The sails go round with a heavy swing As the wild wind plays on the hill; And the corn is crushed, and the flour is ground Right merrily at the mill. March 30th, Birthday Book for Children , Kate Greenaway I couldn’t resist sharing this extract from Kate Greenaway’s ‘Birthday book for children’.  It’s impossible [...]

I wanted to cook a special Valentine’s day menu, filled with some of the favourite flavors I’ve shared with my husband a few romantic meals ago.  I’ve always felt a link with Saint-Valentine, perhaps because my middle name is actually Valentine.  My full name is Marie-France Valentine Thorisson, sounds very old-fashioned to say the least!  [...]

To feast on fine delicacies, drink champagne and be merry – that’s how I want my end of year dinner to be. New year’s eve is the perfect time to shine, looking back on the year, starting a new fresh one with a few good (I hope!) resolutions. I especially love week-end family lunches. Everyone’s [...]

The wind is blowing in Médoc. It’s one of those unusually cold December months when you wake up to frosted trees and even the dogs don’t fancy going out. The weather (and the ice-cold stone floors) make me feel raw and in need for big shawls, hot cups of tea and gentle music. I find [...]

After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relatives. Oscar Wilde My family and I are from all over. My mother is French, my father Chinese, my husband is Icelandic and a quarter German, my grandfather was Polish… Une famille bien mélangée as one would say. French is the main language at [...]

I was so delighted to be featured on Sous Style this week. It’s one of my favourite lifestyle sites, filled with great ideas, recipes and stories on interesting people. We had a lovely lunch at home, with our friends David and Sheyenne and their kids Balkis and Naturel. Don’t you just love their names? As [...]

The vineyards around Médoc are looking very handsome these days. The grapes have ripened to a velvety dark colour, looking robust and just about ready to be picked. I found out this week harvest dates will be postponed till October. It has been a dry year and the grapes need to mature for a few [...]

What to cook for homesick French friends? Well, les grands classiques, bien sûr! My friends Jean-Pierre and Alexia came over for a visit last week-end. They left Paris three long years ago and came back to France for a little holiday. They absolutely love their new life, but had turned into homesick Parisians, or, should [...]