, this easy recipe will transport you straight to a Brittany kitchen.
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!)
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).
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 …
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