Fall

Since my recent trip to Lille, I have been obsessed with making Merveilleux at home. These meringue and chocolate cream sandwich pastries are a famous specialty from French and Belgian Flanders and can be spotted across bakeries and pastry shops all over the city of Lille. I actually spent several minutes staring at pastry chefs crafting them through the windows of Aux Merveilleux de Fred, one of the most famous spots in the city to buy and eat Merveilleux. So as soon as I was back in my kitchen in …

This Pain d’épices (French for “Spice Bread”) is an iconic French bread associated with the city of Reims, and beloved all over France. It is sold in bakeries, grocery stores, and of course in every Christmas market around the country. As per tradition, a real French Spice Bread should be made with only rye flour, and dark buckwheat honey as a sweetener (no sugar). You won’t find any butter in it, as it is indeed a bread – not a cake – far less sweet and much drier than its American …

Known in French as “Haricots Verts à l’Albigeoise“, this quick and easy French green bean recipe is a delicious specialty hailing from Albi, a small town in Southern France, near Toulouse. It features bacon, eggs and crème fraîche which I feel is an unusual way to dress up vegetables – but it makes them scrumptious, comforting and perfect for colder days. It’s the kind of recipe that could even lure the pickiest little ones to eat their veggies (and ask for seconds! ) It makes for a great weekday dinner for …

Behold this winter-perfect dish: A scrumptious Beer and Cheddar Welsh, just like they make in Northern French brasseries. Now, you might have already heard of the Welsh Rarebit – a typical specialty from Wales – that is a combination of toasted bread and melted cheese. But did you know that this is insanely popular in the north of France too? This popular French dish hails from the Hauts-de-France, where they simply call it “Le Welsh”, and it is just a bit different than the actual Welsh version (and a bit more …

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.

A risotto is not a French-born dish, but the French are in fact very fond of it. It’s funny to think that there has always been a certain rivalry between the Italians and the French, and on many different levels: architecture, literature, fashion, politics, mentalities … But when it comes to food, I have felt the French have always fully acknowledge the authority of Italian cuisine, and happily embrace Italian influences in their own plates.

With Oktoberfest celebrations nearly upon us, behold these Alsatian classics: hot buttered soft pretzels! Or, should I say, Bretzels – as that’s how you’ll find them called in Alsace. These salt-topped chewy twists are one of the most iconic culinary treats of the region (if not the treat!). Now, if you live in Alsace, you may not find the point in making homemade pretzels, as they can literally be found in any food market, bakery and even “bretzellerie” (street shops devoted to making and selling only bretzels).

A “Gâteau au Yaourt” (Yogurt Cake) is a simple French classic and is very often the first cake that kids learn to bake (I remember being taught to make a yogurt cake in our classroom when I was 6 or 7, using the yogurt pot as the measuring tool). It’s quick and easy, as you only need 1 bowl and 10 minutes of prep time. It’s moist, fluffy, and endlessly adaptable. It makes for a great recipe to have in your baking repertoire, that can be adjusted to any season or …

Known in French as buckwheat “galettes”, these Brittany-style buckwheat pancakes are a variation on the utterly classic Buckwheat crêpes (a recipe that I shared here). They differ from the latter as they are thicker and smaller, but are made with the same ingredients and have the same delectable nutty, earthy flavors and fluffy texture dotted with little holes.

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 …