Tomato tart with tarragon mustard

Tomatoes are vegetables that make good neighbours. Bernadette, my lovely ‘voisine‘ (neighbour), is passionate about her home-grown pomme d’amour (that’s how she calls them – love apples). Whenever I drop by to say hello, she will meticulously tell me the difference between the yellow, red and green ones. Each type has a story to tell, from great-grandmothers recipes to how sweet some are compared to … Continue reading Tomato tart with tarragon mustard

Oxtail macaroni and cheese

This nostalgic ‘plat de famille‘ (family dish) from Lyon is certainly one of the most luxurious macaroni and cheese around. The term ‘bon-vivant’ must have been linked with Lyonnais style cooking, for every dish from this region always has a certain finishing touch unlike no others. The gruyère cheese and Beaujolais wine make this macaroni gratin extra rich in flavours and in texture. The oxtail … Continue reading Oxtail macaroni and cheese

Mint and tuna salad

What’s a summer cook to do? With temperatures reaching more than thirty-eight degrees, I hardly want to switch anything on, especially the oven. We have been alternating between the pool, the Atlantic beaches (Médoc is a peninsula with eighty kilometers of beautiful beaches), trips to Cap-Ferret and some brave city slicking in Bordeaux where the heat has been literaly sizzling. Frankly, my favourite time has … Continue reading Mint and tuna salad

Cooking with Chef Ludovic Le Goardet

When you have friends over for dinner, what do you enjoy cooking for them? The words sharing, laughter, delicious, special, impressive and fun come to my mind. You want to enjoy the moment, accompanied by fine wines, good music and candlelight. The key to a successful dinner is cooking something that everybody will like, making them feel special, having bought the most sought-after ingredients from … Continue reading Cooking with Chef Ludovic Le Goardet

Brittany lobster with butter tarragon sauce

Nervous and excited, that’s essentially how I felt about cooking lobster. We had a very Annie Hall moment in the kitchen, as much as I had no problems holding these glorious shellfish, there was no way I would plunge them in boiling water, so I asked my husband to do the job. To celebrate last week’s Bastille day, we ordered lobsters from Brittany at our … Continue reading Brittany lobster with butter tarragon sauce

Black pig flank and apple sauce

When I visited Yves Bruneau butcher’s shop earlier this week, I bought Pierre Oteiza’s label of black pig. Pierre Oteiza is a champion charcutier from the ‘Vallée des Aldudes’ in France’s Pays Basque. He breeds exceptional meat, one of my favourite being the black pig. Roaming free in the green Basque pastures and forests, they are fed acorns and chestnuts. The meat is pure delicacy, … Continue reading Black pig flank and apple sauce