Confit de canard (duck confit) is one of my ‘can’t live without’ dishes. If I am in a bistrot, I will almost certainly order it, and it’s the first dish I prepare for my friends when they come for a stay. It’s so French, so tasty, crispy, served with roast potatoes, salad and a good bottle of Médoc wine. I can’t think of a … Continue reading Confit de canard revisited
This Sunday most of France will be feasting on the traditional king’s cake, called galette des rois in French. It is made of golden buttery puff pastry filled with a delicious almond paste filling, and you can find so many versions with cream, fruits or chocolate. This tradition is to mark the feast of Epiphany, when the three wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense … Continue reading King for a day
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 my guests are vegetarians, I came up with a veggie-friendly … Continue reading November rain
Recently, I was given a very original gift. Twelve ‘melons d’Espagne’ (a variety of winter melons) from our farmer neighbours. It was a beautiful jade green sight, as if they were dropped by someone from outer space. These are the last melons of the season, often stored in garages to ripen for use. They are best prepared as jam. So at this time of the … Continue reading All you need is thyme
Friday was the last day before the Toussaint. It is a Christian holiday to honor and pray for the deceased (All Saints day – November 1st and All Souls day November 2nd), where relatives gather and visit family graves, decorating them with chrysanthemums, which is the official flower for Toussaint. The kids get to have a well-deserved two weeks holiday from school, the best treat … Continue reading Lunch with my husband
After all the excitement build-up since the kids started school, days of searching in vain, we finally found beautiful cèpes. I have been sharing a few moments from my mushroom adventures through Instagram, discovering amazing parts of the forest I never knew. Every morning, I feel like an explorer, entering the woods with my stick, scrambling the leaves, and always looking down. I have lost … Continue reading The wacky and wonderful world of cèpes
‘People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy’. Anton Chekhov As hard as it was letting go of summer, I find the fall season most inspiring of all. We have never been so happy to have rainy days, anxiously waiting for the cèpes mushrooms to appear. Not only do I go to the local village for daily groceries, but I am also … Continue reading Plum & fig meringue pie
One of the best things about the fall season is mushroom picking. Someone had whispered in my ear they had found three large gorgeous cèpes in their garden last week-end. After hearing this, I never leave home without rubber boots and a basket in the hope to bring back a bounty of my own. Since I moved to Médoc, I have discovered reliable mushroom trails … Continue reading Kouign Amann
Meringues are the most pleasurable desserts to make from start to finish. From separating the eggs, whisking up a sky of fluffy clouds, shaping them into pretty petticoats, these sweet confections are simply magical. When I was small, I always imagined clouds tasted like vanilla meringues. Slightly crisp on the outside, creamy yet airy inside. As intimidating as they may look, meringues are actually very … Continue reading Chocolate swirl meringues
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 more weeks. Rumour has it that 2012 will be a … Continue reading From quail to quince
