Appetizers

What better way to help Summer linger than embracing every chance left to sit outside with a  chilled drink and, of course, some delectable nibbles on the side? And for that, the Provençal people undoubtedly have it all nailed down, with their utterly beloved and popular Black Olive Tapenade. This spread of black olives and capers is a culinary icon in the region and a perfect drinking companion – as all salty snacks are.  This tapenade is packed with salty flavors and a concentrated of the Mediterranean. It’s such a …

This chickpea flatbread (known as “socca”) is a little culinary treasure hailing from the sun-kissed Ligurian Coast, stretching from Italy to France. Naturally vegan and gluten-free, this delectable and rustic chick pea flatbread has seen a big revival in these past few years. But its recipe is truly as ancient as can be – and very, very easy. In Italy, from Ventimiglia to La Spezia, it is known as the “farinata”. In the Piemonte Region, people call it the “belecàuda” (meaning literally, beautiful and hot).  And in the South of …

This post is sponsored by Oliv. All text and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who help make Pardon your French possible! This Summer, I am partnering with Oliv to bring you delicious recipes that are bursting with Balsamics and Extra Virgin Olive Oils. These two ingredients are utterly prevalent in French cuisine, especially in Southern France. And like most French cooks, I always have a bottle of EVOO and a bottle of balsamic laying on my counter – which find their way into my vinaigrettes, …

With the arrival of an early Spring, I’m getting excited about asparagus! And for me, freshly crisp asparagus calls for a Sauce Gribiche. A great classic of French Cuisine, the Gribiche is a flavorsome mayonnaise-style sauce packed with capers, cornichons and fresh herbs. And while still today an utter classic, it is one of those concoctions that’s still hard to put a label on … Is it a sauce? A mayonnaise? A dip? A condiment? A relish? I like to think it can be any of them! (I mean, is …

Known in French as “Crêpes Vonnassiennes” or “Crêpes Parmentières”, these fluffy little Potato Pancakes are actually properly known as “Crêpes” and are a delicious specialty hailing from Vonnas, in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of France. 

Take your classic Foie Gras on Toast over the top, with this quick spiced persimmon chutney. A sweet and salty festive appetizer for Christmas! 

This Tomato Trio and Dijon Mustard Tart is effortlessly delicious, and a true ode to fresh, juicy, sun-ripe tomatoes. A favorite late-summer French classic! As I was saying on my last Instagram post, this Tomato Trio and Dijon Mustard Tart was one the first savory dishes I ever learned to make, as a child in France (and I am sure this is the case for a lot of French kids). Since then, it remained as one of my favorite summer tarts to create. When late summer peaks and tomatoes are …

With a crunchy outside and a creamy inside, these canned sardine croquettes are my new summer craving. I serve them with a lemony yogurt dip, for a perfect mix of salty, tangy and smooth flavours. Canned sardines are an institution in Brittany, France. The sardine fishing and canning is, and has always been, a flagship industry of towns along the Atlantic coast, where most canneries remain today.  Most sardines are “preparées a l’ancienne” – which means made the old-fashion way. The sardines are first fried, then dried and finally canned, …

here are no rules about French pâtés. Pork, chicken, rabbit or duck. Breast, cheek, belly or tripe. Squelched in a baguette sandwich with a few “cornichons”, baked “en croûte” in a flaky pastry crust or delicately seared and served atop a succulent filet mignon. In a ploughman’s lunch bag or on a Michelin star table. Sometimes rough, sometimes a delicacy, pâté has seduced, seduces and will seduce generations of French families for decades to come. And for how many ways there are to eat it, you can find a way …